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Nikon L120 vs Canon G16 Comparison

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Nikon L120

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Nikon L120
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Canon G16

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

Canon G16
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Nikon L120 vs Canon G16 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Canon. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Canon G16 was launched in November 2013. As you can see, L120 is 2 years older than G16. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Nikon L120 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Canon G16 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Canon G16 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon L120 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-02-09
  • 14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 431g. 110 x 77 x 78 mm
  • Replaced Nikon Coolpix L110 Compare

Canon G16 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-11-25
  • 12MP - 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • 28-140 mm F1.8-2.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (tunnel) viewfinder
  • 12 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 356g. 109 x 76 x 40 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot G15 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Canon G16 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Canon PowerShot G16
Max Sensor Resolution
14 MP vs 12 MP 16% more pixels
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 28mm 3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
525mm vs 140mm 385 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
21× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G16 over Nikon Coolpix L120
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max ISO
12.800 vs 6.400 100% higher Max ISO
Continuous Shooting
12.0fps vs 1.0fps 11 fps faster
Battery Life
360 shots vs 330 shots 30 more frames with a single charge
Weight
356 g vs 431 g 75 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs 3.10 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.80 vs 5.80 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
7.0m vs 6.0m 1m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
3.46µm2 vs 2.01µm2 72% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Canon PowerShot G16
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift 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 922k dots High resolution screens
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Canon PowerShot G16
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon L120 vs Canon G16: 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 L120 and Canon G16 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon L120 has external dimensions of 110 x 77 x 78 mm (4.33 x 3.03 x 3.07″) and weighs 431 g (0.95 lb / 15.20 oz) (including batteries). Canon G16 has external dimensions of 109 x 76 x 40 mm (4.29 x 2.99 x 1.57″) and weighs 356 g (0.78 lb / 12.56 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Canon G16. Canon G16 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 1mm narrower, 1mm shorter and 38mm thinner than Nikon L120.

Nikon L120 vs Canon G16 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Canon G16 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Canon G16.

Nikon L120 vs Canon G16 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Canon G16 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Canon G16.
Nikon L120 vs Canon G16 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Canon G16 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon G16 is significantly lighter (75g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
G16
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
G16
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Canon PowerShot G16 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon L120 and Canon G16'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 L120 vs Canon G16: Sensor Comparison

Nikon L120 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Canon G16 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Digic 6 processor.

Below you can see the L120 and G16 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Canon G16 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Canon G16 Cameras


As seen above, Canon G16 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Nikon L120. 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 L120 vs Canon G16 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Canon G16 features a 28-140 mm F1.8-2.8 5× zoom lens.

Nikon L120 has 3mm wider coverage than the Canon G16. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Canon G16 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 385mm longer reach than the Canon G16. However, with a max aperture of f2.80, Canon G16 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120
G16
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120
G16
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120
G16
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120
G16
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Canon G16 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Canon G16 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 L120 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon G16 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon G16 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 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
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon G16 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
525 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
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Wireless Connection
Fast Lens at Tele: f2.80
140 mm Tele Lens
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon G16 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
21.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
431g
Body Thickness 78mm
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
356g
Body Thickness 40mm
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon G16 for Landscape Photography

POOR
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
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 L120 vs Canon G16: 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 L120 and Canon G16, 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 L120 and Canon G16 scores compare:

Nikon L120
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #216 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #792 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Canon G16
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #7 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #274 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon G16 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon L120 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
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Canon G16
Canon G16
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Canon G16 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Canon PowerShot G16
Brand Nikon Canon
Announced 2011-02-09 2013-11-25
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD BSI-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 14 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 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 9 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-525 mm (21×) 28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture F3.1-5.8 F1.8-2.8
Macro Focus Range 1cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (tunnel)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 80%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m 7.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 12.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 431g 356g
Dimensions 110 x 77 x 78mm 109 x 76 x 40mm
Battery Life 330 shots 360 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 54
DxO Color Depth not tested 21.0
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.7
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 230
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