Can a Nikon D5100 take professional pictures?

I have a friend that has a Nikon D60 and takes excellent pictures. I've read that Nikon D5100 beats D60. Can I take really good pictures with this camera?

A great photographer could take great photos with the D5100. If you are a great photographer, then you could, too.

Can a Nikon D5100 take profesional pictures? No because the camera DOESN'T TAKE PICTURES FOR MONEY!

Professional:
following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain: a professional builder.
Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/professional?s=t

Can the D51000 be used to take great pictures? Yes. Any camera could be used to take great pictures and when looking at DSLRs the difference in image quality isn;t all that great unless you start going into some extreme shooting conditions like low light for example. There's a HUGE difference shooting in low light with an older, entry level DSLR like a Canon t1i when compared to a 5DmkII. The 5DMkII has less noise at ISO 3200 than the T1i has at only ISO 800. The Canon 1D-x blows the 5DMkII's ISO 3200 performace at ISO 12000.

But under good light, the difference between a Rebel XSi and a 5DmkII aren't all that great.

In photography it. 70% skill, 20% lenses and 10% actual camera.

Of course

ANY fully adjustable camera can be used to photograph professional quality images

Here is a shot taken with a 6 mp camera about ten years ago

What is important is that you have the skills necessary to produce professional photographs

When you say that the D5100 "beats" the D60, what does this mean to you? Cameras are tools not competitors.

If you are asking about the sensor performance, then here is how they compare

http://www.dxomark.com/...nd2)/Nikon

As you can see, the D5100 does have a more advanced sensor than the D60, but NO camera is any good if you don't have the skills to use it.

Technically, yes. A more expensive camera will give you better pictures.

Forget the camera. The person using the camera is the one that creates the image. I have taken pictures with a Canon G9 that have been published in Magazines. The D5100 is a better camera but it won't make a bad photographer into a good one.

Professional is just getting paid to do it. The camera used does not matter.

The D5100 is newer than the D60. Whatever camera you choose to buy, you will get the same picture quality.