Canon EOS
7D
 vs
Nikon
D3100

Updated (April, 2012): Compare the Canon EOS 7D vs Nikon D3200

Canon EOS 7D

69
Winner

Canon EOS 7D
"The Canon EOS 7D is a camera that can convince in all areas, and at its current pricing is going to be a very serious competitor for Nikon's flagship APS-C DSLR, the D300S."
dpreview.com | talking about the 7D's overall-performance
"Excellent build quality with magnesium body and environmental sealing"
dpreview.com | talking about the 7D's build-quality

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 7D

Viewfinder size
 Large viewfinder
0.62x
Weather sealed
 Weather sealed
Shoot in extreme weather
Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
8 fps
External mic jack
 External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
131 ms shutter lag
Cross type focus points
 Many cross-type focus points
19
Nikon D3100

45
Runner-up

Nikon D3100
"The D3100 offers little to complain about in terms of image quality, and its new 14Mp sensor delivers very good results."
dpreview.com | talking about the D3100's image-quality
"It's almost impossible to pick up without your hand falling into a sensible position with the key controls at your fingertips."
dpreview.com | talking about the D3100's button-layout

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 7D
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 920k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 4x higher resolution screen
External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
 Record high quality audio with an external microphone
Weather sealed Weather sealed Yes vs No
Help
 Sealed to shoot in the rain
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.7 EV vs 11.3 EV
Help
 0.4 f-stops more dynamic range
Shutter lag Significantly less shutter lag 131 ms vs 279 ms
Help
 2.1x less delay when taking photos
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 8 fps vs 3 fps
Help
 More than 2.5x faster continuous shooting
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.62x vs 0.51x
Help
 Around 50% larger viewfinder
Cross type focus points Significantly more cross-type focus points 19 vs 1
Help
 Grab focus in difficult situations
Viewfinder coverage Much better viewfinder coverage 100% vs 95%
Help
 Around 10% better viewfinder coverage
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
True resolution Higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 14.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 30% more detail in your photos
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
 Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Focus points More focus points 19 vs 11
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The 7D's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Battery life Longer battery life 800 shots vs 550 shots
Help
 Around 50% more shots per battery charge
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s
Help
 2x faster max shutter speed
Canon EOS 7D Learn more about
the Canon 7D

Advantages of the Nikon D3100
Color depth Better color depth 22.5 bits vs 22 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.5 more bits of color
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
Size Smaller 124x96x73 mm vs 148x111x74 mm
Help
 Around 30% smaller
Overall image quality Slightly better image quality 67.0 vs 66.0
Help
 Almost the same
Weight Significantly lighter 505 g vs 860 g
Help
 More than 40% lighter
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 162 lenses
Help
 Almost the same
Sensor size Slightly larger sensor APS-C 23.1x15.4mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
 Around 10% larger sensor
Lowest price Cheaper $499.99 vs $1,549.00
Help
 The best price we've seen is $1,049 cheaper (3.1x less)
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 7D Canon EOS 7D
69 vs 45
Explain scores
Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon EOS 7D. 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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I am considering either the Canon 7D or the Nikon D3100,
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similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
7D:162 lenses
D3100:169 lenses
Supports 24p 24p support Help
For that film look
Thickness Thin Help
2.9"
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
Light sensitivity (boost) Poor boost ISO Help
12,800 ISO
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
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
7D:6,400 ISO
D3100:3,200 ISO
Sensor size Very small sensors Help
7D:APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
D3100:APS-C 23.1x15.4mm
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
7D: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 7D
Compare the D5100 vs the D3100
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$1,000 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 7D
Compare the D7000 vs the D3100
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$848 - $1,304 body only

$1,177 - $1,342 with 18-135mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 7D
Compare the EOS 60D 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
Shutter lag Has significantly more shutter lag
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the EOS 7D
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the D3100
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$619 - $700 body only

$745 - $1,000 with 18-55mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the EOS 7D
Compare the Rebel T3i 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 7D
Compare the D3200 vs the D3100
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$897 body only

$1,047 with 55-200mm lens
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Dynamic range Has slightly wider dynamic range
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D90 vs the EOS 7D
Compare the D90 vs the D3100

Canon EOS 7D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Pro DSLR

$2,130 body only

$2,875 - $2,999 with 24-105mm lens
Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Cross type focus points Significantly fewer cross-type focus points
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly slower
Compare the EOS 5D Mark II vs the EOS 7D
Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Pro DSLR

$3,499 - $3,500 body only

$4,299 - $4,300 with 24-105mm lens
Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Lens availability Fewer lenses available
Continuous shooting Shoots slower
Compare the EOS 5D Mark III vs the EOS 7D
Sony SLT-A77

Sony SLT A77

Pro DSLR

$1,398 body only

$1,998 with 16-50mm lens
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Color depth Better color depth
Viewfinder Has a digital viewfinder
Lens availability Significantly fewer lenses available
Compare the SLT A77 vs the EOS 7D

Nikon D3100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$333 body only

$489 - $500 with 18-55mm lens
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor
Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder
Screen size Much smaller screen
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the D3100
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$449 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 7D Nikon D3100
Canon EOS 7D Nikon D3100
Canon EOS 7D Nikon D3100

discussion

Showing 4 comments

Sloan Photography, Inc. (10:23 PM, November 25, 2011)
Hold both in your hands, and shoot both. This is comparing a pro-grade camera to an entry level consumer grade camera. 7D uses a newer sensor technology and has far more megapixels. To compare the two really is laughable. 
 
303storm (10:19 PM, November 25, 2011)
Completely sinks it with WHAT? Those little details dont make it worth a thousand bucks more. What matters in the end is the picture quality and even the sensor is larger. If something sinks here in THIS comparison its the 7D
 
Sloan Photography, Inc. (10:08 PM, November 25, 2011)
Close call? Totally agree, the 7D in the hands of a pro completely sinks the d3100. Comparing the two is chalk to cheese.. 19 cross type autofocus points vs 1.. 8fps vs 3fps.. 100% coverage pentaprism viewfinder vs. pentamiror. Build quality is not even given points in this comparison.. They also wrongly state that the 7D is not weather sealed, it is.

D3100 is a decent entry level dslr if you are wanting to shoot movies. If you are wanting to take photos, I would suggest its true competitor, the Canon 1100D.
 
303storm (5:37 AM, July 30, 2011)
Close call? Dont think so. Better image quality, larger sensor and hello..? 1000 bucks cheaper? Nikon D3100 rocks!