Reasons to choose EOS 70D
Released in 2013, EOS 70D has about 338 mm² of sensor area, 20.2 MP effective resolution, and a 755 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon EOS 70D
vs Nikon D5100
VS
Sensor area
338 mm²
EOS 70D368 mm²
D5100- Area ratio
- 1.09:1
- Absolute difference
- 31 mm²
- Relative difference
- 9.1%
The D5100 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
EOS 70DMetricD5100
20.2 MPEffective pixels16.2 MP
22.5 × 15Sensor23.6 × 15.6
4.09 µmPixel pitch4.77 µm
16.71 µm²Pixel area22.73 µm²
5.99 MP/cm²Pixel density4.4 MP/cm²
1.6Crop factor1.53
1,920 × 1,080Maximum video1,920 × 1,080
755 gWeight560 g
SD/SDHC/SDXCStorageSDHC, SDXC, Secure Digital
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery LP-E6 Li-ion batteryBatteryLithium-Ion EN-EL14 rechargeable battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The D5100 has the larger sensor area. The D5100 has the lighter body. The EOS 70D has the higher effective resolution. The EOS 70D is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose D5100
Released in 2011, D5100 has about 368 mm² of sensor area, 16.2 MP effective resolution, and a 560 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.