Nikon D5100 – The Rusty Ruin Journal

Have I become a Nikon fan, unwittingly?

March 18, 2025July 27, 2025Posted in Aesthetics and Technique, Philosophy and Photography, PhotographyTagged camera, culture, digital camera, Nikon, Nikon D40, Nikon D5100, nikon d70, Nikon Z5, Photography, psychology16 Comments

When I look in the cupboard, I see lots of cameras and lenses – some would say, rather too many! Plenty of my film cameras are still piled up in boxes, so they barely add to the shelved pile. Poring over my digital cameras and lenses specifically, I see a growing number of Nikon branded things. I wonder if I’ve become brand loyal? I’d certainly not describe myself as a person overly concerned with brands!

Identifying with brands

There are lots of people who adore certain brands. By identifying with a brand, we express something of who we are. We recognise some characteristics in the brand that strike a chord within us. We announce to the world: “This brand expresses who I am or who I want to be!”. Perhaps the brand expresses qualities we aspire to demonstrate in our own lives? Perhaps it reinforces a self-perception that we’d like others to notice? Brands are symbols that can be important to our identities, and the most successful brands resonante more strongly with larger numbers of people.

You could say that brand Nikon is doing something right after being so long in operation. The Nikon Corporation has been around since 1917 and has become a household name in that time. They know how to make great cameras, but that’s not to say that Canon or Sony don’t also make great cameras. They certainly do! And they have their own branding and marketing. Truthfully, I’ve often felt that Nikon have been pretty terrible at marketing their gear. It’s great engineering, but companies like Canon and Sony often seem to have had more attractive marketing campaigns over the years.

So, I guess I’m wondering why I open up my cupboard and see a growing bunch of Nikon cameras staring back at me – what does it say about me? Am I now a brand fan?

How I got started

The truth is that I never thought I’d be much good with a big pro-looking camera. I was convinced that small and simple cameras would be my fate, seeming to fit better with my self-perception of not being very technically minded.

Despite this, I decided some years ago to push my limits, so I purchased a Nikon D5100 in hopes of finding a way to express myself more creatively. It was either the Nikon or the equivalent Canon, but the D5100 just seemed to have some better tech-stuff inside – a marginally bigger APSC sensor, a well-regarded sensor also featured in the D7000, and the fact that I could use so many F Mount lenses. For about the same price as the Canon, it seemed to be a slightly better camera.

*Waiting after a tiring day – Nikon D5100 with Nikkor 55-200mm DX*

I wasn’t at all disappointed with the D5100. On the day I received it, I set about educating myself on how to use a DSLR. I’ll be honest – it was a bit intimidating. It was a very different and more complex camera than I was used to. After reading a lot and watching a lot of how-to and exposure triangle videos, I went out and did some night photography. I can highly recommend this practice if you want to learn about the importance of light in photography. You very quickly learn that light is everything when you’re running around at night with a cheap tripod and a shutter remote that only works half of the time!

For the Nikonians and other interested parties

I don’t have the D5100 anymore, but I do have a growing bunch of Nikons that many Nikonians would be familiar with:

Nikon D40 – It’s an old and small DSLR from Nikon, featuring a 6.1 megapixel CCD sensor. I’ve written more about it here. Paired with Nikon’s older kit kens – the Nikkor 18-55mm – it’s a great lightweight camera.
Nikon D70 – My copy is a bit on the used side, but it still makes great photos with the CCD sensor. Some say it has a definite cool bias, but that can be perfect for many types of scenes.
Nikon D7100 – This was my workhorse Nikon DSLR for a long time. I upgraded to it at a good price after selling the D5100 and what a difference it felt like upon opening the box! Unlike the D5100, it has more external controls and solid ergonomics that don’t feel plastic. It feels like a professional camera when contrasted to the D5100 !
Nikon Z5 – After a long time, Nikon finally entered the mirrorless game. The Z5 is every bit a modern mirrorless camera for a good price, considering the 35mm digital sensor. After using my mirrorless Olympus OMD EM5 cameras for so long, this feels both familiar and a huge upgrade in capability. As much as I trust my D7100, the Z5 is my new workhorse.
Nikon D200 – Released in 2005, the D200 features a well-regarded Sony-made CCD digital sensor. I regard it as one of the best early DSLRs from Nikon, as the camera market was shifting from film to digital.

I know that my Nikons aren’t exactly heavy enough to bow the shelving. It just feels like they outnumber my other cameras by a long way! Maybe it’s because I use them a lot, so I feel like I’m a brand loyal Nikonian? I’ve used my share of small junk cameras over the years, so it’s nice to pick up a big-name camera that just works when I want it to. I’ve had a few cameras die on me now – I’m looking at you, Sigma DP1 and Sigma DP2M ! I still don’t think I’m a brand loyalist, but I do like my Nikons.

Scenes in yellow on a cloudy day

September 21, 2024July 28, 2025Posted in Gear Talk, PhotographyTagged culture, digital camera, ethics, Hong Kong, Nikon, Nikon D5100, Nikon D7100, Nikon Z5, Photography, street photography2 Comments

Hong Kong offers a feast of sights for those with camera in hand. Spending all day carrying the Nikon D7100 and an attached 55-300mm DX lens – since sold and replaced by the old 70-300mm ED VR lens – is not exactly the lightest task. As with most Nikon cameras, the D7100 is solid and conveys a sense of trust and comfort. Whilst not the best telephoto lens available, the 55-300mm is certainly one of the least heavy in this class, even though the image is prone to softness, especially at the long end below f8.

*The old walls have a face in Hong Kong – Nikon D7100 and 55-300mm lens*

Before I purchased the D7100, I was using the Nikon D5100 – a truly capable camera with the well-reviewed sensor found in the Nikon D7000, though much cheaper. I really liked the D5100 but moving to the D7100 felt as though I was really moving on up in terms of features and ergonomics. Just the external buttons alone gave me easy access to ISO and White Balance – two dedicated buttons the D5100 didn’t have.

As much as I was tempted to sell the D7100 when buying into the Z system with the Nikon Z5, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I do miss the old Nikkor 50mm f1.8 D lens though, as it’s so light, small, and sharp. It’s a reliable camera and mine has a lot of life left in it.

*The old walls have personality in Hong Kong – Nikon D7100*

Years of grime, torn stickers, puckered adhesive, PVC pipes, and crazy wires that lead to subterranean places adorn the walls in many parts of Hong Kong. I love the texture of the place, the hustle and bustle, and the sea of humanity. But I’m not unaware of the poverty and the cramped lives, struggling to get through each day in the wet heat. And here I am, a tourist with a big camera, framing it all up and editing in a quiet room…

First photos with the Nikon Z5

September 7, 2024July 29, 2025Posted in Gear Talk, PhotographyTagged digital camera, Nikon, Nikon D3100, Nikon D40, Nikon D5100, nikon d70, Nikon Z5, Photography2 Comments

Moving to a 35mm digital camera requires some adjustment, especially if you’ve been using crop sensor cameras for a long time, as I have. I’ve mentioned these challenges recently, and the specific issue around choosing the right aperture for a depth of field that’s equivalent to what I’d get on a small sensor camera.

*Not habitable – Nikon Z5, F8, ISO 100, 24mm*

I purchased the Z5 with a well-regarded Z-mount lens: 24 – 70mm F4 S. The S designation that Nikon put on this lens means that it’s above average in performance – or Superior. Perhaps not one of the Pro quality lenses, but definitely exceeding kit lens quality. I also like the constant F4 aperture and the weather-sealing. Not that I’m often out in the rain, but it’s definitely useful when the clouds threaten.

I’ve no issue at all with the sharpness, but the left corner seems to be mushier than the other corners, as though one of the elements is slightly out of position. It seems to happen mostly when at 24mm and possibly at other focal lengths. Not a deal-breaker (not that I could return it anyway), but certainly irritating at times. I keep this in mind when I pull it out and will opt for the 40mm F2 instead if I don’t need the extra width, as that lens is even sharper.

Moving to mirrorless was a wise move for Nikon. I’m not loyal to the brand, but I’ve had a D5100 previously, and still have a D70, a D40, a D3100, a D7100, and the Nikon Z5 in the house, so they must be doing something I like. The Z5 is definitely a fantastic camera to handle and use, as I’ve found with all Nikons. I just need to break some old habits.