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Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40 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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Panasonic LZ40

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

Panasonic LZ40
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Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and LZ40, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Panasonic LZ40 was launched in January 2014. As you can see, L120 is 3 years older than LZ40. 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 Panasonic LZ40 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
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 431g. 110 x 77 x 78 mm
  • Replaced Nikon Coolpix L110 Compare

Panasonic LZ40 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-01-06
  • 20MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 1600 ( expands to 6400)
  • 22-924 mm F3.0-6.5 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 524g. 126 x 87 x 94 mm
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40
Internal Storage
102 MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Max ISO
6.400 vs 1.600 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Resolution
921k dots vs 460k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
330 shots vs 320 shots 10 more frames with a single charge
Weight
431 g vs 524 g 93 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
5.80 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.01µm2 vs 1.41µm2 42% larger pixel area
CHECK L120 PRICE


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40 over Nikon Coolpix L120
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 14 MP 42% more pixels
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Wide
22mm vs 25mm 3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
924mm vs 525mm 399 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
42× vs 21× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.00 vs 3.10 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
10.8m vs 6.0m 4.8m longer range
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
CHECK LZ40 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40
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 924mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
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
Continuous Shooting
1.0fps vs 1.0fps Slow shooting speeds
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40: 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 LZ40 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 LZ40 has external dimensions of 126 x 87 x 94 mm (4.96 x 3.43 x 3.7″) and weighs 524 g (1.16 lb / 18.48 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40. Nikon L120 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 16mm narrower, 10mm shorter and 16mm thinner than Panasonic LZ40.

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40.
Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40 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 (93g ) than the Panasonic LZ40 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L120
LZ40
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L120
LZ40
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40 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 LZ40's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40: 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 LZ40 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Panasonic LZ40's sensor provides 6MP more than Nikon L120's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the L120 and LZ40 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40 Cameras


Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40 have the same 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 42% larger pixel area compared to Panasonic LZ40, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Panasonic LZ40 features a 22-924 mm F3.0-6.5 42× zoom lens.

Panasonic LZ40 has 3mm wider coverage than the Nikon L120. At f3.00, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic LZ40 has 399mm 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
LZ40
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120
LZ40
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120
LZ40
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

L120
LZ40
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Panasonic LZ40 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 LZ40 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: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
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
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic LZ40 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
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
22 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
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

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic LZ40 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
924 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic LZ40 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
42.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
524g
Body Thickness 94mm
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic LZ40 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: 20.0MP
Manual Exposure Mode
22 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic LZ40: 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 LZ40, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 LZ40 scores compare:

Nikon L120
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #218 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #836 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Panasonic LZ40
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #100 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #876 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Nikon L120 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic LZ40. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that L120 trails behind the LZ40: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Panasonic LZ40. If not, we recommend the Nikon L120.

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
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Panasonic LZ40
Panasonic LZ40
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Panasonic LZ40 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40
Brand Nikon Panasonic
Announced 2011-02-09 2014-01-06
Body Type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CCD CCD
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 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 5152 x 3864
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 1,600 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 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-525 mm (21×) 22-924 mm (42×)
Max Aperture F3.1-5.8 F3.0-6.5
Macro Focus Range 1cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 921k dots 460k 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
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m 10.80 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 1.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1280 x 720
Video Formats Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 431g 524g
Dimensions 110 x 77 x 78mm 126 x 87 x 94mm
Battery Life 330 shots 320 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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