I got the Nikon D5100 for my brithday, is it better than the D90?

I love the D5100, i don't like the flip out screen though! But, is it better than my brothers D90? Personally i don't think it is, just from taking pictures, but is it really better or worse?

The D5100 has a newer sensor design and thus performs better in low light. The D90 still has a very good sensor, but offers superior controls - two dials instead of one, and a top LCD.

Personally, i wouldn't trade my D90 for a D5100 because the conveniece of use of a D90 is important to me, and the difference in image quality (where the D5100 wins) is rather small.

If your brother takes better photos with his D90, then it's likely because he is more practiced at photography, and he also might be using a better lens than you do. Both skill of the photographer and the quality of the lens are more important to image quality than the camera is.

The D5100 is much newer than the D90 so it's expected to have a better sensor but the huge advantage of the D90 (a mid-level dSLS model) over the D5100 (an entry-level dSLR) is the ease of access of controls, something any pro wouldn't trade for anything in this world. Picture quality is dependent on the photographer. It doesn't matter what camera you use, if you know what you're doing, you'll get great pictures every time.

In controlled laboratory conditions the D5100 is going to produce better (as in more useable) images.

However in the real world shooting environment, where you need to be juggling the control of three or more things at one time, the D90 becomes more innate in handling.

So you see there are a lot of "good on paper" cameras, but they fail to really live up to the hype in the real world.

Lens for lens in the hands of the same person the D5100 will produce better pictures, mainly because of the rather excellent sensor (I'm a canon user, and am jealous, the sensor has a very low noise level and excellent dynamic range) but the user experience of the D90 is better, dual controls, pentaprism, compatability with older nikon AF-D and Ai lenses.

You don't have to use the flip out screen, works fine folded in.

Usually I'd tell folk to consider canon, but at least you and your brother can buy complimentary lenses rather than buying a separate collection.

The D5100 is a great camera to use that's capable of delivering stunning images. If you're in the market for an advanced entry-level DSLR be sure to add it to your shortlist.