Canon EOS M vs Nikon D3100

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS M and Nikon D3100. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Canon EOS M

Nikon D3100

Manufacturing

Canon EOS M is manufacturered by Canon but Nikon D3100 is from Nikon. Both Canon and Nikon are well known brands though.

Canon EOS M were released 2012 and Nikon D3100 was released 2010. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera	Released
Canon EOS M	2012
Nikon D3100	2010

Type of camera

Canon EOS M is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D3100 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS M has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D3100 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 M	80 mm Canon APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6
Nikon D3100	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 M has a 18 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D3100 has 14,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera	Megapixels
Canon EOS M	18 MP 17915904 pixels 5184 x 3456
Nikon D3100	14,2 MP 14155776 pixels 4608 x 3072

Canon EOS M has a 27 % larger resolution than Nikon D3100. 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 12800.

Camera	ISO Range
Canon EOS M	100-12800
Nikon D3100	100-12800

Autofocus and lens compatibility

There is a big difference between these two cameras. Canon EOS M has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D3100 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D3100 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.

Worth mentioning is that Canon EOS M belongs to the Canon EOS M-system and needs an adapter to work with Canons EF, EF-S, MP-E, and TS-E lenses. You can read more about this adapter here:
Canon Lens Mount Adapter EF-EOS M

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS M
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D3100

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS M can shoot up to 4,3 pictures per seconds and Nikon D3100 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds.

Camera	FPS (Frames per second)
Canon EOS M	4,3
Nikon D3100	3

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Canon EOS M and Nikon D3100 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.

Nikon D3100 weighs 505 gr (equal to 1.11 lb) which is 69% heavier than Canon EOS M and its 298 gr (or 0.66 lb).

Camera	Weight
Canon EOS M	298 gr 0.66 lb
Nikon D3100	505 gr 1.11 lb