Nikon L120 vs Samsung EX2F Comparison

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Nikon L120

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

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Samsung EX2F

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Nikon L120 vs Samsung EX2F Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Samsung. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Samsung EX2F was launched in December 2012. There is 22 months difference between L120 and EX2F so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger EX2F, especially in sensor tech.

Nikon L120 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Samsung EX2F has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F 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

Samsung EX2F Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-12-18

12MP - 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

24-80 mm F1.4-2.7 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fully Articulated Screen

Unknown continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

294g. 112 x 62 x 29 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Samsung EX2F

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/s	faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 80mm	445 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	21× vs 3.3×	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Samsung EX2F over Nikon Coolpix L120

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
LCD Screen	Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Weight	294 g vs 431 g	137 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.40 vs 3.10	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.70 vs 5.80	faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Samsung EX2F

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
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 0k dots	High resolution screens

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Samsung EX2F

Continuous Shooting	1.0fps vs fps	Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR

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Nikon L120 vs Samsung EX2F: 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 Samsung EX2F 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). Samsung EX2F has external dimensions of 112 x 62 x 29 mm (4.41 x 2.44 x 1.14″) and weighs 294 g (0.65 lb / 10.37 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F. Samsung EX2F is 15mm shorter and 49mm thinner than Nikon L120 but it is also 2mm wider.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Samsung EX2F is significantly lighter (137g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

EX2F

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

EX2F

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Samsung EX2F 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 Samsung EX2F's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Samsung EX2F sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Nikon L120's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to EX2F.

Nikon L120 vs Samsung EX2F: 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, Samsung EX2F has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the L120 and EX2F sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F Cameras

As seen above, Samsung EX2F has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Nikon L120. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Nikon L120 vs Samsung EX2F Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Samsung EX2F features a 24-80 mm F1.4-2.7 3.3× zoom lens.

Samsung EX2F has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon L120. At f1.40, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 445mm longer reach than the Samsung EX2F. However, with a max aperture of f2.70, Samsung EX2F is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

EX2F

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120

EX2F

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120

EX2F

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120

EX2F

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Samsung EX2F 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

Samsung EX2F 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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Samsung EX2F 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
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.40
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Samsung EX2F 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
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/s
Unknown Focus Points
80 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung EX2F 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
294g
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
3.3X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Samsung EX2F 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: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Samsung EX2F: 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 Samsung EX2F, 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 Samsung EX2F 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

Samsung EX2F

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #37 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #423 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Samsung EX2F 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

Samsung EX2F vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Samsung EX2F
Brand	Nikon	Samsung
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-12-18
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/1.7-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area	28.07mm²	41.52mm²
Megapixels	14 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4000x3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	80 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×)	24-80 mm (3.3×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F1.4-2.7
Macro Focus Range	1cm	n/a
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fully Articulated
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	0k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	n/a
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	n/a
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	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	431g	294g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	112 x 62 x 29mm
Battery Life	330 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	48
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.0
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.5
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	209
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