Canon EOS 5DS R vs Nikon D5100

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 5DS R and Nikon D5100. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Canon EOS 5DS R

Nikon D5100

Manufacturing

Canon EOS 5DS R is manufacturered by Canon but Nikon D5100 is from Nikon. Both Canon and Nikon are well known brands though.

Canon EOS 5DS R were released 2015 and Nikon D5100 was released 2011. That is a 4 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera	Released
Canon EOS 5DS R	2015
Nikon D5100	2011

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS 5DS R has a "Canon Full Frame"-sensor while Nikon D5100 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera	Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Canon EOS 5DS R	50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Nikon D5100	75 mm Nikon DX sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Canon EOS 5DS R has a 51 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D5100 has 16,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera	Megapixels
Canon EOS 5DS R	51 MP 50320896 pixels 8688 x 5792
Nikon D5100	16,2 MP 16084992 pixels 4928 x 3264

Canon EOS 5DS R has a 213 % larger resolution than Nikon D5100. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 6400.

Camera	ISO Range
Canon EOS 5DS R	100-6400
Nikon D5100	100-6400

Autofocus and lens compatibility

There is a big difference between these two cameras. Canon EOS 5DS R has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D5100 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D5100 there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 5DS R
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D5100

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS 5DS R can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D5100 can shoot up to 4 pictures per seconds.

Camera	FPS (Frames per second)
Canon EOS 5DS R	5
Nikon D5100	4

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Canon EOS 5DS R and Nikon D5100 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Canon EOS 5DS R weighs 930 gr (equal to 2.05 lb) which is 52% heavier than Nikon D5100 and its 611 gr (or 1.35 lb).

Camera	Weight
Canon EOS 5DS R	930 gr 2.05 lb
Nikon D5100	611 gr 1.35 lb