Canon EOS
650D
 vs
Nikon
D5100

Updated (March, 2013): Compare the Canon 700D/T5i vs Nikon D5200

Nikon D5100

78

  
Canon 650D / T4i

63

  
Winner

Nikon D5100

Reasons to buy the Nikon D5100

Low light performance
 Low noise at high ISO
1,183 ISO
Overall image quality
 Great image quality
80.0
Color depth
 Great color depth
23.5 bits
Dynamic range
 Wide dynamic range
13 EV
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Sensor size
 Large sensor
APS-C 23.6x15.6mm
 
Runner-up

Canon EOS 650D

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 650D

Light sensitivity
 High ISO
12,800 ISO
Touch screen
 Touch screen
Less buttons
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
HDR
 In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
External mic jack
 External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Badge
 Autofocuses shooting video
Phase detection
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon 650D
Touch screen Has a touch screen Yes vs No
Help
 Fewer buttons to worry about and direct interaction with camera menus
Cross type focus points Significantly more cross-type focus points 9 vs 1
Help
 Grab focus in difficult situations
Autofocus Faster video autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
 Shoot videos without worrying about focus
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 12,800 ISO vs 6,400 ISO
Help
 The 650D's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 920k dots
Help
 More than 10% higher resolution screen
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
True resolution Higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 16.1 MP
Help
 Capture more than 10% more detail in your photos
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 5 fps vs 4 fps
Help
 Around 30% faster continuous shooting
Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder 0.53x vs 0.51x
Help
 Around 10% larger viewfinder
Canon 650D / T4i Learn more about
the Canon 650D

Advantages of the Nikon D5100
Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO 1,183 ISO vs 722 ISO
Help
 The D5100 has a slight edge (0.7 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Overall image quality Much better image quality 80.0 vs 62.0
Help
 Around 30% better image quality
Color depth Better color depth 23.5 bits vs 21.7 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 1.8 more bits of color
Dynamic range More dynamic range 13 EV vs 11.2 EV
Help
 1.8 f-stops more dynamic range
Sensor size Much larger sensor APS-C 23.6x15.6mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
 More than 10% larger sensor
Battery life Longer battery life 660 shots vs 440 shots
Help
 50% more shots per battery charge
Size Smaller 127x96x78 mm vs 133x99x78 mm
Help
 Around 10% smaller
Startup delay Slightly less startup delay 500 ms vs 700 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when turning on
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
Lowest price Cheaper $496.95 vs $579.66
Help
 The best price we've seen is $83 cheaper (more than 10% less)
Weight Slightly lighter 560 g vs 575 g
Help
 Almost the same
Nikon D5100 Learn more about
the Nikon D5100
vs

recommendations

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

Canon 650D / T4i Canon EOS 650D
63 vs 78
Explain scores
Nikon D5100 Nikon D5100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D5100.

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Screen flips out Flip-out screens Help
Great for movies
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
650D:162 lenses
D5100:169 lenses
Movie continuous focus Focus continuously recording movies Help
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
Supports 24p 24p support Help
For that film look
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Shutter lag Significant shutter lag Help
650D:269 ms
D5100:273 ms
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
650D:0.53x
D5100:0.51x
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 600D

Canon EOS 600D

Entry-level DSLR

$470 - $689 body only

$548 - $927 with 18-55mm lens
Light sensitivity (boost) Slightly lower boost light sensitivity
Size Is slightly larger
Compare the EOS 600D vs the EOS 650D
Compare the EOS 600D vs the D5100
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 with 18-55mm lens
True resolution Takes significantly higher resolution photos
Size Is slightly smaller
Light sensitivity (boost) Slightly lower boost light sensitivity
HDR Lacks a built in HDR feature
Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 650D
Compare the D3200 vs the D5100
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 slightly more expensive
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 650D
Compare the EOS 60D vs the D5100
Nikon D5200

Nikon D5200

Entry-level DSLR

$697 body only

$797 with 18-55mm lens
True resolution Takes significantly higher resolution photos
Focus points Has much more focus points
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Compare the D5200 vs the EOS 650D
Compare the D5200 vs the D5100
Canon 700D/T5i

Canon EOS 700D

Entry-level DSLR

$860 body only

$1,017 with 18-55mm lens
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Size Is slightly larger
Compare the EOS 700D vs the EOS 650D
Compare the EOS 700D vs the D5100
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$675 - $899 body only

$799 - $1,099 with 18-105mm lens
Viewfinder size Significantly larger viewfinder
Viewfinder Has higher quality type of viewfinder
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the D90 vs the EOS 650D
Compare the D90 vs the D5100
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$447 - $740 with 18-55mm lens
Size Is slightly smaller
Thickness Is thinner
Light sensitivity (boost) Slightly lower boost light sensitivity
HDR Lacks a built in HDR feature
Compare the D3100 vs the EOS 650D
Compare the D3100 vs the D5100

Canon 650D / T4i Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon 650D / T4i.

Nikon D5100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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

appearance

Canon 650D / T4i Nikon D5100
Canon 650D / T4i Nikon D5100
Canon 650D / T4i Nikon D5100

discussion

Showing 6 comments

Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (4:42 PM, February 26, 2013)
You can click the i button to learn more but: Snapsort uses benchmarks from DxOMark to rank cameras' image quality. DxOMark benchmark mosts cameras that shoot RAW which covers basically all DSLRs and a few high-end digicams. The overall score is an equally weighted blend of three other benchmarks: color depth, dynamic range and image quality at high iso.
 
J (4:40 PM, February 26, 2013)
I want to know that How image quality is being compared ?
 
Avatar for Stefano Venneri Stefano Venneri (1:31 PM, October 17, 2012)
With Hybrid CMOS Sensor and STM lens, Canon 650D wins on the video side.... but about Photos, D5100 with 16Mpx sony sensor (same of D7000) rocks!!
 
steev (7:19 AM, August 24, 2012)
nikon is best
 
Vignesh Nadar (11:53 PM, July 28, 2012)
 Still D5100 will Rock!
 
parveg (1:55 AM, June 11, 2012)
canon 650D is gonna  kick nikon ass