# Is Nikon D3100 good enough for a photography beginner? Need advices!



## photoloverpp

Hello everyone, I'm interested in photography and usually took photos with my smartphone...but I know it's quite far from the shots taken by DSLR. so I decide to buy one. someone suggest me Nikon  D3100 is good to use for a beginner and also not expensive. but some said the lense of D3100 kit 18-55mm is not good if I wanna shoot portraits. 
would you photographers please give me some opinions on this camera or recommend some and the following are my requirements:
1. wanna shoot portraits, landscape, and Macro;
2. the price range is $500~$600, $500 around is best, $550 around is also ok, $600 around will be considered seriously;
3. what lenses are good enough for portraits, landscape and macro shots.

hope to get your opinions ASAP!
THANKS IN ADVANCE!


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## cgipson1

The d3100 is an excellent camera for a beginner... you can learn all of the basics on it, and do most advanced stuff also. You might also consider picking up a D5100... used, for about the same money. Better sensor, and a few more features... that would be my suggestion!


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## Designer

photoloverpp said:


> some said the lense of D3100 kit 18-55mm is not good if I wanna shoot portraits.



Not true!  This is a very good focal length for single portraits and small groups.  I use mine for that purpose, and am happy with the results.

Some photographers will denigrate any lens that is low in price.  If you insist upon a narrow depth of field, you will have to pay a lot more to get a lens with a wider aperture.


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## JaronRH

Designer said:


> photoloverpp said:
> 
> 
> 
> some said the lense of D3100 kit 18-55mm is not good if I wanna shoot portraits.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not true!  This is a very good focal length for single portraits and small groups.  I use mine for that purpose, and am happy with the results.
> 
> Some photographers will denigrate any lens that is low in price.  If you insist upon a narrow depth of field, you will have to pay a lot more to get a lens with a wider aperture.
Click to expand...


The kit lens can be used if done right.  The main reasons people don't recommend the kit are:
1)  Aperture: Some people prefer the faster lenses so they can get a better DOF.  Some people (myself included) like the look of a narrow DOF that the kit lens cannot give you.
2)  Distortion:  This can get you two way.  First, if you're shooting close to your subject, you will get distortions that only get worse the wider your shot.  Secondly, zoom lenses commonly have distortion on either end of their range to begin with.
3)  Sharpness:  While sharp enough, Pro zooms or prime lenses are usually much sharper.

Despite the above, the kit lens can still be used as long as you're mindful of the limitations and know how to work around them as best as you can.  With the exception of maybe wanting wider, it should do very well for landscapes when stepped down (the camera can usually compensate for barrel distortion on Nikon lenses in the camera itself!).

Camera wise, the D3100 will serve you well as a beginner camera although you might benefit by doing with a newer model (D5200, D3200) or a used older model (D90, D5100).  I would also look into the 50mm 1.8G lens for portait work.


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## coastalconn

I have several friends that wanted the same set up.  I have recommended a refurbished D5100 from Cameta as they include a 1 year warranty.  Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens - Factory Refurbished includes Full 1 Year Warranty  It's well within your budget and allows you some extra money for a memory card, bag, etc...


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## CaptainNapalm

i would recommend the d5100 which you can get with the kit lens for around $500.


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## ratssass

whatever you choose to spend,I think it's always good to buy beyond your current capabilities.Not to the point of being overwhelmed,but something you can grow into.Use the 18-55 and decide if/what about it is limiting you.I'll bet if you take the time to learn it you'll get some shots that you'll be impressed with.


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## clarie

Hi, I got my d3100 in Nov. I'd only used point and shoot or phone till then. I would say the d3100 is a great camera for starting out, as for the kit lens 18-55mm. Its takes great pics for learners.
Heres a couple of photos taken with the 18-55mm. 
So yea, as a beginner photographer. I'm happy with it.  Now I just need to learn how to make those big eyes pop in photoshop 



DSC_1299 by ky_honey_pie2002, on Flickr



DSC_1269 by ky_honey_pie2002, on Flickr


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## photoloverpp

Thank you all so much guys!!! I appreciate your kind opinions really! I wanna make sure again that with Nikon D3100 and the 18-55mm lense, could I get portraits that creat bokeh? I mean the background is blurry while the portrait is clear... just like this photo I found in this forum by *mrpink**.* 
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/people-photography/299520-one-my-oldest-daughter-zoo.html


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## invisible

photoloverpp said:


> Thank you all so much guys!!! I appreciate your kind opinions really! I wanna make sure again that with Nikon D3100 and the 18-55mm lense, could I get portraits that creat bokeh? I mean the background is blurry while the portrait is clear... just like this photo I found in this forum by *mrpink**.*
> http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/people-photography/299520-one-my-oldest-daughter-zoo.html


You will be able to get a blurry background with the 18-55mm lens, but it won't be like the one on mrpink's photo, unfortunately. The beautiful background blur is a function of four variables: focal length, lens aperture, distance from lens to subject, and distance from subject to background. (A fifth variable would be the shape of the blades of the lenses, but that would be getting toooo technical for this discussion.) mrpink used a long lens (the exact focal length was 170mm) with an aperture (f/2.8) that's wider than the maximum aperture offered by the 18-55mm lens (f/3.5-5.6). The longer the focal length, the higher the ability of the lens to produce that beautiful blurry background. The smaller the "f number", the wider the aperture (and, again, the higher the ability of the lens to produce that beautiful blurry background).

The 18-55mm lens should be perfect to get you started in photography, and should give you nice results for portraiture and landscapes. If things go as planned and you outgrow the setup, then you can move on to more expensive gear.

The bad news is that to shoot macro you will need a dedicated macro lens, as the 18-55mm will not give you enough magnification or the ability to get too close to the subject. There are alternatives (like close-up lenses, for example) but only a macro lens will give you the magnification that I assume you have in mind (e.g., a bug filling the whole frame).


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## ceeboy14

Either the 1966 or 67 LA Photinka Show, can't remember which was a shot of a Chinese Junk emerging out of a fog bank in Hong Kong Bay. It was shot with a modified Kodak Instamatic (did something to the shutter mechanism). The print itself was enormous, the clarity, sharpness, color and composition to kill for. This shot stays with me everytime I put my eye to the viewfinder and his wisdom..."it is the photographer and his vison and his understanding of what goes on inside the mechanics that makes the shot. The best of everything photographic won't make a bad shot better if one doesn't understand aperture, shutter and composition."

This is not to say great glass won't help; but great glass, more megapixels, a better tripod, magnificent lighting, stages, backdrops are of no value until you know your camera, your limitations, and until you learn the mechanics of exposure. Then you get to apply some artistry, which I'd rather herd cats than try to teach.

Oh, buy a reversing ring and get yourself a manual 50mm and you can have "decent" macro for at least learning purposes.


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## Solarflare

IMHO the D3100 is no good anymore now the D5100 is practically as cheap. The D5100 has some less limits (allows ISO 25,600, for example), a 14 bit sensor (with 14 bit resulting in substantly increased dynamic range) that has much better performance in all respects, better interface, and a super practical flipscreen.


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## Geezer_G

I'm with ceeboy14.  Start with anything with a lens and learn how to use it.  The first new camera I bought was a 35mm, $30 Petri 7s rangefinder camera.  I wore it out, had it repaired and wore it out again, but I learned a lot.  That was over 45 years ago and I've worn out a lot of cameras since then, but I'm still learning.  I have bags full of camera equipment and rarely leave the house without a camera--maybe film, maybe digital--it usually doesn't matter as my favorite is still anyting with a lens.

Good luck and never lose your enthusiasm!


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## Designer

photoloverpp said:


> could I get portraits that creat bokeh? I mean the background is blurry while the portrait is clear...



Strictly speaking, these are two separate terms.  The lens in question will not produce such a pronounced degree of "out-of-focus" as a lens with a wider aperture.  You can get SOME out of focus, by making sure you have done everything you can that creates it:

The widest aperture you can dial to.
The background far away from your subject.

The term "bokeh" refers to the "smoothness" of the out-of-focus image.  The smoother the blur is, the better the bokeh.  It is essentially an inherent  quality of a given lens (and shutter).


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## jrizal

Solarflare said:


> IMHO the D3100 is no good anymore now the D5100 is practically as cheap. The D5100 has some less limits (allows ISO 25,600, for example), a 14 bit sensor (with 14 bit resulting in substantly increased dynamic range) that has much better performance in all respects, better interface, and a super practical flipscreen.



It is still a good camera but for an added $50 or so you can get a better model such as the D5100. My D3100 is still good as it gets! Wished that the D5100 price dropped when I bought my D3100 though. 

Seriously, try to consider the D5100 as the price is dropping. Actually the difference is $100 compared to the D3100 if there is a kit lens included.


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## Tee

You can photograph portraits with the D3100 and the 18-55 lens. Your only constraints with that lens may be in situations when you want to shoot with a wider aperture. However, since 1.8 seems to be all the rage these days, you might get nudged towards the nifty fifty. I say revolt against the 1.8 fanboys/girls and shoot f/4. Chicks dig an image that shows a focused face and not just one eyelash.


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