Nikon D100 vs Canon 10D
The Nikon D100 and the Canon EOS 10D are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2002 and February 2003. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 6 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 6.3 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D100 and the Canon EOS 10D? 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 Nikon D100 and the Canon 10D are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 10D is somewhat smaller (4 percent) than the Nikon D100. However, the 10D is markedly heavier (9 percent) than the D100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D100 nor the 10D 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. Yet, since both cameras are based around an APS-C sensor, their respective lenses will tend to have similar dimensions and heft. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D100) and the Canon EF Lens Catalog (10D).
Concerning battery life, the D100 gets 370 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL3 battery, while the 10D can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon BP-511 power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D100 | 144 mm | 116 mm | 81 mm | 780 g | 370 | n | Feb 2002 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon 10D | 150 mm | 107 mm | 75 mm | 850 g | 500 | n | Feb 2003 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SL1 | 117 mm | 91 mm | 69 mm | 407 g | 380 | n | Mar 2013 | 549 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 7D | 148 mm | 111 mm | 74 mm | 860 g | 800 | Y | Sep 2009 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 20D | 144 mm | 106 mm | 72 mm | 770 g | 700 | n | Aug 2004 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon Rebel | 142 mm | 99 mm | 72 mm | 649 g | 400 | n | Aug 2003 | 899 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon D60 | 150 mm | 107 mm | 75 mm | 855 g | 620 | n | Feb 2002 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D90 | 132 mm | 103 mm | 77 mm | 703 g | 850 | n | Aug 2008 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D300 | 147 mm | 114 mm | 74 mm | 925 g | 1000 | Y | Aug 2007 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D40 | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 470 | n | Nov 2006 | 499 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D80 | 132 mm | 103 mm | 77 mm | 668 g | 600 | n | Aug 2006 | 999 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon D50 | 133 mm | 102 mm | 76 mm | 620 g | 400 | n | Apr 2005 | 749 | ebay.com | |
13. | Nikon D70s | 140 mm | 111 mm | 78 mm | 679 g | 500 | n | Apr 2005 | 899 | ebay.com | |
14. | Nikon D200 | 147 mm | 113 mm | 74 mm | 920 g | 400 | Y | Nov 2005 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Nikon D70 | 140 mm | 111 mm | 78 mm | 679 g | 400 | n | Jan 2004 | 999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Nikon D1X | 157 mm | 153 mm | 85 mm | 1100 g | 1200 | Y | Feb 2001 | 5,999 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same 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.
Sensor comparison
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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 10D is 7 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.5 (D100) and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.
Despite having a smaller sensor, the 10D offers a slightly higher resolution of 6.3 megapixels, compared with 6 MP of the D100. 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 7.38μm versus 7.85μm for the D100). However, it should be noted that the 10D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year) than the D100, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage.
The Nikon D100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 800, which can be extended to ISO 200-1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 10D are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).
In terms of underlying technology, the D100 is build around a CCD sensor, while the 10D uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D100 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 20.4 | 9.9 | 394 | 48 | |
2. | Canon 10D | APS-C | 6.3 | 3072 | 2048 | none | 21.1 | 10.9 | 571 | 57 | |
3. | Canon SL1 | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 21.8 | 11.3 | 843 | 63 | |
4. | Canon 7D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.0 | 11.7 | 854 | 66 | |
5. | Canon 20D | APS-C | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 21.9 | 11.0 | 721 | 62 | |
6. | Canon Rebel | APS-C | 6.3 | 3072 | 2048 | none | 21.0 | 10.8 | 544 | 55 | |
7. | Canon D60 | APS-C | 6.3 | 3072 | 2048 | none | 20.3 | 9.8 | 301 | 47 | |
8. | Nikon D90 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.7 | 12.5 | 977 | 73 | |
9. | Nikon D300 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | none | 22.1 | 12.0 | 679 | 67 | |
10. | Nikon D40 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 21.0 | 11.0 | 561 | 56 | |
11. | Nikon D80 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.1 | 11.2 | 524 | 61 | |
12. | Nikon D50 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 20.9 | 10.8 | 560 | 55 | |
13. | Nikon D70s | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 20.4 | 10.3 | 529 | 50 | |
14. | Nikon D200 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.5 | 583 | 64 | |
15. | Nikon D70 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 20.4 | 10.3 | 529 | 50 | |
16. | Nikon D1X | APS-C | 5.9 | 3008 | 1960 | none | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The D100 and the 10D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the 10D has a higher magnification than the one of the D100 (0.55x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D100, the Canon 10D, and comparable cameras.
# | 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. | Nikon D100 | optical | Y | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Canon 10D | optical | Y | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
3. | Canon SL1 | optical | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 4.9/s | Y | n | |
4. | Canon 7D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon 20D | optical | Y | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Canon Rebel | optical | n | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
7. | Canon D60 | optical | Y | 1.8 / 114 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D90 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.5/s | Y | n | |
9. | Nikon D300 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Nikon D40 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
11. | Nikon D80 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Nikon D50 | optical | n | 2.0 / 130 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
13. | Nikon D70s | optical | n | 2.0 / 130 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
14. | Nikon D200 | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
15. | Nikon D70 | optical | n | 1.8 / 130 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
16. | Nikon D1X | optical | Y | 2.0 / 120 | fixed | n | 1/16000s | 3.0/s | n | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D100 and the 10D write their files to Compact Flash cards.
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 Nikon D100 and Canon EOS 10D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D100 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
2. | Canon 10D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon SL1 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 7D | Y | mono / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Canon 20D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
6. | Canon Rebel | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
7. | Canon D60 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D90 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Nikon D300 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Nikon D40 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Nikon D80 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Nikon D50 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Nikon D70s | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Nikon D200 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Nikon D70 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Nikon D1X | Y | - / - | - | - | - | FW | - | - | - |
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 10D (unlike the D100) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the D100 and the 10D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D100 was replaced by the Nikon D200, while the 10D was followed by the Canon 20D. Further information on the features and operation of the D100 and 10D can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 10D Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon D100 better than the Canon 10D or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Arguments in favor of the Nikon D100:
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2002).
Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 10D:
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.55x vs 0.53x).
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year) more recently.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 10D emerges as the winner of the match-up (4 : 1 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Nikon D100 and the Canon 10D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the D100 or the 10D perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D100 | .. | .. | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2002 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon 10D | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Feb 2003 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SL1 | 4/5 | + | .. | 78/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2013 | 549 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 7D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2009 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 20D | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Aug 2004 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon Rebel | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Aug 2003 | 899 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon D60 | .. | .. | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2002 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D90 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2008 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D300 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2007 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D40 | .. | 81/100 | .. | + + | o | 4.5/5 | Nov 2006 | 499 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D80 | .. | + | .. | + + | o | 4.5/5 | Aug 2006 | 999 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon D50 | .. | 78/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2005 | 749 | ebay.com | |
13. | Nikon D70s | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 5/5 | Apr 2005 | 899 | ebay.com | |
14. | Nikon D200 | .. | + + | .. | + + | o | .. | Nov 2005 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Nikon D70 | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Jan 2004 | 999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Nikon D1X | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Feb 2001 | 5,999 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 10D vs Canon M6 Mark II
- Canon 10D vs Canon SX730
- Canon 10D vs Leica X Vario
- Canon 10D vs Panasonic TZ90
- Canon 10D vs Pentax K-70
- Canon 10D vs Sony A1
- Canon M50 vs Nikon D100
- Canon T7i vs Nikon D100
- Fujifilm GFX 50S vs Nikon D100
- Fujifilm X100F vs Nikon D100
- Nikon D100 vs Panasonic L1
- Nikon D100 vs Pentax Q
Specifications: Nikon D100 vs Canon 10D
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Nikon D100 | Canon 10D |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | Canon EF mount lenses |
Launch Date | February 2002 | February 2003 |
Launch Price | USD 1,999 | USD 1,999 |
Sensor Specs | Nikon D100 | Canon 10D |
Sensor Technology | CCD | CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 23.7 x 15.6 mm | 22.7 x 15.1 mm |
Sensor Area | 369.72 mm2 | 342.77 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.4 mm | 27.3 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | 1.6x |
Sensor Resolution | 6 Megapixels | 6.3 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3008 x 2000 pixels | 3072 x 2048 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 7.85 μm | 7.38 μm |
Pixel Density | 1.63 MP/cm2 | 1.84 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | no Video |
ISO Setting | 200 - 800 ISO | 100 - 3,200 ISO |
ISO Boost | 200 - 1,600 ISO | no Enhancement |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 57 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 21.1 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 10.9 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 571 |
Screen Specs | Nikon D100 | Canon 10D |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 95% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.53x | 0.55x |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | Control Panel |
Rear LCD Size | 1.8inch | 1.8inch |
LCD Resolution | 118k dots | 118k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Fixed screen |
Shooting Specs | Nikon D100 | Canon 10D |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | 3 shutter flaps/s |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | CF cards | CF cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Nikon D100 | Canon 10D |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | no PC Sync | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 1.1 | USB 1.1 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | no HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Nikon D100 | Canon 10D |
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL3 | Canon BP-511 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 370 shots per charge | 500 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
144 x 116 x 81 mm (5.7 x 4.6 x 3.2 in) |
150 x 107 x 75 mm (5.9 x 4.2 x 3.0 in) |
Camera Weight | 780 g (27.5 oz) | 850 g (30.0 oz) |
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