Canon M200 vs Nikon D5100

The Canon EOS M200 and the Nikon D5100 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2019 and April 2011. The M200 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D5100 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 16.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon M200		Nikon D5100
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		16.1 MP – APS-C sensor
4k/25p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
6.1 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
315 shots per battery charge		660 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 35 mm, 299 g		128 x 97 x 79 mm, 560 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M200 and the Nikon D5100? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon M200 and the Nikon D5100 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M200 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the D5100 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D5100 is considerably larger (72 percent) than the Canon M200. Moreover, the D5100 is substantially heavier (87 percent) than the M200. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M200 nor the D5100 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the M200 gets 315 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the D5100 can take 660 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL14 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
4.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
7.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
9.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
10.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
11.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	749	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M200 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 27 percent) than the D5100, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D5100 is 12 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (M200) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon M200 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the Nikon D5100. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.80μm for the D5100). However, it should be noted that the M200 is much more recent (by 8 years and 5 months) than the D5100, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M200 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M200 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D5100 are 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

The M200 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS M200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D5100 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
2.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
4.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
7.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
8.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
9.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
10.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
11.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
12.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
13.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
14.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
15.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84
16.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
17.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the M200 provides a higher video resolution than the D5100. It can shoot video footage at 4k/25p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the D5100 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M200 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M200, the Nikon D5100, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
11.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The M200 has a touchscreen, while the D5100 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Nikon D5100 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M200 and the D5100 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS M200 and Nikon D5100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the M200 offers wifi support, while the D5100 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the M200 and the D5100 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D5100 was replaced by the Nikon D5200, while the M200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M200 and D5100 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D5100 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M200 and the Nikon D5100? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M200:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 16.1MP) with a 22% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/25p vs 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.1 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (108x67mm vs 128x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 261g or 47 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (27 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 5 months of technical progress since the D5100 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D5100:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (660 versus 315) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in April 2011).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the M200 is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M200 and the Nikon D5100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the M200 or the D5100. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
4.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
7.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
9.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
10.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
11.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	749	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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