Nikon L120 vs Leica V-Lux 40 Comparison

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Nikon L120

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

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Leica V-Lux 40

14 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Nikon L120 vs Leica V-Lux 40 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and V-Lux 40, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Leica. Both Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 cameras have 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensors. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Leica V-Lux 40 was launched in May 2012. There is 15 months difference between L120 and V-Lux 40 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger V-Lux 40, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 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

Leica V-Lux 40 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-05-10

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in GPS

210g. 105 x 59 x 28 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Leica V-Lux 40

LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 461k dots	99% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life	330 shots vs 210 shots	120 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 480mm	45 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	21× vs 20�	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.10 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 6.40	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.01µm² vs 1.98µm²	1% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Leica V-Lux 40 over Nikon Coolpix L120

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 9	14 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 1.0fps	9 fps faster
Weight	210 g vs 431 g	221 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
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

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Leica V-Lux 40

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 480mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Leica V-Lux 40

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
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
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Nikon L120 vs Leica V-Lux 40: 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 Leica V-Lux 40 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). Leica V-Lux 40 has external dimensions of 105 x 59 x 28 mm (4.13 x 2.32 x 1.1″) and weighs 210 g (0.46 lb / 7.41 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40. Leica V-Lux 40 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 5mm narrower, 18mm shorter and 50mm thinner than Nikon L120.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica V-Lux 40 is significantly lighter (221g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

V-Lux 40

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

V-Lux 40

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Leica V-Lux 40 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 Leica V-Lux 40'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 Leica V-Lux 40: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 have 1/2.3-inch sized 14.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the L120 and V-Lux 40 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 Cameras

Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon L120 vs Leica V-Lux 40 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Leica V-Lux 40 features a 24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 20� zoom lens.

Leica V-Lux 40 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon L120. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.10, Nikon L120 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 45mm longer reach than the Leica V-Lux 40. At f5.80, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

V-Lux 40

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120

V-Lux 40

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120

V-Lux 40

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120

V-Lux 40

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Leica V-Lux 40 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

Leica V-Lux 40 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica V-Lux 40 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
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 40 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 Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
480 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 210 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Leica V-Lux 40 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
210g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 40 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 Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Leica V-Lux 40: 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 Leica V-Lux 40, 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 Leica V-Lux 40 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

Leica V-Lux 40

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #135 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #637 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Leica V-Lux 40 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L120 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Leica V-Lux 40 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Leica V-Lux 40
Brand	Nikon	Leica
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-05-10
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area	28.07mm²	27.72mm²
Megapixels	14 megapixels	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4320 x 3240
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 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	23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-525 mm (21×)	24-480 mm (20�)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range	1cm	3cm
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	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m	6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	10.0 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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	431g	210g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	105 x 59 x 28mm
Battery Life	330 shots	210 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction