• APS-C 355.7mm2
  • 14.2 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 35mm 847.3mm2
  • 12.2 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 102,400

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Differences

Nikon D3100 advantages over Sony A7S II

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Good
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Fast startup
    ~0.40 vs 2.9 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 550 vs 370 shots
    Capture more photos
  • Internal flash
    Internal flash vs None
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • More pixels
    14.2 vs 12.2 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    100 vs 63 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony A7S II advantages over Nikon D3100

  • Focus peaking
    Peaker vs Non-peaker
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Larger sensor
    35mm vs APS-C
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Yes vs No
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 8.40 vs 5.01 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • Shoot 4K video
    4K (UHD) vs 1080p
    Make sure you have a fast computer
  • In-camera panoramas
    Yes vs No
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Tiltable vs Fixed
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Higher effective ISO
    2,993 vs 919 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • More dynamic range
    13.3 vs 11.2 evs
    Retain detail in highlight and shadows
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • Newer
    9 years vs 14 years old
    Newer cameras often support more advanced features
  • More dots on screen
    1229k vs 230k dots
    Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
  • Less shutter lag
    0.19 vs 0.28 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.78x 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
  • Headphone jack
    Yes vs No
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    5.0 fps vs 2.9 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Slow-motion videos
    Yes vs No
    Shoot slow-motion videos
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light
  • Higher extended ISO
    409600 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
  • 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
  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • 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
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility

User reviews

Buy From

Review Excerpt

  • Comfortable and surprisingly compact camera body; Improved low light performance; Built-in image stabilization; Wide range of usable ISOs; More sophisticated autofocus performance; Excellent video capabilities.

  • Relatively low resolution; Mediocre continuous shooting performance; No built-in flash; No losslessly compressed RAW option.

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
Sony A7S II
Sony DSLR-A380
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $849
  • APS-C
  • Fast startup
  • Longer stills battery life

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
Sony A7S II
Sony A33
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $540
  • APS-C
  • Fast startup
  • Internal flash

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
Sony A7S II
Pentax K-r
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $850
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup

Compared to Sony A7S

Nikon D3100
Sony A7S
  • $700
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $1998
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
Sony A7S II
Sony A7S
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Shoot 4K video
  • $1998
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Fast startup

Compared to Sony A9

Nikon D3100
Sony A9
  • $700
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $2997
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
Sony A7S II
Sony A9
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Bigger pixels
  • $2997
  • 35mm
  • Touchscreen
  • Fast startup
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