Nikon D5100 16.2MP SLR Body w/ 18-55mm & 55-300mm VR Lenses + 32GB Lexar Pro UHS-I Card + Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements 11 + Nikon Wireless Remote & more $847 + fs

Seems like a good bundle if you are starting from nothing.
I have both the 18-55mm & 55-300mm VR Lenses on a D7000 and wow was I impressed by the 55-300 this weekend. Light weight lens and crisp photos handheld at 300 (which on a DX Nikon is like 450mm). I've shot with it before, but this past weekend reeled off 500+ shots to get a better feel for it and was impressed. The 18-55 is also decent and given the DX magnification is about perfect for everything indoors if you have a flash. I like the look of longer lenses with better Bokeh and try to shoot with an 85mm 1.4 indoors if given enough room, but the 18-55 is perfect for group shots, etc. and is also very very light weight.

Quote from neweggnerd : Seems like a good bundle if you are starting from nothing. I have both the 18-55mm & 55-300mm VR Lenses on a D7000 and wow was I impressed by the 55-300 this weekend. Light weight lens and crisp photos handheld at 300 (which on a DX Nikon is like 450mm). I've shot with it before, but this past weekend reeled off 500+ shots to get a better feel for it and was impressed. The 18-55 is also decent and given the DX magnification is about perfect for everything indoors if you have a flash. I like the look of longer lenses with better Bokeh and try to shoot with an 85mm 1.4 indoors if given enough room, but the 18-55 is perfect for group shots, etc. and is also very very light weight.

what type of setting were you shooting with the 55-300. just curious how you found its versatility in range (landscapes to close ups) to be?

I'd like to get this

I dont see wireless remote in the description. is it included in the bundle?

Nikon D5100 DX-format Digital SLR Body w/ 18-55mm VR Lens and 55-200mm VR Lens [buydig.com]

for 100 less, would this be a better option? No tripod or wireless control and no SD card (which I do not need)

Quote from CanDeal : Nikon D5100 DX-format Digital SLR Body w/ 18-55mm VR Lens and 55-200mm VR Lens [buydig.com] for 100 less, would this be a better option? No tripod or wireless control and no SD card (which I do not need)

The one quoted here is 55-200mm while the deal mentioned contains the 55-300mm lens.

I am wondering with the price reductions in place for the Nikon Lenses, whether to go for a Nikon D5100 body for around $500 and 18-300mm for $700. That one lens would be awesome to have. Would need to know more about that lens though.

Quote from Claymont : I dont see wireless remote in the description. is it included in the bundle?

if you add the bundle to cart the adobe software and nikon remote get automatically added in cart for free

I am using D5100 for over 1.5 years and love this camera! i use prime lens for portraits to produce an awesome bokeh.

Quote from smart84 : I am using D5100 for over 1.5 years and love this camera! i use prime lens for portraits to produce an awesome bokeh.

i have a 5100 and trying to buy a screen protector and camera bag,,,,, any suggestions?
TIA

Quote from MrWalmart : The one quoted here is 55-200mm while the deal mentioned contains the 55-300mm lens. I am wondering with the price reductions in place for the Nikon Lenses, whether to go for a Nikon D5100 body for around $500 and 18-300mm for $700. That one lens would be awesome to have. Would need to know more about that lens though.

I did miss on the lens difference. Thanks for pointing that out.

Quote from purificada : what type of setting were you shooting with the 55-300. just curious how you found its versatility in range (landscapes to close ups) to be?

I really don't use the 55-300 for scenes, for which you are better off with the 18-55. The advantage of the 300mm on a DX is the ability to get close up, but I never have tried it for macro so can't comment there. Use of this zoom is much easier over a 200 or 300 prime: basically center your subject at 55 and then twist to the desired close up range and half-press the shutter to lock focus and then snap away. For me I can usual get 3-4 shots in RAW by continuously pressing before the D7000's buffer makes me pause for a second or two. It's great though as I can freeze action and in those 3-4 shots I get exactly what I was looking for. For this lens I shot auto recently; I tend to reserve the manual and aperture modes for my more expensive lenses like the 35 1.4 or the 85 1.4.

FYI, the 55-300 lens is actually nice for people photography too if (and this is the trick) you back way up and use it at the longer range (like 150-200). It has beautiful bokeh in this range that in my experience would take an aperture on a 50mm of closer to 1.4-1.8 to achieve the same background blur. For beginners, these two lenses are great and cover most everything of what you want. I would caution you that the 55-300 is still a relatively long lens (for example I cannot fully zip up my sling with this lens attached) and for that reason alone it is often better to travel with both with the 18-55 attached and swap out to the longer lens (which is actually really light given its size) when you need it.

Quote from egkr : i have a 5100 and trying to buy a screen protector and camera bag,,,,, any suggestions? TIA

Look for GGS Screen Protectors.

Quote from juxtapost03 : Look for GGS Screen Protectors.

FWIW, the D5100 has an articulating screen that folds inside. If you attach a glass screen protector, it will not be able to close all the way with the screen facing inside.