Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D5600

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

D3100 compared with D5600

	NikonD3100	NikonD5600
Overview
Released
Released	September 2010	November 2016
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor format
Sensor format	APS-C	APS-C
Sensor type
Sensor type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	23.1 × 15.4 mm	23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	14.2 MP	24.2 MP
Largest image
Largest image	4608 × 3072	6000 × 4000
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	100–3200	100–25600
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	14.2 million effective and 14.8 million total pixels; Nikon DX format with approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; sensor-cleaning system and Image Dust Off reference data	Nikon DX CMOS without an optical low-pass filter; 24.2 million effective pixels globally, 24.16 million in Japanese specifications, and 24.78 million total; approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; sensor cleaning and Image Dust Off reference data
Image formats
Image formats	NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape Picture Controls; in-camera RAW processing and retouching	Compressed 12-bit or 14-bit NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; maximum 6000 × 4000 pixels; customisable Picture Controls and in-camera RAW processing
ISO detail
ISO detail	ISO 100–3200 in one-stop steps; expanded ISO 6400 and 12800 equivalents; Auto ISO	ISO 100–25600 in one-third stops; the full range is standard sensitivity rather than an expanded setting; Auto ISO
Image processor
Image processor	EXPEED 2	EXPEED 4
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Nikon F mount	Nikon F mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	3 fps	5 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	Autofocus with AF-S and AF-I NIKKOR lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses. Other compatible AF lenses require manual focus. Non-CPU lenses work in manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported; electronic rangefinder requires maximum aperture f/5.6 or faster	No body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses. Japanese specifications list autofocus with AF-S, AF-P and AF-I lenses; the US page lists AF-P and type E/G AF-S lenses. Non-CPU lenses require manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported
Autofocus
Autofocus	Multi-CAM 1000; 11 phase-detection points including one cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A, single-point, dynamic, auto-area and 11-point 3D tracking; AF-assist lamp. Live view uses contrast-detection AF-S/AF-F with face-priority, wide, normal and subject-tracking areas	Multi-CAM 4800DX; 39 phase-detection points including nine cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; selectable 39-point or 11-point layouts, dynamic 9/21/39-point areas and 3D tracking. Contrast-detection autofocus in live view
Shutter
Shutter	1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third stops and Bulb; flash sync 1/200 second	1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third or half stops, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/200 second
Burst detail
Burst detail	Approximately 3 fps under Nikon's manual-focus, S/M, 1/250-second-or-faster test conditions; Japanese specification lists up to 13 RAW, nine RAW plus Fine JPEG or 100 Fine JPEG frames with its specified 4 GB SanDisk Extreme SDHC card	Up to approximately 5 fps for JPEG or 12-bit RAW, 4 fps for 14-bit RAW and 3 fps in continuous low; specified with AF-C, S/M exposure, 1/250 second or faster and default settings; quiet release and interval-timer shooting
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation	Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation
Flash
Flash	Built-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 12 m at ISO 100, 20°C, or 13 at manual full output; hot shoe; optional AS-15 adapter for PC sync	Built-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 12 m at ISO 100, 20°C, including manual full output; accessory shoe
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	P/S/A/M, Auto, flash-off Auto and scene modes; beginner Guide mode with illustrative assist images. 420-pixel RGB metering with Colour Matrix Metering II, centre-weighted and spot modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting on/off	P/S/A/M, Auto, scene and special-effects modes; 2016-pixel RGB matrix, centre-weighted and spot metering; ±5 EV compensation; exposure, white-balance and Active D-Lighting bracketing
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	1920 × 1080 at 24 fps	1920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Video detail
Video detail	H.264 MOV at Full HD 24p, 720p 30p/25p/24p or 640 × 424 at 24p; actual NTSC rates 29.97/23.976. Maximum clip ten minutes. Nikon USA's short movie feature list incorrectly describes 640 × 424 as 30 fps; its detailed table and Japan specify 24p. Continuous contrast-detection autofocus available	H.264 MOV at Full HD 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p or 720p 60p/50p; actual rates 59.94/29.97/23.976 for nominal 60p/30p/24p. Up to 29 minutes 59 seconds, reduced to 20 or 10 minutes depending on resolution, frame rate and quality, or three minutes in Miniature Effect. In-camera time-lapse movies. Photography Blog's Motion JPEG AVI passage differs from Nikon's technical sheet
Audio
Audio	Built-in mono microphone with linear PCM recording; no external microphone input	Built-in stereo microphones with adjustable sensitivity; external stereo microphone through 3.5 mm input; linear PCM audio
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Optical
Screen size
Screen size	3″	3.2″
Screen dots
Screen dots	230,000	1,037,000
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	–	Yes
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	–	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed 3-inch TFT, approximately 230000 dots, adjustable brightness; dots count subpixels	Side-hinged 3.2-inch 3:2 vari-angle touchscreen, approximately 1037000 dots globally, rounded to 1040000 in Japan; 170° viewing angle and 100% coverage; Touch AF, touch shutter and assignable Touch Fn including Auto ISO control; playback frame-advance bar and cropping during playback zoom; eye sensor switches display off; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Pentamirror; approximately 95% frame coverage, 0.8× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 18 mm eyepoint	Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage, 0.82× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 17 mm eyepoint
Connections and design
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	550 photographs	970 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	455 g	415 g (better)
Release detail
Release detail	Nikon Japan records sale on 16 September 2010 for the body, single-lens and double-zoom kits	Nikon Japan records first sale on 25 November 2016; global announcement on 10 November 2016
Recording media
Recording media	One SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot; compatible Eye-Fi cards supported	One SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot with UHS-I support; MMC unsupported
Ports
Ports	Hi-Speed USB, mini-HDMI Type C, NTSC/PAL analogue video output and accessory terminal for optional MC-DC2 remote or GP-1 GPS	Hi-Speed Micro-USB, HDMI Type C, 3.5 mm external stereo microphone input and accessory terminal for optional WR-1/WR-R10 wireless remote, MC-DC2 remote or GP-1/GP-1A GPS
Wireless connections
Wireless connections	No integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS; optional GP-1 GPS and compatible Eye-Fi card accessories	Bluetooth 4.1 with low-energy SnapBridge pairing; automatic transfer of 2-megapixel JPEGs, including while the camera is off. Wi-Fi IEEE802.11b/g supports selected still-image and movie transfer and remote still capture after Bluetooth pairing; RAW/TIFF transfer unsupported in Nikon's launch description. Smartphone time/location synchronisation; NFC Type3Tag. Photography Blog's D3400-derived Wi-Fi limitation passage does not describe this model
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	EN-EL14; approximately 550 CIPA photographs. Nikon USA's later page also lists EN-EL14a compatibility	EN-EL14a rechargeable lithium-ion battery; approximately 970 CIPA photographs per charge. Photography Blog's 600-shot passage differs from Nikon's specifications
Charging
Charging	External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5a adapter with EP-5A power connector	External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5A power connector
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 124 × 96 × 74.5 mm from Nikon Japan; Nikon USA's converted inch figures differ slightly	Approximately 124 × 97 × 70 mm
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 455 g body only or 505 g with battery and SD card, excluding body cap	Approximately 415 g body only or 465 g including battery and SD card, excluding body cap
Colours
Colours	–	Black
In the box
In the box	EN-EL14 battery, MH-24 charger, DK-5 eyepiece cap, DK-20 eyecup, AN-DC3 strap, BF-1B body cap, BS-1 shoe cover, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM and two ferrite cores for separately supplied USB/audio-video cables	EN-EL14a battery, MH-24 charger, AN-DC3 BK strap, BF-1B body cap and DK-25 eyecup