Nikon L120 vs Casio EX-ZR1000 Comparison

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Nikon L120

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

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Casio EX-ZR1000

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

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Nikon L120 vs Casio EX-ZR1000 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and EX-ZR1000, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Casio. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon L120 has a 14.0 MP and Casio EX-ZR1000 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Casio EX-ZR1000 was launched in September 2012. There is 20 months difference between L120 and EX-ZR1000 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger EX-ZR1000, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 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

Casio EX-ZR1000 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-09-25

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

24-300 mm F3.0-5.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

3 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

1000fps High-Speed Video

255g. 108 x 62 x 37 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Casio Exilim EX-ZR1000

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 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 300mm	225 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	21× vs 12.5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	6.0m vs 4.7m	1.3m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.01µm² vs 1.76µm²	14% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Casio Exilim EX-ZR1000 over Nikon Coolpix L120

LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 14 MP	14% more pixels
Continuous Shooting	3.0fps vs 1.0fps	2 fps faster
Battery Life	470 shots vs 330 shots	140 more frames with a single charge
Weight	255 g vs 431 g	176 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.00 vs 3.10	faster lens at wide
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Casio Exilim EX-ZR1000

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift 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
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 300mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Casio Exilim EX-ZR1000

External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 5.90	Slow lenses at tele

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Nikon L120 vs Casio EX-ZR1000: 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 Casio EX-ZR1000 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). Casio EX-ZR1000 has external dimensions of 108 x 62 x 37 mm (4.25 x 2.44 x 1.46″) and weighs 255 g (0.56 lb / 8.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000. Casio EX-ZR1000 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 2mm narrower, 15mm shorter and 41mm thinner than Nikon L120.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Casio EX-ZR1000 is significantly lighter (176g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

EX-ZR1000

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

EX-ZR1000

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Casio Exilim EX-ZR1000 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 Casio EX-ZR1000's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Casio EX-ZR1000 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 L120 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to EX-ZR1000.

Nikon L120 vs Casio EX-ZR1000: 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, Casio EX-ZR1000 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features EXILIM Engine HS 3 processor.

Below you can see the L120 and EX-ZR1000 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 Cameras

Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 have 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 Nikon L120 has 14% larger pixel area compared to Casio EX-ZR1000, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon L120 vs Casio EX-ZR1000 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Casio EX-ZR1000 features a 24-300 mm F3.0-5.9 12.5× zoom lens.

Casio EX-ZR1000 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon L120. At f3.00, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 225mm longer reach than the Casio EX-ZR1000. At f5.80, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

EX-ZR1000

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120

EX-ZR1000

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120

EX-ZR1000

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120

EX-ZR1000

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Casio EX-ZR1000 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

Casio EX-ZR1000 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Casio EX-ZR1000 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
Tilting LCD Screen
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
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Casio EX-ZR1000 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
300 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Casio EX-ZR1000 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
255g
12.5X 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

Casio EX-ZR1000 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
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Casio EX-ZR1000: 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 Casio EX-ZR1000, 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 Casio EX-ZR1000 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

Casio EX-ZR1000

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #85 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #542 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Casio EX-ZR1000 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L120 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Casio EX-ZR1000 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Casio Exilim EX-ZR1000
Brand	Nikon	Casio
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-09-25
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	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	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-525 mm (21×)	24-300 mm (12.5×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F3.0-5.9
Macro Focus Range	1cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m	4.70 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	3.0 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	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	431g	255g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	108 x 62 x 37mm
Battery Life	330 shots	470 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction