Nikon D3100 vs Olympus E-400

Its time to examine more in depth at the Nikon D3100 and Olympus E-400, both Entry-Level DSLR cameras by competitors Nikon and Olympus. There exists a noticeable gap among the image resolutions of the D3100 (14MP) and E-400 (10MP) and the D3100 (APS-C) and E-400 (Four Thirds) come with totally different sensor measurements.

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The D3100 was unveiled 4 years later than the E-400 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer the identical body type (Compact SLR).

Before going straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the D3100 scores versus the E-400 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon D3100 & Olympus E-400. The full galleries are provided at Nikon D3100 Gallery & Olympus E-400 Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and measurements. The Nikon D3100 has outer dimensions of 124mm x 96mm x 75mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 3.0") along with a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-400 has proportions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs).

Compare the Nikon D3100 and Olympus E-400 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the D3100 compared to the E-400.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the D3100 and E-400 is 68 and 77 respectively.

Quite often, its tough to visualise the difference in sensor measurements just by looking through a spec sheet. The visual underneath may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the D3100 and E-400.

Clearly, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The D3100 having a bigger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field simpler and the Nikon D3100 will render more detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution will help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The newer D3100 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.