Nikon Coolpix 3100

Review Date
November 17, 2006

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
GirlCrayon , Casual

Price Paid
$0.00 at Circuit City

Photography Experience
2-5 years , Other

Summary
This is a great camera for a newbie. While it is a little bigger than many in its class, it is ergonomically shaped and fits nicely in the hand.

Colors really pop with this little guy, which is fun and visually appealing, but not necessarily true to life. A little brighter than life, actually.

The Nikon Coolpix 3100 traveled around the world with me for fourteen months, and only upon my return home to the body decide to give out.

Strengths
Bright colors
Nicely shaped
Good macro

Weaknesses
Flash
Very little manual control

Review Date
January 12, 2005

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
2-5 years

Reviewed by
princessariane , Expert

Price Paid
$314.00 at Amazon.com

Summary
I love my digital- I bought it simply to have a new toy (a collection that already included 3 cameras of various types). It's fun, easy, takes great pictures up to 8x10 of clarity, and the manual features are rare on any digital under $1000.

Strengths
14 shooting modes.
Variety of Flash Situations.
Interface on camera and software included with camera.

Weaknesses
After Year and a Half of owning camera, the shutter/power button broke off- this apparently is a common problem, which I discovered at the authorized Nikon dealer. I still would have bought the camera, but maybe would have saved up money for the inevitable repair of this button.

Similar Products Used
I work in a photolab and have ecperience with many.

Customer Service
Can anyone else figure out how to mail a letter to the customer service????

Review Date
December 16, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
2-5 years

Reviewed by
paulbug , Intermediate

Price Paid
$330.00 at mwave.com

Summary
This camera is very user-friendly. I noticed that right away. I love using it, and it also has great features to enhance your photos. The camera almost takes great pics by itself.

Strengths
Screen, enhancement options, user friendly(you hardly even need the manual), small and light, good battery power and life.

Weaknesses
None that I can think of

Similar Products Used
Canon S110 Powershot, Canon s230 Elph

Customer Service
No experience with CS

Review Date
September 6, 2004

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Reviewed by
NervousTwitch , Intermediate

Price Paid
$300.00 at Best Buy

Summary
Have had the camera for 1 year, 4 months. It took good pictures during the time it worked. I turned it on the other day, and the LCD image was split (like on a TV when you need to adjust the "Vert"). I took some pictures and downladed them to my computer. The pictures were like that too, with very wierd hues. Then, the MENU button stopped functioning. Then the camera wouldn't turn off (unless I waited the 30 seconds for the automatic shutdown to kick in). I called the Nikon customer service line, they said I would need to have it serviced, but would give me no idea as to the cost of the repair or the time it would take (as the warantee is only one year). I took it to a nearby Nikon authorized repair place and they told me an estimate of $150. Needless to say, with the prices of digital cameras going down so quickly, I'm just going to get a new non-Nikon camera.

Strengths
Took good pictures while it lasted.

Weaknesses
Poor product quality.

Similar Products Used
Several other Digital cameras, 35 mm SLR's, etc.

Customer Service
Unhelpful. He had me try to reboot the camera, which didn't work, and then decided it needed to be serviced. But was unable to give me any kind of estimates.

Review Date
August 31, 2004

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Reviewed by
bentleyfred , Intermediate

Price Paid
$259.00 at Office Depot

Summary
I have to start this review by saying, if you can get your hand on this camera, get one!!! It will be the biggest treat you have ever given yourself. Never have I been so imnpressed with something I had such little expectations of. it is a little slow on start up and slow recording images, but the job it does recording them makes it worth waiting for it. I do mostly portraits and that is the one area I have the biggest complaint in but only in the way the portrait scene mode operates. It seems to not be able to detect which part of the image should be the sharpest. Iam extremely ompressed with all other scene modes and with the normal Auto mode. Focus is reasonably quick and images are incredibly sharp with surprisingly low noise in night time scenes for a camera in this price range. Coloring is very good and contrast is excellent without tweaking anything. My last camera had selectable saturation which acts as a polarizer where this doesn't seem to have one and that would be a plus but aside from that the exposures are excellent and accurate. Right out of the box it is the most fun camera I have ever experienced. No matter what your level of expertise, buy one, use it and allow yourself to have some fun for a change. it is tiny and easy to store, but handles well and functions are easy to learn to use. Since I have taken it out of the box, I can not put it down. it goes everywhere with me. it is out of production so stop reading this, go find one and buy it if you can. Buy a a set of NiMH AA batteries too with a fast charger, and at least a 128MB card, you will need them.

Strengths
Image sharpness, Usefulnes of scene modes, size, color and exposure accuracy. Quick and accurate focusing and excellent macro mode, among the best I have seen. It will even work with a Nikon external flash system.

Weaknesses
Hard on batteries, needs NiMH desparately. Slow start up and image recording, slow from shot to shot.

Similar Products Used
Kodak DC4800, other Nikon products.

Customer Service
I have no idea how it is, I have not had occaison to use it.