Canon PowerShot
SD960 IS
 vs
Nikon
D3100

Updated (April, 2012): Compare the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS vs Nikon D3200

Nikon D3100

65
Winner

Nikon D3100
"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
"Thanks to its lineage the D3100 remains one of the most pleasant to hold cameras in its class."
dpreview.com | talking about the D3100's feel

Reasons to buy the Nikon D3100

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 24fps
Supports 24p
 24p movies
For that film look
Movie continuous focus
 Movie continuous focus
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
Badge
 Autofocuses shooting video
Contrast detection
Live view
 Has live view
Preview your photos
Canon PowerShot SD960 IS

46

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS

Size
 Really small
Super compact 98x54x22 mm
Image stabilization
 Image stabilization
Lens
Thickness
 Thin
0.9"
Weight
 Light-weight
145 g

differences

Advantages of the Canon SD960 IS
Image stabilization Image stabilization Lens vs None
Help
 Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
Size Significantly smaller 98x54x22 mm vs 124x96x73 mm
Help
 7.6x smaller
Thickness Much thinner 0.9" vs 2.9"
Help
 3.3x thinner
Weight Significantly lighter 145 g vs 505 g
Help
 3.5x lighter
Canon PowerShot SD960 IS Learn more about
the Canon SD960 IS

Advantages of the Nikon D3100
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 24fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video but at a lower frame rate
Autofocus Faster autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
 Catch candid moments easily
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
 Get that real film feel
Screen size Larger screen 3.0" vs 2.8"
Help
 Around 10% larger screen
Sensor size Much larger sensor APS-C 23.1x15.4mm vs 1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm
Help
 Around 12.5x larger sensor
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution 14.2 MP vs 9.8 MP
Help
 Capture more than 40% more detail in your photos
Interchangeable lenses Has interchangeable lenses Yes vs No
Help
 Can take advantage of a variety of lenses
Supports RAW Shoots RAW Yes vs No
Help
 Digitally develop your own photos with precise image control
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Pentamirror vs None
Help
 A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
 CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
 An external flash often produces better looking flash images
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
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
Fastest shutter speed Significantly faster max shutter speed 1/4000s vs 1/1600s
Help
 2.5x faster max shutter speed
Longest exposure Longer exposures 30s vs 15s
Help
 2x longer exposures
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digital cameras, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SD960 IS Canon PowerShot SD960 IS
46 vs 65
Explain scores
Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D3100. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a compact with a entry-level DSLR.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent digital cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$544 - $949 body only

$649 - $867 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the PowerShot SD960 IS
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 resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the PowerShot SD960 IS
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the D3100

Canon PowerShot SD960 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon ELPH 100 HS

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Compact

$106 - $189
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Supports 24p Supports 24p
Macro focus Worse macro capability
Fastest shutter speed Slightly slower max shutter speed
Compare the ELPH 100 HS vs the PowerShot SD960 IS
Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$148 - $179
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Screen size Smaller screen
Macro focus Worse macro capability
Compare the ELPH 300 HS vs the PowerShot SD960 IS
Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Ultra compact
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder
Thickness Slightly thinner
Wide angle Significantly worse wide angle
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
Compare the PowerShot SD780 IS vs the PowerShot SD960 IS
Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS

Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS

Ultra compact

$225
Thickness Slightly thinner
Screen size Smaller screen
Macro focus Worse macro capability
Compare the PowerShot SD1400 IS vs the PowerShot SD960 IS
Canon ELPH 310 HS

Canon ELPH 310 HS

Travel zoom

$195 - $196
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Supports 24p Supports 24p
Aperture Narrower aperture
Compare the ELPH 310 HS vs the PowerShot SD960 IS

Nikon D3100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Size Slightly larger
Weight Slightly heavier
Compare the D5100 vs the D3100
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
Battery life Longer battery life
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the D3100
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$699 - $700 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Thickness Slightly thicker
Lowest price Slightly more expensive
Compare the D3200 vs the D3100
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$897 body only

$1,047 with 55-200mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus
Compare the D90 vs the D3100
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$481 with 18-55mm lens
Size Slightly smaller
Thickness Thinner
Movie format Does not take movies
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus
Compare the D3000 vs the D3100

appearance

Canon PowerShot SD960 IS Nikon D3100
Canon PowerShot SD960 IS Nikon D3100
Canon PowerShot SD960 IS Nikon D3100

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