Canon EOS
40D
 vs
Nikon
D3100

Updated (March, 2012): Compare the Canon EOS 40D vs Nikon D3200

Nikon D3100

44

  
Canon EOS 40D

40

  
Winner

Nikon D3100

Reasons to buy the Nikon D3100

Live view
 Has live view
Preview your photos
Supports 24p
 24p movies
For that film look
Movie continuous focus
 Movie continuous focus
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
Badge
 Autofocuses shooting video
Contrast detection
Sensor type
 CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
 
Runner-up

Canon EOS 40D

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 40D

Live view
 Has live view
Preview your photos
Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
6.5 fps
Battery life
 Great battery life
1100 shots
Sensor type
 CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Fastest shutter speed
 Fast shutter speed
1/8000 of a second
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon 40D
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 6.5 fps vs 3 fps
Help
 More than 2x faster continuous shooting
Battery life Significantly longer battery life 1100 shots vs 550 shots
Help
 2x more shots per battery charge
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.59x vs 0.51x
Help
 More than 30% larger viewfinder
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
 Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s
Help
 2x faster max shutter speed
Canon EOS 40D Learn more about
the Canon 40D

Advantages of the Nikon D3100
Movie format Shoots movies 1080p @ 24fps 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
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO 919 ISO vs 703 ISO
Help
 The D3100 has a slight edge (0.4 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Color depth Better color depth 22.5 bits vs 22.1 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.4 more bits of color
Overall image quality Better image quality 67.0 vs 64.0
Help
 Almost the same
True resolution Higher true resolution 14.2 MP vs 10.1 MP
Help
 Capture more than 40% more detail in your photos
Size Smaller 124x96x73 mm vs 146x108x74 mm
Help
 More than 20% smaller
Weight Significantly lighter 505 g vs 822 g
Help
 Around 40% lighter
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 162 lenses
Help
 Almost the same
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
 The D3100's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Sensor size Slightly larger sensor APS-C 23.1x15.4mm vs APS-C 22.2x14.8mm
Help
 Around 10% larger sensor
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The D3100's boost ISO is 2 f-stops better
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 40D Canon EOS 40D
40 vs 44
Explain scores
Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D3100. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro DSLR with a entry-level DSLR.

similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
40D:162 lenses
D3100:169 lenses
Startup delay Minimal startup delay Help
400 ms startup delay
Thickness Thin Help
2.9"
Built-in flash Each has a built-in flash Help
External flash not needed
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
Light sensitivity (boost) Poor boost ISO Help
40D:3,200 ISO
D3100:12,800 ISO
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
40D:10.1 MP
D3100:14.2 MP
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
40D:1,600 ISO
D3100:3,200 ISO
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus Help
40D:None
D3100:Contrast detection
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
11.3 EV
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Sensor size Very small sensors Help
40D:APS-C 22.2x14.8mm
D3100:APS-C 23.1x15.4mm
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
40D:64.0
D3100:67.0
Color depth Poor color depth Help
40D:22.1 bits
D3100:22.5 bits
Low light performance Above average noise at high ISO Help
40D:703 ISO
D3100:919 ISO

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$332 body only

$449 - $499 with 18-55mm lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the EOS 40D
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the D3100
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$497 body only

$597 - $805 with 18-55mm lens
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Color depth Has slightly more color depth
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 40D
Compare the D5100 vs the D3100
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$549 body only

$599 - $649 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the EOS 40D
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the D3100
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$535 body only

$609 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the EOS 40D
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the D3100
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$599 - $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
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D90 vs the EOS 40D
Compare the D90 vs the D3100
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$699 - $899 body only

$999 - $1,279 with 18-135mm lens
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 40D
Compare the EOS 60D vs the D3100
Canon EOS Rebel T1i

Canon Rebel T1i

Entry-level DSLR
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
Shutter lag Has significantly less shutter lag
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Supports 24p Doesn't record movies in 24p
Compare the Rebel T1i vs the EOS 40D
Compare the Rebel T1i vs the D3100

Canon EOS 40D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 50D

Canon EOS 50D

Pro DSLR

$1,279 body only
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Autofocus Faster autofocus
Color depth Worse color depth
Battery life Shorter battery life
Compare the EOS 50D vs the EOS 40D
Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$1,499 body only

$1,699 with 28-135mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Movie format Shoots movies
Battery life Shorter battery life
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the EOS 7D vs the EOS 40D

Nikon D3100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Dynamic range More dynamic range
Thickness Thicker
Compare the D3200 vs the D3100
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$436 with 18-55mm lens
Thickness Much thinner
Shutter lag Slightly less shutter lag
Live view No live view
Movie format Does not take movies
Compare the D3000 vs the D3100

appearance

Canon EOS 40D Nikon D3100
Canon EOS 40D Nikon D3100
Canon EOS 40D Nikon D3100

discussion

Showing 1 comments

Avatar for Nemanja Ćosović Nemanja Ćosović (11:11 PM, April 27, 2013)
Bullshit... Canon 40D is galaxies far batter than 3100...