Which Nikon DSLR for filming nature / wildlife?

Just curious which Nikon DSLR is suggested when shooting a "discovery channel style" type documentary about nature and travel. It will be matched with a AF-S DX NIKKOR
55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens. Basically, I was looking at the D5100, and was just curious if anyone had any suggestions as far as a body camera for shooting DSLR video in a wild setting.

DSLRs are designed to capture still images. They can do that really well. Generally, doing the sort of ""discovery channel style" type documentary about nature and travel" means long capture sequences and editing out about 90% of the video where nothing happens. But dSLRs are not designed to capture long sequences. Due to file-system limitations, there are maximum file size issues and file segmentation and overheating issues.

Read the manual:
http://www.nikonusa.com/...100_EN.pdf
Page 15: memory cards get hot.
Page 52: Maximum file length.
Page 52: camera gets hot after extended use; wait for it to cool.

This does not mean dSLRs will not capture good video quality - they can. But this convenience feature is better used for project-managed, short-sequence, planned video capture and not "documentary" style of "grab as much as available and edit most of it out".In my opinion, you are choosing the wrong tool for the task you have defined. It can work - but is not what the dSLR was designed to do. Expect problems when you go down this patch. Since you know this - with any luck, you'll be able to work around them and limit the issues.

Since your primary reason for use is video capture, you would be much better off using a device designed to capture and store video.

A Sony SLT - they do better video than any DSLR.

Actually none because you can't do film with a digital camera. You can shoot video but not film.
If it's film you really want that's going to be very expensive indeed… Or you could just learn your terms.

I'd say the Nikon D5100 or Nikon D5200 are the best, then pair it with a Lynny Lens and you'll have a blast!