What is the crop factor of the Nikon D3100?
The Nikon D3100 is equipped with an APS-C sensor, whose diagonal measures 27.8mm. The sensor has a crop factor (or format factor, or focal length multiplier) of 1.5.
The crop factor is defined as the ratio of the 35mm full-frame film diagonal to the diagonal of a digital sensor. This number indicates how a lens behaves in relation to the size of the image sensor.
Sensor size comparison with a film slide
With a crop factor of 1.5, the sensor in the Nikon D3100 is smaller than the receptor area of a 35mm film slide or negative. As a result, a lens that is attached to the Nikon D3100 will offer a narrower angle of view and provide deeper depth of field than a lens of similar focal length and aperture on a film camera. The equivalent focal length is obtained by multiplying the actual focal length of the lens with the crop factor. For example, a 33mm lens on the Nikon D3100 will provide the same angle of view and depth of field as a 50mm normal lens on a film camera (33mm * 1.5 = 50mm).
Sensor specs and performance
The table below compares the sensor specs of the Nikon D3100 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better), covering color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3100 | APS-C | 14.2 | 4608 | 3072 | 1080/24p | 22.5 | 11.3 | 919 | 67 | |
2. | Nikon D40 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 21.0 | 11.0 | 561 | 56 | |
3. | Nikon D40X | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.4 | 11.4 | 516 | 63 | |
4. | Nikon D60 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.5 | 11.4 | 562 | 65 | |
5. | Nikon D3000 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.1 | 563 | 62 | |
6. | Nikon D3200 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6016 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 24.1 | 13.2 | 1131 | 81 | |
7. | Nikon D5000 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.7 | 12.5 | 868 | 72 | |
8. | Nikon D5100 | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/30p | 23.5 | 13.6 | 1183 | 80 | |
9. | Nikon D7000 | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/24p | 23.5 | 13.9 | 1167 | 80 | |
10. | Sony NEX-5N | APS-C | 16.0 | 4912 | 3264 | 1080/60i | 23.6 | 12.7 | 1079 | 77 | |
11. | Sony NEX-C3 | APS-C | 16.0 | 4912 | 3264 | 720/30p | 22.7 | 12.2 | 1083 | 73 |
In the United States, the D3100 was initially launched in August 2010 at a price of $599.
Camera to camera comparisons
If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 1D Mark III vs Nikon D3100
- Canon SX510 vs Nikon D3100
- Fujifilm X-A7 vs Nikon D3100
- Fujifilm X100V vs Nikon D3100
- Hasselblad X2D 100C vs Nikon Z6
- Nikon 1 V3 vs Nikon D3100
- Nikon D2H vs Nikon Z6
- Nikon D2Xs vs Nikon Z6
- Nikon D3100 vs Olympus E-M1 III
- Nikon Z6 vs Panasonic S1H
- Nikon Z6 vs Pentax MX-1
- Nikon Z6 vs Sony A68
Camera Model | Nikon D3100 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | |
Launch Date | August 2010 | |
Launch Price | USD 599 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 23.1 x 15.4 mm | |
Sensor Area | 356 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 27.8 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | |
Sensor Resolution | 14.2 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 4 608 x 3 072 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 5.01 μm | |
Pixel Density | 3.98 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | 1080/24p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 3 200 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 100 - 12 800 ISO | |
Image Processor | EXPEED 2 | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 67 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.5 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.3 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 919 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.53x | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
UHS card support | no | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
Body Specs | ||
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL14 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 550 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
124 x 96 x 75 mm (4.9 x 3.8 x 3.0 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 505 g (17.8 oz) |
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