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Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill 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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Sigma DP1 Merrill

15 MP | APS-C (24 x 16 mm) CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor

Sigma DP1 Merrill
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Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing L120 and DP1 Merrill, two Compact cameras from Nikon and Sigma. Nikon Coolpix L120 is a Small Sensor Superzoom class camera and Sigma DP1 Merrill is a Large Sensor Compact class camera.

Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Sigma DP1 Merrill was launched in February 2012. There is 12 months difference between L120 and DP1 Merrill so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger DP1 Merrill, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill 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

Sigma DP1 Merrill Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-02-08
  • 15MP - APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Mount
  • " Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • - 640 x 480 video resolution
  • 330g. 122 x 67 x 64 mm

Sigma DP1 Merrill was replaced by Sigma DP2 Merrill. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Sigma DP1 Merrill
Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Nikon Coolpix L120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Sigma DP1 Merrill
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Internal Storage
102 MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 3 inches larger display
Focal Length - Tele
525mm vs mm 525 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
21× vs more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution
1280 x 720 vs 640 x 480 Higher Resolution Video
CHECK L120 PRICE


Reasons to choose Sigma DP1 Merrill over Nikon Coolpix L120
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Sensor Resolution
15 MP vs 14 MP 7% more pixels
Weight
330 g vs 431 g 101 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
mm vs 25mm 25 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.10 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.80 vs 5.80 faster lens at tele
CHECK DP1 Merrill PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 920k dots High resolution screens
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Viewfinder
None vs None No eye-level shooting option
LCD Screen Size
" vs " Small display
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill: 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 Sigma DP1 Merrill 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). Sigma DP1 Merrill has external dimensions of 122 x 67 x 64 mm (4.8 x 2.64 x 2.52″) and weighs 330 g (0.73 lb / 11.64 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill. Sigma DP1 Merrill is 10mm shorter and 14mm thinner than Nikon L120 but it is also 12mm wider.

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill.

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill.
Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sigma DP1 Merrill is significantly lighter (101g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
DP1 Merrill
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
DP1 Merrill
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Sigma DP1 Merrill 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's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sigma DP1 Merrill's screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill: 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, Sigma DP1 Merrill has a 15.0MP APS-C (24 x 16 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor and features Dual TRUE II engine processor.

Below you can see the L120 and DP1 Merrill sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill Cameras


As seen above, Sigma DP1 Merrill has a 13.7x 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 Sigma DP1 Merrill Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Sigma DP1 Merrill features a F2.8 zoom lens.

Sigma DP1 Merrill has 25mm wider coverage than the Nikon L120. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 525mm longer reach than the Sigma DP1 Merrill. However, with a max aperture of f2.80, Sigma DP1 Merrill is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120
DP1 Merrill
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120
DP1 Merrill
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120
DP1 Merrill
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120
DP1 Merrill
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Sigma DP1 Merrill 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

Sigma DP1 Merrill 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 (24 x 16 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sigma DP1 Merrill 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
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sigma DP1 Merrill 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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/s
Focus Points
mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sigma DP1 Merrill 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
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
330g
Body Thickness 64mm
X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sigma DP1 Merrill 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
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill: 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 Sigma DP1 Merrill, 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 Sigma DP1 Merrill 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
Sigma DP1 Merrill
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #56 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #724 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Sigma DP1 Merrill scores higher than the Nikon L120 thanks to its better general imaging quality, compact size and higher value for the money. On the other hand, Nikon L120 has some extra features which may become a game changer if you have some specific requirements.
We recommend you to read our detailed Pro's and Con's section and see if any Pro of Nikon L120 is a must-have for you. If not, choose the Sigma DP1 Merrill.

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
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Sigma DP1 Merrill
Sigma DP1 Merrill
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Sigma DP1 Merrill vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Sigma DP1 Merrill
Brand Nikon Sigma
Announced 2011-02-09 2012-02-08
Body Type Compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS (Foveon X3)
Size 1/2.3-inch APS-C
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 24 x 16 mm
Area 28.07mm2 384.00mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 15 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4704x3136
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 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-525 mm (21×) no lens
Max Aperture F3.1-5.8 F2.8
Macro Focus Range 1cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" "
Resolution 921k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m no built-in flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps n/a
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 720 640 x 480
Video Formats Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 431g 330g
Dimensions 110 x 77 x 78mm 122 x 67 x 64mm
Battery Life 330 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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