Canon SX1 IS vs Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100 advantages over Canon SX1 IS

• Larger sensor
  APS-C vs 1/2.3 inch
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Bigger pixels
  ~ 5.01 vs 1.69 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• Fast startup
  ~0.40 vs 2.2 sec
  Faster startup lets you catch the moment
• Longer stills battery life
  More info

  Longer stills battery life

  Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

  Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

  550 vs 420 shots
  Capture more photos
• Manual focus
  Yes vs No
  AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
• Shoots 24p video
  Yes vs No
  Gives your movies a big-screen feel
• Less shutter lag
  0.28 vs 0.59 sec
  Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
• More pixels
  14.2 vs 10.0 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Longer exposure
  30 vs 15 sec
  Long exposures for night shots
• Bulb shutter
  Bulb vs No bulb
  Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
• Bigger JPEG buffer
  100 vs 14 shots
  Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
• Higher extended ISO
  12800 vs 3200 ISO
  Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility