Why my new Nikon d5100 is not clear in low light? 10?

When i record videos at night or in low light with my nikon d5100 is not clear at all, my old camera which isnot DSLR was much much better, is there any setting mode for low lights or am i doing something wrong? Iver tried almost all the buttons.

DSLRs are not like compact cameras. You are doing some mistakes. Read manual.search, research and google. Pressing the buttons is not a good idea. DSLR are not for Videos. You have choosen wrong camera for this purpose.

In low-light and using the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 zoom lens your only choice is to increase the ISO. Your old camera probably did that automatically. You could, of course, buy the Nikon AF-S 50mm f1.8G and use a lower ISO or buy either the AF-S 24-70mm f2.8G ED or AF-S 17-35mm f2.8D IF-ED and enjoy the constant large aperture (f2.8) across the zoom range.

This video tutorial should help: http://www.nikondigitutor.com/eng/d5100/index.html Who better than Nikon to teach you all about your Nikon D5100?

All cameras aren't clear in low light. If your old camera wasn't then throw away your useless dSLR and go back to using the old one.

Of course you're doing something wrong.It'll take a whole course in photography to point everything out to you.

For recording videos, you should have bought an actual camcorder/video camera. You clearly have read your manual yet since you have "tried almost all the buttons."

A camera needs light that is obvious.

So what lens are you using a Nikkor 50mm 1.8 probably not. Ah that is your problem if you are using the kitlens well kitlenses are nice BUT and a very big BUT. They tend to be not light strong. A light strong lens is F2.8 or quicker. This means more light gets in. This means that as it gets darker you can keep using that lens longer.

Now the triangle of exposure is
Apperture, how much of the light is allowed in
Exposure time, how long there's an exposure, in video of course it is more about how dark it will look.
And ISO, yes ISO, the sensitivity of the sensor.

Aperture, how big the hole is how much light the lens let in the camera.Pro's tend to use F2.8 lenses for instance. Zoom lenses that give a nice strong light F2.8 all the way really help your camera to offer performance. To grab the light as there gets to be less. [that and auto focusing speeds are much better at F2.8]

Exposure Time, well if it is very sunny, very very sunny your camera might do 1/4000th of a second. But if you are around the fire with friends and you only have the light of the fire.well exposure time runs into seconds. Kinda obvious, having a lens that is relative wide open will aid allot. A 50mm F1.8 will do wonders in the camp fire situation.

ISO, aka how sensitive the sensor is, the JOY. A higher ISO can short exposure times and make videos lighter. Against the price of course of digital noise. But used well higher ISO's at least allow to get some nice shots.

So now you see the situation. You need a good lens and also need to understand the situation. These three together form what you need, the perfect exposure or in case with video enough light and details.

Mmm so my advice get a Nikkor 50mm F1.8 and try again. Oh and don't worry about using higher ISO's

And erm.a last thing yes a DSLR can shoot video BUT and a big BUT. Video cameras are much more optimized for the job. So sometimes you just are having to deal with that your DSLR is not the best tool.

Actually go out during the day where there's enough light and set your camera to Manual Mode. Then Play with Exposure Time, Aperture and ISO keeping an eye on the light meter.

You'll find that if you put your lens wider, a smaller F number, aperture you get more light hitting the sensor/light meter. And if you clsoe it down a bigger F number you get less light.

A longer exposure time more light on the meter and a shorter one. You get the deal

And ISO well raise the ISO and the light meter will tell you the exposure is going up. As if recieving more light.

If you understand how these there work together you'll understand why in low light the video quality suffers. And you might get that Nikkor 50 F1.8 ;)