Nikon D5100 Vs D7000 - A Comparison

By Jen Thomas

The Nikon D5100 vs D7000, are both digital SLR cameras from Nikon. Both these cameras are wonderful cameras, with several similarities and several differences. Which one of these is best for you depends on various factors, such as how much you want to spend, what features are key for you, and so on.

The D5100 is one of Nikon's more recent cameras, and was introduced in April 2011. It is a fabulous camera, and has a horizontal swing out, vari-angle monitor for more flexible viewing. It also has full-HD movie recording functionality. This is the first Nikon digital-SLR camera to offer Special Effects mode.

The D7000 came out in the last quarter of 2010. The features emphasized included the 16.2 effective megapixels CMOS sensor. The weather-resistant and anti-dust capabilities are superior, and the camera has numerous focus points.

Let's pit these cameras against each other directly and see which one is the best for you. The D5100 is priced at around $549 (without a lens), while the D7000 is available at around $1099. So the D7000 costs more than the D5100. Is the additional price tag worth it?

Let's see what advantages the D7000 provides over the D5100. For one thing, the battery life on the D7000 is longer. Also, the D7000 has more focus points (39 focus points) than the D5100 (which has 11 focus points). So it will be easier to have it focus on your subject of interest. In addition, this camera is more weather and dust resistant. So if you are planning on capturing pictures in really dusty outdoor locations, the D7000 maybe more suitable. The continuous frame capture rate for the Nikon D7000 is 6 frames per second. This is as opposed to four frames per second captured by the D5100. This faster continuous frame capture rate can give you an edge when capturing fast paced events such as sports. A second memory card slot in the D7000 is a desirable feature. There is also no internal auto-focus motor on the D5100, so some older lenses will not auto-focus on this camera. One more thing--the D7000 has more dedicated controls for extra features.

Let's now take a look at whether the D5100 offers any advantages over the D7000. Here's the elephant in the room -- it's a whole lot cheaper!! Apart from the lower price tag, Nikon's D5100 also has some other features that are equal to or better than its more expensive cousin. Interestingly, the image sensor used for the two cameras is apparently the same. Moreover, the D5100 is smaller and lighter. One more plus-- its LCD is a horizontal swing out, vari-angle monitor for better viewing.

Ultimately of course, a lot of the picture quality of the photos captured with is going to depend upon what lenses you buy. But regardless, these key comparisons made above will hopefully make your decision about which camera to buy easier.

About the Author:

For more information on these cameras, and for an easy to follow table comparing D5100 vs D7000, click here.