Looking at a D5100. Is it worth it?

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Syborg1211

Diamond Member
Jul 29, 2000
3,297
26
91
Nah, the price difference isn't that big, and D5100 has a swivel screen which is a godsend sometimes. I agree with you in principle, but unless he can get a LOT lower price on a D3100 (like $125+), forget it, get the D5100. The D3200 I would get over the D5100 only if it saved me at least $75.

Are you considering that the d5100 in this scenario supposedly has 150k clicks on it? That is an insane number that I, personally, would not even consider buying. That's like buying a used car with over 80k miles on it in 2 years. It may still look kinda shiny on the outside, but on the inside it's been run into the ground already, and the warranty is long gone.

If the camera really does already have 150k clicks, this guy deserves a freaking award for being the most click-happiest person ever. When you met the guy, was he snapping shots left and right? He'd basically need to be doing that all the time to average that many shots. 200 photos a day over 16 hours awake means basically taking a photo every 5 minutes that you're awake. Maybe he's doing some really intense time-lapse photography... How do you even parse, edit, and store that many photos?
 

blastingcap

Diamond Member
Sep 16, 2010
6,654
5
76
Are you considering that the d5100 in this scenario supposedly has 150k clicks on it? That is an insane number that I, personally, would not even consider buying. That's like buying a used car with over 80k miles on it in 2 years. It may still look kinda shiny on the outside, but on the inside it's been run into the ground already, and the warranty is long gone.

If the camera really does already have 150k clicks, this guy deserves a freaking award for being the most click-happiest person ever. When you met the guy, was he snapping shots left and right? He'd basically need to be doing that all the time to average that many shots. 200 photos a day over 16 hours awake means basically taking a photo every 5 minutes that you're awake. Maybe he's doing some really intense time-lapse photography... How do you even parse, edit, and store that many photos?

I was thinking 147k had to be an error, but if it really has 147k I wouldn't buy it at all, of course! I wonder if the camera was accidentally left on and then something hit the shutter release so he wound up with 100k+ photos of the inside of his camera bag or something. I mean, even then it had to have happened multiple times, because one battery fully charged can't take more than what, a thousand photos maybe, even giving it extra shots than CIPA estimates due to no LCD previews.
 

Syborg1211

Diamond Member
Jul 29, 2000
3,297
26
91
Well, it seems legit. I had him use an online system and here are the results:

http://www.myshuttercount.com/Query?p=bff25b98af167a19

Based on this, I will NOT be purchasing that camera...


Back to the drawing board I guess...

Well the dude did have 4 batteries and two chargers, which apparently actually got some mileage. Intense.

The d3200 isn't a bad camera to fall back on. It's got a better sensor than the d5100, and the d3200 actually uses the same autofocus system as the d5100 if I remember correctly. Basically the only thing you miss out on is the swivel screen, which is only useful in a handful of scenarios that I haven't missed since upgrading from the d5100 to better cameras without swivel screens.
 

CuriousMike

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2001
3,044
544
136
Well the dude did have 4 batteries and two chargers, which apparently actually got some mileage. Intense.

In retrospect, that should have been a hint.

I'm not sure he's the most honest guy trying to sell that body for full-used-price price.
 

randomrogue

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2011
5,449
0
0
Wow that guy really took that many pictures? I'd love to know how. He must have been doing non-stop time lapses or something. Crazy.

Buy a refurb. You might want to check out dpreview and see if they have any suggestions for good places to buy a refurbished camera. Get away from craigslist and people like the guy at 147K since that sounds like a giant hassle. That guy had no business selling that camera to anyone. He should be donating it to a school since it's practically worthless but might be good for a high school or something as long as it lasts.