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Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60 Comparison

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Nikon AW120

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

Nikon AW120
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Panasonic ZS60

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

Panasonic ZS60
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Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60 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 Panasonic ZS60, which was introduced in January 2016 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. There is 23 months difference between AW120 and ZS60 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger ZS60, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 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

Panasonic ZS60 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-01-05
  • 18MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)
  • 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 282g. 112 x 64 x 38 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ80
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Compare

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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 (Lumix DMC-TZ80)

Panasonic ZS60 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 (Lumix DMC-TZ80)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70 vs Nikon Coolpix AW120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix AW120 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
350 shots vs 320 shots 30 more frames with a single charge
Weight
213 g vs 282 g 69 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 6.40 faster lens at tele


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 over Nikon Coolpix AW120
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 16 MP 12% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 7.0fps 3 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Tele
720mm vs 120mm 600 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
30x vs 5x more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Post Focus Mode
Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix AW120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical 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 1.040k dots High resolution screens
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 24mm Very good wide angle coverage
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix AW120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60: 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 Panasonic ZS60 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). Panasonic ZS60 has external dimensions of 112 x 64 x 38 mm (4.41 x 2.52 x 1.5″) and weighs 282 g (0.62 lb / 9.95 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60. Nikon AW120 is 2mm narrower and 12mm thinner than Panasonic ZS60 but it is also 2mm taller.

Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60.

Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60.
Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 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 (69g ) than the Panasonic ZS60 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

AW120
ZS60
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

AW120
ZS60
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60: 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, Panasonic ZS60 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the AW120 and ZS60 sensor size comparison.

Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 Cameras


Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon AW120 features a 24-120 mm F2.8-4.9 5x zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS60 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30x zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 24mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Nikon AW120 is faster than Panasonic ZS60 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS60 has 600mm longer telezoom reach than the Nikon AW120. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Nikon AW120 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

AW120
ZS60
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

AW120
ZS60
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

AW120
ZS60
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

AW120
ZS60
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon AW120 and Panasonic ZS60 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

Panasonic ZS60 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon AW120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS60 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon AW120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS60 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Nikon AW120 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS60 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
282g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon AW120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS60 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon AW120 vs Panasonic ZS60: 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 Panasonic ZS60, 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 Panasonic ZS60 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
Panasonic ZS60
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #272 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS60 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, Panasonic ZS60 is the better camera overall.

Nikon AW120
Nikon AW120
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Panasonic ZS60
Panasonic ZS60
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Panasonic ZS60 vs Nikon AW120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix AW120 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60
Brand Nikon Panasonic
Announced 2014-02-07 2016-01-05
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 18 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4896 x 3672
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 6400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 80 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 49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-120 mm (5x) 24-720 mm (30x)
Max Aperture F2.8-4.9 F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range 1cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter n/a 1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.20 m 5.60 m (at Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 213g 282g
Dimensions 110 x 66 x 26mm 112 x 64 x 38mm
Battery Life 350 shots 320 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 37
DxO Color Depth not tested 19.3
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 10.6
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 109
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