Nikon D3100 vs Olympus E-M10 II

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Nikon D3100 vs Olympus E-M10 II

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APS-C 355.7mm²
14.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 3200

Go in depth with our full Nikon D3100 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D3100.

4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M10 II Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M10 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M10 II.
Compare Olympus E-M10 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M10 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D3200
Compare D3100 vs D3200

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M10 III
Compare E-M10 II vs E-M10 III

Compare NIKON D3200 vs OLYMPUS E-M10 III

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Differences

Nikon D3100 advantages over Olympus E-M10 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.01 vs 3.75 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 0.8 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 320 shots
Capture more photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
100 vs 28 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Olympus E-M10 II advantages over Nikon D3100

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
E-M10 II test data on DxO Mark D3100 test data on DxO Mark

12.5 vs 11.2 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Thinner
46 mm vs 74 mm
Thinner
Newer
9 years vs 14 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
488g vs 777g
Lighter weight
More dots on screen
1037k vs 230k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Less shutter lag
0.16 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.62x vs 0.53x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
8.9 fps vs 2.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 12800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D3100 User Reviews

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Buy the Olympus E-M10 II

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Black)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Brown)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Silver)
Kit with 14-42mm II R lens

All E-M10 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Read our Nikon D3100 Full Review

Excellent value for the money; Professional-grade ergonomics; Incredibly good image quality for its class; Solid performance specs across the board; Loaded with features.
Kit lens may not be quite as sharp as previous kit lens from this line; Below average battery life; Somewhat confusing menu systems.
Read our Olympus E-M10 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony DSLR-A380

Nikon D3100

Sony DSLR-A380

$700
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$849
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Tiltable Screen

Compare Nikon D3100 vs Sony DSLR-A380

Olympus E-M10 II

Sony DSLR-A380

$349
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$849
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony DSLR-A380

Compared to Sony A33

Nikon D3100

Sony A33

$700
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$540
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
In-camera panoramas

Compare Nikon D3100 vs Sony A33

Olympus E-M10 II

Sony A33

$349
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$540
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony A33

Compared to Pentax K-r

Nikon D3100

Pentax K-r

$700
APS-C

Less expensive
Higher effective ISO

$850
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Fast startup

Compare Nikon D3100 vs Pentax K-r

Olympus E-M10 II

Pentax K-r

$349
4/3

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$850
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Pentax K-r

Compared to Olympus E-M10

Nikon D3100

Olympus E-M10

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$399
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D3100 vs Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10

$349
4/3

Fast startup
Shoots 24p video

$399
4/3

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Olympus E-M10

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Nikon D3100

Panasonic GX85

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$598
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D3100 vs Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M10 II

Panasonic GX85

$349
4/3

Higher effective ISO
More telephoto lens reach

$598
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Panasonic GX85

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