Canon EOS
600D
 vs
Nikon
D90

Updated (February, 2011): Compare the Canon EOS 600D vs Nikon D7000

Nikon D90

71
Winner

Nikon D90
"Fast Autofocus with useful control options"
dpreview.com | talking about the D90's auto-focus
"Nobody quite does a quality plastic body like Nikon, it feels tight and solid, wrapped around a good metal chassis."
dpreview.com | talking about the D90's build-quality

Reasons to buy the Nikon D90

Overall image quality
 Great image quality
73.0
Dynamic range
 Wide dynamic range
12.5 EV
Viewfinder size
 Large viewfinder
0.63x
Startup delay
 Almost no delay when powering up
300 ms startup delay
Sensor size
 Large sensor
APS-C 23.6x15.8mm
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
208 ms shutter lag
Canon EOS 600D

57
Runner-up

Canon EOS 600D

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 600D

Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
1,040k dots
True resolution
 High true resolution
17.9 MP
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

differences

Advantages of the Canon 600D
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 24fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video at a higher frame rate
External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
 Record high quality audio with an external microphone
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 12.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 50% more detail in your photos
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
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 930k dots
Help
 More than 10% higher resolution screen
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
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs 6,400 ISO
Help
 The 600D's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better
Weight Significantly lighter 570 g vs 703 g
Help
 Around 20% lighter
Canon EOS 600D Learn more about
the Canon 600D

Advantages of the Nikon D90
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 977 ISO vs 793 ISO
Help
 The D90 has a slight edge (0.3 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Overall image quality Better image quality 73.0 vs 65.0
Help
 More than 10% better image quality
Dynamic range More dynamic range 12.5 EV vs 11.5 EV
Help
 1 f-stop more dynamic range
Startup delay Much less startup delay 300 ms vs 1500 ms
Help
 5x less delay when turning on
Viewfinder size Significantly larger viewfinder 0.63x vs 0.53x
Help
 More than 40% larger viewfinder
Color depth Better color depth 22.7 bits vs 22.1 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.6 more bits of color
Battery life Significantly longer battery life 850 shots vs 440 shots
Help
 More than 90% more shots per battery charge
Sensor size Significantly larger sensor APS-C 23.6x15.8mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
 More than 10% larger sensor
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 208 ms vs 283 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when taking photos
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
 Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 4.5 fps vs 3.7 fps
Help
 More than 20% faster continuous shooting
Focus points More focus points 11 vs 9
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Viewfinder coverage Better viewfinder coverage 96% vs 95%
Help
 Almost the same
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 162 lenses
Help
 Almost the same
Thickness Thinner 3" vs 3.1"
Help
 Almost the same
Nikon D90 Learn more about
the Nikon D90
vs

recommendations

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

Canon EOS 600D Canon EOS 600D
57 vs 71
Explain scores
Nikon D90 Nikon D90
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D90.

advice

Need help deciding?

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I am considering either the Canon 600D or the Nikon D90,
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Are you a camera expert? Share your knowledge!
0
votes
by Andrew-Auseichyk 18 hours ago
Canon 600D vs Nikon D90

I'm a beginner in photography. I like to learn how to take pictures of BBC Top Gear style - shar...

One person recommends the Canon 600D:

" The camera itself isn't very important for the type of photography you're talking about.  You ne..."
0
votes
by Nathalie-Z last month
Canon 600D vs Canon G12

I'm a beginner, this will be my first "real camera". I like to take pictures of nature, both wild ...

One person recommends the Canon G12:

" I have recommended the G12 (and other equivalent cameras) to my beginner friends and they all we..."
0
votes
by Fernandus-Pramiko this month
Canon 600D vs Canon 7D

1. beginner 2. some unique moments, family 3. I don't know about that

One person recommends the Canon 600D:

" For a beginner I do not see a reason to go for a bigger and heavier "more advanced" tool, so out..."
0
votes
by Howard-Ridge last month
Nikon D40 vs Nikon D90

Was a very keen amateur photographer in the old days 35mm and had a few dslrs.
0
votes
by rosna0316 last week
Canon 1100D vs Canon 600D

I am just a beginner. Would like to get something simple with the main features. 

3 people recommend the Canon 1100D:

" 6 months back when i was a beginner i took this camera with a 55-250mm IS II lens and this DSLR ..."

" For begginers I recomend canon 1100D, there are explanations, what the settings means in camera...."

" if not, the 550D  which is almost the same with 600D but cheaper!"

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
600D:162 lenses
D90:169 lenses
Screen resolution High resolution screens Help
600D:1,040k dots
D90:930k dots
Supports 24p 24p support Help
For that film look
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Autofocus No video autofocus Help
Manual focus only
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Cross type focus points Few cross-type focus points Help
1
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
600D:6,400 ISO
D90:3,200 ISO
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Shutter lag Has slightly more shutter lag
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 600D
Compare the D5100 vs the D90
Canon EOS 550D

Canon EOS 550D

Entry-level DSLR

$691 - $916 body only

$731 - $874 with 18-55mm lens
Size Is significantly smaller
Thickness Is thinner
Shutter lag Has slightly more shutter lag
Compare the EOS 550D vs the EOS 600D
Compare the EOS 550D vs the D90
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$848 - $1,304 body only

$1,177 - $1,342 with 18-135mm lens
Battery life Has a slightly longer battery life
Cross type focus points Has much more cross-type focus points
Weight Is significantly heavier
Size Is significantly larger
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 600D
Compare the EOS 60D vs the D90
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$1,000 - $1,197 body only

$1,100 with 55-200mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the D7000 vs the EOS 600D
Compare the D7000 vs the D90
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $547 with 18-55mm lens
Movie continuous focus Can focus continuously while recording movies
Autofocus Focuses automatically while shootting video
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Shutter lag Has slightly more shutter lag
Compare the D3100 vs the EOS 600D
Compare the D3100 vs the D90
Canon EOS 1100D

Canon EOS 1100D

Entry-level DSLR

$489 - $559 body only

$587 - $643 with 18-55mm lens
Lowest price Is slightly less expensive
Weight Is slightly lighter
Sensor cleaning Lacks a self cleaning sensor
Supports 24p Doesn't record movies in 24p
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 600D
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the D90
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$699 - $700 with 18-55mm lens
True resolution Takes significantly higher resolution photos
Movie continuous focus Can focus continuously while recording movies
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 600D
Compare the D3200 vs the D90

Canon EOS 600D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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

Nikon D90 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Nikon D90.

appearance

Canon EOS 600D Nikon D90
Canon EOS 600D Nikon D90
Canon EOS 600D Nikon D90

discussion

Showing 4 comments

Penicka Martin (6:27 PM, February 19, 2012)
Canon 600D better then Nikon D90.
 
Stevejjones (4:50 PM, December 23, 2011)
yeah this is on snapsort. I got that too - when you compare 600d with 60d, 600d wins,,,, when you compare 60d vs nikon d90 - canon 60d wins, and here it says canon 600d ties with nikon d90... ie. A=B, but A isbetter than C and C is better than B !!Hope these guys change the stats - i think canon 600d outsmarts nikon D90 with its features if nothing else, and hence A (canon600d) should be better than > C (canon 60d) which should be shown to be better than > B (nikon!)
 
phem (6:37 PM, December 20, 2011)
but only 600d has higher resolution compare to the other dslr camera., thatswhy still in top 6, in snapsort and still in top 10 dslr camera in some comparing sites for camera.
 
Guest201120122013 (9:45 PM, December 15, 2011)
canon 600d = ties with = Nikon D 90.
canon 60D = wins against => Nikon D90
but canon 600 D = wins against canon 60D. ?? How?? surely this is a mistake somewhere!??