Catch your moment
Pictures capture a moment in time, and preserve it for you to remember and share. Moments move fast though, and once one has passed you can't go back and try to recapture it — so why would you use a camera that isn't able to keep up with those moments? The Nikon D3100 digital camera is a single lens reflex camera with split-second shutter speed, so that when you're ready to capture a moment, you won't be capturing the one right after, and a three-shot per second burst mode lets you capture a series of shots, so that you can make sure that you're able to get the best possible shot out of a series, and an adjustable ISO that's expandable to an equivalent of 12800 makes sure it can keep up even in low-light situations. The 14.2-megapixel CMOS image sensor in the D3100 makes sure that your shots capture every detail, which allows you to create large size prints without having to fret over distortion. Nikon's Expeed 2 image processing chip gives those details the best possible look, optimizing color, contrast, exposure, noise and even speed so that the high quality image sensor and fast SLR response work together to seamlessly preserve your digital images.
Your life in HD
Sometimes, capturing a moment isn't quite enough — you want to capture a series of moments. Rather than reaching for a camcorder, let the D3100 capture full HD video at 1920 x 1080/24 fps for you. The movie mode has a continual auto-focus, with automatic face tracking and priority, so that you can concentrate on capturing video, rather than having to constantly adjust settings.
More than just the index
Cameras can be complicated, and when you have one that can do as much as the Nikon D3100, the manual may be larger than the camera. Thankfully, you won't have to worry if you haven't gotten to page 322 (subsection C) of the manual yet — the built-in guide mode can help you get exactly the shots you want. When you select the guide mode, it will walk you through the necessary steps to get the right settings for many common (and many less common) shooting situations, and does so in such a way that you know how to make your own adjustments later on. And the guide mode isn't just for pictures — it can help you with movies as well! It's like having your own tiny camera expert.
Always the right scene
Time isn't always on your side though, and when you're using a camera like this, you may not have time to go through the guide mode to get the right shot. No worries — the Nikon D3100 can intelligently recognize scene modes by checking things like the light, if there are any faces in a picture, and what the scene composition is and will automatically adjust the exposure, white-balance and even automatically focus for you so that you can get a great picture without any hassle. If you know what type of scene you want to capture, there are also six auto-focus modes (such as portrait, landscape, sports or night mode) that you can choose from without having to manually adjust all your settings. Plus, an 11-point auto-focus system will recognize changes in the composition of a scene on the fly, and make adjustments based on those changes. With so much help, your toughest decision is going to be what you're going to do with all the pictures you'll be taking!
View it the way you want
Using your Digital SLR camera usually means using the viewfinder for the fastest possible response and focus from your lens. But sometimes you need to use the LCD screen to view your subjects, whether it's because you need to shoot from a strange angle, or you just can't have your face up near the viewfinder. Because the camera has to continually read data being streamed directly from the CMOS sensor focusing, and keeping focus, on your subject can be nearly impossible, which leads to blurry pictures and movies. The Nikon D3100 uses a process called Live View, with a full-time-servo auto-focus so that your camera can continually keep track of your subject. Face tracking in Live View keeps track of, and focus on, up to 35 faces, even when they're not directly facing the camera or move, plus an expansive 3.0" LCD screen makes keeping track of the action easy. As an added bonus, Live View works not only for pictures, but for the HD movie mode as well, helping you get the shots and angles you want to get without having to worry about losing out on picture quality.
Processing on the go
You want your pictures to turn out perfectly, and sometimes you know that the last shot you took might be just the right one if you adjusted the lighting a little bit, or maybe added a filter to it. But who carries an entire photo and movie editing suite with them wherever they go? Well, with the Nikon D3100, you do. Although it doesn't quite compare to the editing software included with the camera, you can do things such as correct perspective, lighting, and color balance in your photos and videos without having to download your files to a computer. You can also add cool effects, such as making photos monochrome, or applying a sepia or soft focus filter to them, or have fun with perspective using the Miniature or Fisheye filter.
The dust is gone
While some philosophers and songwriters would maintain that all we are is dust in the wind, you may want to forgo just capturing dust on your image sensor. Not only does it lead to murky, blurry photographs, dust build-up can damage your image sensor over time. Luckily, Nikon is in more of the seeing clearly now school of thought. The Nikon D3100 uses a double prong attack to discourage dust build-up: first, it uses an Airflow Control System to redirect dust away from the low-pass filter in front of the image sensor so that it never has a chance to get there in the first place; second, every time you power the camera on or off, it will automatically vibrate the filter at precise frequencies to release dust away from the image sensor.
More than just a body
Taking pictures isn't just about the camera body. True photographers will tell you it's all about the glass – glass meaning in this case your lens. Good thing that this Nikon D3100 comes with some good glass. The 18-55mm lens included with this kit gives you excellent mid-range shots, which tend to be in the majority of shots you'll be taking. The VR system built into the lens minimizes blur caused by things like hand movement or shaking, so that the pictures you take will be clear and focused. As an additional plus, the lens mount is compatible with a wide variety of additional lenses, so you can find the exact lens you'll need for other shooting styles and situations.
Everything you need
You've got your camera, you've got your lens, and you've got big plans for what you'll be shooting next! Woah, wait, slow down a second. There may be a few things you're missing such as memory, a camera bag, an extra battery, or even cleaning supplies. Make sure that you don't find yourself lacking the necessary accessories by taking a gander at our "Accessories" tab, and by calling our experts at the 800-number above — your big plans will be glad you did.
In the box
The following items are included with the purchase of the DL3100 camera: DL3100 camera body, 18-55mm VR NIKKOR lens, EN-EL14 battery, MH-24 battery charger, DK-5 eyepiece cap, DK-20 rubber eyecap, AN-DC3 camera strap, BS-1 accessory shoe cover, BF-1B body cap, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM
