Customer Ratings & Reviews

Overall, I love this camera for its size and ease of use, but mostly for the great images it makes. Just wish it had a better zoom. The flash is surprisingly versatile.

Bought this camera after our point and shoot camera (7 years old) was too slow to capture our new born baby's quickly changing expressions. The nice and knowledgeable expert in the camera dept (thanks Ashley!) calmed my fears of not being able to understand all the DSLR features. She showed me the Guide option on the display that asks you basic questions about the conditions you are in for taking pictures. When I saw "Sleeping Faces" was a setting, I was sold. The Guide feature and the rest of the digital menu on the display also seems like I should be able to figure more of the camera's capability out on my own over time. Most important - it takes great pictures/ very high quality for a new Dad looking to impress the Family with great close ups of the little one. Extra bonus - It takes great HD Video. Perfect for those 30 second snippets. 8GB memory card (tagged here) has 400 pictures and four 30 second videos on it so far and is not even half full.

We got this camera a few weeks ago and compared to what we had before it is great. It takes beautiful pictures and is very easy to use. I am glad we went with the nikon. It is a little cumbersome to take everywhere with us, but the photos are worth it and we are carrying a diaper bag anyway, so no big deal.

I had a Cannon camera in the past that I did not like. I bought this one and it has been easy to use. I have got excellent photos, and love the ease of use. Video and playback are easy to do on the screenon the back. You can also edit your photos right on the camera.

I have had the chance to use this camera now for a couple of months. The picture quality is fantastic. The video quality is surprisingly good! There are more features than I can possibly understand yet, but I am learning new things about the camera regularly, and discovering even more ways to make it work for me! It takes fast burst pictures, which is one of the main reasons I bought it. Low light pictures are also great! It is easy to use right out of the box without going into the details of the features, and it has enough features to satisfy a more serious photographer. I highly recommend it!

I intend to use this camera 50% of the time for stills and 50% video. For this price range it's a very good camera, very nice build and easy to use. My main complaint is manual shutter control which this camera doesn't have. I bought the D90 18 months ago to use the HD video feature and was disappointed with the video qualtity (even though it's a great still camera). Some might wonder why a DSLR for video instead of a video camera? answer is the depth of field in DSLR is more film like and DSLR will have a bigger sensor than most pro video cameras. I compared the D7000 and D3100 for video features and for less than half the price you get similar quality as both use the same sensor with the exception for few features including shutter control. I decided to get the D3100 and it was a good choice. If you are a beginner the D3100 is a great camera, if you are looking for more features and a better lens you might want to look into the D7000 or canon T3 and 60D. As far as the video quality, Nikon has made a great improvement over the D90 with the higher resolution of 1080p and less jello/jitter effect. Keep in mind that I am rating this camera based on quality, features and price range.

I'm very happy with this purchase. This is my first DSLR camera. I've always used pocket point and shoot. Now that my youngest is a little older and more independent (I don't have to carry him around & my hands are free now), I can grab the camera quickly and get those amazing shots. (I would not recommend it for a parent who has to attend to a baby or toddler because it takes two hands to use this camera as opposed to a pocket camera.) I have not read the direction booklet yet and have figured it out on my own. I am quick with electronics so I was able to figure it out, but it could be tricky for people who normally have a hard time in that area because it is not intuitive. The one thing I haven't figured out yet is how to use the movie function...so that is why I gave it a "good" rating on "ease of use." Glad I purchased a longer range lens as well. Was able to take amazing shots of my kid's performances even from the back of the auditorium! That's a first. Overall I am very pleased. It takes excellent pictures!!!

I bought this camera online three days before new year and got it one day before new years eve.( Great service from BestBuy ) Did not have time to read the user guide completely line by line at the time only charge the camera and used it. Great pictures. I bought it in a bundle with bag which comes with two dvd with a lots of information about the D3000 model which is similar to D3100 one with some information how to take use deferent scene and have great pictures. Battery's life is very short I used the camera twice and need to recharge, nothing can do only need to buy a extra battery. Great camera for beginners. I will recommend this to everybody. Also will recommend to buy the zoom lense like 55-200 VR or 70-300 VR they are a great addition to sets of cameras. Also will recommend to buy a lense or camera cleaning kit and for the LCD screen protection will recommend to buy the LCD clear plastic cover too to prevent of any scratch. Overall satisfy with camera and BestBuy's online purchase system.

This is a good camera for anyone entering the DSLR market or advanced shooter that wishes to have a lighter camera as a back-up. The options are plentiful for any beginner along with advanced photographer. I previously used a D60 and D40. Upgrading from the D60 added a few more features that make this camera well worth purchasing. Of all the features mainly the 11 point autofocus, upgraded Expeed II image processor and 14.2 Megapixel format strike me as the most important upgrades. The new image processor allows you to capture videos (in HD quality) while allowing the lense to constantly focus on the subject. Face recognition is great with this feature as well. However, I personally bought this camera to take stills and not movies so the option was mute to me when being pitched by a sales associate. If you are unsure about a DSLR this is one that you should seriously consider. The price is right for the options you get in such a highly competitive field that DSLRs are in.

I had purchased a Nikon P100 when my son was born because I wanted something to take good pics and HD video. The camera is good, don't get me wrong, but my wife hated using it because of the shutter speed and the processing time after you took the picture. I had even purchased a better SD card that the best buy sales guy told me would help process it faster. So for Christmas I bought the 3100 for her to use and she and I love using it. Fast, Simple and takes beautiful pictures. The 3100 is about $300 more but in my opinion it is worth it.

I had purchased my D3100 to move away from a "Point-and-shoot" type camera. I LOVE it! It's so easy to use and has the best features! A great camera for everyone!

This is an excellent camera; easy enough for a beginner to use, enough features for a professional. We recently bought this camera for a cruise and it was wonderful even though I am a beginner. While on the cruise we ran into a experienced photographer using the same camera and he still loves this camera. Only down side is this type of camera is price, but you do get what you pay for with this camera.

I did a ton a research before purchasing my first DSLR camera. I kept coming back to the Nikon D3100, and the package deal at that because you save a lot of money by purchasing it this way. I love how easy it is to use and the amazing pictures it takes. Definitely read the manual front to back so that you know how to use all the modes and how to capture all those awesome shots! I love this camera and I'd definitely purchase another down the road.

Camera takes great pictures and is easy to use out of the box. Love having the features at my fingertips. It is a very good camera, but missing one key fearure of other entry level DSLRs - bracketing. For the money, it is a disappoint that this feature is missing. The reason I bought it was to get a better shot than on my regular digital camera. If bracketing is a important feature than this is not the camera for you.

I was amazed how much better the pictures are with this camera. I had been using a variety of point and shoot simple cameras and was disappointed with the quality of the shots I was getting. Even in auto mode this camera is so much better than anything I'd been able to get before. With about an hour of reading through the manual I was able to use some of the more advanced functions of the camera and WOW what a difference. The pictures are crisp, colors really pop and the additional pixel density mean I can edit/crop and still retain a great shot. Also the focus depth makes a huge difference in really making the subject of your photos pop. The video function on this camera is basic but for the price paid it's a fantastic camera with more functions and room to grow than I, a beginner, will likely need for the forseeable future. I highly recommend this as an upgrade to the full auto point and shoot cameras. You won't be disappointed.

Finally bought my 1st DSLR. Got tired of the lousy picture quality from the "point & shoots". Cannot believe the color quality , the depth of photo quality, and the clarity you get with this camera. Took a photo in the backyard and even the individual links in the chain link fence (in the background of the photo) came out crystal clear. I am not an experienced photographer by any sense of the word, but am quite pleased with the photos I get with this camera........gives you the confidence to step out and try to get those photos you always dreamed of but could never quite achieve with a point & shoot camera. If you have small children? This camera is a must.........capture those special moments in awesome clarity. You can't call those moments back, once they're gone, and babies grow up so fast...... so indulge and get this camera. You'll be glad you did! We're getting ready for a cruise to the Western Caribbean in May......can't wait to see what kind of photos I get with this camera. I plan on going downtown Cincinnati this evening to get some shots of the newest skyscraper getting its "tiara" lit as well as the Suspension Bridge getting lit up for the Bengal's game. I know the photos are going to be breathtaking.........especially with the "Guide" help built into the camera. You can't go wrong. The built in "Guide" is my version of "photography for dummies!" Love it! As far as the features go on this camera......this is basically the D3000 & D5000 combined into one, with a few very minor differences. Haven't tried the video aspect yet......but already have a good video camera, so it's doubtful I will use it for my video needs. Was a bit disappointed that no cables come wih this camera, but the SD card pops out and fits right into your laptop, so it isn't like you can't view your photos on a larger screen. All in all? Love the camera and am not one bit sorry I bought it! Would definintely purchase this camera again.......just wish I hadn't waited so long to take the DSLR plunge!

I have been waiting for this camera for almost a year and finally got it as a gift. Could not be happier! This is my first Digital SLR Camera, but my brother had one and I thought the pictures were phenomenal so I wanted my own. So far, I have not been disappointed. Right now I am still just using all the basics, but reading up to learn more and more. That's what I love about the camera - its so easy to use as a point and click right away, but as I get more experience and knowledge I can do so much more! I absolutely love it so far! If you are looking at cameras and are newer to this but love taking pictures, its great! I am planning to also invest in a stronger zoom lens too though, because I still can't get as close-up as I'd like for when my sons are playing sports.

This camera would be perfect for a first DSLR for a beginner. The button placements around the camera were designed great. You can easily adjust your aperture, iso speed, and shutter speed without having to search for the button to do it with. This camera is also great for anyone who wants a smaller DSLR without giving up picture quality. This camera is a little bit smaller than most DSLRs so that also means that it is lighter. Overall, the d3100 is great except for a couple of things: 1) Video quality is not as good as I hoped 2) You cannot use an external mic for video. This camera will not be a good buy for you if you want to use the video feature often. Other than that, this camera is pretty great. The picture quality is amazing. It's simple to learn how to use. It's lightweight and the battery lasts a while.

For my first experience with a DSLR this camera was perfect! I have gotten nothing but great comments on the photos I've taken and really enjoy using it. I did actually read the manual (which is very unlike me to do...I'm more of a learn while you do kind of person) and found it very easy to learn what functions to use in various situations. LOVE IT!

Bought this for my wife who is allergic to technology, but I grew tired of her complaining about our point and shoot camera not giving the pictures she wanted. With the built in trainer on this camera, it has been great for her to learn the new features and how to get the adjustments for the different shots. We have only had it for a month now, but she is really enjoying the picture improvement for the point and shoot.