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Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP3 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 DP3 Merrill

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

Sigma DP3 Merrill
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Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP3 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 DP3 Merrill was launched in January 2013. There is 23 months difference between L120 and DP3 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 DP3 Merrill, especially in sensor tech.

Nikon L120 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Sigma DP3 Merrill has a 15.0MP APS-C sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 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 DP3 Merrill Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-08
  • 15MP - APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 75 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 DP2 Merrill Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 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 DP3 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 75mm 50 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
525mm vs 75mm 450 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 DP3 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 DP3 Merrill
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 920k dots High resolution screens
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sigma DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 Merrill. Nikon L120 is 12mm narrower and 6mm thinner than Sigma DP3 Merrill but it is also 10mm taller.

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 Merrill Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 Merrill.

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 Merrill Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 Merrill.
Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 Merrill Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sigma DP3 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
DP3 Merrill
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
DP3 Merrill
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Sigma DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 Merrill sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 Merrill Cameras


As seen above, Sigma DP3 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 DP3 Merrill Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Sigma DP3 Merrill features a 75 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 DP3 Merrill's 75mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, DP3 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 450mm longer reach than the Sigma DP3 Merrill. However, with a max aperture of f2.80, Sigma DP3 Merrill is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120
DP3 Merrill
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120
DP3 Merrill
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120
DP3 Merrill
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L120
DP3 Merrill
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 Merrill Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Sigma DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 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
75 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sigma DP3 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
Unknown Focus Points
75 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sigma DP3 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 84mm
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sigma DP3 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
75 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Sigma DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 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 DP3 Merrill
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #54 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #704 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sigma DP3 Merrill has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L120 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
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Sigma DP3 Merrill
Sigma DP3 Merrill
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Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Sigma DP3 Merrill
Brand Nikon Sigma
Announced 2011-02-09 2013-01-08
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 4704 x 3136
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×) 75 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
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