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D3100 Nikon SLR camera – user manual

Nikon user manual D3100

D3100

 

User manual Nikon D3100 – download in PDF format: Nikon-d3100-EN

D3100 employs Nikon’s latest breakthrough technology to deliver superb results. A newly developed DX-format CMOS sensor with 14.2 effective megapixels works in tandem with new EXPEED 2 image processing engine to produce highly detailed images containing rich tonal gradations and faithful color. This combination also helps produce beautifully defocused backgrounds – a hallmark of quality digital SLR cameras. In addition, a maximum ISO of 3200 (expandable to ISO 12800 equivalent using the Hi 2 setting) allows you to shoot without worrying about camera-shake blur.

Type
Single-lens reflex digital camera
Lens mount
Nikon F mount (with AF contacts)
Effective angle of view
Approx. 1.5 x lens focal length (Nikon DX format)

Effective pixels
Effective pixels
14.2 million
Image sensor
Image sensor
23.1 x 15.4 mm CMOS sensor
Total pixels
14.8 million
Dust-reduction system
Image sensor cleaning, Airflow Control System, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)

Storage
Image size (pixels)
” 4,608 x 3,072 [L] ” 3,456 x 2,304 [M] ” 2,304 x 1,536 [S]
File format
” NEF (RAW)
” JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8), or basic (approx. 1:16) compression
” NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats
Picture Control System
Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape; selected Picture Control can be modified
Media
SD (Secure Digital), SDHC and SDXC memory cards
File system
DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif 2.21 (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras), PictBridge
Viewfinder
Viewfinder
Eye-level pentamirror single-lens reflex viewfinder
Frame coverage
Approx. 95% horizontal and 95% vertical
Magnification
Approx. 0.8 x (50 mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, -1.0 m-1)
Eyepoint
18 mm (-1.0 m-1)
Diopter adjustment
-1.7 to +0.5 m-1
Focusing screen
Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VII screen
Reflex mirror
Quick return
Lens aperture
Instant return, electronically controlled
Lens
Compatible lenses
” AF-S and AF-I: All functions supported.
” Type G or D AF NIKKOR without built-in autofocus motor: All functions except autofocus supported. IX NIKKOR lenses not supported.
” Other AF NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II. Lenses for F3AF not supported.
” Type D PC NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and some shooting modes.
” AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II.
” Non-CPU: Autofocus not supported. Can be used in exposure mode M, but exposure meter does not function.
Note: Electronic rangefinder can be used if lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster.
Shutter
Type
Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Speed
1/4000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 EV, Bulb
Flash sync speed
X=1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/200 s or slower
Release
Release mode
(single frame),(continuous),(self-timer),(quiet shutter release)
Frame advance rate
Up to 3 fps (manual focus, mode M or S, shutter speed 1/250 s or faster, and other settings at default values)
Self-timer
2 s, 10 s
Exposure
Metering
TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor
Metering method
” Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses)
” Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8-mm circle in center of frame
” Spot: Meters 3.5-mm circle (about 2.5% of frame) centered on selected focus point
Range
(ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20°C/68°F)
” Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0 to 20 EV
” Spot metering: 2 to 20 EV
Exposure meter coupling
CPU
Exposure modes
Auto modes (auto, auto [flash off]); scene modes (portrait; landscape; child; sports; close up; night portrait);
programmed auto with flexible program (P); shutter-priority auto (S); aperture-priority auto (A); manual (M)
Exposure compensation
-5 to +5 EV in increments of 1/3 EV
Exposure lock
Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button
ISO sensitivity
(Recommended Exposure Index)
ISO 100 to 3200 in steps of 1 EV; can also be set to approx. 1 EV above ISO 3200 (ISO 6400 equivalent) or to
approx. 2 EV above ISO 3200 (ISO 12800 equivalent); auto ISO sensitivity control available
Active D-Lighting
On, Off
Focus
Autofocus
Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points (including one
cross-type sensor), and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5 to 3m/1 ft. 8 in. to 9 ft. 10 in.)
Detection range
-1 to +19 EV (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F)
Lens servo
” Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); continuous-servo AF (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A); predictive focus tracking activated automatically according to subject status
” Manual focus (MF): Electronic rangefinder can be used
Focus point
Can be selected from 11 focus points
AF-area mode
Single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, auto-area AF, 3D-tracking (11 points)
Focus lock
Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
Flash
Built-in flash
Auto, Portrait, Child, Close up, Night portrait: Auto flash with auto pop-up
P, S, A, M: Manual pop-up with button release
Guide number
Approx. 12/39, 13/43 with manual flash (m/ft, ISO 100, 20°C/68°F)
Flash control
” TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 420-pixel RGB sensor are available with built-in flash and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-400 (i-TTL balanced fill-flash is available when matrixor center-weighted metering is selected)
” Auto aperture: Available with SB-900/SB-800 and CPU lens
” Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-80DX, SB-28DX, SB-28, SB-27, and SB-22S
” Distance-priority manual: Available with SB-900 and SB-800
Flash mode
Auto, auto with red-eye reduction, fill-flash, auto slow sync, auto slow sync with red-eye correction, and rear curtain with slow sync
Flash compensation
-3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV
Flash-ready indicator
Lights when built-in flash or optional flash unit such as SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-400 is fully charged; blinks for 3 s after flash is fired at full output
Accessory shoe
ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock
Nikon Creative Lighting
System (CLS)
Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with SB-900, SB-800, or SU-800 as commander; Flash Color Information Communication supported with built-in flash and all CLS-compatible flash units
Sync terminal
Sync Terminal Adapter AS-15 (available separately)

White balance
White balance

Auto, incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual, all except preset manual with fine tuning.

Live View
Lens servo
” Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); full-time-servo AF (AF-F)
” Manual focus (MF)
AF-area mode
Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF, subject-tracking AF
Autofocus
Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected)
Scene Auto Selector
Available in auto and auto (flash off) modes
Movie
Metering
TTL exposure metering using main image sensor
Metering method
Matrix
Frame size (pixels)
and frame rate
” 1,920 x 1,080 (24p): 24 fps (23.976 fps) ” 1,280 x 720 (30p): 30 fps (29.97 fps)
” 1,280 x 720 (25p): 25 fps ” 1,280 x 720 (24p): 24 fps (23.976 fps)
” 640 x 424 (24p): 24 fps (23.976 fps)
Maximum recording time
10 min.
File format
MOV
Video compression
H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding
Audio recording format
Linear PCM
Audio recording device
Built-in monaural microphone
Monitor
LCD monitor
7.5-cm/3-in., approx. 230 k-dot TFT LCD with brightness adjustment
Playback
Playback function
Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images or calendar) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, slide show, histogram display, highlights, auto image rotation, and image comment (up to 36 characters)

Interface
USB
Hi-Speed USB
Video output
NTSC, PAL
HDMI output
Type C mini-pin HDMI connector
Accessory terminal
” Remote cord: MC-DC2 (available separately)
” GPS unit: GP-1 (available separately)
Supported languages
Supported languages
Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Power source
Battery
One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL14
AC adapter
AC adapter EH-5a; requires power connector EP-5A (available separately)
Tripod socket
Tripod socket
1/4 in. (ISO 1222)
Dimensions / weight
Dimensions (W x H x D)
Approx. 124 x 96 x 74.5 mm (4.9 x 3.8 x 2.9 in.)
Weight
Approx. 505 g (1lb. 1.8 oz.) with battery and memory card but without body cap; Approx. 455 g / 1lb. (camera body only)
Operating environment
Temperature
0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)
Humidity
Less than 85% (no condensation)
Accessories
Supplied accessories
(may differ by country or area)
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL14, Battery Charger MH-24, Eyepiece Cap DK-5, Rubber Eyecap DK-20,
Camera Strap AN-DC3, Accessory Shoe Cover BS-1, Body Cap BF-1B, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM, Ferrite Core (2 types)
  • * Microsoft and Windows, Windows 7 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
  • * Macintosh and QuickTime are registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
  • * The SD logo is a trademark of the SD Card Association.
  • * The SDXC logo is a trademark.
  • * PictBridge is a trademark.
  • * HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.
  • * Products and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
  • * Images in viewfinders, on LCDs and monitors shown in this website are simulated.

Memory card capacity*1

The following table shows the approximate number of pictures that can be stored on a 4 GB SanDisk Extreme SDHC card at different image quality and size settings.

Image quality
Image size
File size*1
No. of images*1
Buffer capacity*2
NEF (RAW) +
JPEG fine*3
L
19.8 MB
151
9
NEF (RAW)
12.9 MB
226
13
JPEG fine
L
M
S
6.8 MB
3.9 MB
1.8 MB
460
815
1700
100
100
100
JPEG normal
L
M
S
3.4 MB
2.0 MB
0.9 MB
914
1500
3300
100
100
100
JPEG basic
L
M
S
1.7 MB
1.0 MB
0.5 MB
1700
3000
6000
100
100
100
  • *1 : All figures are approximate. File size varies with scene recorded.
  • *2 : Maximum number of exposures that can be stored in memory buffer at ISO 100.
    Drops when noise reduction is on.
  • *3 : Image size applies to JPEG images only. Size of NEF (RAW) images can not be changed. File size is the total for
    NEF (RAW) and JPEG images.

Approved memory cards

The following SD memory cards have been tested and approved for use in the D3100. Cards with class 6 write speeds are recommended for movie recording. Recording may end unexpectedly when cards with slower write speeds are used.

SD memory cards
SDHC memory cards*2
SDXC memory cards*3
SanDisk
512 MB、1GB、2GB*1
4GB、8GB、16GB
64GB
Toshiba
512 MB、1GB、2GB*1
4GB、8GB、16GB、32GB
64GB
Panasonic
512 MB、1GB、2GB*1
4GB、6GB、8GB、12GB、16GB、32GB
48GB、64GB
LEXAR MEDIA
512 MB、1GB、2GB*1
4GB、8GB
Platinum II
512 MB、1GB、2GB*1
4GB、8GB
Professional
512 MB、1GB、2GB*1
4GB、8GB、16GB、32GB

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