Nikon D5100 Vs T3i?

[Kirk]

They're the same price.
In your opinion which one is a better camera?

 

[crimbfighter]

I would suggest waiting until some concrete reviews of the D5100 come out before asking this question. I'm sure both cameras are great, and there are several reviews of the T3i already out there. I would wait a couple months until reviews determine if the D5100 lives up to it's expectations, then decide based on features as a whole which one you want to go with. There are very comparable models and it will probably come down to your goals in photography and available accessories that you want.

 

[KmH]

Though they are the same price, they are not directly comparable.

The closest Nikon, feature and performance wise, would be the D90. Actually that's not quite accurate either.

The Canon T3i is Canon's top-of-the-line, entry-level Rebel camera. Nikon's top-of-the-line, entry-level camera is the D7000. But the D7000 is not only more expensive than the T3i, performance wise it's actually in a class well above the T3i.

As it is the D5100 is so new it hasn't been independently tested yet. However, if we compare what it replaces, the D5000, with the T3i we find the discontinued D5000 out performed the T3i image quality wise DxOMark - Compare sensors.

So it reasonable to expect the D5100, with all it's improvements pover the D5000, to make that disparity in image quality even greater.

In short, I would recommend the Nikon D5100 16.2MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-inch Vari-Angle LCD Monitor (Body Only) over the Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens , if image quality is a camera peformance consideration you have.

 

[crimbfighter]

Though they are the same price, they are not directly comparable.

The closest Nikon, feature and performance wise, would be the D90. Actually that's not quite accurate either.

The Canon T3i is Canon's top-of-the-line, entry-level Rebel camera. Nikon's top-of-the-line, entry-level camera is the D7000. But the D7000 is not only more expensive than the T3i, performance wise it's actually in a class well above the T3i.

As it is the D5100 is so new it hasn't been independently tested yet. However, if we compare what it replaces, the D5000, with the T3i we find the discontinued D5000 out performed the T3i image quality wise DxOMark - Compare sensors.

So it reasonable to expect the D5100, with all it's improvements pover the D5000, to make that disparity in image quality even greater.

In short, I would recommend the D5100 over the T3i, if image quality is a camera peformance consideration you have.

^^^ This. With one addition. I believe the sensor in the D5100 is the same as the D7000, so I would assume even with the lower level hardware/software package with the D5100 over the D7000, it will still be a huge leap in performance. Disregard what I said earlier...

 

[KmH]

It is my understanding the filter array in front of the D5100's image sensor is of lower quality than the filter array in front of the D7000 image sensor.

 

[crimbfighter]

That's what I was eluding to with the "lower level hardware" I mentioned. I assume this based on what many have said, I think including you, about low pass filters and such being of lower quality in the lower level DSLR's. I simply assumed even if that filter array remains the same level of quality from the D5000, the better sensor, and software utilizing it, there would still be a marked increase in performance.

 

[analog.universe]

I would go to a store, and try them both, and see which one is more comfortable for you. You'll take more and better pictures with a camera you understand and like to use. There may be slight performance benefits from one model to the next, sensor quality, filter quality, etc... but unless you're experienced and are certain of what specs your camera can not fall short on, ergonomics trumps marginal differences in performance. ymmv

 

[windjammer]

There is a detailed side by side comparison of the Nikon D5100 and the Rebel T3i here:

Nikon D5100 vs Canon T3i / EOS 600D Side by Side

If you are buying the camera kit with 18-55mm lens it looks like the D5100 is the way to go.

Rgds,

Sid