Nikon's D3100 is the company's latest entry-level DSLR. Announced in August 2010, it's the successor the best-selling D3000 and makes several key upgrades to that model. Most notably the new D3100 now features Live View and video recording facilities – indeed it becomes the first Nikon DSLR (hotly...

14 Megapixel sensor with great quality; Friendly goal-oriented GUIDE mode; 1080p HD video with autofocusing; Decent metering and 11-point AF system

Relatively expensive for an entry-level DSLR; Continuous AF in movies can be slow and noisy; No bracketing; DOF preview or AF with non AF-S lenses; Changing multiple settings requires many clicks

Old-school photographers will embrace the Nikon D3100's sharp stills and classic design, but noisy video keeps it out of the big leagues with competing models.

Terrific 14.2MP stills; Noise well under control at high ISOs; Good ergonomics; menu system

Mic picks up lens noise when shooting videos; Jelly effect when panning; No USB cable supplied

While the Nikon D3100 carries a list price slightly higher than that of the company's most affordable SLR, it offers a number of very worthwhile improvements that make it easy to justify the extra cost. Key among these for most photographers will be its better image quality.

Compact; comfortable body; Good ergonomics; plenty of well-positioned external controls; Dedicated Live View switch and Movie Record button; Drive mode switch reduces menu accesses; Excellent image quality from the new 14-megapixel CMOS sensor coupled with Expeed 2 processor; Very good high ISO

No bracketing capability; Auto and Incandescent white balance very warm in tungsten lighting; No in-body image stabilization (but bundled kit lens has vibration reduction; Won't autofocus with older "screw-drive" AF lenses; No improvement in burst speed over predecessor; Built-in strobe doesn't

The D3100 is the latest entry-level Nikon DSLR in a line that dates back four years to the D40 and, in arguably the biggest upgrade yet, gains two key features: live view and movie recording.

Very good image quality; Unintimidating interface; but with plenty of manual control; Easily accessible Live View and Movie controls; Useful drive mode lever (unique on an SLR at this price level; Highly sophisticated AF system for the price; Easy manual selection of off-centre AF points; Unusually...

Slight tendency to overexpose in contrasty conditions; Buggy Live View / Movie Mode (movies aren't necessarily recorded at set aperture; Crude live view magnification is of little help for critical manual focus; No live histogram in live view; AF still a little sluggish in live view mode; full-time...

Falling into line just above Nikon's other entry-level D3000 DSLR, the D3100 has some fresh features that make it a very attractive DLSR option for photographers who are starting out. Its notable new features include 1080p HD video, and continuous autofocus in Live View and movie modes.

Shoots HD video; Autofocus in movie and live view modes; Good image quality for the price; Intuitive controls and guide menu for beginners; Good low light abilites

Autofocus makes noise in movie mode; Fixed LCD screen; No exposure bracketing

Just a step above its other entry-level DSLR camera (the D3000), Nikon's new D3100 has some fresh features that make it a very attractive DLSR option

Shoots HD video; Autofocus in movie and live view modes; Good image quality for the price; Intuitive controls and guide

Autofocus makes noise in movie mode; Fixed LCD screen; No

I read a few reviews before I purchased this camera, which were all very positive. I have no regrets at all buying this camera, and it was just the thing to get me back into SLR photography after a 30 year break. Got a good deal in my view at ￡350 GBP with the 18-55 Nikkor lens ($545 USD approx)

Easy to use, great results; The built in guide is useful, especially for a novice; The price is good for an entry level camera and I can see it lasting me quite a while; Although calling 'entry level' is a bit deceiving as it is capable of producing, as far as I can see, perfectly professional...

Perhaps an infra red option for the remote as the older version used to have, but that's not a how stopper as there are plenty of good value wireless remotes out there; I can't think of anything bad to say about it to be honest as I'm loving using it

The Nikon D3100 is a solid entry-level DSLR that is aimed squarely at those looking for an easy-to-use camera that offers affordable performance and interchangeable lenses. It's a lightweight camera that handles well, offers a great deal of control, and produces some very nice images without...

High performance for a reasonable price; Live view functionality

Limited hardware capabilities; Videos struggle with motion

Moving up from a point and shoot camera to a camera with more versatility thanks to interchangeable lenses, and improved image quality thanks to larger sensor sizes, has never been as tricky as it is today.

It's all very well having a posh specifications list and a barrow-load of features, but it's how they translate into photographic quality that's key. With great handling for such a small SLR and impeccable image quality in practically every shot, the Nikon D3100 is both highly impressive and utterly...