Canon Rebel T3i 18 mp or Nikon d3100?

I'm looking to make music videos and photography… These are my two picks… Which one you think is better overall for video and photography?

I don't know why you picked those two cameras

The Nikon camera that is in direct competition with the T3i/600D is the Nikon D3200

Since the number of pixels used when shooting video (HD -- .9 mp and Full HD -- 2.1 mp), how many pixels on the cameras sensor is not a concern

If you intend to shoot amazing still images, then the D3200 sensor performs the best of the cameras mentioned in my answer

Canon Rebel T3i 18 mp is better for video and photography.

The image sensor in the Nikon D3100 is a superior Sony Exmor type. It beats that Canon sensor in all areas. In my opinion, the image sensor is the most important part of a camera.

But this ultimately is going to be your camera, both have similar image quality for video and stills in good light, but in low light the Nikon will pull ahead.

ignore pixel counts.

So it's down to the features of each camera and the price. And ignore the one photographer that keeps telling everyone that the Nikon D3200 has the best image quality. He does not know how to read DxOmark.com data. When looking at the real results, the 'screen' numbers, and not the print numbers, the image sensor in the D3200 falls down to just average.

Take a few minutes to look at Sony's A37 before you pull the trigger, that camera can do some things that no Canon or Nikon can at any price. Best of luck.

Rebel T3i. It's excellent for both photo and video. I have a T2i and I've used it for both music videos and photography. Since the T3i is basically an upgrade of the T2i, it would be my recommendation.