Customer Reviews

Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens Kit (16.2MP) 3 inch LCD

5 star:		(147)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I suppose like many people, when I decided I was going to buy a new camera I researched various models online to the point of going mad. I swear it was such a relief to finally purchase the Nikon d5100, first of all I am so happy with it, but almost as important was being able to move on with my life and leave camera research behind!

The reason I sold my Nikon d5000 and upgraded was mainly because I need to use an external microphone, which the d5000 doesn't allow, as I record interviews and DSLR video is perfect for this.

I bought a SLR camera because I photograph bands, and the low-light capability of an SLR is necessary. The d5000 was good. The d5100 is even better. Really pleased with the results when combined with the 35mm f1.8.

The d5000 took very good photo's for me, but I believe that the d5100 is slightly better. I suppose it is natural for technology to provide better tools over time, combined with what i've learned about photography over the past 18 months (the d5000 was the first SLR I had owned).

As for the video element of this camera, like most SLR's video is still new but evolving at an impressive rate. Yes certain camera's will make it easier to film, but they normally come with a more hefty price tag. You'll also probably need to learn one or two workarounds with whichever SLR you choose to film with, but if you look at the work of guys like Philip Bloom or Chase Jarvis you will see that filming quality work with SLR's is possible. Obviously that have flexibility with their budgets, but if you're wondering if you can get decent footage from an SLR - yes you can.

When I record video interviews, once I put the d5100 on a small tripod, get all of my settings the way I like them and adjust the focus on the subject (literally takes about two minutes), once I'm into live view mode I just hit the record button on the top of the camera and I'm away. Very easy and the HD footage is outstanding. So pleased with the video side of things from the d5100.

On a quick side note: Editing video. I've read so many horror stories from people saying the couldn't open their video footage in various software editing programs, and this was the camera's fault or that they need editing software costing several hundred pounds, or need to convert the video format before editing. Not the case! I record in the highest HD setting on the d5100 for up to 20 minutes for each piece and luckily it works 100% perfectly with iMovie '09! I open and save the video footage with iPhoto (a useful workaround I picked up during my 7,000 hours of camera research!), and then import the video from iPhoto into iMovie. I am a novice and it is very simple. Believe me.

Again it's just down to your preference but I like the flip screen with this camera (I was used to it from the d5000). I don't see myself snapping it off as it is very sturdy and I am never tempted to play cricket with the camera. It protects the back LCD screen from scratches, and a damaged screen would seriously make any camera less useful.

I was also considering the Nikon d7000. It is roughly £300 more expensive and is certainly a more capable camera. But I didn't NEED it. The ability to save favorite user settings (U1 and U2 on the dial) are nice but I don't mind setting the camera when I use it. I also don't own any other lenses, certainly not the older Nikon lenses, so the built in autofocus capability wasn't important to me. If you have invested in lenses over the years, then it will probably be an important feature for you. If you've invested in lenses over the years, you are probably a fairly serious photographer so you'll most be considering the d7000 or even more sophisticated cameras. The LCD screen on the top of the camera is what I like a lot about the d7000, but again it wasn't that important to me. When I'm at a gig I read my settings by using either the flip out screen on the camera or through the viewfinder. No doubt the d7000 is more advanced than the d5100 and has a few extra features, but if you want to take good photographs and some video, their is not much (if anything) between the two cameras as far as the final product is concerned.

Personally I would recommend buying the d5100 body only and buying one lens which will aid you as much as possible depending on what type of photography you are most interested in. I already have the lens which is perfect for me, the 35mm f1.8. It feels right for this size of camera, the quality is produces and the flexibility it allows compared to the kit lens is noticeable (my opinion). You can save about £50-100 just buying the camera body, and put that money towards buying a lens of your choice.

As for the Canon/Nikon debate, it honestly makes me laugh how much time some people have to go on camera forum's or YouTube and tell people how rubbish one brand or camera model is. I am still very much a keen novice, but one thing I'm convinced of is that in the hands of a capable photographer either brand will give outstanding results.

A great bit of advice which certainly worked for me, is that you should go into the camera shop and hold whichever camera's you are considering. You'll be surprised how one will just feel right.

The same advice is worthwhile for choosing a lens. Most of the shop assistants will give you excellent advice based on what type of photography you're interested in. Investing in one decent lens will make such a difference to your photographs, and make your hobby more enjoyable.

I have only been using a decent camera for about 18 months, so there was quite a bit to learn when making the jump from a point-and-shoot. One useful bit of advice I picked up, was that while you will want to shoot all of you photo's in the manual setting, you can use learn from the automatic settings that the camera chooses before going into manual and working with those settings. That technique allows a beginner to be pointed in the right direction by the great camera you've invested in, and you can make slight adjustments to the aperture or shutter speed and see how it affects the results. It gets you thinking and also means that you don't need to doubt whether or not the SLR was too big a jump. The automatic setting option is always there while you learn.

Another thing to consider is how you feel about carrying a SLR camera with you. When I first got the d5000 I babied that camera too much and it meant that I didn't get as much use from it as I should have. First of all the camera's are very durable, even the lower spec cameras. So having it in your bag most of the time isn't a burden. If you're going to be walking around for several hours you may not want a bigger camera (d7000 or d300s) as they are considerably bigger. Professional photographers are okay with the bigger cameras as they normally have them attached to a tripod which the carries the weight of the camera body. Again, i'd suggest going into your local camera shop to hold every camera you're considering.

A nice tip I picked up was using setting the function button on the front left of the camera to adjust your ISO setting. You can use the function button for a number for features, but as you can easily adjust aperture and shutter speed in manual, and using the function button to adjust your ISO means that you'll not have to go into the camera menu very often, which is what the buttons etc on the d7000 and higher end camera allow.

Sorry if this was a bit long-winded from some of you, but I hope some of this review will benefit a few people who were in a similar situation to me - going loopy researching cameras!

First up I need to say that I'm no great photographer and also that this is my first DSLR.

Therefore my review will be from a new users perspective - especially if you (like me) are thinking of making the transition from a "pro-sumer" ultra zoom to a DSLR camera.

My camera for the last 2 years has been a canon powershot SX20IS - 20x optical zoom and 12.1m pixels.

I've been using the Nikon for a month and can say for sure that it will allow me to take better quality images than the canon but that it won't replace the canon entirely - theres space for canon the nikon and my iphone for taking pictures - I just need to know what to take out with me. Through choice it would be the Nikon - but the camera plus the lense(s) and other kit makes for a lot of gear and you can't just chuck it into a rucksack.

To show what a total numpty I was a month a go it took me a while to stop looking for the zoom buttons and to do this manually on the lense - the massive advantage of this is that the zoom is so so fast - the AF is fast as well - and you can of course focus manually. I've only really used it in auto mode, sport mode (4 FPS continous shooting) and played with some of the scene modes, I've typically been taking shots of my kids while they play and the results in all conditions - sun, cloud and in doors with and without flash have been very pleasing.

It is very simple to select auto and take great photo's - but to make sure you get the most out the camera you need to explore all the options and manual settings. I've purchased the D5100 for dummies book (also available on the kindle) - the sport mode was brillant for taking shots of my kids on fairground rides today - 350 shots almost all in focus and better than any compact camera could ever do.

So far on top of the kit in the box I've purchased the following items - I think this is the minimum amount of accessories you can get away with... one point is that you need to buy NIKON comptatible lenses for the AF system to work - the 55-300 lense I purchased is brilliant value although definitely not top of the range.

My shopping list so far (all from Amazon as the prices are tough to beat) is:

32gb class 10 SD card.Transcend - Flash memory card - 32 GB - Class 10 - SDHC

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Lens Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Lens

Nikon D5100 For Dummies Nikon D5100 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers))

Hama 4426 Soft Lens Pouch 90x80mm Hama 4426 Soft Lens Pouch 90x80mm

AmazonBasics Backpack for SLR Cameras and accessories - Black AmazonBasics Backpack for SLR Cameras and accessories - Black [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

Nikon Li-on battery EN-EL14, VFB10602 Nikon Li-on batteri EN-EL14, VFB10602

I currently use photoshop elements as I had a copy on my laptop all ready and can't afford/justify the full version.

To get a good overview of the basic feature the dummies book listed above is available in kindle format from Amazon - worth a download of the free sample or a read of the book through the "look inside" feature on the amazon product page.

The total outlay would be close to £850 - but for this you have almost a complete setup - the extra battery was probably a luxury as I've taken 650 shots today alone and the battery is still showing full but best to be safe than sorry - you must use NIKON batteries - others will not work (I really wished it used AA rechargables but the battery does charge from flat in 90 mintes and the charger is small.

To sum up - for me - a superb camera and one that will allow me to really work on and enjoy a hobby that I really enjoy.

Exceptional value and superb build.

I hope this review helps - there are some great techical reviews and help on the web - on dpreview and similar - all appear to rate this camera highly. If you're thinking of the D3100 I think the extra features on the D5100 make it the better buy.

After owning this product for 3 weeks now, I have learned an enormous about of technical and general information regarding how to get the very best out of photos with pretty much any subject you see down your view finder. The best thing is you can take amazing quality photos straight out of the box just by using either of the full auto settings and just pointing at what you want to photograph and pressing the shutter release button down. When you want to get past that and start experimenting with manual settings, you have 4 manual choices, which can ease you into them 1 step at a time if you wish. An example is, you can let the D5100 control your ISO, autofocus and metering styles without touching anything, whilst you control the aperature (the amount of light entering through the lens and hitting the sensor, with low f-numbers like f1.8 letting vastly more light in than f22) and the exposure (which is how long you expose the sensor to the environment via the shutter speed, with faster shutter speeds like 1/200 allowing less light onto the sensor compared to a 30 second exposure which is great for taking photos of stars and the moon!)

Even if you don't know what things like ISO mean in terms of photo quality, the camera's menu shows you an example thumbnail of a photo you can take with the setting you're hovering over. For the absolute top ISO setting on the camera it shows a very star filled sky whilst ISO 100, which is the lowest setting shows a picture of flowing water in a well lit environment. This camera is great at low light shots when you refuse to use a flash, which is ideal for dark environments like shooting a gig, astronomy photography, dusk and dawn landscapes (where flash would be useless anyway due to distance) and taking photos in low light rooms at night and getting a more natural representation of what you actually see.

The Nikon DX 18mm-55mm VR f3.5-5.6G lens is also a very nice piece of kit for general use and produces rather good quality pictures with little or no effort involved. The 18mm part allows you to take very wide angle photos which is perfect for landscapes and large group portrait photos (weddings ect) whilst you can choose anything all the way up to 55mm which zooms into your target, allowing a more content specific photo. The 55mm setting can get a good head shot of someone for a portrait quite easily

You can use some third party lenses with this camera and still use autofocus with it, but these are quite rare. Because the D5100 doesn't have a autofocus motor inside its body, compared to the vastly more expensive cameras, you need to use AF-S DX or AF-I DX nikkon lenses or something like the sigma DG series which have built in motors inside the lens instead. This is very important to note because you can pick up a Nikon AF 50mm f1.8 prime lens (which means it doesnt zoom), which is designed for older nikon camera's, for around £50 second hand or £100 brand new BUT this will not autofocus on the D5100 (or the D3100 for that matter). However, you can still use AF lenses if you don't need autofocus, saving yourself a small fortune depending on what you need to take photos of and your photography style!

To note, make sure you install the Nikon viewNX2.2 software that comes with the camera as it allows you to edit your photos to a good enough standard for publishing professional results, especially if you shoot in RAW mode, which is the best quality and allows the most post processing on your computer.

Like so many people on here I am new to buying a DSLR and was torn between the so popular D3100 and the new D5100! I did consider the option of the D3100 and spending the change on more kit. In the end I went to a a shop and purchased a D3100 as I wanted to pick up the camera and the cost worked out the same as an online purchase - i like some customer service ;-) After a couple of days with the camera (which is brilliant) I decided that the D5100 was more suited due to;

a/ the swivel screen as I use it on a tripod for portraits and it was difficult using the fixed screen
b/ the better low light sensitivity as I use the camera inside a lot
c/ the mic input for the video is a must to eliminate the focus noise.

I am using this camera on manuel mode all the time now and have spent the past month immersing myself in the DSLR and the internet offers some amazing resources for budding photographers. All in all I am very happy with this camera, I added the amazing 50mm, f1.4g prime lens which is perfect for inside portrait use and sucks in all the light - in fact I use the prime lens almost exclusively and keep the kit 18 - 55 lens as a back.

I am no expert but am enjoying this camera so much more than the compact cameras I have owned in the past (all of which are very impressive) and find that the creative input I now have have raised my expectations and understanding of photography - I highly recommend making the jump to DSLR and would recommend this camera to anyone.

WOW! I will admit I am something of a novice when it comes to cameras and photography as a whole so I was a little daunted to say the least when I decided to get this camera, but what a striking bit of kit it is! As soon as you turn it on it is user friendly from the word go. Just flip the rear screen over and follow the instructions, it really is that simple. The photos it takes are nothing short of incredible, a professional finish to say the least.

I will say though, that when you begin to use it, have a little flick through the manual and brush up on all the different ways you can take photos with, in many different styles. You can even edit the photos afterwards on the camera. Just select a photo and press the 'OK' button, it then brings up a sub menu that allows you to change the picture to black and white, sepia...etc.

Inside the box you get the camera and lens (obviously), a lovely neck strap to hold the beauty with, a charger and battery and a USB cable. Photo software is also available, so to is the manual in disc format.

All in all a beautiful camera and one that has opened my eyes to the myriad of possibilities in photography!

Recommended.

I am a conservative buyer meaning I do a lot of research before making an expensive purchase. I will also describe myself as an enthusiast photographer. I bought this camera with the kit lens in America at a promo price after doing a lot of research. Some reviews I had read described this camera as a beginner level camera which it definitely is not! This camera packs so much technology in its body that makes it more of an intermediate level camera and the only reason it is not higher than intermediate in my opinion is because it is not made of metal and weather proof.
I do a lot of indoor portraits and this camera is awesome at high ISO settings, the images are unbelievable. The in camera effects are very nice too and are amazing.
I have no regrets owning this camera especially as I was always on Olympus man! Good job Nikon, you have a new convert!

Over time I have owned several DSLR's from Nikon, Canon, Sony and Pentax so I am not brand fixated. I had moved from DSLR to the more portable mirrorless cameras but felt some limitations with regards to fast action shots (mainly for my wildlife interests) and so this purchase was all about my return to DSLR. I have previously owned the Nikon 70 - 300mm VR lens, which I have been very satisfied with for airshows and wildlife. It being a good balance between weight, cost and performance. So in some ways I chose the lens before I chose the body - not always a bad idea actually. Mating it with the D5100 for me has been a good choice.

The main attributes of the D5100 body for me are; it is relatively small and light for a DSLR, it has a superb sensor that produces lovely image quality and can cope well with high ISO (this is important as my long lens is an f5.6 at the 300mmm end and I mainly shoot at f8, in the UK, weather is often dull, so at f8 I need a high shutter speed and frequently have to shoot at ISO 800 to get that - this is never a problem with this camera as results remain good).

Focus speeds are very good, the optical viewfinder is bright and nice for tracking and 4 frames per second is ample for me. I like the rotating rear screen which has really helped with shots taken from a low position and also firework shots and macro shots.

Video quality is very good and the live view is easily activated by a lever. I do find the live view to be heavy on the battery. Overall for still shots, I find the battery adequate for a days shooting but I always buy a second battery for cameras and would always recommend this - it just prevents any disappointments and means you can use the battery until it is exhausted as you always have a spare handy.

I am also very happy with the 18 - 55mm VR kit lens. It is light and gives a nice result. On reflection, I could have considered the ( much more expensive) 18 - 105mm VR as it is more versatile and of excellent quality, but it does not bother me enough to want to go out now and get one.

I shoot in RAW and covert in Lightroom and am very happy with the result. The resulting images are clean, bright and colourful with good resolution, even at the higher ISO's. The camera does come with its own software RAW converter (NXview2). The good thing about the converter is that as a default, it carries with it the shooting information in the camera, such as sharpness etc and more importantly the dynamic range settings that you choose (if any). The downside is that at times it can run slowly on the computer. I am using an 18 month old laptop with a dual core chip and 4 meg of RAM, which is no slouch - but perhaps the new I Core processors would be better for this software - at times the software left me frustrated by the speed so i have returned to Lightroom. Also the included software does not allow you to control noise reduction, however, in my tests, this auto feature does and excellent job and in the images that I took and processed with the included software, i could not see any real differences in the final results for noise.

There are not a lot of buttons on the D5100 camera so there is less direct control, meaning some settings are in menu's and that will not suit some users. There is only one programable function buttion. I have mine set to access the ISO feature as this is probably my most visited setting.

JPEG colours are nice and auto White balance and metering seem pretty spot on. in JPEG I would set the in camera sharpening to +1. I think JPEG users who prefer to stay away from RAW will like the output of this camera.

I have my review screen set onto 'high;ights', so if I have any blown highlights, those areas flash on the screen and I know to change change the EV and shoot again - a lot of cameras have this feature, what surprised me is how few blown highligts I am getting, even in those type of shots that I previously saw it in (typically white birds on darker backgrounds) so the combination of metering and dynamic range must be pretty good in this camera.

When I went to buy, I was choosing between the D3100 and the D5100. I think the decision between these two cameras is purley one of budget as the D5100 is better in several areas but the D3100 is superb in it's own right. For serious users, the choice is more likely to between the D5100 and the D7000 and here the decision is not only related to budget but also functionality as these cameras share the same senosr but their handling is different. The D7000 has more buttons / controls etc and a drive motor for non motorised lenses. For some users, having the controls on the camera rather than pausing to go into menu's is essential ... but you pay quite a bit more for this higher spec. In my shooting to date, I have not felt limited at all by my choice.

I have given 5 stars here. not just because this is a really competent camera with a wonderful output but because I also feel that I will not need to upgrade for some time (hopefully years) and in an age of advancing technologies that is saying much.

Bought this camera a little while back with a 18-105mm VR lens-kit, it's the first DSLR I've owned, and the resolution, the depth of pictures, the detail it picks up..... is amazing!
Not to mention the speed you can shoot pictures with, with absolute clarity.

Might add it's extremely good in low-light conditions.
Our baby was sleeping at eleven o'clock at night.... we snuck in in near pitch-darkness and took a shot without the flash, bit of a delay as the camera was processing what little light existed which was expected - what was not expected was that the picture was completely in focus, and looked like near-daylight.
With no loss of image quality whatsoever.
Amazing!

For filming video in HD it (as all cameras with this resolution) requires a minimum speed of the memory-cards class 10 (20mb/s).
We got a 16gb sdhc card for this purpose, and videos are perfect - same quality as the pictures nearly (you don't really notice the difference).

The only thing people new to DSLRs should be aware of is that almost all SLRs do not have automatic autofocus when filming (you have to depress the button every time you want it to focus on something... if that something then moves further away, or closer - it can require you to press the button again to get it in focus).

To not have this niggle though, you are really looking for camcorders or a DLSR that is prohibitively expensive, or a DSLR that have given up some photo-quality.

If you're looking at all at cameras within this price range (I was looking at the D90, Canon 600D, Sony SLT A-55 and this one when deciding) - you cannot go wrong with the Nikon D5100.
It's very friendly to beginners, whilst taking professional photographs (and video) - and for those who know their stuff, there's a ton of tweaking, options etc.

The buttons themselves are all easily within reach even for those not with big hands (I admit, I do have big hands - and it fits perfectly for me too) and in sensible positions.

Love it. 5/5.

Would recommend for anyone buying a DSLR though to buy the very fastest and largest memory-card they can afford (next,
I'm looking at a 32gb 45mb/s card, due to our 16gb 20mb/s being a bottle-neck when taking rapid pictures, can get off maybe 6-10 pending what we're taking a picture of within 2-3 seconds when shooting manually - and then it stops to wait for the memory-card to write, only a 1-2 second pause.... but still! Do note, there is a continous shooting mode which shoots pictures much, much more rapidly)

I must have read thousands of reviews concerning a number of cameras. I shortlisted two makes Canon and Nikon. After much deliberation on cost, quality and capability, I decided that the Nikon D5100 SLR with 18-55mm VR Lens Kit(16.2MP) was the camera for me. I, like so many others, am a very keen, very amateur photographer and as a result I got in a bit of a frazzle at first, trying to find my way around all the great things that this camera can do. I have been using a Sony DS-W55 7.2MP for several years and have had tremendous results and loads of fun using it. Now though, I have moved into a different league. We have not had enough Summer weather to have got out and about much and therefore this review has to be limited to what I know so far. The swing out screen is a nice feature although, when you have a strap around your neck you should exercise care because the screen does at times get in the way. Even so it's well worth having. The 18-55 VR lens is very good, as is the 55-300 VR lens which I purchased at the same time. The amount of light they both pick up in an almost completely dark room is incredible and has to be seen to be believed. Photos of birds are wonderful showing every detail of every feather. Macro shots of flowers etc are great. It's a thrill, if like me, you have never taken a shot in monochrome with certain details picked out in colour. The video reproduction is very good but be warned, the battery will take a hammering. If you are into video outdoors you will need a number of spare batteries. For indoor use, especially static video, perhaps on a tripod, a transformed power supply kit from the mains is available and would be well worth investing in. I've tried some sunset shots and evening cloud formations which look incredible especially when you get a "Red sky at night". Shots of the moon behind whispy clouds look fantastic. I took pictures of a half moon and they showed the dark side making up a complete circle. It was not visible with the naked eye. Very exciting. This camera is so full of capabilities I could go on and on. The Nikon D5100 I have bought will, I know, give me years of endless photographic pleasure and I have to highly recommend it. If like me, you are graduating to SLR then go the extra mile and get the Nikon D5100, you will not regret it.

This is an ideal 'point and shoot' camera for my partner to use, great set of shooting options, portrait, landscape, close up. It has effects to play with. Great for family days out, holidays for all to use.

However it has all the ingredients for me. Excellent spec for light shooting and exposure options. I won't go into this too much, you can read the spec to work out it's exceptional quality. I bought this over Cannon as I like Nikon quality. I'm looking forward to creative photo work already tried macro, and landscape options. At this price it is irresistible. You won't regret buying this item.
After reading all other reviews I do recommend: At this pro=ice you would be silly not to buy!

Equipment: (I broke my leg so 2 month of research, thought I would share)

Lens alternatives: These all screw onto 18-55mm = 52 screw on lens, work absolutely fine quality.
UV 52mm filter (Neewer)This protects lens and all lens filters below can screw into this rather than actual lens.

Macro -Micro:
Optica 52mm macro (£25)screw on lens for macro close up. Quality exceptional. I use these with Polaroid filters (£12) and they are great. Beats expense of macro lens 40mm f/2.8=£200) or extension tubes. These themselves for quality cost around £100. My Optica and filters cost £30 or their abouts. Works great. In several years I may go for Macro lens but why!

Wide angle: oh dear, Lenses cost over £300, I've got the dosh but can't justify it! I bought Digital King DSW pro 0.7x wide angle 52mm screw on adoption, cost £45, Quality is essential and fine. I went to the coast to try out on landscape and at home with portraits. It does add width (not exceptional width) but works fine and does the job. As lens cost are high it's a great gap filler until time arises for upgrade.

Wide angle fish eye: again screw on 52mm fish eye : Opteka .35xH2 super wide angel fish eye. I've not bought this yet!! £30 approx
Zoom : I'm gonna buy 55-300mm Nikkor lens

Flash: Nikon 600/700/800 & 900 versions are expensive. Alternatives (I can't comment on, not bought)seem to be: Sigma EF-610 £100 approx = to Nikon 900 version apparently. Then try TT 520 flash cost £26 or Electronic speedlight 4 Nikon = £50. I don't know which one I will buy yet but all seem to work from reviews.

Lens hood Nikon 18 - 55 kit lens: alternative uWinka HB-45 cost £5 from Minithebox through Amazon!

LCD screen protector: screen guards membrane pack 6 cheap. Work exceptionally well. Hard version JJC hard LCD 4 Nikon just bought being delivered cost £7. This is an essential piece of protection. Out in field I always have screen in view to review photo's , this protects LCD screen. I've had this on camera some time now and wouldn't be without it, stuck spare membrane on it to prevent scratches. Highly recommended.

Battery grip: Neewer pro battery grip 4 Nikon £16. Alternative battery EN.EL14 compatible cost £19 and works with grip plus 1 original Nikon battery.

Cleaning pen: Hama or I found a polaroid for around £5, These are great discovery and keeps all equipment clean.

Shutter release! wireless ('Shoot ML-L3' 4 Nikon) for you wondering about Nikon make shutter release, don;'t do it, save some of those pennies. The 'shoot' version works well with Nikon D5100 cost under £2 and free deliver. I've used this with partner out and about no complaints.
Also the cable version, hands free, shutter release, the cheaper 'Neewer MC-DC2 remote shutter release' £2.50, works well. I was macro photo testing Orchids and tomato's. It worked fine no problems. It again cost under £2!!

Camera case/ bag: I recommend Lowerpro cirrus TLZ25 fits Nikon D5100 perfectly. may struggle with larger 300mm lens. But I only wanted it for my expensive Nikon and 55mm lens. It will fit Wide angle and macro lens but only one lens at a time case. As a get up and go bag. A very well made item for those outdoor enthusiasts.
Strong sturdy, cosy on inside!

Books: Nkon D5100 Jon Sparks looks good, So does Nikon multi media workshop by Magic lantern comes with 2 CD's. going to buy soon. I got Nikon D5100 field guide by JD Thomas. This helped me immensely get to grips with all D5100 features and has been essential.

Photoshop library: Try Picassa 3 . This is free and is a great computer album . V easy to access and use. but not as a phot shop tool . Try GIMP free image manipulation programme. I downloaded yesterday looks fine but a little complicated apparently it works as good as Photoshop ? but can't comment yet.

lastly a 'lens cap holder'. This keeps lens cap attached to camera. You don't want to be loosing this now do you! Just under £2. You can buy it in pack of 5 for around £2.50. I chose single option at this price I wish I would of too pack of 5, you never know when you might need them, other lens.