Nikon AW120 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Comparison

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Nikon AW120

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Olympus XZ-2 iHS

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Nikon AW120 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon AW120, which was introduced in February 2014 is a Waterproof camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Olympus XZ-2 iHS, which was introduced in December 2012 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor. There is 14 months difference between AW120 and XZ-2 iHS so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger AW120, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon AW120 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-02-07

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 6400

24-120 mm F2.8-4.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

7 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

213g. 110 x 66 x 26 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Nikon Coolpix AW110 Compare

Olympus XZ-2 iHS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-12-18

12MP - 1/1.7-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800

28-112 mm F1.8-2.5 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

Unknown continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

346g. 113 x 65 x 48 mm

Nikon AW120 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix AW130. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix AW130 vs Nikon Coolpix AW120
Nikon Coolpix AW130 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix AW120 over Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected	Better connectivity
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life	350 shots vs 340 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
Weight	213 g vs 346 g	133 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	120mm vs 112mm	8 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	5x vs 4x	more flexible focal coverage
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Reasons to choose Olympus XZ-2 iHS over Nikon Coolpix AW120

LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 2.80	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.50 vs 4.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	8.6m vs 5.2m	3.4m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	3.52µm² vs 1.76µm²	100% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter	Yes vs No	Use larger aperture under strong light

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 920k dots	High resolution screens

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Nikon AW120 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: 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 Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon AW120 has external dimensions of 110 x 66 x 26 mm (4.33 x 2.6 x 1.02″) and weighs 213 g (0.47 lb / 7.51 oz) (including batteries). Olympus XZ-2 iHS has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 48 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 1.89″) and weighs 346 g (0.76 lb / 12.20 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS. Nikon AW120 is 3mm narrower and 22mm thinner than Olympus XZ-2 iHS but it is also 1mm taller.

Comparison image of Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon AW120 is significantly lighter (133g ) than the Olympus XZ-2 iHS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

AW120

XZ-2 iHS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

AW120

XZ-2 iHS

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Olympus XZ-2 iHS features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Nikon AW120 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to XZ-2 iHS.

Nikon AW120 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: Sensor Comparison

Nikon AW120 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Olympus XZ-2 iHS has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the AW120 and XZ-2 iHS sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Cameras

As seen above, Olympus XZ-2 iHS has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Nikon AW120. 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.

Nikon AW120 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon AW120 features a 24-120 mm F2.8-4.9 5x zoom lens whereas Olympus XZ-2 iHS features a 28-112 mm F1.8-2.5 4x zoom lens.

Nikon AW120 has 4mm wider coverage than the Olympus XZ-2 iHS. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Olympus XZ-2 iHS is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon AW120 has 8mm longer reach than the Olympus XZ-2 iHS. However, with a max aperture of f2.50, Olympus XZ-2 iHS is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

AW120

XZ-2 iHS

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

AW120

XZ-2 iHS

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

AW120

XZ-2 iHS

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

AW120

XZ-2 iHS

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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.

Nikon AW120 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon AW120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon AW120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Wireless Connection
120 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Unknown Focus Points
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
35 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
112 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon AW120 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
213g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
346g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details

Nikon AW120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Landscape Photography

POOR

24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon AW120 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: 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 Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS, 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 Nikon AW120 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS scores compare:

Nikon AW120

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #60 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #492 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #8 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #290 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Olympus XZ-2 iHS is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon AW120 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon AW120. Otherwise, Olympus XZ-2 iHS is the better camera overall.

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Nikon AW120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix AW120	Olympus XZ-2 iHS
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2014-02-07	2012-12-18
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/1.7-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area	28.07mm²	41.52mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	3968 x 2976
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	125 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	n/a	35
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-120 mm (5x)	28-112 mm (4x)
Max Aperture	F2.8-4.9	F1.8-2.5
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.20 m	8.60 m (ISO 800)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	7.0 fps	n/a
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	213g	346g
Dimensions	110 x 66 x 26mm	113 x 65 x 48mm
Battery Life	350 shots	340 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	49
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.4
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.3
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	216
	Report a correction	Report a correction