Which Digital Camera? - 1

I'm stuck between the Nikon D3100 - Digital camera - SLR or the Olympus E-PL1 - Digital camera - mirrorless system. This will be my first "big" camera buy and I'm not sure which one is better. They both seem pretty good. But the Nikon is £100 more… Is it worth the extra money?

My first DSLR is the Nikon and it seems to have many facilities, most of which I'm still trying to master, but I'm very impressed with it and the results I've seen from it so far. If you search online for the manual, you will see just what it can do. It's cleverer than me, that's for sure!

Both cameras are good.

question:
are you a serious photographer?
or just a person who just buy a camera for everyday photography who wants versatility and portability?

off course you know what each question refers to.

i can't say which one is better because each has it's own advantage and both are unique.

you should go to the store and try by yourself, which one suits you better.

if you ask which camera i would choose, i would like the Olympus E-PL1.
Reason:
1.It is extremely versatile and portable, and it is smaller and lighter too
2. Nikon D3100 is not a really good SLR camera. And E-PL1 is one of the best mirrorless from Olympus for such price
3. E-PL1 make that vintage feeling, blended with modern technology on it

Yes Nikon D 3100 is much better.
The olympus is a second class camera from his "Mother"
http://w http://m.dpreview.com/reviews/olympusepl1 ww.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ZYF3LO

I'd go with the Nikon if you're serious about your photography. The D3100 is a very respectable entry level D-SLR. I think those " mirror-less" cameras are a joke. I know a pro or two, and they wouldn't touch them.

The D3100 is a much better camera.
The sensor is about 60% bigger, giving better images, particularly in low light/high-ISO settings.
It has a proper SLR viewfinder.
The AF is significantly faster and the shutter lag is much less, so you don't get an annoying delay when you hit the shutter release.
Colour depth is better so the colours are improved.
Dynamic range is better, so you get more detailed shadows and improved highlights.
The range of available lenses and accessories is much bigger and better.
Http://snapsort.com/..._PEN_E-PL1" class='ext_link'>http://snapsort.com/..._PEN_E-PL1

Right now, the D3100 is available for £300 from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/.../letscook/
And then you can claim £35 back from Nikon
http://www.nikon.co.uk/sites/cashback/default.html
That leaves you with a final total of £265 for a great little DSLR.

Mirror-less has the advantage of being much smaller and lighter, so if that is a concern, you might consider it. If so, I would look into the new EPL-5, it has a newer sensor and the highest image quality of any of the Micro 4/3rds mirrorless cameras available right now, though I'm not sure how the price compares.

The Nikon is an excellent entry-level DSLR. There are also a lot more lenses available for the Nikon, and being an older mount, you can find excellent used lenses more readily than native lense for Micro 4/3rds. However, almost any lens can be adapted to work on Micro 4/3rds, but in most cases you would lose autofocus.

Http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon_D3100-vs-Olympus_PEN_E-PL1

I choose a lot of my cameras based upon this as a starting guide!
It's really helpful and you can compare ANY two cameras you like.

Also i started with a nikon and have had it for 3 years. They also have a ton more lenses and break less from what i've heard.