Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill Comparison

Camera to replace

Change

Nikon L120

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

CHECK PRICE

Change

Sigma DP2 Merrill

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

CHECK PRICE

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Sigma. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Sigma DP2 Merrill was launched in February 2012. There is 12 months difference between L120 and DP2 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 DP2 Merrill, especially in sensor tech.

Nikon L120 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Sigma DP2 Merrill has a 15.0MP APS-C sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 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" 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

Sigma DP2 Merrill Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-02-08

15MP - APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

50 mm f2.80 Prime Lens

3" Fixed Type Screen

4 fps continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video resolution

330g. 122 x 67 x 59 mm

Replaced Sigma DP1 Merrill Compare

Sigma DP2 Merrill was replaced by Sigma DP3 Merrill. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sigma DP2 Merrill
Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Nikon Coolpix L120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Sigma DP2 Merrill

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs No	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/s	faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 50mm	25 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 50mm	475 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	21× vs 1×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720 vs 640 x 480	Higher Resolution Video

Reasons to choose Sigma DP2 Merrill over Nikon Coolpix L120

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution	15 MP vs 14 MP	7% more pixels
Continuous Shooting	4.0fps vs 1.0fps	3 fps faster
Weight	330 g vs 431 g	101 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.10	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.80 vs 5.80	faster lens at tele

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill

LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 920k dots	High resolution screens

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
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 DP2 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 DP2 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 DP2 Merrill has external dimensions of 122 x 67 x 59 mm (4.8 x 2.64 x 2.32″) 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 DP2 Merrill. Sigma DP2 Merrill is 10mm shorter and 19mm thinner than Nikon L120 but it is also 12mm wider.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sigma DP2 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

DP2 Merrill

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

DP2 Merrill

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Sigma DP2 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 and Sigma DP2 Merrill'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 Sigma DP2 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 DP2 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 DP2 Merrill sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill Cameras

As seen above, Sigma DP2 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 DP2 Merrill Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Sigma DP2 Merrill features a 50 mm F2.8 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Nikon L120's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Sigma DP2 Merrill's 50mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, DP2 Merrill's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 475mm longer reach than the Sigma DP2 Merrill. However, with a max aperture of f2.80, Sigma DP2 Merrill is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

DP2 Merrill

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120

DP2 Merrill

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120

DP2 Merrill

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120

DP2 Merrill

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 Merrill Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Sigma DP2 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 DP2 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 DP2 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
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
50 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sigma DP2 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
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/s
Focus Points
50 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sigma DP2 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 59mm
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sigma DP2 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
50 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP2 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 DP2 Merrill, 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 Sigma DP2 Merrill 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

Sigma DP2 Merrill

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #53 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #706 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sigma DP2 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 DP2 Merrill.

Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Sigma DP2 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×)	50 mm (1×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F2.8
Macro Focus Range	1cm	n/a
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
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
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m	no built-in flash
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	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 59mm
Battery Life	330 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction