Nikon D3100 REVIEW & High ISO 12800 test

[hotwork77]

I have fixed the link at the first post.

Here is the link for comparison between Nikon D3100 against other DSLR:
NIKON D3000 vs D3100 vs D5000
NIKON D3100 vs CANON EOS 60D

Btw, any of you could find any more sample from D3100 test/review that taken with ISO 12800 ?

:think:

Actually even if camera got good ISO performance, most photog would still use ISO 200 max. Don't know why but the majority of pictures you see are taken with low ISO. Let me surf around and see got good sample for further discussion.

 

[jeff7id]

Actually even if camera got good ISO performance, most photog would still use ISO 200 max. Don't know why but the majority of pictures you see are taken with low ISO. Let me surf around and see got good sample for further discussion.

Are you really 98 years old and have 32 years old grandson ?
I guess that you are the 32 years old grandson himself :think:

Well, if the camera can shoot until ISO 12800, that means at ISO 1600 it would be noise free mah...
That's what we are looking for.

Let's find more sample of ISO 12800 of D3100

:devil:

 

[daredevil123]

actually, Nikon has been using Sony-designed sensors for quite awhile in their cameras other than in their top range D_ series, all the way back to the D100 I think... thing is, the D3100 seems to be the first non-D_ series camera to not use a Sony-designed sensor, as the Mpixel count and size seem to be different from Sony sensors...

------------------- D3100 --------- Sony "14.2" pixel sensor (A550, A560, NEX-5)
Size ----------- 23.1 x 15.4 mm ------------- 23.4 x 15.6 mm
Image Size ------ 4608 x 3072 ---------------- 4592 x 3056

could this be the start of Nikon designing all their own sensors?...

EDIT: just to clarify, when I mention "D_", I mean the cameras with only 1 numeral digit after the character "D", such as D1, D2, D3, etc...

Just like how D300 uses a modified version of the Sony A500 sensor, D3100 is probably a modified version of the A550 sensor. No big deal. They have been doing slight modifications to base sensor designs for specific models. They are all made by the Sony-Nikon joint venture anyways.

 

[daredevil123]

Actually even if camera got good ISO performance, most photog would still use ISO 200 max. Don't know why but the majority of pictures you see are taken with low ISO. Let me surf around and see got good sample for further discussion.

It depends actually.

I shoot at ISO 200 for landscapes with long exposures and all.

But for indoor shots, I have been shooting mostly in the 800-1600 range.

And for indoor flash, I shoot 800 mostly.

And if a camera have super good ISO performance (like the D3s), I would bump up the ISO to 1600-3200 and shoot ambient all the time for indoor shots.

For bright daylight, I would go back to 200.

 

[daredevil123]

Are you really 98 years old and have 32 years old grandson ?
I guess that you are the 32 years old grandson himself :think:

Well, if the camera can shoot until ISO 12800, that means at ISO 1600 it would be noise free mah...
That's what we are looking for.

Let's find more sample of ISO 12800 of D3100

:devil:

Actually no. It offers 12800 doesn't necessarily means it is good at 12800 or at 1600.

And 1600 cannot be noise free. Even the king of low light D3s at ISO 1600 is not noise free. A lot less noise - YES. Noise free - NO.

 

[kriegsketten]

Actually no. It offers 12800 doesn't necessarily means it is good at 12800 or at 1600.

And 1600 cannot be noise free. Even the king of low light D3s at ISO 1600 is not noise free. A lot less noise - YES. Noise free - NO.

Even at ISO 200 there could be a bit of noise in some extreme circumstances...but much much much less noticeable if compared to shots taken at 1600 and higher. I agree with DD123. The higher the ISO, the noise level begins to get really noticeable... For the FF cams, they are able to project better noise level (lesser) at higher ISOs but at not the extreme highest (poor), this due to a larger sensor used. Tio bo, bro?

 

[maldito]

IQ is impressive but the specs are outperformed by sony's a55

 

[cteckwee]

The specifications look good. If the review is good, I will probably buy one for my gf.

 

[jeff7id]

Actually no. It offers 12800 doesn't necessarily means it is good at 12800 or at 1600.

And 1600 cannot be noise free. Even the king of low light D3s at ISO 1600 is not noise free. A lot less noise - YES. Noise free - NO.

Ha..Ha. I understand that.

I just said in the dramatically words to our friend hotwork77.

 

[jeff7id]

IQ is impressive but the specs are outperformed by sony's a55

It is not a surprised.
The Nikon sensor is made by Sony. So Nikon can't get the latest of Sony technology. No wonder that Nikon need to pay very expensive to Sony to use 24MPixel sensor for Nikon D3X

That's why I said that Nikon D3100 is similar with Sony A550 (released end of 2009), with 14MPixel and ISO 12800.
But not similar with Sony A55 (released in mid of 2010), with 16MPixel and ISO 25600.

 

[hotwork77]

Ha..Ha. I understand that.

I just said in the dramatically words to our friend hotwork77.

:bsmilie: :bigeyes: :bsmilie: :bigeyes: :bsmilie:

 

[jeff7id]

I have been surfing around and still can't find the High ISO 12800 test in English version.
Will post up once find it.

Can't wait until D3100 available in Singapore.
This new camera would be a direct competitor to the Canon EOS 500D and Sony DSLR Alpha A550
:devil:

 

[theRBK]

Just like how D300 uses a modified version of the Sony A500 sensor, D3100 is probably a modified version of the A550 sensor. No big deal. They have been doing slight modifications to base sensor designs for specific models. They are all made by the Sony-Nikon joint venture anyways.

actually, it is doubtful that Nikon actually modified the A550's sensor and fitted it into the D3100... in previous models where Nikon used Sony sensors, the sensor size and pixel density (follow these links, Nikon, Sony, for a listing of various pixel densities from dpreview) were very similar or exactly the same, whereas in this case, as in the figures cited in my earlier post, not only is the D3100's sensor smaller, it's pixel count is also higher, which means that the pixel density is significantly higher than that of those in Sony sensors of a similar class... (and actually, the D300 shared a sensor with its near contemporary the A700, not the later A500, which has a slightly different sensor...)

and in the case of the D3X sensor, the claim by Nikon is that it was designed by Nikon and then produced by Sony's sensor foundary, and it is not a sensor of Sony's design...

 

[jeff7id]

actually, Nikon has been using Sony-designed sensors for quite awhile in their cameras other than in their top range D_ series, all the way back to the D100 I think... thing is, the D3100 seems to be the first non-D_ series camera to not use a Sony-designed sensor, as the Mpixel count and size seem to be different from Sony sensors...

------------------- D3100 --------- Sony "14.2" pixel sensor (A550, A560, NEX-5)
Size ----------- 23.1 x 15.4 mm ------------- 23.4 x 15.6 mm
Image Size ------ 4608 x 3072 ---------------- 4592 x 3056

could this be the start of Nikon designing all their own sensors?...

EDIT: just to clarify, when I mention "D_", I mean the cameras with only 1 numeral digit after the character "D", such as D1, D2, D3, etc...

Nikon D3100
• 14.2 million effective pixels
• 23.1 x 15.4 mm CMOS (DX format)
• ISO 100 - 3200
• To ISO 12800 with boost

Nikon D3000
• 10.2 million effective pixels
• 23.6 x 15.8 mm CCD (DX format)
• ISO 100 - 1600
• To ISO 3200 with boost

Nikon D5000
• 12.3 million effective pixels
• 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS (DX format)
• ISO 200 - 3200
• ISO 100-6400 with boost

Surprisingly that Nikon D3100 has smaller sensor than its predecessor, but able to increase the ISO till 12800.
:think:

 

[theRBK]

Surprisingly that Nikon D3100 has smaller sensor than its predecessor, but able to increase the ISO till 12800.
:think:

and also surprizing, if they use a similar or slightly lower pixel density to that of the D3100 sensor, they can easily reach ~30Mpixel for FX... really pushing the limits of the system...

 

[daredevil123]

It is not a surprised.
The Nikon sensor is made by Sony. So Nikon can't get the latest of Sony technology. No wonder that Nikon need to pay very expensive to Sony to use 24MPixel sensor for Nikon D3X

That's why I said that Nikon D3100 is similar with Sony A550 (released end of 2009), with 14MPixel and ISO 12800.
But not similar with Sony A55 (released in mid of 2010), with 16MPixel and ISO 25600.

Actually, The sensors are developed jointly. It is a joint venture. There is no such thing that Nikon are not give access to newest sensors. Saying that is just bullcrap. If I am Nikon and Sony do that to me, I will buy my sensors from someone else. They are not the only game in town you know.

 

[daredevil123]

actually, it is doubtful that Nikon actually modified the A550's sensor and fitted it into the D3100... in previous models where Nikon used Sony sensors, the sensor size and pixel density (follow these links, Nikon, Sony, for a listing of various pixel densities from dpreview) were very similar or exactly the same, whereas in this case, as in the figures cited in my earlier post, not only is the D3100's sensor smaller, it's pixel count is also higher, which means that the pixel density is significantly higher than that of those in Sony sensors of a similar class... (and actually, the D300 shared a sensor with its near contemporary the A700, not the later A500, which has a slightly different sensor...)

and in the case of the D3X sensor, the claim by Nikon is that it was designed by Nikon and then produced by Sony's sensor foundary, and it is not a sensor of Sony's design...

They are all mostly designed in a Nikon/Sony joint venture.

I know the D300 shares the sensor with A700. I believe the base design is the same. Some modifications were made to the base design and out came the sensor for D90/D5k/D300s/A500/Kx.

I believe it is the same case with D3100. Where they reuse a base design (A550), did some modifications in the design. It is not a completely new chip from ground up.

 

[jeff7id]

Actually, The sensors are developed jointly. It is a joint venture. There is no such thing that Nikon are not give access to newest sensors. Saying that is just bullcrap. If I am Nikon and Sony do that to me, I will buy my sensors from someone else. They are not the only game in town you know.

Bro, it is not a crap as I read the news from internet. It's a fact that in order to build Sony’s camera market share, Sony won't release their latest technology to other brand. Somehow Nikon could use Sony A900 sensor for Nikon D3x Body, with high price to pay.

Read here:
Link to "Sony will not release the 24 mp sensor to other brands."

 

[Legoz]

Are you really 98 years old and have 32 years old grandson ?
I guess that you are the 32 years old grandson himself :think:

Well, if the camera can shoot until ISO 12800, that means at ISO 1600 it would be noise free mah...
That's what we are looking for.

Let's find more sample of ISO 12800 of D3100

:devil:

errrmm.. Not for the D3100.
Noise is visble from 400 onwards.

 

[bubble2k]

errrmm.. Not for the D3100.
Noise is visble from 400 onwards.

You can find samples? How does it compare to D5000?