CANON EOS 600D
VS NIKON D5100
CANON EOS 600D Rebel-T3i VS NIKON D5100
Earlier this year Canon and Nikon served up a much-needed refresh of their
entry-level DSLR lineups. Boasting a rash of new features that have trickled
down from the more advanced DSLRs in their range, the Canon EOS600D and
Nikon D5100 offer photographers in this market a creative control that
they haven’t had before. But with similar spec sheets, which camera should
you choose?
canon EOS 600D OR Nikon D5100
canon’s EOS 600D and Nikon’s D5100 may each descend from a line of successful entry-level DSLRs, but with each now supported by a more junior model in its respective range the pair are left to target a more advanced audience. In addition to their high-resolution sensors, each arrives with a highly specified LCD screen and HD video functionality, not to mention a bevy of recording, processing and customisation options. With such similar specifications they are likely to be seen as natural competitors and, given the heritage of each brand, they will naturally attract a lot of interest, but are they equally as impressive or does one clearly outgun the other?
Nikon-D5100-vs-Canon-T3i-600d
Considering its upper entry-level billing, Canon has been generous with the 600D’s
specifications and it actually seems as though you’re getting something of a bargain.
Its 18MP CMOS sensor matches the more expensive EOS 60D for resolution and both
are supported by the same DIGIC4 processing engine. This is also true of the Nikon’s D5100, with both its 16.2MP CMOS sensor and EXPEED 2 processor inherited from the D7000, along with a few nifty extras such as an interval timer for time-lapse recording and multiple exposure function, neither of which is offered by the 600D.
The 600D manages to better the 60D’s 3in articulated LCD screen with a slightly
wider viewing angle and the bonus of an anti-smudge coating. At 1,040,000 dots it
also has the joint highest resolution for an LCD screen on any DSLR, an honour shared
only with its EOS stablemates. The D5100’s screen comfortably matches the 600D in
practically all areas apart from resolution, where its 921,000-dot LCD is slightly behind;
whether this difference comes across in use, however, is something we’ll find out later on
Canon EOS 600D vs Nikon D5100 MOVIE MODE and quality
Both cameras have full HD movie recording, with variable frame rates up to 29.97fps and the provision of a socket on each for external stereo microphones. Canon has also fleshed out the 600D’s movie functionality with a Video Snapshot mode, which captures short video clips before automatically stitching them together, and a Movie Digital Zoom option, which crops the sensor up to 10x while still promising to maintain full HD quality. Similarly, the D5100 allows for movies to be treated with effects such as Miniature and High-key in-camera (which also applies to its images), and even for frames to be lifted out of a piece of footage and saved as JPEGs. In a number of other areas the D5100 appears to outgun its rival, at least on paper. Both cameras, for example, allow a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400, with the 600D offering an additional setting equivalent to ISO 12,800. The D5100 not only matches this, but also betters it with a further Hi2 option equivalent to ISO 25,600. Likewise, the D5100’s 11-point focusing system has two extra points over the 600D’s nine-point module, although both share a cross-type central point for improved sensitivity. The D5100 also has a burst rate up to4fps next to the 600D’s 3.7fps, although Nikon makes it clear that such speeds are influenced by shutter speed, processing options, focus mode etc. In any case, the difference isn’t substantial. As is fairly typical on such models, both cameras offer pentamirror viewfinders, each with a coverage of 0.95x. With a slightly higher magnification, the 600D’s viewfinder appears to present a larger view, although
once the differences in sensor size are taken into account – the 600D has a marginally
smaller sensor – any advantage is negligible. The two are also powered by rechargeable
lithium-ion batteries and support the SD family of memory cards for image and video recording.
BUILD AND HANDLING
Canon EOS 600D vs Nikon D5100 canon Rebel T3i
The two cameras (canon EOS 600D and Nikon D5100)closely match each other in
both size and weight, although they differ in terms of their finish and design. I found the
slightly mottled treatment of the D5100’s body more pleasing in the hand than the less
refined casing of the 600D, although both cameras make good use of rubber around the
grip for both security and comfort. Canon has been a touch more generous here, though,
and has provided more rubber for the thumb to rest. Each is built well, understandably
with less solidity than more professional magnesium-alloy bodied DSLRs, but with no creaking when subjected to pressure of any sort. To the eye there doesn’t appear to be much to separate the cameras’ grips, although upon handling them the 600D’s feels more substantial. I found it to be the easier to handle and more enjoyable to operate, and it felt more secure in my hands with a range of different lenses. The design of the D5100’s grip meant that it felt slightly less at home in my averagely sized hands, although anyone interested in such The Nikon LCD Screen a model is advised to
ONE AREAWHERE THE TWO CAMERAS DO GO ABOUT THINGS DIFFERENTLY IS IN THEWAY THE CONTROLS ARE ACCESSED AND SETTINGS ALTERED.
handle it for themselves, as their preferences may be different. One area where the two cameras do go about things differently is in the way the controls are accessed and settings altered. While the 600D’s setup allows options to be accessed either through direct buttons or the main shooting display, the D5100 allows only for the latter. This has allowed Nikon to simplify the design of the rear, and with fewer buttons it appears as a less intimidating model for novices. However, the placement of some of the
buttons it does have is questionable. For example, the ‘i’ button for changing many settings is used almost exclusively in conjunction with the menu pad, yet the two are spaced unnecessarily far apart, whereas on the 600D the Q button used to bring up the equivalent option is right next to the menu pad with which it is used. Overall, I found Canon’s system more intuitively designed.
PERFORMANCE
Although both viewfinders are perfectly capable for their task, when shooting
outdoors I found the D5100’s finder to be more pleasing to use, given its slightly
brighter view and more colourful representation of the scene. The 600D’s viewfinder isn’t too far behind, and admittedly this difference is only noticeable during a direct
comparison, but it’s just a shade cloudier in its appearance. While the two cameras have
similar burst speeds on paper, shooting continuously threw up some unexpected results.
While the 600D slowed down its 3.7fps pace after only around three to four simultaneous RAW and JPEG frames, the D5100 maintained its speed for an
average of 10 frames at a time. Both cameras allowed me to take further images while any prior bursts were being processed, although the D5100 shot more than the one frame at a time the canon 600D tended to allow, despite it being burdened by having around twice the images to process. Although it became easy to spot the characteristics of each camera while analysing its images, occasionally each would veer off to produce a different result from the one expected, something which may be attributed to the scene- and content-dependent nature of technology used for metering and processing. Typically, the canon 600D’s white balance was warmer than the nikon D5100’s; this benefited some situations, but images with foliage were better with the colder and slightly more neutral results from the D5100
IMAGES WITH FOLIAGE WERE BETTER WITH THE COLDER AND SLIGHTLY MORE NEUTRAL RESULTS FROMTHE D5100, WHERE GREENS WERE RENDERED
WITH GREATER VIBRANCY.
where greens were rendered with greater vibrancy. Each camera’s metering system did well to ensure the main subject was properly exposed, although with a slight tendency to overexpose the same subject, the canon 600D’s results showed highlights details to be lost a little prematurely; this can be remedied with Canon’s Highlight Tone Priority option, which works effectively. Again, in certain situations a slightly brighter subject may be preferable, although in terms of reliability and balance the nikon D5100 had the edge. The advantage of Canon’s bigger 18MP sensor is slight and I didn’t find it translated into any major gains in detail. I noticed less of a difference between the RAW and JPEG output of the D5100 than between the canon 600D’s files, although with slightly sharper images to begin with there’s less work to be done with Nikon’s files.
The kit lenses of the two cameras performed about as well as each other and both proved the effectiveness of their respective image stabilisation systems. Elsewhere there were differences:
chromatic aberrations were evident in both cameras’ RAW files, although in-camera
processing resulted in the D5100’s JPEGs showing far less than the 600D’s. Conversely, RAW files from the two cameras showed Canon’s kit lens to have the better handle over distortions, although each camera offers an optional
correction setting.
LCD Nikon D5100 vs the 600D Canon Rebel T3i - 600D
LCD
The screen on each camera is easy to pull away from its body and both stay firmly in the position of the user’s choosing. Despite the EOS 600D’s screen having a slightly higher resolution, I didn’t find it displayed any significant benefit over the 921,000-dot LCD of the D5100. Both are capable enough to render images with plenty of detail, and although both claim to have the same 170º viewing angle in brighter conditions I found the EOS 600D just had the edge in visibility once I had turned the LCD screen of each camera out of its standard position.
MENU SYSTEM
For the first-time user, or those coming from
other systems, the Nikon D5100’s menu system
is perhaps the easier of the two with which to get
acquainted. All its options are split between six
clearly-titled screens, in contrast to the EOS
600D’s system, where shooting, playback and
settings options flow over multiple screens in
a less logical order. Nikon’s ‘?’ facility is more
helpful for understanding menu options than the
600D’s feature guide as Canon has restricted this
to only key controls, although when a feature is
unavailable the EOS 600D explains why; the
D5100 does not, which is far from helpful.
AF
With no AF motor inside its body, focusing speed
and performance from the D5100 depend greatly
on the lens being used. With their kit lenses the
D5100 raced ahead when focusing in Live View,
where it was the speedier by quite a margin.
Here, I found the EOS 600D had a habit of
dawdling and being more hesitant, although with
their standard phase-detect focusing systems the
situation was reversed, with the D5100 just
trailing behind in terms of speed. In low light and
against particularly fine details the two cameras
struggled to acquire a lock on to the subject,
although this is not unusual for such systems,
particularly when using the less sensitive
peripheral AF points (which, admittedly,
performed admirably in good light).
MOVIE MODE
(CANON EOS 600D and NIKON D5100)
Each camera offers full HD video recording and a
mono microphone for sound recording, although
should you wish to improve on the sound quality
of the camera’s audio you can attach a stereo
microphone to each. In terms of video quality
both cameras do well to capture detailed and
smooth footage with their kit lenses, and each is
only troubled by a little aliasing. With sound
quality, however, the D5100 falls behind the
Canon due to its more muffled recording. It does,
however, have the advantage of being able to
focus far more quickly during recording, while its
quieter kit lens means fewer sounds are picked
up by the camera’s internal microphone.
Each camera may be focused manually while
shooting video, which not only negates the above
problem but allows for greater creative control.
(CANON EOS 600D VS NIKON D5100)
There’s little to split these two cameras. In a number of key areas they don’t necessarily perform better or worse than the other, but in different ways. Both allow all major options to be changed from a single screen, although those wanting direct access to options
through physical controls can only do so with the EOS 600D. The explanatory nature of the D5100’s menu system is still not matched by the EOS 600D’s equivalent feature, and Nikon’s menu system is still the more practically arranged. For those used to one system or the other, though, such things are unlikely to be an issue. Anyone looking at either camera specifically for movie recording should know that the EOS 600D provides more control over recording options, and it’s here where the D5100 could make the greatest improvements. But for most people, it’s images that matter and here the Nikon steals the lead. Its more reliable metering system keeps exposures balanced, while in the majority of
conditions its auto white balance performance is the more accurate. As a further incentive it’s also currently priced at between $800 and $110 less than the EOS 600D, at just under $830 for its body and kit-lens option.
