CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
  • LENSES
  • TOOLS
    • Smart Find
    • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Size Comparison
  • BRANDS
    • Sony Cameras
    • Canon Cameras
    • Nikon Cameras
    • Pentax Cameras
    • Fujifilm Cameras
    • Olympus Cameras
    • Panasonic Cameras
    • Leica Cameras
    • Samsung Cameras
  • BODY TYPE
    • Mirrorless Cameras
    • DSLR Cameras
    • Compact Cameras
    • Bridge Cameras
    • Waterproof Cameras

Nikon L120 vs Canon SX240 HS Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Nikon L120

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

Nikon L120
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Canon SX240 HS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Canon SX240 HS
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Nikon L120 vs Canon SX240 HS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and SX240 HS, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Canon. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon L120 has a 14.0 MP and Canon SX240 HS has a 12.0 MP resolution. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Canon SX240 HS was launched in February 2012. There is 12 months difference between L120 and SX240 HS so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger SX240 HS, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS 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 SX240 HS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-02-07
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 25-500 mm F3.5-6.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • 224g. 106 x 61 x 33 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Compare

Canon SX240 HS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX260 HS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS vs Nikon Coolpix L120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS 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 SX240 HS
Max Sensor Resolution
14 MP vs 12 MP 16% more pixels
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 461k dots 99% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/3200s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
330 shots vs 230 shots 100 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele
525mm vs 500mm 25 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
21× vs 20× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.10 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
5.80 vs 6.80 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
6.0m vs 3.5m 2.5m longer range


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX240 HS over Nikon Coolpix L120
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Continuous Shooting
2.0fps vs 1.0fps 1 fps faster
Weight
224 g vs 431 g 207 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
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
Focal Length - Tele
525mm vs 500mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Viewfinder
None vs None No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
Continuous Shooting
1.0fps vs 2.0fps Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
5.80 vs 6.80 Slow lenses at tele
Nikon L120 vs Canon SX240 HS: 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 SX240 HS 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 SX240 HS has external dimensions of 106 x 61 x 33 mm (4.17 x 2.4 x 1.3″) and weighs 224 g (0.49 lb / 7.90 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS. Canon SX240 HS is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 4mm narrower, 16mm shorter and 45mm thinner than Nikon L120.

Nikon L120 vs Canon SX240 HS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS.
Nikon L120 vs Canon SX240 HS Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon SX240 HS is significantly lighter (207g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
SX240 HS
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
SX240 HS
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Canon PowerShot SX240 HS 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 SX240 HS'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 SX240 HS: 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 SX240 HS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Digic 5 processor.

Below you can see the L120 and SX240 HS sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Canon SX240 HS Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS Cameras


Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS 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 L120 vs Canon SX240 HS Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Canon SX240 HS features a 25-500 mm F3.5-6.8 20× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.10, Nikon L120 is faster than Canon SX240 HS at this focal length. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 25mm longer reach than the Canon SX240 HS. At f5.80, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120
SX240 HS
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120
SX240 HS
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120
SX240 HS
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120
SX240 HS
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Canon SX240 HS 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 SX240 HS for Portrait Photography

POOR
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
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon SX240 HS for Street Photography

GOOD
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
Manual Focus Mode
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
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon SX240 HS 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
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
500 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 230 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.80
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon SX240 HS 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
Compact Body
224g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon SX240 HS 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
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Canon SX240 HS: 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 SX240 HS, 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 SX240 HS 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 SX240 HS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #111 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #589 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon SX240 HS has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L120. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that SX240 HS trails behind the L120: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Nikon L120. If not, we recommend the Canon SX240 HS.

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Canon SX240 HS
Canon SX240 HS
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Canon SX240 HS vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Brand Nikon Canon
Announced 2011-02-09 2012-02-07
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD BSI-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 14 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 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 9 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-525 mm (21×) 25-500 mm (20×)
Max Aperture F3.1-5.8 F3.5-6.8
Macro Focus Range 1cm 5cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/3200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m 3.50 m
Max Flash Sync n/a s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 2.0 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 H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 431g 224g
Dimensions 110 x 77 x 78mm 106 x 61 x 33mm
Battery Life 330 shots 230 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
Report a correction Report a correction


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Nikon Z7
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Sony A6000
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7 III
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Fujifilm X-T3
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R
30 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Sony A6400
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Sony E Mount
Nikon D5600
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Nikon F Mount
Nikon D850
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon F Mount
Top Rated Compact Cameras
Top Cameras Under $200
Top Compact Cameras Under $500
Top Compact Cameras Under $750
Top Compact Cameras Under $1000
Latest Cameras
Fujifilm GFX 100S
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Fujifilm X-E4
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Sony a1
50 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Leica SL2-S
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Leica Q2 Monochrom
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm
Fujifilm X-S10
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Nikon Z7 II
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Nikon Z6 II
25 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Copyright © 2021 by CameraDecision
About Feedback Privacy Cameras

Report a Correction