Nikon has just announced the D5100, their latest DSLR. It replaces the D5000, a camera I previously owned. The Canadian MSRP is $899 for the camera body and 18-105mm lens; there's no body-only option at this time.

Something worth noting: the ME-1 Microphone is compatible with any Nikon that has a 3.5mm audio input jack, so you D7000, D300S, D3S, and P7000 owners who are looking for better audio might be quite interested in that product. Canadian MSRP on this microphone is going to be $159.99.

"Mississauga, ON, April 5, 2011- Today Nikon Canada announced the new16.2 megapixel Nikon D5100 digital SLR, designed for those ready to stepup and be artistically expressive with a versatile camera. The NikonD5100 digital SLR houses a host of new and innovative features aimed atgiving photographers the tools to shatter creative constraints and tellstories with amazing image quality and stunning HD movies.

Designed to enhance the shooting experience, the Nikon D5100 includesan impressive new 3-inch, sharp 921,000-dot Vari-angle LCD screen andfull 1080p HD movie recording with full-time autofocus. The 16.2megapixel D5100 is also the first Nikon digital SLR to provide in-cameraeffects that can be applied to photos and movies, putting more tools ofcreative expression at the users fingertips.

Our newest digital SLR offers a wide range of options users can applyto photos and videos as they shoot, or in-camera after the shots havebeen taken, transforming them into works of art, said Gregory Flasch,National Advertising and Communications Manager at Nikon Canada Inc. Thein-camera Special Effects Mode presents many creative possibilities, allat the twist of a dial. Its like having 24-hour access to a digitalediting studio.

Ready for the Adventure of Life

The D5100 allows photographers of all levels to confidently execute newand creative ways to tell stories with amazing colour and clarity.Whether shooting over crowds or down low from a toddlers point of view,the swing-out style, Vari-angle LCD screen makes it easy to compose andshare great images. Displaying even the most subtle details withclarity, the super sharp LCD has a 1000:1 contrast ratio and 921,000-dotresolution with the ability to pivot 180 degrees horizontally andvertically.

To further test creative boundaries, photographers can take advantageof the D5100s in-camera Special Effects Mode. Applied to either stillsor D-Movies, these innovative effects are easy to implement and add ahigh level of creativity. By selecting the Effects position on the modedial located on top of the camera, photographers can easily applyeffects such as Selective Colour and choose up to three differentcolours while the remainder of the scene is converted to monochrome.Colour Sketch creates photos and a stop-motion movie in a colourfulsketched drawing style, while the Miniature effect records photos andhigh-speed movies to bestow a feeling of a mini-scale scene.

To record photos in extreme lighting conditions or to produce movieswith a gritty appearance, the new Night Vision mode calls upon Nikonspro digital SLR low-light technology to offer extreme low-lightcapability by enabling the camera to shoot up to a super-high 102,400ISO. In addition to the Effects mode, users can create photos withamazing tonal range by selecting the high dynamic range (HDR) functionwithin the camera. With this selected, the D5100 will automaticallybracket up to three exposure stops with two images in rapid successionto produce a finished photo with an amazing range of midtones andhighlights that wouldnt otherwise be possible in a single shot.Additionally, Active D-Lighting can be selected and combined with HDRfor even more dramatic effects.

The versatile Nikon D5100 digital SLR will motivate shooters to furtherexplore creativity with its advanced camera features including fullmanual controls (P,S,A,M on the mode dial) offering the ability tomanage the cameras aperture and shutter speeds. Once a photo iscaptured, photographers have the flexible retouch menu at their disposalto apply additional in-camera effects and editing options includingcolour and filter effects, red eye correction and NEF (RAW) processing.

The remarkably wide ISO range of 100-6,400 (expandable to a staggering25,600 ISO) allows photographers to shoot confidently in outdoor andindoor low-light situations, even handheld with low noise. Inchallenging lighting conditions such as when a subject is backlit,Nikons Active D-Lighting feature keeps shadows and highlights consistentfor even exposures.

To further unleash creativity, the Picture Control system allows thechoice of Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, or Landscapesettings to apply a personal look and feel to pictures, and theversatile Scene Modes let photographers choose from Portrait, Landscape,Child, Sports, Close-up or Night Portrait for stunning results in justabout all possible lighting conditions.

Create Full HD Movies

The Nikon D5100 captures full 1080p HD movies with full-time autofocus.Users can quickly switch focus modes to stay with the action through avariety of AF functions, including Face Priority which can track up to35 human faces, Subject Tracking and normal or wide-area autofocus. Toactivate movie mode and Live View, a new switch is positioned on the topof the camera near the shutter button for improved ergonomics and easieraccess.

The D5100 digital SLR offers variable frame rates and resolutions, andcan record 1080p at a cinema-like 24 frames per second (fps).Alternatively, for playback on HD devices, it can record at 30 fps or aweb-friendly 720p at either 24 or 30 fps. All clips can record for up to20 minutes in the AVC-HD H.264 codec. Once recorded, movie clips can betrimmed in the camera to save time in post-production. Whether utilizinga wireless or hot shoe-mounted microphone such as the new ME-1, soundcan be recorded via the stereo microphone input for professional audioresults. Captured movies can be easily shared via HDMI output, andcontrolled remotely with HDMI CEC compatibility.

Superior Image Quality

The 16.2 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor is capable of capturing imagesthat erupt with colour, offering amazing sharpness and clarity to createimages and full HD movies even in low-light conditions. Coupled withNikons exclusive EXPEED 2 TM image-processing engine, images are broughtto life with vivid colours and amazing contrast, accurate exposure andlow noise levels resulting in brilliant image quality. The EXPEED 2 TMengine also drives the quick 11-point AF system on the D5100 to providefor rapid focus acquisition even on fast-moving subjects. When shootingaction, split-second shutter response and four frames per second burstrate make sure no moment is missed, forever putting to rest the story ofthe one that got away.

Whether shooting lush wilderness landscapes or an urban skyline, theD5100 utilizes Nikons exclusive Scene Recognition System to analyzesubject information from a database containing more than 30,000 imagesto optimize focus, exposure, i-TTL flash exposure and white balance. Toassist in creating amazing imagery, the Scene Recognition System readsdata from the 420-pixel 3D Colour Matrix Meter RGB sensor that examinesthe scenes brightness and colour data then optimizes the camerasperformance prior to the actual exposure.

An entirely greater world of creativity will open up to photographerswhen adding versatile AF-S NIKKOR lenses to the equation. With a widerange of focal lengths and versatile features, AF-S NIKKOR lenses helpto create a variety of photo perspectives to images and movies such asthe ability to isolate subjects with a shallow depth of field or zoomclose to the action from afar. Combining the D5100 digital SLR withNIKKOR lenses also delivers the sharpness essential for HD movies, andNikons innovative Vibration Reduction (VR) II technology helps toeliminate the effects of camera shake.

Image Courtesy of Nikon Rumors

New ME-1 microphone

To address the needs of the ever growing community of shootersabandoning their video cameras for the versatility of a digital SLR,Nikon now offers the ME-1 stereo microphone. Engineered specifically fora digital SLR, the new ME-1 microphone attaches to the hot shoe and hasnoise dampening components designed to minimize noise resulting from AFoperation. The microphone also has a low-cut filter to reduce wind noisenot already blocked by the wind screen. Designed with digital SLR usersin mind, the ME-1 also features a cable stop to keep the cable out ofthe way when using the camera, and reduce instances of noise fromunintentional contact. Because it utilizes a standard 3.5mm stereo jack,the ME-1 is ideal for the D5100 and other Nikon HD movie capable digitalSLRs such as the D3s, D300s, D7000 and the COOLPIX P7000.

Availability and Pricing

The Nikon D5100 digital SLR camera is scheduled to be available atAuthorized Nikon Canada Dealers beginning late April 2011 at aManufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $899.95 for a kit thatincludes the AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens.

The new Nikon ME-1 microphone is scheduled to be available atAuthorized Nikon Canada Dealers in May 2011 at a MSRP of $159.95.

Exclusive Canadian Warranty

Nikon Canada offers an exclusive two-year warranty for the D5100purchased from an Authorized Nikon Canada Dealer. Additionally, NikonCanada offers a five-year warranty for all NIKKOR lenses purchased froman Authorized Nikon Canada Dealer. Consumers investment is protected byNikon Canadas warranties with in-Canada service.

About Nikon

Nikon, At the Heart of the ImageTM, is the world leader in digitalimaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology and is globallyrecognized for setting new standards in product design and performancefor its award-winning consumer and professional photographic equipment.Nikon Canada distributes consumer and professional digital SLR cameras,NIKKOR optics, Speedlights and System Accessories; Nikon COOLPIX®compact digital cameras; COOLSCAN® digital film scanners; 35mm film SLRcameras; Nikon software products and Nikon sports and recreationaloptics. At the heart of every Nikon camera is Nikon's Exclusive EXPEEDTMor EXPEED 2TM advanced digital image processing system technologies. AllNikon Canada products are sold through a network of Authorized NikonCanada Dealers. For more information on Nikon Canada and its productsand services or to find an Authorized Nikon Dealer, visit www.nikon.ca (http://www.nikon.ca/ )."