Reasons to choose EOS M
Released in 2012, EOS M has about 332 mm² of sensor area, 18 MP effective resolution, and a 298 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon EOS M
vs Nikon D3100
VS
Sensor area
332 mm²
EOS M356 mm²
D3100- Area ratio
- 1.07:1
- Absolute difference
- 23 mm²
- Relative difference
- 7.1%
The D3100 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 MMetricD3100
18 MPEffective pixels14.2 MP
22.3 × 14.9Sensor23.1 × 15.4
4.3 µmPixel pitch5.01 µm
18.46 µm²Pixel area25.05 µm²
5.42 MP/cm²Pixel density3.99 MP/cm²
1.61Crop factor1.56
—Maximum video1,920 × 1,080
298 gWeight505 g
SD/SDHC/SDXCStorageSDHC, SDXC, Secure Digital
Lithium-Ion LP-E12 rechargeable battery 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 D3100 has the larger sensor area. The EOS M has the lighter body. The EOS M has the higher effective resolution. The EOS M is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose D3100
Released in 2010, D3100 has about 356 mm² of sensor area, 14.2 MP effective resolution, and a 505 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.