Nikon L120 vs Olympus SP-100 Comparison

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Nikon L120

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

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Olympus SP-100

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

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Nikon L120 vs Olympus SP-100 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and SP-100, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon L120 has a 14.0 MP and Olympus SP-100 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Olympus SP-100 was launched in January 2014. As you can see, L120 is 3 years older than SP-100. 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 Olympus SP-100 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

Olympus SP-100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-01-29

16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 6400 ( expands to 12800)

24-1200 mm F2.9-6.5 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

920k dot Electronic viewfinder

7 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

594g. 122 x 91 x 133 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Olympus Stylus SP-100

LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/1700s	faster mechanical shutter
Weight	431 g vs 594 g	163 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.01µm² vs 1.76µm²	14% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Olympus Stylus SP-100 over Nikon Coolpix L120

Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 14 MP	14% more pixels
Continuous Shooting	7.0fps vs 1.0fps	6 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	1200mm vs 525mm	675 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	50× vs 21×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.90 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 Olympus Stylus SP-100

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 1200mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Olympus Stylus SP-100

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 6.50	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon L120 vs Olympus SP-100: 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 Olympus SP-100 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). Olympus SP-100 has external dimensions of 122 x 91 x 133 mm (4.8 x 3.6 x 5.25″) and weighs 594 g (1.31 lb / 20.95 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100. Nikon L120 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 12mm narrower, 14mm shorter and 55mm thinner than Olympus SP-100.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon L120 is significantly lighter (163g ) than the Olympus SP-100 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L120

SP-100

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L120

SP-100

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Olympus Stylus SP-100 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
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100'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 Olympus SP-100: 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, Olympus SP-100 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the L120 and SP-100 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100 Cameras

Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100 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 Olympus SP-100, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon L120 vs Olympus SP-100 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Olympus SP-100 features a 24-1200 mm F2.9-6.5 50× zoom lens.

Olympus SP-100 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon L120. At f2.90, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus SP-100 has 675mm longer telezoom reach than the Nikon L120. However, with a max aperture of f5.80, Nikon L120 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

SP-100

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120

SP-100

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120

SP-100

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120

SP-100

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Olympus SP-100 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

Olympus SP-100 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus SP-100 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-100 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1700s
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus SP-100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

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

50.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
594g
Body Thickness 133mm
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-100 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 Olympus SP-100: 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 Olympus SP-100, 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 Olympus SP-100 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

Olympus SP-100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #41 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #503 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Olympus SP-100 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon L120 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon L120. Otherwise, Olympus SP-100 is the better camera overall.

Olympus SP-100 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Olympus Stylus SP-100
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2011-02-09	2014-01-29
Body Type	Compact	SLR-like (bridge)
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	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	12800 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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-525 mm (21×)	24-1200 mm (50×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F2.9-6.5
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	920k dots
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/1700s
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	7.0 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	Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	431g	594g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	122 x 91 x 133mm
Battery Life	330 shots	330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction