Nikon D3100 vs D90

The Nikon D3100 and the Nikon D90 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2010 and August 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The D3100 has a resolution of 14.2 megapixels, whereas the D90 provides 12.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D3100		Nikon D90
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
14.2 MP – APS-C sensor		12.2 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/24p Video		720/24p Video
ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 200-3,200 (200 - 6,400)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		4.5 shutter flaps per second
550 shots per battery charge		850 shots per battery charge
124 x 96 x 75 mm, 505 g		132 x 103 x 77 mm, 703 g

Check D3100 offers at
ebay.com
Check D90 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D3100 and the Nikon D90? 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 D3100 and the Nikon D90 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The D3100 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the D90 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 D90 is notably larger (14 percent) than the Nikon D3100. Moreover, the D90 is substantially heavier (39 percent) than the D3100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D3100 nor the D90 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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the D3100 gets 550 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL14 battery, while the D90 can take 850 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL3e power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	EUR 549	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	EUR 1 189	ebay.com
3.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	EUR 1 299	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D40	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	470	n	Nov 2006	EUR 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	EUR 699	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D60	126 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	500	n	Jan 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	EUR 969	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D3000	126 mm	97 mm	64 mm	536 g	500	n	Jul 2009	EUR 539	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3200	125 mm	96 mm	77 mm	505 g	540	n	Apr 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	EUR 499	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	EUR 699	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	EUR 819	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	EUR 1 399	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D3100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 54 percent) than the D90, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 D90 is 5 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the D3100 uses a more advanced image processing engine (EXPEED 2) than the D90 (EXPEED), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Nikon D3100 offers a higher resolution of 14.2 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the Nikon D90. 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 5.01μm versus 5.53μm for the D90). However, it should be noted that the D3100 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the D90, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D3100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D3100 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 15.4 inches or 58.5 x 39 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 12.3 inches or 46.8 x 31.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D90 are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.5 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.2 x 11.4 inches or 43.6 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.3 x 9.5 inches or 36.3 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D3100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D90 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 200-6400.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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. Of the two cameras under consideration, the D90 has a markedly higher DXO score than the D3100 (overall score 6 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.2 bits higher color depth, 1.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		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 D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
3.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
4.		Nikon D40	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	21.0	11.0	561	56
5.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
6.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
7.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
8.		Nikon D3000	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.1	563	62
9.		Nikon D3200	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/30p	24.1	13.2	1131	81
10.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
11.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
12.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
13.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
14.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
15.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the D3100 provides a higher video resolution than the D90. It can shoot video footage at 1080/24p, while the D90 is limited to 720/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The D3100 and the D90 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 viewfinder in the D90 offers a wider field of view (96%) than the one in the D3100 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the D90 has a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D3100 and Nikon D90 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D40	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D60	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D3000	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D3200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the D90, but is missing on the D3100 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The D3100 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D90 uses SDHC 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 D3100 and Nikon D90 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.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D40	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D3000	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D3200	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
12.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the D3100 and the D90 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D90 was replaced by the Nikon D7000, while the D3100 was followed by the Nikon D3200. Further information on the features and operation of the D3100 and D90 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D3100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D90 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D3100 or the Nikon D90 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Nikon D3100:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (14.2 vs 12.2MP) with a 8% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (EXPEED 2 vs EXPEED).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/24p vs 720/24p).
• More compact: Is smaller (124x96mm vs 132x103mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 198g or 28 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (54 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 11 months after the D90).

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D90:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (6 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.2 EV of extra DR).
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (96% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.53x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (850 versus 550) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2008).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D90 emerges as the winner of the match-up (9 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 D3100 and the Nikon D90 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D3100 or the D90. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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	Street Price
1.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	EUR 549	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	EUR 1 189	ebay.com
3.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	EUR 1 299	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D40	..	81/100	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Nov 2006	EUR 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	EUR 699	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D60	..	80/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	EUR 969	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D3000	..	+	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	EUR 539	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3200	5/5	+ +	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	EUR 499	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	EUR 699	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	EUR 819	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check D3100 offers at
ebay.com
Check D90 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check D3100 offers at
ebay.com
Check D90 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.