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Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4 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 TS4

12 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

Panasonic TS4
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Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon L120, which was introduced in February 2011 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Panasonic TS4, which was introduced in January 2012 is a Waterproof camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. There is 12 months difference between L120 and TS4 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger TS4, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 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 TS4 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-01-31
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 28-128 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fixed Type Screen
  • 4 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in GPS
  • 197g. 103 x 64 x 27 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-FT4
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 Compare

Panasonic TS4 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4 (Lumix DMC-FT4)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 vs Nikon Coolpix L120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 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-TS4
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
14 MP vs 12 MP 16% more pixels
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/1300s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
330 shots vs 310 shots 20 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 28mm 3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
525mm vs 128mm 397 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
21× vs 4.6× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.10 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
5.80 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
6.0m vs 5.6m 0.4m longer range


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4 over Nikon Coolpix L120
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Number of Focus Points
23 vs 9 14 more focus points
Continuous Shooting
4.0fps vs 1.0fps 3 fps faster
Weight
197 g vs 431 g 234 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4
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
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4
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
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" Small display
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
Max Aperture - Tele
5.80 vs 5.90 Slow lenses at tele
Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4: 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 TS4 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 TS4 has external dimensions of 103 x 64 x 27 mm (4.06 x 2.52 x 1.06″) and weighs 197 g (0.43 lb / 6.95 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4. Panasonic TS4 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 51mm thinner than Nikon L120.

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4.

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4.
Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic TS4 is significantly lighter (234g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

L120
TS4
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

L120
TS4
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon L120's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic TS4's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4: 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 TS4 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine FHD processor.

Below you can see the L120 and TS4 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 Cameras


Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 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 TS4 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Panasonic TS4 features a 28-128 mm F3.3-5.9 4.6× zoom lens.

Nikon L120 has 3mm wider coverage than the Panasonic TS4. At f3.10, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 397mm longer reach than the Panasonic TS4. At f5.80, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120
TS4
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120
TS4
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120
TS4
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120
TS4
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Panasonic TS4 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 TS4 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
Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic TS4 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
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic TS4 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
Environmental Sealings
23 Focus Points
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
128 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1300s
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic TS4 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
197g
Environmental Sealings
4.6X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic TS4 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 Exposure Mode
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic TS4: 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 TS4, 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 TS4 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 TS4
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #116 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #599 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic TS4 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L120 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
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Panasonic TS4
Panasonic TS4
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Panasonic TS4 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4
Brand Nikon Panasonic
Announced 2011-02-09 2012-01-31
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD CCD
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 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 6,400 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×) 28-128 mm (4.6×)
Max Aperture F3.1-5.8 F3.3-5.9
Macro Focus Range 1cm 5cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 2.7"
Resolution 921k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/1300s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m 5.60 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 4.0 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 197g
Dimensions 110 x 77 x 78mm 103 x 64 x 27mm
Battery Life 330 shots 310 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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