Explore 23 sample photos taken by the Canon EOS 600D

Higher resolution screen

1,040k dots vs 920k dots

More than 10% higher resolution screen

Higher true resolution

17.9 MP vs 16.1 MP

Capture more than 10% more detail in your photos

Slightly larger viewfinder

0.53x vs 0.51x

Around 10% larger viewfinder

Learn more about
the Canon 600D

Significantly lower noise at high ISO

1,183 ISO vs 793 ISO

The D5100 has a slight edge (0.6 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance

Significantly better image quality

80.0 vs 65.0

More than 20% better image quality

More dynamic range

13 EV vs 11.5 EV

1.5 f-stops more dynamic range

Video autofocus

Contrast detection vs None

Automatically focuses shooting video

Has in-camera HDR

Yes vs No

Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range

Better color depth

23.5 bits vs 22.1 bits

Distinguishes 1.4 more bits of color

Much less startup delay

500 ms vs 1500 ms

3x less delay when turning on

Longer battery life

660 shots vs 440 shots

50% more shots per battery charge

Better boost ISO

25,600 ISO vs 12,800 ISO

The D5100's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better

Smaller

127x96x78 mm vs 133x99x79 mm

Around 10% smaller

Shoots slightly faster

4 fps vs 3.7 fps

Around 10% faster continuous shooting

Slightly more lenses available

205 lenses vs 197 lenses

Almost the same

Slightly less shutter lag

273 ms vs 283 ms

Almost the same

Slightly more focus points

11 vs 9

Set focus accurately within the frame

Cheaper

$349.00 vs $454.99

The best price we've seen is $106 cheaper (more than 20% less)

Slightly thinner

3.1" vs 3.1"

Almost the same

Learn more about
the Nikon D5100

Which camera do we recommend? Relative to the best recent entry-level DSLRs, and ignoring price

Snapsort Recommends

Canon EOS 600D 58

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72 Nikon D5100

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Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths

	Flip-out screens
	Great for movies

Many lenses available

600D:	197 lenses
D5100:	205 lenses

	Have external mic jacks
	Record higher quality audio with a microphone

Inexpensive

600D:	$454.99
D5100:	$349.00

Common Weaknesses

	Slow max shutter speed
	1/4000 of a second

	Quite thick
	3.1"

	Below average viewfinder coverage
	95%

	Few cross-type focus points
	1

Slow continuous shooting

600D:	3.7 fps
D5100:	4 fps

	Poor maximum light sensitivity
	6,400 ISO

Significant shutter lag

600D:	283 ms
D5100:	273 ms

Below average viewfinder size

600D:	0.53x
D5100:	0.51x

	No image stabilization
	Risk of blur

Few focus points

600D:	9
D5100:	11

Capture low resolution images

600D:	17.9 MP
D5100:	16.1 MP

	Neither is weather sealed
	Need to shelter it from weather

	No touchscreens
	More buttons

	Both shoot high resolution HD movies
	1080p @ 30fps

Image quality data for the Canon 600D provided by DxOMark
Image quality data for the Nikon D5100 provided by DxOMark

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$302 - $527 body only

$389 - $447 with 18-55mm lens

Takes significantly higher resolution photos

Is thinner

Doesn't have a screen which flips out

Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 600D

Compare the D3200 vs the D5100

Canon EOS 700D

Entry-level DSLR

$529 body only

$700 with 18-55mm lens

Has a touch screen

Shoots faster continuously

Is slightly more expensive

Is slightly larger

Compare the EOS 700D vs the EOS 600D

Compare the EOS 700D vs the D5100

Canon EOS 1200D

Entry-level DSLR

$400 body only

$500 with 18-55mm lens

Is slightly lighter

Lacks a self cleaning sensor

Lacks and external mic jack

Compare the EOS 1200D vs the EOS 600D

Compare the EOS 1200D vs the D5100

Nikon D5200

Entry-level DSLR

$480 - $547 body only

$499 - $647 with 18-55mm lens

Records higher quality movies

Takes significantly higher resolution photos

Is slightly more expensive

Compare the D5200 vs the EOS 600D

Compare the D5200 vs the D5100

Nikon D3300

Entry-level DSLR

$397 body only

$429 - $497 with 18-55mm lens

Is slightly less noisy at high ISO

Records higher quality movies

Doesn't have a screen which flips out

Compare the D3300 vs the EOS 600D

Compare the D3300 vs the D5100

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$699 - $1,000 body only

$949 - $1,299 with 18-135mm lens

Slightly larger viewfinder

Shoots faster continuously

Is significantly more expensive

Is significantly heavier

Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 600D

Compare the EOS 60D vs the D5100

Nikon D5300

Entry-level DSLR

$697 body only

$695 - $797 with 18-55mm lens

Is slightly less noisy at high ISO

Records higher quality movies

Is significantly more expensive

Compare the D5300 vs the EOS 600D

Compare the D5300 vs the D5100

Canon EOS 600D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon EOS 600D.

Nikon D5100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Nikon D5100.

EOS 600D

Canon

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D5100

Nikon

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Showing 25 comments

James

(8:55 AM, January 25, 2015)

For the confusion about auto-focus motor in canon body, some canon models do have the motor in body itself. But not 600D.

Guest

(5:01 PM, May 23, 2014)

I'm a color blind photographer. :|

Erick

(7:46 PM, December 17, 2013)

Nikon CMOS sensors produces better color accuracy than Canon.. it means Canon produces images w/ more saturated colors than Nikon and it looks better sometimes.. but if your are a big fan of natural color ( or should I say color that has nearly close to what our bare eyes is seeing) then go for Nikon..

Kuldeep Sharma

(11:25 AM, October 22, 2013)

Hey Harun, I am trying to get the Copyright info on the pictures. I have a Canon 600D. Though I have entered the info in the Camera Menu, but its not coming on pic, when I view the pics on my laptop...can you pls help...
can you write to me on advocatekuldeep@gmail.com

pat

(5:25 PM, October 20, 2013)

does the nikon d5100 have an af motor?

look or quality?

(11:22 PM, October 19, 2013)

please! Nikon deliver far better quality. That is what matters when you hang photos on a wall. "overall Nikon is a better camera BUT..." ?? BUT? what do you mean with BUT? seriously. I mean who cares of build-quality better screens interfaces and movie modes and remote controlling functionality. Maybe Americans...

Harun Aftab Rashid

(5:20 AM, September 03, 2013)

Get your facts right. canon have better lenses as compared to nikon. infact canons lenses are more than 10% cheaper than nikons with better image quality than nikon. There are no competitor of canon L USM lenses.

Harun Aftab Rashid

(5:12 AM, September 03, 2013)

nop, canon is compatible to all third party lenses (with canon mount) and nikon is compatible to all third party lenses (with nikon mount).

in wild life and birding section canon having superior and low priced lenses as compared to nikon.

Harun Aftab Rashid

(4:46 AM, September 03, 2013)

I have canon T2i, canon 600d and D5100. i am practicing photography since 6 years.
I have entered many national and international photographic competitions. my pictures taken with canon 600d are getting good responses and reviews as compared to nikon.
If you have flickr account (globally leading photo sharing website), then go through the camera finder section. you will find more than 65% canon user there. IMO they are not fools to end up with canon.
Attached herewith picture taken with canon T2i. pls go through exif details.

Puuvilla

(8:35 PM, July 21, 2013)

Sickcunt, is video important or taking pictures with a dslr?! I personally prefer nikon's and i'm pretty sure overall quality of d5100 pwns the 600d. As the score says .. The rest doesn't matter, the final element matters..

Dinosaursaur

(7:56 AM, April 04, 2013)

I personally chose the D5100. But before I bough it of course I checked some reviews and the very best thing I considered it are the lenses. I found better lenses from Nikon than Canon that for me a very big thing to consider. Since you won't buy only the camera but also it's system. But true I also like the 600D because it's bigger (looks more professional XD) and it has autofocus motor and larger camera strap. :P

Sickcunt

(10:08 AM, February 13, 2013)

I agree,where are the 60fps of the canon vs the 30fps of the nikon in video?

Beast

(2:09 PM, January 30, 2013)

If he is color blind he can't even be a photographer. Hahaha

Hi

(2:08 PM, January 30, 2013)

Are you kidding me D7000 and D300s is a dx camera and they are able to use fx lens. And to be hornets with you I am using a D7000 and have 2fx lens and 1dx lens. Read more on photography before coming out and give your opinion.

Beast

(2:04 PM, January 30, 2013)

The comparison is black and white cant you see? Are you color blind??? Hahahaha !!!!

Cathrine

(5:55 PM, January 29, 2013)

The conclusion is canon 600D better or Nikon D5100 for the overall :) thanks

Melanie

(7:17 AM, January 29, 2013)

I have read all your comments but still confused which one to buy!! Actually i'm a beginner and i can't take my decision!! Please help! Which one should i choose as a beginner??

BAGUS

(11:06 AM, November 28, 2012)

i love photograpy than vodeograpy ,, so, I choose Nikon d5100 for my first beginner camera ^.^

Him Rekhi

(11:43 AM, September 05, 2012)

Sayed Mohamed is right ... there is no use for Nikon vs Canon wars. One should weigh all the pros & cons but at the end of day it is your personal preference that matters. I researched quite a bit & although 60% reviewers including snapsort put Nikon D5100 ahead of Canon 600D but when I tested them in store, to me Canon outperformed Nikon. (& fact of matter is that I went to store more inclined towards Nikon.)

Factors which made me consider Canon over Nikon:

1. Better Grip & feel. Believe it or not this is a big factor. If you don't like the grip or feel then chances are that you will not enjoy your DSLR no matter good it is. I personally found that Canon 600D had a better grip. Due to Nikon being smaller & uncomfortable to my hands I had a difficult time producing good shots from Nikon. But maybe to others Nikon might have better grip.

2. The colors & contrast produced by Canon, IMHO, seemed better to my eyes till ISO 3200. I know what DP review & DXO marks says but I rather like to go by what my senses tell me. Nikon will have edge over Canon in handling chromatic aberrations, white balance but this something I don't care much about as I am not going professional, secondly quite a bit of things get sorted by better lens & better technique which I am yet to learn.

3. I personally found its menu options more intuitive & easy to go around.

You will see I never even mentioned videography because to be honest, I actually loved Nikon D5100 video features more & its a shame that Canon doesn't have them especially selective coloring applied in videos.

So, my advice to all the would be DSLR purchasers is that go to the store & feel the product, have a demo, shoot some pics & videos & then make up your mind. You will not go wrong with either Canon 600D or Nikon D5100 because honestly quality difference is not as much as snapsort or DXO are making out to be.

Sayed Mohamed

(4:45 PM, September 03, 2012)

Please do stop your nikon - canon war and note that not the equipment takes the photo, but the man behind it. Framing, Composition, Angle of view, Creativity
and of course the knowledge in post processing makes a photo 'WOW'. Nowadays, differences among dslrs are minimal. So stop the brand war and try to snap good photo. However, I've one question to snapsort, that you mentioned Canon EOS 600D has built-in focus motor in your comparison. I think no Canon camera has built-in focus motor, but all their lenses have it. Please verify this.

Allukaz

(9:41 AM, July 03, 2012)

Maybe this site could provide us one real life sample of each camera instead of mentioning score from the another site such as Dxo.
I wonder where do those number came from because I've seen many result out of these two cameras, and they are near identical and USABLE even in high iso.
So, when you give the recommendation for one camera to another, please proof your recommendation by real life sample NOT NUMBER.
because in this case you give the nikon D5100 a significant margin, I REALLY WISH YOU COULD PROOF A SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS OF NIKON D5100 IN REAL LIFE PICTURE (WHICH SHOWS US THE DIFFERENT DEPTH OF COLOR, NOISE, IMAGE QUALITY ETC FROM NIKON D5100 AND CANON EOS 600D) THX :)

Allukaz

(9:27 AM, July 03, 2012)

So, you never test the camera itself and just copy another from Dxo or something else?

Vivienne Gould

(6:26 PM, June 15, 2012)

I am sick of reading that the canon eos 600d has an in body af motor - it doesn't! I rang Canon this morning and was told that none of the newer models has an af motor in the body - if you want autofocus you have to have a lens with a motor.

Tariqsaon

(4:46 AM, June 13, 2012)

NO one talked about noise in the picture... Definitely Canon has a Stronger Noise cancellation algorithm then Nikon... Its true.. Also better Movie... in the Day light.. For Out door Shoot in Daylight Canon is BEst... But for Indoor shoot in Low light, Nikon can be a good option..

Paul

(4:17 PM, June 02, 2012)

If you're into movies, Canon is the winner by far , permitting full manual operation, shutter speed, aperture, all as you're filming. Plus the Canon has the advantage of additional software ( MagicLantern) which gives you lots of cool features. In regards to image quality nikon has the advantage but there's not a big difference in real life practice. For me, the fact than Nikon lacked the movie control was a deal breaker.
Best regards!

Nikon D5100

vs

Canon EOS 600D

Reasons to buy the Nikon D5100

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 600D

galleries

differences

Advantages of the Canon 600D

Advantages of the Nikon D5100

recommendations

Which camera do we recommend? Relative to the best recent entry-level DSLRs, and ignoring price

vs

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

dxomark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D3200

Canon EOS 700D

Canon EOS 1200D

Nikon D5200

Nikon D3300

Canon EOS 60D

Nikon D5300

Canon EOS 600D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D5100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

appearance

discussion

Showing 25 comments