Customer Reviews

Nikon Coolpix 3100 3MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I actually bought my Niko in Japan and it came with the NiMH batteries, which I'll get too later. I had intended on buying one of the newer Sony camera's, but after shopping around a little I found that Nikon had all the same features as the Sony equivelant and took better pictures. Sony pics look a little grainy, especially at large sizes. This is my first digital camera although I've had a digital video camera for almst 4 years.

Picture quality: first and foremost, the picture quality is very good and is easily of the best camras in the 3.2 meg range. I've worked to blow the pictures up, use them as screensavers, etc and they look immaculate on my 19" screen.

Scenes: I haven't had much call to use the scene function, but I have worked on the indoor/ outdoor settings, portrait and even took some pictures with the "snow" setting in a room that looked way too white. The scenes also utilize flash contol. Overall these are easy to use, although as Amazon notes, you probably won't have use for many of them.

Performance: Autofocus could be a little quicker and a little more responsive in my book. I've had problems with the camera not focusing during portraits and coming out all blurry. With the time it takes to autofocus, the time it takes to record and the time it takes to setup for the next pic, the shutter speed is moot. Usually though, the camera works very well, indoors and outdoors. Outdoor pics look amazing on a nice sunny day. The Flash is a pain and requires some tooling. Get too close and everything comes out white, portrait takes a little too long. Everything else is fine.

Batteries: My biggest complaint. Anyone out there expecting to get any kind of use out of regular batteries can dream on. Even the NiMH batteries die way too fast and require constant recharging. When the batteries get low, which is usually after 10 or so pics, the camera will auto shut down while the flash recharges. Very irritating when combined with the autofocus and the time it takes to record pics to the memory. Takes forever to get another shot off. I'm tempted to bring the review down to three stars over this one feature, but I haven't experimented with other batteries yet so I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Conveience: The size, features and computer to camera setup is top notch. I have windows XP and I didn't need to install any software to copy the pics to my hard drive. It was plug and play. I like that the camera uses compact flash cards while other companies are going to more expensive formats. I have an Epson printer that can copy pics of the CF cards and they lok amazing.

Value: about average for a camera in this class, and I think the pros outweight the cons. Lets face it, this is just above entry level and not the best camera on the market, but easily one of the best in it's price range. Having owned this one for a little over a month, I may decide not to skimp when I upgrade. Most of my complaints could be easily resolved if I were willing to shell out the extra dough. Great camera for vacations, parties and portability.

Ok, here is the truth. I bought this camara because I had a business trip to Japan. Wanted something small. Wanted something light. This camara delivers this. Before I bought it I read all the reviews...Now here is the truth. The pictures are great but a couple of points. 1) this is a small camara. That means you need a steadier hand than with a larger camara. 2) it has a dozen different picture settings, and they do make a difference especially in low light so you have to be fairly active with your settings 3) software is outdated, you must update from the Nikon website and it isn't the easiest process for the novice 4) No rechargable battery or case included 5) stupid 16 meg card included, you must upgrade 6)It does take up to six seconds to write the picture to the card, that is slow by digital standards

While this may sound like a lot of drawbacks here are the strengths 1) picture quality better than others 2)size, only the elph is smaller but this is much more comfortable3) nikon software is so simple both for picture modifications and red eye one touch 4) uploading to your computer or the nikon website is one touch and you get 50 megs online.

In my mind the pros outweigh the cons but you have to make the decision for yourself. I for one am happy with my choice.

I decided to buy my first digital camera this summer, and I had narrowed it down to the canon s400 and the nikon 3100. Ultimately, I chose the Nikon because of the price difference, but I've been very satisfied with my choice.
The most common complaint I've heard is the battery life. I've used the camera on 6 or 8 separate occasions, and have filled my 128 mb memory card, and the original battery is still going strong. Just don't leave the camera on when you're not actively taking pictures and you'll be fine (though I'd still recommend keeping some spare NiMH batteries with you).
The scene modes can be useful--I took some great fireworks pictures over the 4th of July with that scene mode, and the backlight mode works well too. However, sometimes you need to take a picture quickly, and then they just get in the way.
The other complaint I've heard is the flash (i.e. the multiple flashes that are annoying and make the camera take too long to take a picture). That problem is easily solved...just turn from red-eye reduction mode to standard flash mode. Then, if you get red-eye, just fix it on your computer.
Which leads me to my one complaint about the camera. The imaging software that came with it was a pain to use, and didn't give great results when you try to edit the photos. I upgraded to Photoshop Elements, and haven't had any problems since.
The size of the camera is perfect...small enough to carry around easily, but big enough to still hold steadily. The grip feels good, and the zoom/shutter buttons are well placed so you can use them with just one finger.
The picture quality is great...everything I'd expect from a Nikon (esp. with the Nikkor lens). I've been using some of my pics as desktop backgrounds (at 1600x1200), and they still look great. I can't wait to get my first set of prints back!
Overall this is a great little camera...no regrets, and I've got more cash in my pocket than if I'd bought the Canon

I've had this camera for about a day now and I love it. I read a lot of reviews and saw that the main flaw was battery life, and that the included cr-v3 battery would die after 10 minutes. This has absolutely not been true so far. With the original battery I have taken over 200 pictures at the highest quality setting, and the battery is still going strong.
The camera will easily fit into a pocket, and thanks to the built in lens cap you don't have to worry about it getting scratched. The menu is easy so easy to follow I was up taking pictures in less then 10 minutes from opening the box. The biggest problem, I think, is the scene modes. The seem to just make your life difficult. But the autofocus/flash is so effective that these other features almost never have a chance to get in your way. The manual exposure compensation is the easiest way to manage the light getting into the camera, and ensures that every photo looks great. The only things you need that are not included in the box are a) rechargeable batteries, cause the included cr-v3 will not last forever, and b) a 128 mb min memory card. The included card takes 10 pics at highest resolution, while a 128 takes 80 at the highest quality, and over 150 at the next highest quality. This is a great camera and is so easy to use and it does not cost a lot of money. The pictures look great and are more than enough resolution for prints up to 8x10.

I just bought the Nikon Coolpix 3100 a week ago, and I can't say enough about it. ... The pictures it takes are phenomenal. I thought about going for a 4-megapixel model, but decided against it due to the expense. I can now see from the fantastic quality of the pictures I've been taking that 4 MPs would have been overkill for a first digital camera.

The 3100 has an insane number of scene modes and settings to play with, although I haven't done so yet. I've just been using it on the "Auto" setting and it's worked great. Well worth the money. The Nikonview software for viewing, editing, compressing and emailing your pictures is really easy to use. I like the fact that the camera uses 2 AA-size batteries rather than a proprietary battery module. Much more convenient and versatile. Just make sure you get a set of at least 4 rechargeable NiMH AA-size batteries and a battery charger. Regular alkaline batteries didn't last more than 10 minutes, but the rechargeable NiMHs last much longer (about an hour and a half). You will also want to buy a larger Compactflash card than the 16-meg card that comes with the camera. ...

You get a lot of bang for the buck with this one. Firstly, the camera is *tiny*, but still has that wonderful Nikkor lens. Being a fan of the swivel lens design, I do miss that, but the picture quality so far has been superlative.

As with small cameras, the flash can be problematic in that it's just not all that powerful. However, you can compensate some by monkeying around with the settings manually or use one of the scene settings. I took a nice picture of a sunrise to experiment with the scenes, and I have a nice mixture of deep indigo with red on the horizon. It'll go absolutely anywhere you need it to go, and unlike the reported problem with the coolpix 3500, shutter speed is much improved.

My only criticisms right now are the weak flash (but what do you want from something so small) and the load time between pictures. The second problem may be fixed with a better CF card, but this camera is nice for snapshots, though some people will complain about the startup time. I'm enjoying this camera immensely right now!

I'm an 18 year-old kid, and I wanted a camera I could take with me wherever I went to take pictures of my friends and such, but obviously, I'm shopping on a budget, so I didn't want to spend a lot... I was thinking along the idea of like a cell phone camera, only a) I find those to be rude and obnoxious, b) I wanted something that would take good quality photos, and c) I waned to be able to load them onto my computer. So my big issues were:

1) Portability; had to be a small camera
2) Image quality; had to take good pictures
3) Cost; Wanted to get the most camera for my money (NOTE: This included other aspects of camera buying, such as batteries, memory, etc, not just the cost of the camera itself)

I did a lot of shopping, both in stores and online, talked to a lot of people, and read a lot of reviews. In the end, it came down to this camera, and the Sony Cybershot DSC-P32. I was torn, an after carefully weighing the pros and cons of both cameras, I decided to go with this one; my moms old Nikon point-and-shoot never did her wrong, so I held my breath and bought this one.

I must say, I was glad I did my homework. This camera is one of the best investments I've ever made. I've had it for about a month, and still don't have any -real- complaints. I understood how to use it right out of the box, and when I did have to use the documentation, it was very well written. It's small enough that I can carry it in my pocket whenever I go out with my friends, (note: I wear baggy-ish cargo pants) but still take very high quality pictures. The camera can be a little unstable with being used without the flash, but I've found that the BSS feature usually takes care of the cameras tendency to produce blurry pictures when used without a flash.

The three big issues I have/had with this camera, and the ones everyone else seems to have are:

1) Battery Life
2) Memory
3) Flash/Movie mode/other performance issues

1) Battery Life: The battery life of the camera seemed to be a gripe everyone had. The Lithium battery that the camera came with lasted me through my 'play period,' when I was getting familiar with how the camera worked, as well as through my friends birthday party before it finally kicked the bucket. Obviously, this camera goes through regular alkaline dry cells like a fat kid through cake, but I bought some Panasonic Nickel Metal Hydride batteries w/ a charger for like 15 bucks, and those have been fine; I keep 2 in my camera, and 2 in my pocket in case they go dead. I would recommend taking as many pictures as you can WITHOUT the flash though, because the flash does put a lot of strain on the battetries...

Memory: The camera comes with a 16MB card. This obviously isnt enough. One of the main reasons I bought ths camera was because it takes CompactFlash memory, not Sony's (more expensive) MemoryStick memory. Just splurge on the extra card; its well worth it, trust me. Or, be like me and wait for your birthday to roll around, and ask for it then :)

Performance Issues: The flash can be very taxing on the battery, and you WILL get redeye if you dont use the redeye flash. But, the camera performs pretty well in most lights without flash, just make sure to use the BSS option, becaue your first pictures will come out blurry. It does, however, perform rather poorly in low light; restaurants have been of particular bother to me; because the flash is too bright and black out the background, but if I don't use it my pictures will come out yellow. In manual mode, it has a lot of things you can play with to rectify the situation though, just play with it to find out what works best for you. I find shutter conpensation to be the best remedy for this situation.
As far as movie mode goes, it's not a camcorder, it's a camera. If you want to make movies, go buy a camcorder.

All in all, this is a great camera to take with you for those 'had to be there' shots, which is why I bought it. It's customizable, portable, efficient, and takes great pictures. Good for someone who doesn't know a lot about photography, but know what looks good and what doesn't. The camera isn't perfect, but I wasn't looking for perfection. It's a very well-rounded camera thats good for what it costs, and I personally don't regret buying it.

Small, easy to use, excellent quality to 5 x 7 prints, good quality at 8 x 10. I own a Nikon 5700 digital camera and love it, but it's complex overkill for others in my house. They LOVE this camera for its size, its picture quality, its scene modes, its flexibility and its "go anywhere" size. On jaunts it's always around someone's neck or just in their hands.

Foolproof and REALLY simple to use; scene modes are wonderful. Flash is anemic, but we've found Nimh batteries are good for 50-60 pix easy, and a set or two of good ones plus a charger is all that's really needed. Add a 256 high-speed CF card and one is ready for anything. A GREAT camera for a novice.

Incredibly easy to use; hooked it up to our TV right out of the box and used the TV to focus, crop, and then shoot portraits. A truly fun camera within its limitations as a versatile point and shoot. A real winner from Nikon.

Pros:
1.) Ease of operation. The camera is very user friendly. Just by messing around with it for 20 to 30 minutes I figured out how to operate most of the functions.
2.) Great price. I was looking at sony p7 and canon. Both of these cameras were nice and had a few more options than the Nikon but I like the Nikon's style and functionability better.
3.) LCD screen. I liked Nikon's screen better than Sony's just because it was recessed. With Sony's if you set it down on a flat surface then the screen would have come into contact with the surface

Cons:
1.) My friends have reported little white spots of light on their pictures. I have noticed a few little spots on pictures that I've taken but they aren't bad. I have also noticed that these spots will occur on other cameras, even disposable.
2.) Battery life is about average. My batteries usually last 45 minutes to an hour. I have rechargable nickle batteries.
3.) The 16mb memory disc is standard but I got a 128mb one as well so that I would be able to hold plenty of pictures.

This is my first digital camera.. It takes great pictures but like everything it is not perfectIt is easy to figure out how to use and the controls are well placed for its small size. But it really is small and sometimes it is awkward to handle but the small size is great for travel and is small enough to fit in a loose pocket comfortably. I would have liked a bigger memory card. I bought a 128mb card when I bought the camera. I took about 150 pics on vacation and had room for about 150 more. 64mb would be plenty. You really should buy rechargeable batteries. This camera goes through batteries rather quickly. I bought regular alkaline batteries  they lasted about 5 minutes I then bought Lithium batteries :). The rechargeable batteries die after taking about 50-60 pictures. The movie quality was pretty good and you can edit the movies on the camera. Shutter response time is slow. In low light without the flash pictures become very blurry. I would guess the shutter automatically stays open longer to compensate for low light. I have not found a way to prevent this. On high quality the write time to the card seems long, about 7-8 seconds. I would like more features that you would find on a higher priced bigger camera but I wanted this to travel with and it worked great for that. It gave me good prints and it was pretty easy to use. Overall it is a great camera that anyone could use.

I got this camera two months ago, and after 2500 pictures taken I can safely say that this is a very good camera, especially for this price.

I was actually looking for a smaller camera, as I want to take it with me everywhere I go, but despite it being bigger than the smallest cameras on the market, it fits perfectly in the pocket of my jeans. Also, you get a really good grip when you hold it in your hand, which is also important.

The image quality is great; for examples, see peterlindberg.se/photolog

If you buy this camera, you should be aware that the batteries take a few, say 4 or 5 charges to function properly. After that, they last two days.