Nikon D5100 vs Canon EOS M

Nikon D5100 advantages over Canon EOS M

• Lens selection
  Excellent vs Limited
  Better lens selection gives you more options
• Larger sensor
  APS-C vs APS-C
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Tilt-swivel screen
  Tilt-swivel vs none
  Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
• Eye-level viewfinder
  Eye-level vs Rear display only
  You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
• Fast startup
  ~0.50 vs 2.7 sec
  Faster startup lets you catch the moment
• Higher effective ISO

  Higher effective ISO

  Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

  Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

  You can learn more at our glossary entry.

  Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  D5100 test data on DxO Mark EOS M test data on DxO Mark
  1,183 vs 827 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• 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.

  D5100 test data on DxO Mark EOS M test data on DxO Mark
  13.6 vs 11.2 evs
  Retain detail in highlight and shadows
• 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

  660 vs 230 shots
  Capture more photos
• Internal flash
  Internal flash vs None
  Useful in a pinch for fill flash
• Less shutter lag
  0.27 vs 0.74 sec
  Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
• Bigger JPEG buffer
  100 vs 13 shots
  Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
• Bigger RAW buffer
  13 vs 6 shots
  Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)