Nikon L120 vs Nikon P7100 Comparison

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Nikon L120

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

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Nikon P7100

10 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD Sensor

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Nikon L120 vs Nikon P7100 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras by Nikon. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Nikon P7100 was launched in February 2012. There is 12 months difference between L120 and P7100 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger P7100, especially in sensor tech.

Nikon L120 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Nikon P7100 has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100 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

Nikon P7100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-02-20

10MP - 1/1.7-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)

28-200 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

Optical (tunnel) viewfinder

1.3 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

395g. 116 x 77 x 48 mm

Replaced Nikon Coolpix P7000 Compare

Nikon P7100 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix P7700. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix P7700 vs Nikon Coolpix P7100
Nikon Coolpix P7700 vs Nikon Coolpix L120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Nikon Coolpix P7100

Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 10 MP	39% more pixels
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 200mm	325 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	21× vs 7.1×	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P7100 over Nikon Coolpix L120

LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
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
Number of Focus Points	99 vs 9	90 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	1.3fps vs 1.0fps	0.3 fps faster
Battery Life	350 shots vs 330 shots	20 more frames with a single charge
Weight	395 g vs 431 g	36 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.10	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.60 vs 5.80	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	9.0m vs 6.0m	3m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	4.16µm² vs 2.01µm²	106% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Nikon Coolpix P7100

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 921k dots	High resolution screens
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 200mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Nikon Coolpix P7100

Continuous Shooting	1.0fps vs 1.3fps	Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

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Nikon L120 vs Nikon P7100: 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 Nikon P7100 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). Nikon P7100 has external dimensions of 116 x 77 x 48 mm (4.57 x 3.03 x 1.89″) and weighs 395 g (0.87 lb / 13.93 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P7100 is 36g lighter than the Nikon L120 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

P7100

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

P7100

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Nikon Coolpix P7100 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 Nikon P7100's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Nikon P7100 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 P7100.

Nikon L120 vs Nikon P7100: 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, Nikon P7100 has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Expeed C2 processor.

Below you can see the L120 and P7100 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100 Cameras

As seen above, Nikon P7100 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 Nikon P7100 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Nikon P7100 features a 28-200 mm F2.8-5.6 7.1× zoom lens.

Nikon L120 has 3mm wider coverage than the Nikon P7100. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Nikon P7100 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 325mm longer reach than the Nikon P7100. However, with a max aperture of f5.60, Nikon P7100 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

P7100

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120

P7100

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120

P7100

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120

P7100

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Nikon P7100 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

Nikon P7100 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
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon P7100 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
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
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

Nikon P7100 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 Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
99 Focus Points
200 mm Tele Lens
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.3fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P7100 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
7.1X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
395g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon P7100 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
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Nikon P7100: 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 Nikon P7100, 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 Nikon P7100 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

Nikon P7100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #12 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #309 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P7100 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 P7100 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Nikon Coolpix P7100
Brand	Nikon	Nikon
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-02-20
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
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	10 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	6400 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	99
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-525 mm (21×)	28-200 mm (7.1×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F2.8-5.6
Macro Focus Range	1cm	2cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	921k 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	9.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	1.3 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	431g	395g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	116 x 77 x 48mm
Battery Life	330 shots	350 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	41
DxO Color Depth	not tested	19.4
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	10.7
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	165
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