Canon EOS
600D
 vs
Nikon
D3100

Updated (May, 2012): Compare the Canon 650D / T4i vs Nikon D3200

Canon EOS 600D

60

  
Nikon D3100

56

  

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 600D

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
1,040k dots
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
External mic jack
 External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
 
Runner-up

Nikon D3100

Reasons to buy the Nikon D3100

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 24fps
Sensor size
 Large sensor
APS-C 23.1x15.4mm
Movie continuous focus
 Movie continuous focus
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
Size
 Really small
Prosumer size 124x96x73 mm
Thickness
 Thin
2.9"
Weight
 Light-weight
505 g
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon 600D
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 More than 4.5x higher resolution screen
External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
 Record high quality audio with an external microphone
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
 Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
True resolution Higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 14.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 30% more detail in your photos
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.5 EV vs 11.3 EV
Help
 0.2 f-stops more dynamic range
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The 600D's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 3.7 fps vs 3 fps
Help
 More than 20% faster continuous shooting
Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder 0.53x vs 0.51x
Help
 Around 10% larger viewfinder
Canon EOS 600D Learn more about
the Canon 600D

Advantages of the Nikon D3100
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 919 ISO vs 793 ISO
Help
 The D3100 has a slight edge (0.2 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Startup delay Significantly less startup delay 400 ms vs 1500 ms
Help
 3.7x less delay when turning on
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
Sensor size Significantly larger sensor APS-C 23.1x15.4mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
 Around 10% larger sensor
Color depth Better color depth 22.5 bits vs 22.1 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.4 more bits of color
Size Significantly smaller 124x96x73 mm vs 133x99x79 mm
Help
 Around 20% smaller
Overall image quality Slightly better image quality 67.0 vs 65.0
Help
 Almost the same
Battery life Longer battery life 550 shots vs 440 shots
Help
 Around 30% more shots per battery charge
Thickness Significantly thinner 2.9" vs 3.1"
Help
 Around 10% thinner
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 162 lenses
Help
 Almost the same
Focus points Slightly more focus points 11 vs 9
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Weight Lighter 505 g vs 570 g
Help
 More than 10% lighter
Lowest price Cheaper $399.00 vs $469.99
Help
 The best price we've seen is $71 cheaper (around 20% less)
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent entry-level DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 600D Canon EOS 600D
60 vs 56
Explain scores
Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon EOS 600D.

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
600D:162 lenses
D3100:169 lenses
Supports 24p 24p support Help
For that film look
Lowest price Inexpensive Help
600D:$469.99
D3100:$399.00
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Light sensitivity (boost) Poor boost ISO Help
12,800 ISO
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Cross type focus points Few cross-type focus points Help
1
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
600D:6,400 ISO
D3100:3,200 ISO
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
600D:3.7 fps
D3100:3 fps
Shutter lag Significant shutter lag Help
600D:283 ms
D3100:279 ms
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus Help
600D:None
D3100:Contrast detection
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Viewfinder size Below average viewfinder size Help
600D:0.53x
D3100:0.51x
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
600D:11.5 EV
D3100:11.3 EV
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
600D:65.0
D3100:67.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$497 body only

$597 - $805 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 600D
Compare the D5100 vs the D3100
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 600D
Compare the D3200 vs the D3100
Canon EOS 1100D

Canon EOS 1100D

Entry-level DSLR

$436 body only

$439 - $818 with 18-55mm lens
Shutter lag Has much less shutter lag
Battery life Has a slightly longer battery life
Thickness Is thicker
Sensor cleaning Lacks a self cleaning sensor
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 600D
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the D3100
Canon 650D / T4i

Canon EOS 650D

Entry-level DSLR

$580 - $797 body only

$645 - $1,144 with 18-55mm lens
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the EOS 650D vs the EOS 600D
Compare the EOS 650D vs the D3100
Canon EOS 550D

Canon EOS 550D

Entry-level DSLR

$613 body only

$719 with 18-55mm lens
Size Is slightly smaller
Thickness Is thinner
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Compare the EOS 550D vs the EOS 600D
Compare the EOS 550D vs the D3100
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$699 - $899 body only

$999 - $1,279 with 18-135mm lens
Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder
Weather sealed Has a weather sealed body
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 600D
Compare the EOS 60D vs the D3100
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$675 - $899 body only

$799 - $1,099 with 18-105mm lens
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Dynamic range Has significantly wider dynamic range
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D90 vs the EOS 600D
Compare the D90 vs the D3100

Canon EOS 600D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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

Nikon D3100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$436 with 18-55mm lens
Sensor size Larger sensor
Size Smaller
Movie format Does not take movies
Low light performance Significantly more noise at high ISO
Compare the D3000 vs the D3100

appearance

Canon EOS 600D Nikon D3100
Canon EOS 600D Nikon D3100
Canon EOS 600D Nikon D3100

discussion

Showing 4 comments

TheLevine (5:40 AM, January 28, 2012)
i like d3100!!!
 
Avatar for Jay-van Geli Jay-van Geli (9:11 AM, December 04, 2011)
Vibration Reduction for Nikon, Image Stabilisation for Canon are done in-lens and not in the camera
 
Gfhfgh (7:03 AM, November 24, 2011)
d3100 is fuckin' hot!
 
Lisa Doumak (6:10 PM, August 06, 2011)
Any suggestion of a good entry level DSLR camera that does have an anti-shake or image stabilization feature because I often tend to shake when I take pictures especially of people