Nikon D5100 + Twin VR Lens Kit - Is this a good deal?

richardirv · 30 Mar 2012 at 08:09

I am a complete beginner (DSLR wise) looking at my first DSLR, I purchased a Sony HX9V last year and its ability to take really nice shots without too much knowledge has spurred me into looking for a DSLR to try to get into photography a bit more professionally.

Found a brand new Nikon D5100 with Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm and 55-200mm VR Lenses for £583. It seems very cheap compared to other prices online that I can find.

Is that a good price?

Do you thing the D5100 is too much as a first DSLR? I was considering the D3100 too.

Cheers for any advice..

Demon · 30 Mar 2012 at 08:31

richardirv said:
I am a complete beginner (DSLR wise) looking at my first DSLR, I purchased a Sony HX9V last year and its ability to take really nice shots without too much knowledge has spurred me into looking for a DSLR to try to get into photography a bit more professionally.

Found a brand new Nikon D5100 with Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm and 55-200mm VR Lenses for £583. It seems very cheap compared to other prices online that I can find.

Is that a good price?

Do you thing the D5100 is too much as a first DSLR? I was considering the D3100 too.

Cheers for any advice..

There is rumour that the D3200 will be announced very shorly, 24MP and Wifi..

But the D5100 is a very good starter DSLR in my view (I just sold mine recently!), it's got plenty of easy to use functions and certainly is at the top end of beginners DSLRs (if there is such a thing).

Personally, the kits lens' are really bottom end things, I would personally see if you can get the body cheaper, or body + 18-55 standard kit lens cheaper, and if you want a more flexible zoom option, look at the Tamron 18-270 PZD VC (Image stabilised piezo drive) it's a very good first 'do it all' lens and can be had on eBay for £280..

richardirv · 30 Mar 2012 at 08:39

I have just realised the shop I was looking at has duty added in the checkout so the price shoots up to £699 which is way out of my budget. Bit confused about the duty as its based in London.

Columbo · 30 Mar 2012 at 08:42

richardirv said:
I have just realised the shop I was looking at has duty added in the checkout so the price shoots up to £750 which is way out of my budget. Bit confused about the duty as its based in London.

Which shop is it? Don't go buying from anything questionable sources until you have fully read up on customer experiences

And remember if a price looks too good to be true.......

richardirv · 30 Mar 2012 at 08:49

Its on slrhut.co.uk Just googled and there seems to be links to the US so they might be imported but very annoying not to to be upfront about the price. Reviews seem good though. It may be they its just the VAT worded different. Hate sites that display ex vat and dont state ex vat next to the price.

Demon · 30 Mar 2012 at 10:40

There are a few places like this, they import to the UK and have a UK 'presence' (usually just a UK phonenumber/PO Box)..

But they can work out cheaper..

e.g. ******* , I've seen a few positive reports on Talk Photography about them, and the prices seem keen (£474 for a D5100 with kit lens).. it doesn't seem to add any extra VAT or import duty (They state the price you pay includes all this)..

I think these places are semi-OK, it's more when things go wrong, obviously shipping stuff back to them would be a hassle/lengthy, but seemingly plenty of people take the risk and save a reasonable amount of money..

richardirv · 30 Mar 2012 at 10:47

Yeah, just had a look. I'm not sure what to do. I don't really have tons of money to throw at this but I'd like a capable DSLR that will last me a while, I'm not gonna be able to replace every few years & spend fortunes on Lenses, unless I get good make some money out of it!! LOL. I also don't want to out grow it to quick.

Been looking at the 500D as I like the look of the Canon more but most people say the Nikon's have better image quality.

I'm just wondering at my level of competence would I really see the difference between the Nikon & Canon coming from a high end compact.

Columbo · 30 Mar 2012 at 11:38

richardirv said:
Been looking at the 500D as I like the look of the Canon more but most people say the Nikon's have better image quality.

I'm just wondering at my level of competence would I really see the difference between the Nikon & Canon coming from a high end compact.

Horses for courses.

These days its more about handling than image quality. Either system will give excellent results and provide a lot of shooting flexibility.

If you are on a tight budget don't discount the used market because it can often offer very good value for money.

My advice is before committing to any purchase go into a Jessops or Jacobs and get your hands on various models, see which you prefer and take it from there.

richardirv · 30 Mar 2012 at 11:46

ManCuBuS said:
Horses for courses.

These days its more about handling than image quality. Either system will give excellent results and provide a lot of shooting flexibility.

If you are on a tight budget don't discount the used market because it can often offer very good value for money.

My advice is before committing to any purchase go into a Jessops or Jacobs and get your hands on various models, see which you prefer and take it from there.

Thanks for the advice, I have been looking at the 2nd hand market but nothing has stood out price wise to me yet, maybe I'm not looking in the right places, not even being decided on a model make it even more difficult.

Been doing some more browsing and I quite like Jessops D3100 Bundle for £469.95. + I can get 4% extra cashback too..

Nikon D3100Nikon
18-55mm VR Lens
Tamron 70-300mm Lens
Sandisk 4GB Card

What bugs me is am I always going to regret not buying the D5100. And is the 70-300 gonna be a problem without VR?

Turbo-G · 30 Mar 2012 at 14:13

I picked up a D3100 last weekend as a first timer DSLR camera, having previously only owned point and click (Canon digital Ixus).

Although I've not really used it in anger (will be taking it to the states for 3 weeks next month), the results are really impressive and I've had lots of fun shooting in manual or the various priority modes. D3100 has a pretty good 'guide' mode too which is good for us newbies

I oly have the kit lense, but would certainly look at getting something else a few months down the line.

Uvo · 30 Mar 2012 at 14:53

if it helps, Nikon have announced they are running a cash back deals till the end of May on the D3100, D5100 and D7000 cameras when purchased with 1 or 2 lenses.

http://nikon.co.uk/sites/cashback/offers.aspx?c=uk

Turbo-G · 30 Mar 2012 at 23:47

Gutted lol, missed out on the cash back deal

Matmulder · 1 Apr 2012 at 13:23

D3100 can be had from Amazon for £350 with lens kit (inc. £30 cashback from Nikon) from the Rainforest at the moment for those interested...

D3200 is just a 'rumour' at the moment I understand...

richardirv · 1 Apr 2012 at 20:31

Think I have talked myself out of the 3100 in favour of the 5100. Downside is I really want a 55-300 lens with it and the price with 2 lenses just keeps making me think twice!!

Saving to move house so explaining to the other half is gonna be tricky!! LOL

richardirv · 2 Apr 2012 at 09:34

Just need some advice on the cheaper 55-300 lenses which is all i can really afford if I buy the D5100 kit, am I wasting my money getting a 55-300 without VR?

this_is_gav · 2 Apr 2012 at 09:50

VR depends on what you're doing really. You won't want it when panning (shooting moving objects moving across the front of you, such as at a motor-racing event), but it would be nice at 300mm if you're shooting a more static object (say a bird perched on a branch).

I can't comment on the quality of that lens with or without VR - they may otherwise be identical for all I know.

Why not just get the 18-55mm and then grab a longer lens in a couple of months? When I bought my first DSLR (a D40x, then the equivalent of the D3100 I guess) I made the mistake of buying the 55-200mm. I've barely used it. I'm not even sure if you could tell it had been used. I've still got it, but only because I don't have a zoom longer than 70mm - I tend to use my 150mm prime if I need a longer lens, and just walk back and forward instead!

I think personally I'd just get the body only, then look at getting a refurbished Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 or a Sigma 17-70mm rather than using Nikon's 18-55mm. Both are much better lenses. It depends on whether you see yourself moving forward in the future though. Kit lenses would be fine for many, but others would demand more from the camera - if you're the latter then a better lens might make more sense rather than buying twice.

richardirv · 2 Apr 2012 at 10:37

Gav, thanks for the advice, my worry is I have a Sony HX9V which has a 16x Optical Zoom and I find I use the full zoom quite allot. I would be worried I will feel restricted with only the 18-55mm, even to begin with.

The thing is I really love taking photos and would love to improve on the shots I'm getting from my Sony which are good in my eyes to be honest but I know with a DSLR I can do better. Down side is unless I can make money from the initial kit I buy I very much doubt I will have the money in the future to be spending hundreds in lenses. Struggling to justify the purchase to the other half as it is, as we are supposed to be saving to move house etc... When we move to a bigger house It will be even harder to save to buy super duper amazing glass!!

I'd like a competent kit with decent zoom that I can learn and perfect and not grow out of to fast. Thats why I decided to look at the D5100 rather than the D3100.

I will be primarily shooting

Dogs, still and moving
People, Portraits & action shots
Motor Racing ie BTCC
Nature (Flowers & Landscapes) Do a lot of fell walking in the lakes...