Canon R10 vs Nikon D5100

The Canon EOS R10 and the Nikon D5100 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2022 and April 2011. The R10 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 R10		Nikon D5100
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
		Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		16.1 MP – APS-C sensor
4k/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
15 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
450 shots per battery charge		660 shots per battery charge
123 x 88 x 83 mm, 429 g		128 x 97 x 79 mm, 560 g

Check R10 price at
amazon.com
Check D5100 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R10 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 R10 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D5100 is notably larger (15 percent) than the Canon R10. Moreover, the D5100 is markedly heavier (31 percent) than the R10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the R10 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 R10 gets 450 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the D5100 can take 660 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL14 power pack. The power pack in the R10 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

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	Street Price
1.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	EUR 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	EUR 1 129	ebay.com
4.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
5.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
6.		Canon R50 V	119 mm	74 mm	45 mm	370 g	390	n	Mar 2025	EUR 759	amazon.com
7.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	EUR 579	amazon.com
8.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	EUR 1 499	amazon.com
9.		Canon V1	118 mm	68 mm	53 mm	426 g	340	n	Feb 2025	EUR 999	amazon.com
10.		Fujifilm X-E4	121 mm	73 mm	33 mm	364 g	380	n	Jan 2021	EUR 899	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Sep 2021	EUR 899	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	EUR 549	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	EUR 809	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	EUR 819	ebay.com
17.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	EUR 999	amazon.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 D5100 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 23 percent) than the R10, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 13 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (R10) 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 R10 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 3.70μm versus 4.80μm for the D5100). However, it should be noted that the R10 is much more recent (by 11 years and 1 month) 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 R10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R10 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 R10 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. 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 R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
2.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
3.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
4.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
5.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
6.		Canon R50 V	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	24.1	14.1	2383	85
7.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
8.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
9.		Canon V1	APS-C	22.1	5750	3840	4K/60p	23.5	13.7	1911	79
10.		Fujifilm X-E4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2085	85
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2144	85
12.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
13.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
14.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84
15.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
16.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
17.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
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 R10 provides a higher video resolution than the D5100. It can shoot video footage at 4k/60p, 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 R10 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the D5100 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the R10 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D5100 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the R10 has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.51x), 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 Canon R10, 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 R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon R50 V	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon V1	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	30.0/s	n	n
10.		Fujifilm X-E4	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	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 R10 has a touchscreen, while the D5100 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the R10 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R10 and the Nikon D5100 both have 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 R10 and the D5100 write their files to SDXC cards. The R10 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the D5100 can use UHS-I cards (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 R10 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 R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R50 V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon V1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Fujifilm X-E4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the R10 offers wifi support, while the D5100 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The R10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the D5100 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D5100 was succeeded by the Nikon D5200. Further information on the features and operation of the R10 and D5100 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R10 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 R10 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 R10:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 16.1MP) with a 22% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/60p vs 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.51x).
• 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 shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (123x88mm vs 128x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 131g or 23 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 11 years and 1 month of technical progress since the D5100 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D5100:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (660 versus 450) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (23 percent cheaper at launch).
• 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 R10 is the clear winner of the match-up (19 : 4 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 R10 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 R10 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	Street Price
1.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	EUR 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	EUR 1 129	ebay.com
4.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
5.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
6.		Canon R50 V	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Mar 2025	EUR 759	amazon.com
7.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	EUR 579	amazon.com
8.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	EUR 1 499	amazon.com
9.		Canon V1	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Feb 2025	EUR 999	amazon.com
10.		Fujifilm X-E4	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2021	EUR 899	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	5/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	EUR 899	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	EUR 549	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	EUR 809	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	EUR 819	ebay.com
17.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	EUR 999	amazon.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.

Check R10 price at
amazon.com
Check D5100 offers at
ebay.com

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 use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check R10 price at
amazon.com
Check D5100 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.