Updated (March, 2012): Compare the Canon EOS 1100D vs Nikon D3200

Nikon D3100
Tie
Nikon D3100

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Reasons to buy the Nikon D3100

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 24fps
Live view
 Has live view
Preview your photos
Movie continuous focus
 Movie continuous focus
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
Badge
 Autofocuses shooting video
Contrast detection
 

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 500D

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 20fps
Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
920k dots
Live view
 Has live view
Preview your photos
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
159 ms shutter lag
 
Differences | Recommendations | Cast your vote | Similarities | Competitors | Appearance | Discussion

differences

Advantages of the Canon 500D

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Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 920k dots vs 230k dots
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 4x higher resolution screen
Shutter lag Significantly less shutter lag 159 ms vs 279 ms
Help
 More than 40% less delay when taking photos
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.5 EV vs 11.3 EV
Help
 0.2 f-stops more dynamic range
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Size Smaller 129x98x62 mm vs 124x96x73 mm
Help
 More than 10% smaller
Thickness Much thinner 2.4" vs 2.9"
Help
 Around 20% thinner
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.54x vs 0.51x
Help
 More than 10% larger viewfinder
True resolution Slightly higher true resolution 15.1 MP vs 14.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 10% more detail in your photos
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 3.4 fps vs 3 fps
Help
 More than 10% faster continuous shooting
Startup delay Slightly less startup delay 300 ms vs 400 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when turning on
Canon EOS 500D Learn more about
the Canon 500D

Advantages of the Nikon D3100

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Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 919 ISO vs 663 ISO
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 The D3100 has a slight edge (0.5 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Color depth Better color depth 22.5 bits vs 21.7 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.8 more bits of color
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
 Get that real film feel
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
Overall image quality Better image quality 67.0 vs 63.0
Help
 Around 10% better image quality
Sensor size Significantly larger sensor APS-C 23.1x15.4mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
 Around 10% larger sensor
Battery life Longer battery life 550 shots vs 400 shots
Help
 Around 40% more shots per battery charge
Movie format Lower frame rate movies 1080p @ 24fps vs 1080p @ 20fps
Help
 Both shoot Full HD (1080p) video, but 500D does so at a lower frame rate
Lowest price Much cheaper $344.69 vs $1,074.84
Help
 The best price we've seen is $730 cheaper (3.1x less)
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 205 lenses vs 197 lenses
Help
 Almost the same
Focus points Slightly more focus points 11 vs 9
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Weight Slightly lighter 505 g vs 520 g
Help
 Almost the same
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100
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recommendations

Which camera do we recommend? Relative to the best recent entry-level DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 500D Canon EOS 500D 57
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        57 Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
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              similarities

              Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

              Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
              Lens availability Many lenses available Help
              500D:197 lenses
              D3100:205 lenses
              Startup delay Minimal startup delay Help
              500D:300 ms
              D3100:400 ms
              Size Fairly small Help
              500D:129x98x62 mm
              D3100:124x96x73 mm
              Weight Light weight Help
              500D:520 g
              D3100:505 g
              Thickness Thin Help
              500D:2.4"
              D3100:2.9"
              Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
              1/4000 of a second
              HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
              You could do HDR manually
              Light sensitivity (boost) Poor boost ISO Help
              12,800 ISO
              Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
              95%
              External mic jack Neither has an external mic jack Help
              Limited to the in-camera mic
              Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
              500D:3.4 fps
              D3100:3 fps
              Cross type focus points Few cross-type focus points Help
              1
              True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
              500D:15.1 MP
              D3100:14.2 MP
              Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
              3,200 ISO
              Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
              Less flexible
              Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
              Risk of blur
              Autofocus Lacks video autofocus Help
              500D:None
              D3100:Contrast detection
              Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
              You could stitch photos in post
              Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
              500D:11.5 EV
              D3100:11.3 EV
              Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
              Need to shelter it from weather
              3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
              No 3d support
              Viewfinder size Below average viewfinder size Help
              500D:0.54x
              D3100:0.51x
              Focus points Few focus points Help
              500D:9
              D3100:11
              Movie format Full HD (1080p) video Help
              500D:1080p @ 20fps
              D3100:1080p @ 24fps
              Overall image quality Low image quality Help
              500D:63.0
              D3100:67.0

              dxomark

              DXOMark

              competitors

              Shared Competitors

              Advantages

              Disadvantages
              Nikon D3200

              Nikon D3200

              Entry-level DSLR

              $385 - $429 body only

              $497 - $517 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
              Size Is significantly larger
              Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 500D
              Compare the D3200 vs the D3100
              Canon EOS 1100D

              Canon EOS 1100D

              Entry-level DSLR

              $400 with 18-55mm lens
              Shutter lag Has slightly 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 500D
              Compare the EOS 1100D vs the D3100
              Canon EOS 600D

              Canon EOS 600D

              Entry-level DSLR

              $540 with 18-55mm lens
              Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
              True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
              Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
              Thickness Is thicker
              Compare the EOS 600D vs the EOS 500D
              Compare the EOS 600D vs the D3100
              Nikon D5100

              Nikon D5100

              Entry-level DSLR

              $546 - $597 body only

              $429 - $547 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
              Size Is much larger
              Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 500D
              Compare the D5100 vs the D3100
              Canon EOS 550D

              Canon EOS 550D

              Entry-level DSLR

              $790 with 18-55mm lens
              Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
              True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
              Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
              Shutter lag Has significantly more shutter lag
              Compare the EOS 550D vs the EOS 500D
              Compare the EOS 550D vs the D3100
              Nikon D90

              Nikon D90

              Entry-level DSLR

              $550 - $629 body only

              $795 - $840 with 18-105mm lens
              Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
              Dynamic range Has significantly wider dynamic range
              Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
              Thickness Is thicker
              Compare the D90 vs the EOS 500D
              Compare the D90 vs the D3100
              Nikon D5000

              Nikon D5000

              Entry-level DSLR

              $629 with 18-55mm lens
              Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
              Dynamic range Has significantly wider dynamic range
              Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
              Thickness Is thicker
              Compare the D5000 vs the EOS 500D
              Compare the D5000 vs the D3100

              Canon EOS 500D Competitors

              Advantages

              Disadvantages
              Canon EOS 700D

              Canon EOS 700D

              Entry-level DSLR

              $1,229 with 18-55mm, 75-300mm lenses
              HDR Has in-camera HDR
              Touch screen Has a touch screen
              Shutter lag Significantly more shutter lag
              Size Much larger
              Compare the EOS 700D vs the EOS 500D

              Nikon D3100 Competitors

              Advantages

              Disadvantages

              No significant competitors found that are specific to the Nikon D3100.

              appearance

              Canon EOS 500D Nikon D3100
              Canon EOS 500D Nikon D3100
              Canon EOS 500D Nikon D3100

              discussion

              Canon EOS 500D
              EOS 500D
              Canon

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              Nikon D3100
              D3100
              Nikon

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              Showing 5 comments

              Avatar for Mark Stanley-Adams Mark Stanley-Adams (9:56 AM, November 22, 2012)
              Two very good cameras which are so similar in so many ways as to be virtually indistinguishable from each other. I've fiddled with both and found the differences between them are not at all significant, so choosing between them comes right down to a matter of your personal preference.
               
              An2ar (9:35 AM, April 27, 2012)
              i use both, d3100 too sharp for colorful image, and at low light...its look too much noise at high iso.500d image looks more bright, less noise at high iso but blur the details of the image. Using daylight nikon the winner, but don't use flash with red eye reduction, it cause slow response for the shutter. The entire body i feel more comfort with canon and also the design.Nikon lens kit 18-55 looks  fragile especially when you turn the zoom fast. For video feature nikon is better, easy live view, and you can capture video in any mode with shortcut button.
               
              Yanuarpooh (2:30 PM, January 11, 2012)
              i had nikon D3100 and it's rock
               
              Mike (8:20 PM, March 31, 2011)
              Rumour has it Nikons are easier to use. Best thing to do is hold both in your hands and you should know which you want
               
              Piyush_bond007 (5:55 PM, March 06, 2011)
              what according to you wil be a right choice for a beginner?