Nikon
D3100
 vs
Nikon
D700

Updated (March, 2012): Compare the Nikon D3200 vs Nikon D800

Nikon D700

75

  
Nikon D3100

44

  
Winner

Nikon D700

Reasons to buy the Nikon D700

Low light performance
 Low noise at high ISO
2,303 ISO
Overall image quality
 Great image quality
80.0
Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
922k dots
Viewfinder size
 Large viewfinder
0.72x
Live view
 Has live view
Preview your photos
Weather sealed
 Weather sealed
Shoot in extreme weather
 
Runner-up

Nikon D3100

Reasons to buy the Nikon D3100

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
Weight
 Light-weight
505 g
 

differences

Advantages of the Nikon D3100
Movie format Shoots movies 1080p @ 24fps vs None
Help
 Shoots Full HD (1080p) video as well as still pictures
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
Lens availability Significantly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 121 lenses
Help
 Around 40% more lenses available
Size Significantly smaller 124x96x73 mm vs 147x123x77 mm
Help
 Around 40% smaller
True resolution Higher true resolution 14.2 MP vs 12.1 MP
Help
 Capture around 20% more detail in your photos
Weight Much lighter 505 g vs 1,074 g
Help
 2.1x lighter
Lowest price Cheaper $399.00 vs $3,399.99
Help
 The best price we've seen is $3,001 cheaper (8.5x less)
Thickness Thinner 2.9" vs 3"
Help
 Almost the same
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100

Advantages of the Nikon D700
Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO 2,303 ISO vs 919 ISO
Help
 The D700 has excellent image quality 1.3 f-stops higher ISO than the D3100
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 922k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 More than 4x higher resolution screen
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality 80.0 vs 67.0
Help
 Around 20% better image quality
Dynamic range More dynamic range 12.2 EV vs 11.3 EV
Help
 0.9 f-stops more dynamic range
Viewfinder size Much larger viewfinder 0.72x vs 0.51x
Help
 Around 2x larger viewfinder
Sensor size Much larger sensor Full frame 36.0x24.0mm vs APS-C 23.1x15.4mm
Help
 Around 2.5x larger sensor
Weather sealed Weather sealed Yes vs No
Help
 Sealed to shoot in the rain
Focus points Significantly more focus points 51 vs 11
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Color depth Better color depth 23.5 bits vs 22.5 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 1 more bits of color
Cross type focus points More cross-type focus points 15 vs 1
Help
 Grab focus in difficult situations
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 197 ms vs 279 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when taking photos
Battery life Longer battery life 1000 shots vs 550 shots
Help
 More than 80% more shots per battery charge
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 5 fps vs 3 fps
Help
 Around 70% faster continuous shooting
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
 Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The D700's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s
Help
 2x faster max shutter speed
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 25,600 ISO vs 12,800 ISO
Help
 The D700's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better
Nikon D700 Learn more about
the Nikon D700
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
44 vs 75
Explain scores
Nikon D700 Nikon D700
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D700. 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.

similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Startup delay Minimal startup delay Help
400 ms startup delay
Built-in flash Each has a built-in flash Help
External flash not needed
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
D3100:14.2 MP
D700:12.1 MP
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus Help
D3100:Contrast detection
D700:None
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
D3100:3,200 ISO
D700:6,400 ISO
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
D3100:3 fps
D700:5 fps
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 with 18-55mm lens
Dynamic range Has slightly wider dynamic range
True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D3200 vs the D3100
Compare the D3200 vs the D700
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$497 body only

$597 - $805 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
Compare the D5100 vs the D3100
Compare the D5100 vs the D700
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$549 body only

$599 - $649 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the D3100
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the D700
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$897 body only

$997 with 18-105mm lens
Dynamic range Has slightly wider dynamic range
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the D7000 vs the D3100
Compare the D7000 vs the D700
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$675 - $899 body only

$799 - $1,099 with 18-105mm lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D90 vs the D3100
Compare the D90 vs the D700
Nikon D7100

Nikon D7100

Entry-level DSLR

$1,197 body only

$1,497 with 18-105mm lens
Dynamic range Has slightly wider dynamic range
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Weight Is slightly heavier
Size Is slightly larger
Compare the D7100 vs the D3100
Compare the D7100 vs the D700
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$699 - $899 body only

$999 - $1,279 with 18-135mm lens
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the EOS 60D vs the D3100
Compare the EOS 60D vs the D700

Nikon D3100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$332 body only

$449 - $499 with 18-55mm lens
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor
Battery life Longer battery life
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
Supports 24p No 24p support
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the D3100
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$550 body only

$609 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the D3100
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$436 with 18-55mm lens
Thickness Much thinner
Shutter lag Slightly less shutter lag
Live view No live view
Movie format Does not take movies
Compare the D3000 vs the D3100

Nikon D700 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D600

Nikon D600

Pro DSLR

$1,997 body only

$2,397 with 24-85mm lens
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Movie format Shoots movies
Shutter lag More shutter lag
Focus points Fewer focus points
Compare the D600 vs the D700
Nikon D800

Nikon D800

Pro DSLR

$2,797 body only

$3,187 with 70-300mm lens
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Continuous shooting Shoots slower
Battery life Slightly shorter battery life
Compare the D800 vs the D700
Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Pro DSLR

$2,479 body only

$2,699 - $3,000 with 24-105mm lens
Movie format Shoots movies
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution
Low light performance More noise at high ISO
Focus points Many fewer focus points
Compare the EOS 5D Mark II vs the D700
Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$1,499 body only

$1,699 with 28-135mm lens
Movie format Shoots movies
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution
Low light performance Significantly more noise at high ISO
Overall image quality Significantly worse image quality
Compare the EOS 7D vs the D700

appearance

Nikon D3100 Nikon D700
Nikon D3100 Nikon D700
Nikon D3100 Nikon D700

discussion

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