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Nikon L120 vs Nikon S9500 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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Nikon S9500

18 MP | 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Nikon S9500
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Nikon L120 vs Nikon S9500 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and S9500, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by Nikon. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon L120 has a 14.0 MP and Nikon S9500 has a 18.0 MP resolution. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Nikon S9500 was launched in January 2013. As you can see, L120 is 2 years older than S9500. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 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 S9500 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-29
  • 18MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 1600
  • 25-550 mm Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 7.5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 205g. 110 x 60 x 31 mm
  • Replaced Nikon Coolpix S9300 Compare

Nikon S9500 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix S9700. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix S9700 vs Nikon Coolpix S9500
Nikon Coolpix S9700 vs Nikon Coolpix L120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 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 S9500
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max ISO
6.400 vs 1.600 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 614k dots 50% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
330 shots vs 230 shots 100 more frames with a single charge


Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9500 over Nikon Coolpix L120
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 14 MP 28% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
99 vs 9 90 more focus points
Continuous Shooting
7.5fps vs 1.0fps 6.5 fps faster
Weight
205 g vs 431 g 226 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele
550mm vs 525mm 25 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
22× vs 21× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
vs 3.10 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
vs 5.80 faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Nikon Coolpix S9500
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
Focal Length - Tele
525mm vs 550mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Nikon Coolpix S9500
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
Manual Exposure
No vs No No manual exposure control
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon L120 vs Nikon S9500: 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 S9500 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 S9500 has external dimensions of 110 x 60 x 31 mm (4.33 x 2.36 x 1.22″) and weighs 205 g (0.45 lb / 7.23 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500.

Nikon L120 vs Nikon S9500 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500.

Nikon L120 vs Nikon S9500 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500.
Nikon L120 vs Nikon S9500 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S9500 is significantly lighter (226g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
S9500
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
S9500
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Nikon Coolpix S9500 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 S9500'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 Nikon S9500: 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 S9500 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.16 x 4.62 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the L120 and S9500 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Nikon S9500 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 Cameras


Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 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 Nikon S9500 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Nikon S9500 features a 25-550 mm 22× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f, Nikon S9500 is faster than Nikon L120 at this focal length. On the tele end, Nikon S9500 has 25mm longer reach than the Nikon L120. At f, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120
S9500
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120
S9500
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120
S9500
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120
S9500
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Nikon S9500 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 S9500 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 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

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon S9500 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
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
Fast Lens at Wide: f
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon S9500 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
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.5fps
99 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
550 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f
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
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
Poor Battery Life: 230 shots
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S9500 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
205g
22.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon S9500 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Built-in GPS
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Nikon S9500: 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 S9500, 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 S9500 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 S9500
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #325 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #970 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon L120 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon S9500 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
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Nikon S9500
Nikon S9500
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Nikon S9500 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Nikon Coolpix S9500
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2011-02-09 2013-01-29
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 6.16 x 4.62 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.46mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 18 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4896 x 3672
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 125 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×) 25-550 mm (22×)
Max Aperture F3.1-5.8 no lens
Macro Focus Range 1cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 614k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/1500s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 7.5 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 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 431g 205g
Dimensions 110 x 77 x 78mm 110 x 60 x 31mm
Battery Life 330 shots 230 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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