Nikon L120 vs Panasonic FZ60 Comparison

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Nikon L120

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

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Panasonic FZ60

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

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Nikon L120 vs Panasonic FZ60 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and FZ60, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon L120 has a 14.0 MP and Panasonic FZ60 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Panasonic FZ60 was launched in July 2012. There is 17 months difference between L120 and FZ60 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger FZ60, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 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

Panasonic FZ60 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-07-18

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)

25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

202k dot Electronic viewfinder

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

493g. 120 x 81 x 92 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-FZ62

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60

Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Weight	431 g vs 493 g	62 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area	2.01µm² vs 1.74µm²	15% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60 over Nikon Coolpix L120

Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 14 MP	14% more pixels
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 9	14 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 1.0fps	9 fps faster
Battery Life	450 shots vs 330 shots	120 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	600mm vs 525mm	75 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	24× vs 21×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.10	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.20 vs 5.80	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	13.5m vs 6.0m	7.5m longer range
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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60

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 600mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60

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

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic FZ60: 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 Panasonic FZ60 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). Panasonic FZ60 has external dimensions of 120 x 81 x 92 mm (4.72 x 3.19 x 3.62″) and weighs 493 g (1.09 lb / 17.39 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60. Nikon L120 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 14mm thinner than Panasonic FZ60.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon L120 is 62g lighter than the Panasonic FZ60 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L120

FZ60

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L120

FZ60

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60 (Lumix DMC-FZ62) 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 Panasonic FZ60'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 Panasonic FZ60: 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, Panasonic FZ60 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the L120 and FZ60 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 Cameras

Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 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 Panasonic FZ60 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Panasonic FZ60 features a 25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 24× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Panasonic FZ60 is faster than Nikon L120 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic FZ60 has 75mm longer reach than the Nikon L120. At f5.20, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

FZ60

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120

FZ60

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120

FZ60

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120

FZ60

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Panasonic FZ60 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

Panasonic FZ60 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 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic FZ60 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
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ60 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: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
600 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic FZ60 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

24.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
493g
Body Thickness 92mm
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ60 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
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic FZ60: 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 Panasonic FZ60, 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 Panasonic FZ60 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

Panasonic FZ60

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #60 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #604 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ60 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L120 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Panasonic FZ60 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-07-18
Body Type	Compact	SLR-like (bridge)
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	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4608 x 3456
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	23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-525 mm (21×)	25-600 mm (24×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F2.8-5.2
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	202k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	100%
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	13.50 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	493g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	120 x 81 x 92mm
Battery Life	330 shots	450 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction