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.
Side-by-side comparison
Nikon D5100
vs Nikon D700
VS
Sensor area
368 mm²
D5100860 mm²
D700- Area ratio
- 2.34:1
- Absolute difference
- 492 mm²
- Relative difference
- 133.7%
The D700 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 3 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
D5100MetricD700
16.2 MPEffective pixels12.1 MP
23.6 × 15.6Sensor36 × 23.9
4.77 µmPixel pitch8.43 µm
22.73 µm²Pixel area71.11 µm²
4.4 MP/cm²Pixel density1.41 MP/cm²
1.53Crop factor1
1,920 × 1,080Maximum video—
560 gWeight1,074 g
SDHC, SDXC, Secure DigitalStorageCompactFlash type I, CompactFlash type II, Microdrive
Lithium-Ion EN-EL14 rechargeable battery Li-ion batteryBatteryLithium-Ion EN-EL3e 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 D700 has the larger sensor area. The D5100 has the lighter body. The D5100 has the higher effective resolution. The D5100 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose D700
Released in 2008, D700 has about 860 mm² of sensor area, 12.1 MP effective resolution, and a 1,074 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.