Canon 400D vs Nikon D3000 Comparison

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Canon 400D

10 MP | APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Nikon D3000

10 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CCD Sensor

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Canon 400D vs Nikon D3000 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing 400D and D3000, two Entry-Level DSLR cameras from Canon and Nikon. Both Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 cameras have 10.0MP APS-C sensors. Canon 400D was introduced to market in October 2006 and Nikon D3000 was launched in December 2009. As you can see, 400D is 3 years older than D3000. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 400D Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2006-10-14

10MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600

Canon EF/EF-S Mount

2.5" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

3 fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

556g. 127 x 94 x 65 mm

Also known as EOS Digital Rebel XTi / EOS Kiss Digital X

Replaced Canon EOS 350D Compare

Nikon D3000 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-12-11

10MP - APS-C CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600 ( expands to 3200)

Nikon F Mount

3" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

3 fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

536g. 126 x 97 x 64 mm

Replaced Nikon D40 Compare

Canon 400D was replaced by Canon EOS 450D. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 450D vs Canon EOS 400D (EOS Digital Rebel XTi / EOS Kiss Digital X)
Canon EOS 450D vs Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000 was replaced by Nikon D3100. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D3000
Nikon D3100 vs Canon EOS 400D (EOS Digital Rebel XTi / EOS Kiss Digital X)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 400D over Nikon D3000

Low Light ISO	664 vs 563	better High ISO performance

Reasons to choose Nikon D3000 over Canon EOS 400D

Viewfinder Magnification	0.53x vs 0.5x	Larger Viewfinder
Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.5"	0.5 inches larger display
Weight	536 g vs 556 g	20 g lighter
Color Depth	22.3 vs 22.1	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	11.1 vs 11.0	higher dynamic range
Sensor Pixel Area	37.14µm² vs 32.60µm²	13% larger pixel area
Shutter Life Expectancy	100000 cycles vs 50000 cycles	Longer use without changing the shutter mechanism

Common Strengths of Canon EOS 400D and Nikon D3000

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality

Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 400D and Nikon D3000

In-body Image Stabilization	No vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Max Resolution	10 MP vs 10 MP	Less details and smaller prints
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Optical Viewfinder Type	Pentamirror vs Pentamirror	not as bright as Pentaprism Viewfinders
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)	No vs No	no option to fine tune Auto focus

Canon 400D vs Nikon D3000: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 400D has external dimensions of 127 x 94 x 65 mm (5 x 3.7 x 2.56″) and weighs 556 g (1.23 lb / 19.61 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D3000 has external dimensions of 126 x 97 x 64 mm (4.96 x 3.82 x 2.52″) and weighs 536 g (1.18 lb / 18.91 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 400D and Nikon D3000. Nikon D3000 is 1mm narrower and 1mm thinner than Canon 400D but it is also 3mm taller.

Comparison image of Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon 400D and Nikon D3000.

Top View Comparison image of Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon D3000 is 20g lighter than the Canon 400D but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 have the same APS-C sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

400D

D3000

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

400D

D3000

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon EOS 400D (EOS Digital Rebel XTi / EOS Kiss Digital X) nor Nikon D3000 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D3000's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon 400D's 2.5" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Canon 400D vs Nikon D3000: Sensor Comparison

Both Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 have APS-C sized 10.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the 400D and D3000 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 Cameras

As seen above, Nikon D3000 has a 1.1x Larger sensor area than Canon 400D. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores
At Camera Decision, we also look at Dxo Mark sensors when available as we think it is a good indicator of image quality.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Canon 400D	62	22.1 bits	11.0 Evs	664 ISO
Nikon D3000	62	22.3 bits	11.1 Evs	563 ISO

Canon 400D vs Nikon D3000 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Canon 400D has an advantage over Nikon D3000. There are 326 lenses for Canon 400D's Canon EF/EF-S mount, on the other hand there are only 309 lenses for Nikon D3000's Nikon F lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 112 lenses for Canon EF/EF-S mount and 106 lenses for Nikon F mount with IS.

Lens Type	# of Canon 400D Lenses	# of Nikon D3000 Lenses
Standard Zoom	40	33
Standard Prime	19	21
Wideangle Zoom	37	33
Wideangle Prime	49	48
Telephoto Zoom	58	53
Telephoto Prime	43	45
SuperZoom	28	30
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	7	8
Macro Prime	28	26
Perspective Control Prime	16	11
Telephoto Mirror Prime	1	1
TOTAL	326	309

Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM	25.5 - 82.5mm	645gr	1201gr	111mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF	25.5 - 82.5mm	755gr	1291gr	111mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM	75 - 225mm	1350gr	1906gr	198mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM	75 - 225mm	1350gr	1886gr	198mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM	45mm	435gr	991gr	63mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon 35mm f1.8G	52.5mm	210gr	746gr	53mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM	15 - 30mm	520gr	1076gr	88mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon 10-24mm f3-5-4.5G ED	15 - 36mm	460gr	996gr	87mm	Amazon B&H Photo

24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM	22.5 - 127.5mm	575gr	1131gr	88mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon DX 16-80mm F2.8-4E ED VR	24 - 120mm	480gr	1016gr	86mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM	100 - 400mm	1590gr	2146gr	193mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR	80 - 400mm	1570gr	2106gr	203mm	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon 400D for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D3000 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 400D for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D3000 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 400D for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon D3000 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
11 Focus Points
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon 400D for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D3000 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
556g
Body Thickness 65mm
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
536g
Body Thickness 64mm
Read the details

Canon 400D for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D3000 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Large APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Canon 400D vs Nikon D3000: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 400D and Nikon D3000, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon 400D and Nikon D3000 scores compare:

Canon 400D

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #71 out of 79 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #609 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Nikon D3000

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #65 out of 79 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #542 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Nikon D3000 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 400D in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Nikon D3000 vs Canon 400D Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon EOS 400D	Nikon D3000
Brand	Canon	Nikon
Announced	2006-10-14	2009-12-11
Body Type	Compact SLR	Compact SLR
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CCD
Size	APS-C	APS-C
Dimensions	22.2 x 14.8 mm	23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area	328.56mm²	372.88mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	10 megapixels
Max Resolution	3888 x 2592	3872 x 2592
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	3200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9	11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Canon EF/EF-S	Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses	326	309
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.5"	3"
Resolution	230k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentamirror)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.5x	0.53x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	12.00 m (ISO 100)	12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync	1/200s	1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	3.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	None	None
Video Formats	n/a	n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	556g	536g
Dimensions	127 x 94 x 65mm	126 x 97 x 64mm
Battery Life	n/a	500 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	62	62
DxO Color Depth	22.1	22.3
DxO Dynamic Range	11.0	11.1
DxO Low Light ISO	664	563
	Report a correction	Report a correction