Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon D5100, which was introduced in April 2011 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Fujifilm X-E1, which was introduced in February 2013 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor. There is 22 months difference between D5100 and X-E1 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger X-E1, especially in sensor tech.
Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.
Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon D5100 and Fujifilm X-E1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.
Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D5100 and Fujifilm X-E1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.