Nikon D5100

76

Winner

Nikon D5100

"Image quality is definitely the D5100's trump card. It offers effectively the same image quality as the higher-end D7000, at a lower cost."
dpreview.com | talking about the D5100's image-quality
"Unintimidating interface, but with plenty of manual control."
dpreview.com | talking about the D5100's button-layout

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
Movie format
Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Color depth
Great color depth
23.5 bits
Dynamic range
Wide dynamic range
13 EV
Screen size
Large screen
3.0"
Canon EOS 1000D

32

Runner-up

Canon EOS 1000D

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 1000D

Size
Really small
Prosumer size 126x98x65 mm
Badge
Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Thickness
Thin
2.6"
Weight
Light-weight
502 g

differences

Advantages of the Canon 1000D

Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Size Significantly smaller 126x98x65 mm vs 127x96x78 mm
Help
Around 20% smaller
Thickness Much thinner 2.6" vs 3.1"
Help
Around 20% thinner
Weight Lighter 502 g vs 560 g
Help
More than 10% lighter
Canon EOS 1000D Learn more about
the Canon 1000D

Advantages of the Nikon D5100

Low light performance Much lower noise at high ISO 1,183 ISO vs 719 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
Screen size Much larger screen 3.0" vs 2.5"
Help
More than 20% larger screen
Dynamic range More dynamic range 13 EV vs 10.9 EV
Help
2.1 f-stops more dynamic range
Movie format Shoots movies 1080p @ 30fps vs None
Help
Shoots Full HD (1080p) video as well as still pictures
Autofocus Faster autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
Catch candid moments easily
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 920k dots vs 230k dots
Help
4x higher resolution screen
Color depth Better color depth 23.5 bits vs 22 bits
Help
Distinguishes 1.5 more bits of color
True resolution Much higher true resolution 16.1 MP vs 10.1 MP
Help
Capture around 60% 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
HDR Has in-camera HDR Yes vs No
Help
Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range
Sensor size Significantly larger sensor APS-C 23.6x15.6mm vs APS-C 22.2x14.8mm
Help
More than 10% larger sensor
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
Automatically focuses shooting video
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 25,600 ISO vs None
Help
Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The D5100's maximum light sensitivity is 2 f-stops better
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 4 fps vs 3 fps
Help
More than 30% faster continuous shooting
Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder 0.51x vs 0.50x
Help
Almost the same
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 162 lenses
Help
Almost the same
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $499.99 vs $562.37
Help
The best price we've seen is $62 cheaper (more than 10% less)
Nikon D5100 Learn more about
the Nikon D5100
vs

recommendations

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

Canon EOS 1000D Canon EOS 1000D
32 vs 76
Explain scores
Nikon D5100 Nikon D5100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D5100.

advice

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0
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by Tarun-Raj last month
Nikon D5100 vs Sony SLT-A33

I am a little more than a beginner. I am using Canon 1000D since last 1 year. So, now I need one...

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by Nina-Fadzwi this month
Nikon D5100 vs Pentax K-r

I am juz a beginner. I prefer easy to use and friendly user. Need for taking photos on low light...

One person recommends the Nikon D5100:

" One thing most amateurs fail to realize (or yet to have anyone pointing out to them) is that the..."

0
votes
by Peter-defib-Noakes last month
Nikon D5100 vs Pentax K-r

Moving up from a compact. Would like improved image quality & control. Experience of using SLR's...

0
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by Brooke-Baker last week
Canon T2i vs Nikon D5100

I need to be able to play around with low and high light situations, take beautiful still shots ...

0
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by David-Brown last month
Canon T2i vs Nikon D5100

Beginner, looking to get first DSLR.  A major concern is whether Canon or Nikon has better avail...

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
1000D:162 lenses
D5100:169 lenses
Lowest price Inexpensive Help
1000D:$562.37
D5100:$499.99
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
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
1000D:1,600 ISO
D5100:6,400 ISO
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
1000D:3 fps
D5100:4 fps
Viewfinder size Below average viewfinder size Help
1000D:0.50x
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

$863 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $547 with 18-55mm lens

Thickness Is thicker
Size Is slightly larger
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$830 - $897 body only

$1,199 - $1,200 with 18-105mm lens

Viewfinder size Significantly larger viewfinder
Viewfinder Has higher quality type of viewfinder
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Canon EOS 550D

Canon EOS 550D

Entry-level DSLR

$691 - $916 body only

$731 - $874 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Battery life Has a slightly shorter battery life
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$848 - $1,304 body only

$1,177 - $1,342 with 18-135mm lens

Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Canon EOS 1100D

Canon EOS 1100D

Entry-level DSLR

$489 - $559 body only

$587 - $643 with 18-55mm lens

Battery life Has a slightly longer battery life
Thickness Is thicker
Sensor cleaning Lacks a self cleaning sensor
Nikon D5000

Nikon D5000

Entry-level DSLR

$880 with 18-55mm lens

Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker

Canon EOS 1000D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$487 with 18-55mm lens

Screen size Much larger screen
Autofocus Faster autofocus
Live view No live view
Low light performance More noise at high ISO
Canon EOS 400D

Canon EOS 400D

Entry-level DSLR

Color depth Better color depth
Dynamic range More dynamic range
Live view No live view
Low light performance Slightly more noise at high ISO
Canon EOS 450D

Canon EOS 450D

Entry-level DSLR

$1,110 body only

Screen size Much larger screen
Autofocus Faster autofocus
Color depth Worse color depth
Low light performance Slightly more noise at high ISO

Nikon D5100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$699 - $700 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Much higher true resolution
Weight Lighter
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
HDR Lacks in-camera HDR
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$1,000 - $1,197 body only

$1,100 with 55-200mm lens

Focus points Many more focus points
Weather sealed Weather sealed
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
HDR Lacks in-camera HDR

appearance

Canon EOS 1000D Nikon D5100
Canon EOS 1000D Nikon D5100
Canon EOS 1000D Nikon D5100

discussion

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