A Body Decision

Hike Pics said:

fotowbert said:

photoholiko said:

You made the right choice, not that the D3200 is bad, but the D5100 is better, the 3200 doesn't have a focusing motor, that limits you to certain lenses and I feel it's better built.

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A clarification is needed here as the D5100 also doesn't have a focusing motor so the same lens restriction applies to both the D3200 and D5100.

Nikon's product differentiation gods have decreed all D5xxx models, like all D3xxx models, shall be without an in-body AF motor. To AF the older screwdriver type AF lenses you need to step up the D7xxx models.

• John

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Is it correct that the older lenses can be used except only with manual focusing?

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Yes, older screwdrive AF and AF-D lenses generally only lose their AF ability. IIRC the D3500 also won't meter with those lenses. Non-CPU lenses won't meter on any of the D3xxx and D5xxx series.

Hike Pics said:

I kind of remember something about some old lenses that have mounts that can damage the mirror. I think that applies to Canon but not sure about Nikon.

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True also for Nikon. It should be spelled out in the users manual what rare lenses (IIRC an old fisheye was one) should not be used. I recommend you download the manual for your D5100.

There is also damage issues mounting pre-AI manual focus lenses that vary by body model. On a D5100 that would involve the minimum aperture sensing switch at about the 8 o'clock position on the lens mount. If that switch can not be easily pushed in to be flush with the surrounding surface then the aperture ring of a pre-AI lens when mounted will crush it in flush. At some point Nikon redesigned that switch on to tolerate being pressed in, but I don't know if that was before or after the D5100.

Hike Pics said:

I do remember when I had my D60 that the were seemingly random lenses that work, didn't work or some feature of the lens wouldn't work. That always drove me a little crazy when looking at lenses for it.

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That is an unfortunate side effect of Nikon's decision to maintain as much functionality as possible with their legacy lenses. There are several websites that attempt to sort this issue out, one being Ken Rockwell .

• John

A big thanks for your info, I appreciate it very much.

I have the manual downloaded and will be going over it and making notes before the camera arrives.

Hike Pics said:

I have the manual downloaded and will be going over it and making notes before the camera arrives.

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.. only do that when nothing else solves the problem!

;-)

I'm not convinced about that, all my Nikon mount lenses AF on my D5100, my 35-70/f2.8 Nikkor AF on the D5100 but not on my daughter's D5600.

photoholiko said:

I'm not convinced about that, all my Nikon mount lenses AF on my D5100, my 35-70/f2.8 Nikkor AF on the D5100 but not on my daughter's D5600.

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Nikon said here in 2017 :

The following digital SLR cameras do not have an autofocus motor built-in the camera body:
D5600, D5500, D5300, D5200, D5100, D5000, D3500, D3400, D3300, D3200, D3100, D3000, D60, D40X, and D40.

Compare your D5100 to the images in the link and if it has an AF motor spindle then it is a very rare D5100 and definitely a keeper!

• John

Thanks, that's an informative chart, but I still question that the D5100 doesn't have an AF motor, if it didn't, it would only AF with AF-S and A I lenses according to this chart.

The lens I mentioned (A Nikkor 35-70/2.8) is not an A I Nikkor but an A Nikkor introduced in Dec-1989, that is not the only A lens I have used on the D5100.

Then I'm confused, I haven't placed any lens on my D5100 that did not AF, and I own 11 Nikon mount lenses.

photoholiko said:

I'm not convinced about that, all my Nikon mount lenses AF on my D5100, my 35-70/f2.8 Nikkor AF on the D5100 but not on my daughter's D5600.

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I got that too, but with my Sigma lenses.

I understand that the D5600 was the first generation DSLR designed for AFP as well as AFS lenses.

Somehow, the AFP AF algorithm could be a bit different from the older model designed for AFS only.

The issue was more pronounced for third part lenses. My Sigma lenses had real issues on the D5600 while perfectly fine on D40x and D5100.

My Sigma 30 F1.4 needed a new firmware to work on the D5600, and the AF is always a bit off. I need to manually fine-adjust the focus every time.

My Sigma 10-20 never have accurate AF.

I gave up and use LV when using Sigma lenses on my D5600.

D200




D5100

But just to be sure, check out deals for the D3300 and D3400, they can be found for cheap if you have patience.

I loved the D3200 with the 35mm f1.8, that setup was so comfy to hold and use that I didn't even thinker with the model dial or settings after the initial tinkering, I would just turn it on and take a picture and it always looked right to me.

Also very good battery life.

David Lal said:

Hike Pics said:

I have the manual downloaded and will be going over it and making notes before the camera arrives.

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.. only do that when nothing else solves the problem!

;-)

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True. I have watched a couple videos tonight that talked about a few features I didn't know about.

True story : back in the early 90s when I got married I got a nice Canon camcorder for our trip. I thought I would read the manual (book!) beforehand so I would know how to use it well. When we got to our destination I powered on the cam, unwrapped a new tape, pushed the tape door eject button and I heard a snap. Faulty door wouldn't open! If I had been like most normal people I would have had a working cam for the trip.

Lesson learned - make sure the device is working before I read the manual!!

It came in yesterday and I spent the evening going through the menu settings with a little YT help (trying to get used to the various focusing modes). The camera was listed on MPB as "Well Used" but it looks closer to "Excellent" to me with 4,690 clicks. I cleaned the viewfinder and swabbed a little dust here and there.

Also my 55-200mm VR II came in as well. It didn't come with front or rear caps but I had those already as well as the HB-37 lens hood from my old non-VR 55-200mm. Plus I still have my Nikon bag from my D60.

I hope to get some snaps tomorrow before the rain clouds set in.

Oh, I picked up a D40 for $23. On its way!

Kinda nice to be in the Nikon camp again.

WPMChan said:

I don't have a D3200, but I have a D5100.

I had a D40x before I bought the D5100. I like the D5100 because of its articulating screen, video capability, much better focusing and better sensor than the D40x.

From what I understand, the D3200 has a more advanced sensor and a similar autofocus system as in the D5100, but has a fixed screen.

As far as I can tell, the only major differences are in the sensor and in the articulating screen.

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An aside:

The D3300 is a great upgrade to the D3200, as the former has a better sensor and processor, and one that was retained in the last versions. The D5100 has an older sensor than the D3200, so the D3300 is a lot ahead! And the screen is sadly fixed on both.

Remember that cameras age fast, but lenses do not.

Hike Pics said:

WPMChan said:

Hike Pics said:

I just ordered a D5100 from MPB. It was $97 and in "Well Used" condition but from the photos it looks very nice. OEM battery and charger as well. After lots of reading I think this body will serve me better in the long run.

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Great choice. If I didn't drop and break my D5100, I probably would still be using it. I liked the D5100 very much. It could do everything I wanted in my photography.

I bought a Coolpix A, the pocketable D5100, at about the same time as I had the D5100, around 2013, with similar sensor, control and handling. I am still using it today.

My favourite lenses on the D5100 were a Sigma 18-200 DC, OS HSM, and after it died, the Nikon AFS 18-140 VR. I used them for just about everything and am still using the 18-140 on my D5600 and D780.

I would also recommend the AFS 18-55 VRII. It is not just very cheap, it is amazingly sharp and compact.

I have the AFP version, optically identical to the AFS VRII. The AFP version is slightly faster in AF, however, I don't think it is compatible with D5100.

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Thanks for mentioning the lenses. The 18-140 is a maybe, the 18-55 VR II is a probably when I get the D40.

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The mentioned AF-P 18-55 VR (a lovely lens) is not compatible with the D5100, nor the D3200. The D3300 is, after a firmware update.