Updated (March, 2012): Compare the Nikon D3200 vs Olympus E-600

Nikon D3100
Winner
Nikon D3100

56

vs
Olympus E-600

26

Olympus E-600
Runner-up
 
 
 
 

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
 

Reasons to buy the Olympus E-600

Image stabilization
 Image stabilization
Sensor shift
Live view
 Has live view
Preview your photos
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Size
 Really small
Prosumer size 130x94x60 mm
 
Differences | Recommendations | Similarities | Competitors | Appearance | Discussion

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
Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO 919 ISO vs 541 ISO
Help
 The D3100 has a slight edge (0.8 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Sensor size Much larger sensor APS-C 23.1x15.4mm vs Four thirds 18.0x13.5mm
Help
 Around 50% larger sensor
Color depth Better color depth 22.5 bits vs 21.5 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 1 more bits of color
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality 67.0 vs 55.0
Help
 More than 20% better image quality
Screen size Much larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
 More than 10% larger screen
Lens availability Much more lenses available 169 lenses vs 26 lenses
Help
 6.5x more lenses available
Autofocus Faster autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
 Catch candid moments easily
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.3 EV vs 10.3 EV
Help
 1 f-stop more dynamic range
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
True resolution Higher true resolution 14.2 MP vs 12.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 20% more detail in your photos
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
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.51x vs 0.48x
Help
 More than 10% larger viewfinder
Nikon D3100 Learn more about
the Nikon D3100

Advantages of the Olympus E-600
Image stabilization Image stabilization Sensor shift vs None
Help
 Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
 Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
Size Significantly smaller 130x94x60 mm vs 124x96x73 mm
Help
 Around 20% smaller
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
 Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Thickness Much thinner 2.4" vs 2.9"
Help
 Around 20% thinner
Longest exposure Much longer exposures 60s vs 30s
Help
 2x longer exposures
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 4 fps vs 3 fps
Help
 More than 30% faster continuous shooting
Olympus E-600 Learn more about
the Olympus E-600
vs

recommendations

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

Nikon D3100 Nikon D3100
56 vs 26
Explain scores
Olympus E-600 Olympus E-600
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D3100.

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Size Fairly small Help
D3100:124x96x73 mm
E-600:130x94x60 mm
Thickness Thin Help
D3100:2.9"
E-600:2.4"
Weight Light weight Help
D3100:505 g
E-600:515 g
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Light sensitivity (boost) One has boost ISO Help
D3100:12,800 ISO
E-600:None
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
D3100:14.2 MP
E-600:12.2 MP
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
3,200 ISO
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
D3100:3 fps
E-600:4 fps
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus Help
D3100:Contrast detection
E-600:None
Viewfinder size Below average viewfinder size Help
D3100:0.51x
E-600:0.48x
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
D3100:11.3 EV
E-600:10.3 EV
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
D3100:67.0
E-600:55.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D3200 vs the D3100
Compare the D3200 vs the E-600
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$497 body only

$595 - $805 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5100 vs the D3100
Compare the D5100 vs the E-600
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$600 - $899 body only

$740 - $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 D3100
Compare the D90 vs the E-600
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 significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5000 vs the D3100
Compare the D5000 vs the E-600
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$897 body only

$997 with 18-105mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Lowest price Is much more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D7000 vs the D3100
Compare the D7000 vs the E-600
Nikon D5200

Nikon D5200

Entry-level DSLR

$697 body only

$797 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is significantly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5200 vs the D3100
Compare the D5200 vs the E-600
Nikon D80

Nikon D80

Entry-level DSLR
Viewfinder size Significantly larger viewfinder
Sensor size Has a slightly larger sensor
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the D80 vs the D3100
Compare the D80 vs the E-600

Nikon D3100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$328 body only

$449 with 18-55mm lens
Battery life Longer battery life
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Screen size Much smaller screen
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the D3100
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$549 body only

$595 - $599 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Low light performance More noise at high ISO
Startup delay Significantly more startup delay
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the D3100
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$540 body only

$638 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Low light performance More noise at high ISO
Autofocus Lacks video autofocus
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the D3100
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$436 - $456 with 18-55mm lens
Sensor size Larger sensor
Size Smaller
Movie format Does not take movies
Low light performance Significantly more noise at high ISO
Compare the D3000 vs the D3100

Olympus E-600 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Olympus E-620

Olympus E-620

Entry-level DSLR
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the E-620 vs the E-600
Olympus E-520

Olympus E-520

Entry-level DSLR
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the E-520 vs the E-600
Olympus E-3

Olympus E-3

Entry-level DSLR
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder
Viewfinder coverage Significantly better viewfinder coverage
Size Much larger
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
Compare the E-3 vs the E-600
Olympus E-30

Olympus E-30

Entry-level DSLR
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder
Viewfinder coverage Better viewfinder coverage
Size Much larger
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the E-30 vs the E-600
Olympus PEN E-PM1

Olympus PEN E-PM1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$279 - $299 with 14-42mm lens
Movie format Shoots movies
Screen size Much larger screen
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the PEN E-PM1 vs the E-600

appearance

Nikon D3100 Olympus E-600
Nikon D3100 Olympus E-600
Nikon D3100 Olympus E-600

discussion

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