Nikon D3100

The Nikon D3100 is a DSLR from 2010 built around an APS-C sensor and the Nikon F DX mount. It is a straightforward stills camera, and you frame shots through the optical viewfinder.

At 505 g and 124 x 96 x 75 mm, it is a light, hand-sized DSLR that is easy to carry for a day. The pentamirror viewfinder gives a direct optical view of the scene.

It suits anyone learning photography or wanting a simple second body for stills. It does not record video, so it only makes sense for photographers focused on pictures.

The 14.8-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, paired with the Expeed 2 processor, gives enough resolution for everyday prints and reasonable cropping. For typical sharing and moderate print sizes the resolution holds up fine.

The ISO range runs from 100 to 3200. The base setting suits bright outdoor work, while the ceiling limits how far you can push indoors at night. In dim rooms you will likely need a wider aperture or a flash rather than relying on higher sensitivity.

Continuous shooting tops out at 3 fps, with a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000s. The modest burst rate suits considered frames rather than extended action sequences. Autofocus offers 11 points, so with off-centre subjects you may still focus and recompose.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so camera shake is handled by shutter speed, any stabilisation in the lens, or a support such as a tripod. Such stabilisation reduces camera shake, not subject movement.

The D3100 does not record video in any form. There is no movie mode, no frame rate or resolution to compare, and no recording duration or crop behaviour to weigh, because none of it exists. If moving footage is part of your plans, that requirement rules the camera out immediately.

There is no built-in timelapse mode either, so the camera cannot assemble interval sequences on its own. Live view is still available for composing stills on the screen, which helps with tripod work and awkward angles, but it does not change the recording situation.

Anyone buying this body is choosing photography alone, and that choice should be made deliberately. Without video or timelapse functions, every file the camera produces is a still photograph, so card capacity, editing and sharing all revolve around pictures.

The features score of 36 reflects a limited setup, placing the D3100 in the bottom 19% of cameras in our database for Features. The 3-inch LCD is comfortable for framing, but its 230,000-dot panel shows limited detail, so checking critical focus takes more care.

Live view earns full marks. It lets you compose on the screen for tripod work or awkward angles, then switch back to the optical viewfinder. There is no touch control, so everything runs through buttons and dials.

Connectivity shows the camera's age. With no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, there is no wireless route for image transfer, and there is no built-in GPS, though external or phone-based tagging remains possible.

The built-in flash covers quick fill light, and external flash units are supported when you need more control. There is no weather sealing, so keep the camera dry in rain or dust.

Storage is a single SD slot that accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. With one slot there is no dual-card backup of important shoots, so carrying spare cards is sensible for events or once-only occasions you cannot reshoot.

The EN-EL14 battery is rated at 4500 shots, the strongest part of this section, and it earned full marks. No test conditions are supplied for the figure, so real-world endurance may differ.

USB charging is absent, so the battery charges in a dedicated charger rather than over a USB cable. A second EN-EL14 charged and in the bag covers trips away from mains power.