Nikon L120 vs Panasonic ZS40 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 ZS40

18 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Nikon L120 vs Panasonic ZS40 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and ZS40, 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 ZS40 has a 18.0 MP resolution. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Panasonic ZS40 was launched in January 2014. As you can see, L120 is 3 years older than ZS40. 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 ZS40 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 ZS40 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-01-06

18MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)

24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

200k dot Electronic viewfinder

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

240g. 111 x 64 x 34 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ60

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 Compare

Panasonic ZS40 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 (Lumix DMC-TZ60)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 vs Nikon Coolpix L120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40 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-ZS40

Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life	330 shots vs 300 shots	30 more frames with a single charge
Max Aperture - Wide	3.10 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 6.40	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.01µm² vs 1.56µm²	28% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 over Nikon Coolpix L120

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution	18 MP vs 14 MP	28% more pixels
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 9	14 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 1.0fps	9 fps faster
Weight	240 g vs 431 g	191 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	720mm vs 525mm	195 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	30× vs 21×	more flexible focal coverage
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
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40

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
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 920k dots	High resolution screens
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 720mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 6.40	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic ZS40: 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 ZS40 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 ZS40 has external dimensions of 111 x 64 x 34 mm (4.37 x 2.52 x 1.34″) and weighs 240 g (0.53 lb / 8.47 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40. Panasonic ZS40 is 13mm shorter and 44mm thinner than Nikon L120 but it is also 1mm wider.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS40 is significantly lighter (191g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

ZS40

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

ZS40

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 (Lumix DMC-TZ60) 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 Panasonic ZS40'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 ZS40: 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 ZS40 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the L120 and ZS40 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40 Cameras

Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40 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 28% larger pixel area compared to Panasonic ZS40, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic ZS40 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS40 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30× zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS40 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon L120. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.10, Nikon L120 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS40 has 195mm 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

ZS40

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120

ZS40

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120

ZS40

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120

ZS40

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Panasonic ZS40 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 ZS40 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

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS40 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

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
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS40 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
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS40 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

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
240g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS40 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Panasonic ZS40: 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 ZS40, 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 ZS40 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 ZS40

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #34 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #413 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS40 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon L120 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Panasonic ZS40 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2011-02-09	2014-01-06
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	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	18 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4896 x 3672
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×)	24-720 mm (30×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range	1cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	200k 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	6.40 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	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	431g	240g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	111 x 64 x 34mm
Battery Life	330 shots	300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction