Hey guys, please help me! I am a complete beginner in photography, I know some basics, but not a lot. I know I am wanting a DSLR because I have my phone to use for my point & shoot, as well as a Samsung Dualview if I want something better to print. Anyways, I have been looking around at many different cameras, and I have narrowed it down to two. The Nikon D3200 and the Nikon D5100 (as you can tell from the title). From what I have read and understand, the 3200 is great for beginners and the 5100 is geared toward novices. The 3200 would probably be the sensible system for me because of some of the features it has for beginners, but one of the big things that I like of the 5100 is that it has the swivel LCD screen. I know I should not base my decision on just the swivel screen, and I am not, but that is a big reason I am considering it.

A couple other things, I do not plan on cropping a lot of picture or blowing up pictures too big. I know I want to do some action shots', especially sports, wildlife, and just some fun jumping pictures (yeah I'm lame, I know). I am also into wildlife photography (plants, animals, insects, underwater, etc). As well as making some short videos on it (possibly slow motion). I don't know if that helps any. I know it is gonna take some time to get everything I want to get the right system.

Also, the prices on amazon are about the same, and will come with 18-55 mm lens (possibly 55-200 mm lens, depending on if I want to get that package).

Sorry for rambling on guys, but I feel like if I give as much info on what my plans are, it may help you guys help me

Thanks in advanced for any suggestions!!!

Neither the 18-55 nor the 55-200 would be particularly good for what you say you want to shoot. Can you provide a little more detail on the type(s) of sports and wildlife you have in mind?

If you think you'd make good use of the articulated LCD Monitor, that's a perfectly good reason for selecting one body over another.

None probably,because the D5200 is out already and it has the DR of the D7000.So there is more juice to it.See if you can get the D5200 if the difference in $$$ is not too forbidding.

Yes, the articulated LCD monitor on the Nikon D5100 is a super nice feature....no more laying in the mud to get that super low on the ground shot. Of the two DSLR's that you listed, I would choose the D5100 over the D3200. The D5100 has the same superb sensor and processor as the higher end D7000. Now that Nikon has introduced the new D5200, the prices of the D5100 has really dropped. The new D5200 would be another choice to consider, however, unless you plan on blowing your photos up to the size of a house, you really don't need all those extra megapixels that the D5200 has. The money you would save on buying the D5100 over the D5200 could be spent on better glass than what you get with the kit lenses.

Hey guys I want to thank you for your input! It was helpful, I ended up purchasing a D3200. As much as I wanted an articulated monitor, I couldn't pass up a D3200 for $250. I am just beginning, and I am going to be limited on money, so I am going to slowly build up a system. I just good lenses for the future. The 18-55 mm will do for now, because I am still learning a lot and I am just going to be shooting my pets, friends, and family. Anyways, lens ideas for the future? For sports, I was thinking anything and everything (skateboarding, football, soccer, hockey, baseball, etc.) For wildlife, zoo, or aquarium, I would be shooting mostly Bird of Prey, whales and dolphins, sea turtles, maybe some close ups of plants and small insects.