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Nikon L120 vs Samsung Galaxy NX 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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Samsung Galaxy NX

20 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

Samsung Galaxy NX
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Nikon L120 vs Samsung Galaxy NX 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 Samsung Galaxy NX, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, L120 is 2 years older than Galaxy NX. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX 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 Galaxy NX Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-20
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Samsung NX Mount
  • 4.8" Fixed Type Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 9 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 495g. 137 x 101 x 26 mm

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

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Samsung Galaxy NX
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Weight
431 g vs 495 g 64 g lighter


Reasons to choose Samsung Galaxy NX over Nikon Coolpix L120
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
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
20 MP vs 14 MP 42% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
4.8" vs 3" 1.8 inches larger display
Max Mech. Shutter
1/6000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
9.0fps vs 1.0fps 8 fps faster
Battery Life
440 shots vs 330 shots 110 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Sensor Pixel Area
18.48µm2 vs 2.01µm2 819% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 4.8" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 922k dots High resolution screens
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Nikon L120 vs Samsung Galaxy NX: 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 Galaxy NX 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 Galaxy NX has external dimensions of 137 x 101 x 26 mm (5.39 x 3.98 x 1.02″) and weighs 495 g (1.09 lb / 17.46 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX. Nikon L120 is 27mm narrower and 24mm shorter than Samsung Galaxy NX but it is also 52mm thicker. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon L120 has a built-in lens but Samsung Galaxy NX doesn't. Once you put a lens on Galaxy NX, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon L120 vs Samsung Galaxy NX Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

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

Nikon L120 vs Samsung Galaxy NX Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX Size and Weight - Back View

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

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon L120 is 64g lighter than the Samsung Galaxy NX but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on Galaxy NX, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Samsung Galaxy NX 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 Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Samsung Galaxy NX's 4.8" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon L120's 3" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon L120 vs Samsung Galaxy NX: 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 Galaxy NX has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DRIMe IV processor.

Samsung Galaxy NX'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 Galaxy NX sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Samsung Galaxy NX Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX Cameras


As seen above, Samsung Galaxy NX has a 13.1x 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.

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Samsung Galaxy NX 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 Galaxy NX 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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Samsung Galaxy NX 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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Samsung Galaxy NX for Sports Photography

GOOD
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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/6000s
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung Galaxy NX 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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
495g
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Samsung Galaxy NX for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
Built-in GPS
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Samsung Galaxy NX: 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 Galaxy NX, 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 Galaxy NX 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 Galaxy NX
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #71 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #193 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Samsung Galaxy NX 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

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
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Samsung Galaxy NX
Samsung Galaxy NX
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Samsung Galaxy NX vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Samsung Galaxy NX
Brand Nikon Samsung
Announced 2011-02-09 2013-06-20
Body Type Compact SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch APS-C
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 23.5 x 15.7 mm
Area 28.07mm2 368.95mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 25,600 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 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Samsung NX
Lens Focal Range 25-525 mm (21×) no lens
Max Aperture F3.1-5.8 no lens
Macro Focus Range 1cm no lens
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 4.8"
Resolution 921k dots 922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/6000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m n/a
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 9.0 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, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 431g 495g
Dimensions 110 x 77 x 78mm 137 x 101 x 26mm
Battery Life 330 shots 440 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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