DSLR vs. DDVC: Need Help Here!

[Machate-man]

After spending about a year & 1/2 shooting on film, I feel that it's necessary to move onto Digital. I had also been shooting my film on a Nikon FG SLR with rather good results,causing me to consider a Nikon DSLR. However, Fujifilm's X-series of Digital Direct vison cameras have seriously caught my attention. I have narrowed down my two choices already, and have until September to make a decision:

DSLR:
Nikon D3100/5100

DDVC:

I have considered these choices because:

1) I trust Nikon over Canon (and every other brand) for just about everything; specifically lens compatibility.

2)I have several SLR (analogue) Nikon lenses and wouldn't mind learning without metering.

3)The Fujifilm X-10 has it's own built-in 28-112mm lens, and that's all I'd need in terms of zoom.

So please help me make a choice.

 

[wfooshee]

Don't get the 3100 over the 5100 unless it's only about the money. If you can swing it, I'd go for the D7000, which I myself am trying to come up with $$$ for, over my current D5000.

The D7000 has the focus motor in the body so it autofocuses with earlier AF lenses, while the 3100 and 5100 require AF-S to auto-focus.

The D7000 will meter manual-focus lenses, while the 3100/5100 will not.

The D7000's LCD review screen is light-years better than the other two Nikons.

All 3 are DX format, so no difference there.

The FX10 seems to be well regarded by those who have it or have reviewed it. Your 28-112mm specification is the full-frame equivalent, so don't compare that directly to the mm you see on the Nikon lenses. The popular "kit" lenses for the Nikon are the 18-55 and the 55-200, which are full-frame-equivalent to 27-84 and 84-300, respectively. By that, the FX10 gets you just a bit more reach than the basic lens on the Nikon, but nothing near the larger. It's faster, though, at f:2-2.8 instead of f:4-5.6, so it's fully two stops faster. The Nikons probably make up for that with a combination of VR (stabilization) and better high ISO performance.

If those 3 are all you're looking at, get the D5100. If you want to get the best camera Nikon has at the price point, get the D7000.

 

[Machate-man]

D7000 is out of my reach @ ~1200 USD

My budget is ~750 USD (?), so it's D3100/5100