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Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison

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Nikon AW130

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

Nikon AW130
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Panasonic ZS50

12 MP | 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

Panasonic ZS50
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Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon AW130, which was introduced in February 2015 is a Waterproof camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3' sensor whereas Panasonic ZS50, which was introduced in January 2015 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3 sensor. There is only 1 months difference between AW130 and ZS50 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon AW130 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-02-10
  • 16MP - 1/2.3' CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • 24-120 mm F2.8-4.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 221g. 110 x 66 x 27 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon Coolpix AW120 Compare

Panasonic ZS50 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-01-06
  • 12MP - 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 243g. 111 x 65 x 34 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ70
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 Compare

Panasonic ZS50 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 vs Nikon Coolpix AW130

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix AW130 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
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
370 shots vs 300 shots 70 more frames with a single charge
Weight
221 g vs 243 g 22 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
CHECK AW130 PRICE


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 over Nikon Coolpix AW130
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
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
Focal Length - Tele
720mm vs 120mm 600 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
30x vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage
6.4m vs 5.2m 1.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
2.34µm2 vs 1.76µm2 32% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
CHECK ZS50 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix AW130 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
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
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
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 AW130 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50: 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 AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon AW130 has external dimensions of 110 x 66 x 27 mm (4.33 x 2.6 x 1.06″) and weighs 221 g (0.49 lb / 7.80 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic ZS50 has external dimensions of 111 x 65 x 34 mm (4.37 x 2.56 x 1.34″) and weighs 243 g (0.54 lb / 8.57 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50. Nikon AW130 is 1mm narrower and 7mm thinner than Panasonic ZS50 but it is also 1mm taller.

Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50.

Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50.
Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon AW130 is 22g lighter than the Panasonic ZS50 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

AW130
ZS50
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

AW130
ZS50
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that AW130 has a big advantage over ZS50 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50: Sensor Comparison

Nikon AW130 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic ZS50 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the AW130 and ZS50 sensor size comparison.

Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 Cameras


Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Panasonic ZS50 has 32% larger pixel area (2.34µm2 vs 1.76µm2) compared to Nikon AW130, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon AW130 features a 24-120 mm F2.8-4.9 5× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS50 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 AW130 is faster than Panasonic ZS50 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS50 has 600mm longer telezoom reach than the Nikon AW130. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Nikon AW130 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

AW130
ZS50
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

AW130
ZS50
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

AW130
ZS50
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

AW130
ZS50
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 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 AW130 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon AW130 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS50 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 sensor
Read the details

Nikon AW130 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 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
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
23 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 AW130 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS50 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
221g
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
243g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Nikon AW130 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 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
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS50: 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 AW130 and Panasonic ZS50, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 AW130 and Panasonic ZS50 scores compare:

Nikon AW130
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #156 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #715 out of 1243 in all Cameras
Panasonic ZS50
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #20 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #350 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS50 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon AW130 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon AW130. Otherwise, Panasonic ZS50 is the better camera overall.

Nikon AW130
Nikon AW130
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Panasonic ZS50
Panasonic ZS50
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Panasonic ZS50 vs Nikon AW130 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix AW130 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Brand Nikon Panasonic
Announced 2015-02-10 2015-01-06
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3' 1/2.3
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 6,400 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 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-120 mm (5×) 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 3.00" 3.00"
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
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.20 m (at Auto ISO) 6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
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 221g 243g
Dimensions 110 x 66 x 27mm 111 x 65 x 34mm
Battery Life 370 shots 300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 44
DxO Color Depth not tested 20.0
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.2
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 138
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