Updated (January, 2012): Compare the Canon Rebel T3i vs Nikon D4

Nikon D3

86

Winner

Nikon D3

Reasons to buy the Nikon D3

Low light performance
Low noise at high ISO
2,290 ISO
Overall image quality
Great image quality
81.0
Color depth
Great color depth
23.5 bits
Dynamic range
Wide dynamic range
12.2 EV
Viewfinder size
Large viewfinder
0.70x
Weather sealed
Weather sealed
Shoot in extreme weather
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

54

Runner-up

Canon Rebel T2i

"Quite simply, taken as a whole, it is the best camera of its class that we've ever seen, and one of those rare cameras that won't look out of date in a couple of years' time."
dpreview.com | talking about the T2i's overall-performance
"Excellent detail and resolution"
dpreview.com | talking about the T2i's image-quality

Reasons to buy the Canon Rebel T2i

Screen resolution
High resolution screen
1,040k dots
External mic jack
External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Size
Really small
Prosumer size 129x98x62 mm
Sensor cleaning
Self cleaning sensor
Avoids dust in your photos
Badge
Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Thickness
Thin
2.4"

differences

Advantages of the Canon T2i

Movie format Shoots movies 1080p @ 30fps vs None
Help
Shoots Full HD (1080p) video as well as still pictures
Size Much smaller 129x98x62 mm vs 160x157x88 mm
Help
2.8x smaller
Sensor cleaning Has a self cleaning sensor Yes vs No
Help
Removes dust from the sensor automatically, avoiding spots in photos
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 12.1 MP
Help
Capture around 50% more detail in your photos
Lens availability More lenses available 162 lenses vs 121 lenses
Help
More than 30% more lenses available
Thickness Much thinner 2.4" vs 3.5"
Help
Around 30% thinner
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 922k dots
Help
More than 10% higher resolution screen
Weight Much lighter 530 g vs 1,300 g
Help
2.5x lighter
Built-in flash Built-in flash Yes vs No
Help
A built-in flash is useful for taking indoor shots where there is little light
Canon EOS Rebel T2i Learn more about
the Canon T2i

Advantages of the Nikon D3

Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO 2,290 ISO vs 784 ISO
Help
The D3 has excellent image quality 1.5 f-stops higher ISO than the T2i
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality 81.0 vs 66.0
Help
More than 20% better image quality
Battery life Much longer battery life 4300 shots vs 440 shots
Help
Around 10x more shots per battery charge
Color depth Better color depth 23.5 bits vs 22.1 bits
Help
Distinguishes 1.4 more bits of color
Dynamic range More dynamic range 12.2 EV vs 11.5 EV
Help
0.7 f-stops more dynamic range
Viewfinder size Significantly larger viewfinder 0.70x vs 0.54x
Help
Around 70% larger viewfinder
Sensor size Much larger sensor Full frame 36.0x24.0mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
More than 2.5x larger sensor
Focus points Many more focus points 51 vs 9
Help
Set focus accurately within the frame
Weather sealed Weather sealed Yes vs No
Help
Sealed to shoot in the rain
Shutter lag Much less shutter lag 88 ms vs 252 ms
Help
2.9x less delay when taking photos
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 9 fps vs 3.7 fps
Help
Around 2.5x faster continuous shooting
Cross type focus points More cross-type focus points 15 vs 1
Help
Grab focus in difficult situations
Viewfinder coverage Much better viewfinder coverage 100% vs 95%
Help
Around 10% better viewfinder coverage
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Storage slots Has more storage slots 2 vs 1
Help
More slots allows storing more images without switching memory cards
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s
Help
2x faster max shutter speed
Startup delay Slightly less startup delay 300 ms vs 400 ms
Help
Around 30% less delay when turning on
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 25,600 ISO vs 12,800 ISO
Help
The D3's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better
Nikon D3 Learn more about
the Nikon D3
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS Rebel T2i Canon Rebel T2i
54 vs 86
Explain scores
Nikon D3 Nikon D3
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D3. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a entry-level DSLR with a pro DSLR.

advice

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1
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by motoservo last month
Nikon D3 vs Pentax K-5

I'd say the pros on the K-5 are much more important than the pros on the D3. And the fact that t...

One person recommends the Pentax K-5:

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similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

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

Autofocus No video autofocus Help
Manual focus only
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
6,400 ISO

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $547 with 18-55mm lens

Movie continuous focus Can focus continuously while recording movies
Autofocus Focuses automatically while shootting video
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$897 body only

$1,047 with 55-200mm lens

Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$699 - $700 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Takes significantly higher resolution photos
Movie continuous focus Can focus continuously while recording movies
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$1,549 - $1,821 body only

$1,620 - $1,849 with 18-135mm lens

Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Pro DSLR

$2,130 body only

$2,875 - $2,999 with 24-105mm lens

True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$1,000 body only

$1,100 with 55-200mm lens

Dynamic range Has slightly wider dynamic range
Movie continuous focus Can focus continuously while recording movies
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier

Canon EOS Rebel T2i Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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 flip-out screen
Startup delay Significantly more startup delay
Thickness Much thicker
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$333 body only

$489 - $500 with 18-55mm lens

Battery life Longer battery life
Weight Slightly lighter
Screen resolution Much lower resolution screen
Screen size Much smaller screen
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 flip-out screen
Battery life Longer battery life
Thickness Much thicker
Size Larger
Canon EOS Rebel T1i

Canon Rebel T1i

Entry-level DSLR

$475 - $629 body only

$549 - $580 with 18-55mm lens

Shutter lag Less shutter lag
Startup delay Slightly less startup delay
Color depth Worse color depth
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack

Nikon D3 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D700

Nikon D700

Pro DSLR

$2,649 body only

Sensor cleaning Has a self cleaning sensor
Size Significantly smaller
Battery life Much shorter battery life
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly slower
Nikon D800

Nikon D800

Pro DSLR

$2,999 - $3,000 body only

True resolution Much higher true resolution
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Battery life Much shorter battery life
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly slower
Nikon D3S

Nikon D3S

Pro DSLR

$5,197 body only

Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO
Sensor cleaning Has a self cleaning sensor
Shutter lag Significantly more shutter lag
Dynamic range Less dynamic range
Nikon D4

Nikon D4

Pro DSLR

$5,999 - $6,000 body only

Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO
Movie format Shoots movies
Battery life Much shorter battery life
Shutter lag Significantly more shutter lag
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

Movie format Shoots movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Battery life Much shorter battery life
Dynamic range Less dynamic range

appearance

Canon EOS Rebel T2i Nikon D3
Canon EOS Rebel T2i Nikon D3
Canon EOS Rebel T2i Nikon D3

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