New Nikon D3100 DSLR Makes Official Philippine Debut: Now Reduced

Nikon’s latest entry-level digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, the D3100, made its official Philippine debut last Friday to general acclaim before a crowd of photographers, retailers, and reporters.

The Nikon D3100 was first announced by its Japanese manufacturer last August, and is meant to replace the earlier D3000. Both cameras trace their lineage back to the Nikon D40 which in itself broke new ground in the Philippines as it was probably the first truly affordable DSLR in the market, with a price tag below PHP 30,000.00.

The 14.2 megapixel Nikon D3100 comes equipped with these important features:

A new DX-format CMOS image sensor and image-processing engine, EXPEED 2:
The CMOS image sensor offers an effective pixel count of 14.2-million pixels and enables capture of high-definition images exhibiting superior image quality with extremely detailed rendering and rich tones. The camera also makes the most of its standard sensitivity settings up to ISO 3200 (D3000: ISO 100–1600) and additional increases up to HI 2 (ISO 12800 equivalent), with shooting under dim lighting, such as in the evening or indoors, as well as with sports scenes of rapidly moving subjects.

A refined Guide mode that is even easier to use:
Guide mode has been refined to make most camera operations even easier, from shooting to image playback and editing to the application of camera settings, regardless of the user’s skill level. It also includes an assist image feature, where the D3100 displays pictures that show the effect of various camera settings, giving users an idea of the results they can expect with specified settings.

Live view mode:
By simply rotating the live view switch, the view through the lens is displayed in the monitor, enabling immediate live view recording. This makes shooting feel more like shooting with a compact digital camera, easing the transition to digital-SLR for beginners.

D-Movie for recording and editing full-HD movies and AF-F (full-time servo AF) focus mode:
The D3100 is equipped with the D-Movie function that enables recording of high-definition movies (with monaural sound) by simply pressing the movie-record button.

Scene auto selector built in:
The D3100 is equipped with the scene auto selector function. When live view mode is enabled in Auto or Auto (flash off) mode, the camera automatically analyzes the scene and selects the appropriate shooting mode from Portrait, Landscape, Close up or Night portrait.

As sold in the Philippines, the Nikon D3100 comes with a 18-55 mm. f/3.5-5.6 VR lens. In addition, the sales package includes a 4 GB SDHC memory card, a Nikon tripod, and a bag. What’s more, this camera is covered with an official two-year manufacturer’s warranty.

The Nikon D3100 is available at most Picture City shops for the price of PHP 34,990.00 [Now reduced to PHP 31,999.00 - Ed.]. A six-month, zero-percent interest installment plan (with a major credit card) is also available.