Canon EOS Digital
Rebel XTi
 vs
Nikon
D3100

Updated (March, 2012): Compare the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi vs Nikon D3200

Nikon D3100

55

  
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

29

  
Winner

Nikon D3100

Reasons to buy the Nikon D3100

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 24fps
Screen size
 Large screen
3.0"
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
Sensor type
 CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
 

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

Size
 Really small
Prosumer size 127x94x65 mm
Sensor type
 CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Thickness
 Thin
2.6"
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon Rebel XTi
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Size Significantly smaller 127x94x65 mm vs 124x96x73 mm
Help
 More than 10% smaller
Thickness Significantly thinner 2.6" vs 2.9"
Help
 More than 10% thinner
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi Learn more about
the Canon Rebel XTi

Advantages of the Nikon D3100
Movie format Shoots movies 1080p @ 24fps vs None
Help
 Shoots Full HD (1080p) video as well as still pictures
Screen size Much larger screen 3.0" vs 2.5"
Help
 More than 20% larger screen
Live view Has live view Yes vs No
Help
 Preview your photos on the camera's screen before taking them
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 919 ISO vs 664 ISO
Help
 The D3100 has a slight edge (0.5 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Autofocus Faster autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
 Catch candid moments easily
Overall image quality Better image quality 67.0 vs 62.0
Help
 Around 10% better image quality
Sensor size Significantly larger sensor APS-C 23.1x15.4mm vs APS-C 22.2x14.8mm
Help
 Around 10% larger sensor
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
True resolution Higher true resolution 14.2 MP vs 10.1 MP
Help
 Capture more than 40% more detail in your photos
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.3 EV vs 11 EV
Help
 0.3 f-stops more dynamic range
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs None
Help
 Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Color depth Better color depth 22.5 bits vs 22.1 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.4 more bits of color
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
Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder 0.51x vs 0.49x
Help
 Around 10% larger viewfinder
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 162 lenses
Help
 Almost the same
Weight Lighter 505 g vs 556 g
Help
 Around 10% lighter
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent entry-level DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
29 vs 55
Explain scores
Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D3100.

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
Rebel XTi:162 lenses
D3100:169 lenses
Size Fairly small Help
Rebel XTi:127x94x65 mm
D3100:124x96x73 mm
Thickness Thin Help
Rebel XTi:2.6"
D3100:2.9"
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Light sensitivity (boost) One has boost ISO Help
Rebel XTi:None
D3100:12,800 ISO
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
Rebel XTi:1,600 ISO
D3100:3,200 ISO
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
3 fps
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
Rebel XTi:10.1 MP
D3100:14.2 MP
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Viewfinder size Below average viewfinder size Help
Rebel XTi:0.49x
D3100:0.51x
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
Rebel XTi:11 EV
D3100:11.3 EV
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus Help
Rebel XTi:None
D3100:Contrast detection
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
Rebel XTi:62.0
D3100:67.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$332 body only

$429 - $499 with 18-55mm lens
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Battery life Has a slightly longer battery life
Thickness Is thicker
Sensor cleaning Lacks a self cleaning sensor
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the D3100
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$497 body only

$597 - $805 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 Digital Rebel XTi
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
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the D3100
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$500 body only

$600 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Battery life Has a slightly shorter battery life
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the EOS Digital Rebel XTi
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
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D90 vs the EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Compare the D90 vs the D3100
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$434 - $436 with 18-55mm lens
Sensor size Has a slightly larger sensor
Sensor type Has a CCD-family sensor
Compare the D3000 vs the EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Compare the D3000 vs the D3100
Nikon D5000

Nikon D5000

Entry-level DSLR

$642 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 Digital Rebel XTi
Compare the D5000 vs the D3100

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 40D

Canon EOS 40D

Pro DSLR
Screen size Much larger screen
Live view Has live view
Size Much larger
Weight Much heavier
Compare the EOS 40D vs the EOS Digital Rebel XTi

Nikon D3100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 with 18-55mm lens
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Dynamic range More dynamic range
Size Larger
Viewfinder size Slightly smaller viewfinder
Compare the D3200 vs the D3100

appearance

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi Nikon D3100
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi Nikon D3100
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi Nikon D3100

discussion

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