Canon EOS
60D
 vs
Nikon
D3100

Updated (April, 2012): Compare the Canon EOS 60D vs Nikon D3200

Canon EOS 60D

59
Winner

Canon EOS 60D
"Excellent image quality up to ISO settings unthinkable just one camera generation ago"
dpreview.com | talking about the 60D's image-quality
"It may have turned its back on the semi-pro, but the 60D is still a camera that should enthuse the enthusiasts."
dpreview.com | talking about the 60D's overall-performance

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 60D

Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
1,040k dots
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
External mic jack
 External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Battery life
 Great battery life
1100 shots
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Fastest shutter speed
 Fast shutter speed
1/8000 of a second
Nikon D3100

45
Runner-up

Nikon D3100
"High ISO performance is substantially improved over the D3000, to the extent that images shot at sensitivities as high as 3200 are eminently useable"
dpreview.com | talking about the D3100's iso-noise
"There's no doubt that the D3100 is one of the best entry-level SLRs available, offering very good image quality coupled with speedy operation and straightforward handling - at least for conventional eye-level use."
dpreview.com | talking about the D3100's overall-performance

Reasons to buy the Nikon D3100

Movie continuous focus
 Movie continuous focus
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
Badge
 Autofocuses shooting video
Contrast detection

differences

Advantages of the Canon 60D
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 More than 4.5x higher resolution screen
External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
 Record high quality audio with an external microphone
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
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.59x vs 0.51x
Help
 More than 30% larger viewfinder
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.5 EV vs 11.3 EV
Help
 0.2 f-stops more dynamic range
True resolution Higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 14.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 30% more detail in your photos
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 5.3 fps vs 3 fps
Help
 Around 80% faster continuous shooting
Battery life Longer battery life 1100 shots vs 550 shots
Help
 2x more shots per battery charge
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
 Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Cross type focus points More cross-type focus points 9 vs 1
Help
 Grab focus in difficult situations
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 253 ms vs 279 ms
Help
 Around 10% less delay when taking photos
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The 60D's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Viewfinder coverage Better viewfinder coverage 96% vs 95%
Help
 Almost the same
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s
Help
 2x faster max shutter speed
Canon EOS 60D Learn more about
the Canon 60D

Advantages of the Nikon D3100
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
Color depth Better color depth 22.5 bits vs 22.2 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.3 more bits of color
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO 919 ISO vs 813 ISO
Help
 The D3100 has a slight edge (0.2 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Overall image quality Slightly better image quality 67.0 vs 66.0
Help
 Almost the same
Size Smaller 124x96x73 mm vs 145x106x79 mm
Help
 Around 30% smaller
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 162 lenses
Help
 Almost the same
Weight Lighter 505 g vs 755 g
Help
 More than 30% lighter
Thickness Thinner 2.9" vs 3.1"
Help
 Around 10% thinner
Sensor size Slightly larger sensor APS-C 23.1x15.4mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
 Around 10% larger sensor
Focus points Slightly more focus points 11 vs 9
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $499.99 vs $848.00
Help
 The best price we've seen is $348 cheaper (more than 40% less)
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 60D Canon EOS 60D
59 vs 45
Explain scores
Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon EOS 60D. 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.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
60D:162 lenses
D3100:169 lenses
Supports 24p 24p support Help
For that film look
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
60D:96%
D3100:95%
Light sensitivity (boost) Poor boost ISO Help
12,800 ISO
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Shutter lag Significant shutter lag Help
60D:253 ms
D3100:279 ms
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Focus points Few focus points Help
60D:9
D3100:11
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
60D:6,400 ISO
D3100:3,200 ISO
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
60D:11.5 EV
D3100:11.3 EV
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
60D:66.0
D3100:67.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 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 60D
Compare the D5100 vs the D3100
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$619 - $700 body only

$745 - $1,000 with 18-55mm lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the EOS 60D
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the D3100
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$330 body only

$489 - $500 with 18-55mm lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the EOS 60D
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the D3100
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$544 - $949 body only

$649 - $867 with 18-55mm lens
Thickness Is thinner
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the EOS 60D
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the D3100
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$1,000 - $1,197 body only

$1,100 with 55-200mm lens
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Color depth Has slightly more color depth
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the D7000 vs the EOS 60D
Compare the D7000 vs the D3100
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$830 - $897 body only

$1,199 - $1,200 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 60D
Compare the D90 vs the D3100
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$699 - $700 with 18-55mm lens
True resolution Takes significantly higher resolution photos
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 60D
Compare the D3200 vs the D3100

Canon EOS 60D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$1,549 - $1,821 body only

$1,500 - $1,849 with 18-135mm lens
Weather sealed Weather sealed
Shutter lag Significantly less shutter lag
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Screen resolution Lower resolution screen
Compare the EOS 7D vs the EOS 60D
Canon EOS 50D

Canon EOS 50D

Pro DSLR

$1,282 - $1,330 body only
Shutter lag Significantly less shutter lag
Continuous shooting Shoots faster
Movie format Does not take movies
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the EOS 50D vs the EOS 60D

Nikon D3100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$487 with 18-55mm lens
Thickness Significantly 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 60D Nikon D3100
Canon EOS 60D Nikon D3100
Canon EOS 60D Nikon D3100

discussion

Showing 3 comments

Danniel (4:09 PM, July 31, 2011)
I have also an D3100  camera and I really like it. In the begining i`ve bought a sony A230 and it was good to start with that one, but now, with d3100 i`ve made a short movie and in august i should film another movie and i`m really happy with the d3100. 
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (0:23 PM, April 01, 2011)
I am glad you are enjoying your D3100
 
Anastasia (5:48 AM, April 01, 2011)
I have personally been DROOLING over the 60D the second I saw it.. I am a YouTube vlogger and I am into photography; so it would be the perfect double duty camera; however I am only a teen and can not afford it. As a birthday gift, my dad took me to future shop to pick out a camera, and I ran towards the 60D, and sure enough, there it was. It was a gorgeous camera but the body was so big and a little uncomfortable to handle. We asked to take it, but all the canons were out of stock! I was upset, but I took a look at the nikon D3100. It has stunning video recording and takes great pictures. The autofocus for the video makes it easier for me, however it is unfortunate that it does not have an external microphone output or a flip out screen. The price was more efficient for us and It was more user friendly for an amateur/beginner DSLR user like me than the 60D. I would have preferred to have gotten the 60D but I am perfectly content with the D3100, and I do not want to switch at this point. They're both great cameras, but they are for different people and it all depends on what the user focuses on more. Thanks!