Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D5100

Explore 94 sample photos taken by the Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Much larger viewfinder

0.71x vs 0.51x

More than 90% larger viewfinder

Lower noise at high ISO

1,815 ISO vs 1,183 ISO

The 5D Mark II has a slight edge (0.6 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance

Weather sealed

Yes vs No

Sealed to shoot in the rain

Less shutter lag

206 ms vs 273 ms

More than 20% less delay when taking photos

Has a pentaprism viewfinder

Pentaprism vs Pentamirror

Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter

Significantly better viewfinder coverage

98% vs 95%

Almost the same

Higher true resolution

21 MP vs 16.1 MP

Capture more than 30% more detail in your photos

Longer battery life

850 shots vs 660 shots

Around 30% more shots per battery charge

Better color depth

23.7 bits vs 23.5 bits

Distinguishes 0.2 more bits of color

Slightly less startup delay

400 ms vs 500 ms

20% less delay when turning on

Much faster max shutter speed

1/8000s vs 1/4000s

2x faster max shutter speed

Thinner

3" vs 3.1"

Almost the same

Learn more about
the Canon 5D Mark II

Has in-camera HDR

Yes vs No

Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range

More dynamic range

13 EV vs 11.9 EV

1.1 f-stops more dynamic range

Has a flip-out screen

Yes vs No

Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies

Video autofocus

Contrast detection vs None

Automatically focuses shooting video

Significantly more lenses available

205 lenses vs 156 lenses

More than 30% more lenses available

Smaller

127x96x78 mm vs 152x114x75 mm

Around 30% smaller

Slightly better image quality

80.0 vs 79.0

Almost the same

Significantly cheaper

$334.09 vs $2,292.51

The best price we've seen is $1,958 cheaper (6.9x less)

Significantly lighter

560 g vs 850 g

More than 30% lighter

Built-in flash

Yes vs No

A built-in flash is useful for taking indoor shots where there is little light

Learn more about
the Nikon D5100

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

Snapsort Recommends

Canon EOS 5D Mark II 83

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vs

68 Nikon D5100

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Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.

Common Weaknesses

	Fewer storage slots
	1

	No focus motor
	Won't autofocus with all lenses

	No built-in GPS
	Missing geo-tagging

Slow continuous shooting

5D Mark II:	3.9 fps
D5100:	4 fps

	Few cross-type focus points
	1

Few focus points

5D Mark II:	9
D5100:	11

	Poor maximum light sensitivity
	6,400 ISO

	No image stabilization
	Risk of blur

	Very small screens
	3.0"

Image quality data for the Canon 5D Mark II provided by DxOMark
Image quality data for the Nikon D5100 provided by DxOMark

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$302 - $527 body only

$379 - $447 with 18-55mm lens

Has a slower max shutter speed

Has slightly more shutter lag

Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Compare the D3200 vs the D5100

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$499 - $539 body only

$553 - $599 with 18-55mm lens

Has a slightly higher resolution screen

Has a slower max shutter speed

Is thicker

Compare the Rebel T3i vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Compare the Rebel T3i vs the D5100

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$849 - $896 body only

$1,299 with 18-135mm lens

Shoots faster continuously

Has slightly less shutter lag

Is significantly heavier

Is slightly larger

Compare the EOS 7D vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Compare the EOS 7D vs the D5100

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$600 with 18-55mm lens

Shoots faster continuously

Has significantly more focus points

Is slightly heavier

Compare the D7000 vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Compare the D7000 vs the D5100

Nikon D5300

Entry-level DSLR

$697 body only

$797 with 18-55mm lens

Has a significantly larger screen

Has a slightly higher resolution screen

Has a slower max shutter speed

Compare the D5300 vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Compare the D5300 vs the D5100

Nikon D7100

Entry-level DSLR

$997 body only

$1,170 - $1,297 with 18-140mm lens

Has a significantly larger screen

Has a significantly higher resolution screen

Is slightly more expensive

Is slightly heavier

Compare the D7100 vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Compare the D7100 vs the D5100

Canon EOS 70D

Pro DSLR

$849 - $999 body only

$1,330 - $1,349 with 18-135mm lens

Has a slightly higher resolution screen

Has a touch screen

Is thicker

Is slightly heavier

Compare the EOS 70D vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Compare the EOS 70D vs the D5100

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon EOS 6D

Pro DSLR

$1,328 - $1,399 body only

$1,799 - $1,999 with 24-105mm lens

Has in-camera HDR

Lower noise at high ISO

More shutter lag

Slightly more startup delay

Compare the EOS 6D vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Pro DSLR

$2,499 body only

$3,099 with 24-105mm lens

Has in-camera HDR

Significantly larger screen

Less dynamic range

Slightly more startup delay

Compare the EOS 5D Mark III vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Pro DSLR

$1,699 body only

$2,049 with 18-135mm lens

Many more cross-type focus points

Has in-camera HDR

More noise at high ISO

Worse image quality

Compare the EOS 7D Mark II vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Nikon D700

Pro DSLR

$3,935 body only

Lower noise at high ISO

Many more focus points

Does not take movies

Lower true resolution

Compare the D700 vs the EOS 5D Mark II

Nikon D5100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D5200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 body only

$499 - $647 with 18-55mm lens

Better image quality

Significantly more focus points

More shutter lag

Shorter battery life

Compare the D5200 vs the D5100

Nikon D3300

Entry-level DSLR

$393 body only

$429 - $497 with 18-55mm lens

Can create panoramas in-camera

Better color depth

Lacks in-camera HDR

Screen does not flip out

Compare the D3300 vs the D5100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$233 body only

$375 with 18-55mm lens

Slightly less startup delay

Thinner

Much lower resolution screen

Less dynamic range

Compare the D3100 vs the D5100

EOS 5D Mark II

Canon

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D5100

Nikon

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Showing 15 comments

impartial one

(7:15 PM, February 19, 2012)

Guys really, the full-frame sensor beat the cropped!

impartial one

(7:12 PM, February 19, 2012)

Actually it says the Canon won!

Chetjarvon

(2:55 AM, January 18, 2012)

5D Mark II: full frame sensor. D5100: cropped sensor. 5D Mark II: 21.1 mp. D5100: 16.1 mp. 5D Mark II: used by some of the worlds greatest photographers and most pros that use Canon. D5100: Used by college students and entry level photographers. Need I say more? There's a reason why the pros choose this camera. I hate this site, lol.

Steve

(2:43 AM, December 24, 2011)

Canon is popular because its cheaper. At my school, more people use Canon cause they don't have the money for Nikon.

Hammad

(5:47 AM, November 27, 2011)

That fact that Nikon wins, is a clear indication that snapshot needs to re-adjust its point system. One area I looked at it popularity. 20,000 vs 98,000 in favour of Nikon against 5D. I think this should be more an amount you spend on camera not the units. Example you spend 3 times more on 5D so 1 Cannon = 3 Nikon. Obviously the rating system needs some serious work! I own D5100 and I know it probably isn't as good as 5D.

Matt

(10:59 AM, November 14, 2011)

if you look on ebay the price is much less

Guest

(2:46 AM, October 12, 2011)

Bah ha ha ha ha ha! :D How is this possible? Guess all you Canon fans better be selling/ trading up to Nikon gear.

Viewer

(9:12 AM, October 07, 2011)

Hard to believe that the intermediate level D5100 can compete with a Pro DSLR, otherwise why bother with the more expensive option

Viewer

(9:07 AM, October 07, 2011)

I absolutely agree, if you go by Snapsort's reviews, then Nikon generally is much better than Canon. This might be true, but how do you explain that Canon is so popular.... Great website anyway.

Sathyabeleyur

(5:29 PM, October 02, 2011)

I am the nikon user. Still I think snapsort website is supports nikon camera only. Comparing Nikon D5100 v/s Canon 5D mark ||, it says nikon D5100 is best. How it is possible?
Canon 5D mark || has Full frame sensor & world wide winner. It is so silly & partial. Please give true reviews.
Thanks

Snapsort

(3:37 PM, June 29, 2011)

We've fixed that up, thanks for pointing out the issue!

Snapsort

(2:38 PM, June 29, 2011)

Thanks for pointing that out Ed, we'll double check and fix that up!

Ed

(8:19 AM, June 29, 2011)

Also, Canon 5D Mark II color depth is 23.7 bits, dynamic range 11.9 eV, "image quality" 80, etc... all your stats are from the 5D version 1, a camera introduced in 2005...

Ed

(8:12 AM, June 29, 2011)

Your statistics for the Canon 5D Mark II are wrong. Some of the stats most notably ISO performance are the numbers from the classic Canon 5D (should be 1815, not1368). Please update the stats for a more accurate comparison.

Papa

(4:41 PM, May 29, 2011)

2 sweet camrea's... Nikon looks amazing and has it all, but the price is little out of reach for me.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Nikon D5100

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Reasons to buy the Nikon D5100

galleries

differences

Advantages of the Canon 5D Mark II

Advantages of the Nikon D5100

recommendations

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

similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

dxomark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D3200

Canon Rebel T3i

Canon EOS 7D

Nikon D7000

Nikon D5300

Nikon D7100

Canon EOS 70D

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon EOS 6D

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Nikon D700

Nikon D5100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D5200

Nikon D3300

Nikon D3100

appearance

discussion

Showing 15 comments