Nikon L120 vs Sony HX30V Comparison

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Nikon L120

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

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Sony HX30V

18 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Nikon L120 vs Sony HX30V Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L120 and HX30V, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Sony. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon L120 has a 14.0 MP and Sony HX30V has a 18.0 MP resolution. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Sony HX30V was launched in February 2012. There is 13 months difference between L120 and HX30V so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger HX30V, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V 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

Sony HX30V Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-02-28

18MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800

25-500 mm F3.2-5.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

254g. 107 x 62 x 35 mm

Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V Compare

Sony HX30V was replaced by Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V vs Nikon Coolpix L120

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L120 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V

Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life	330 shots vs 320 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 500mm	25 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	21× vs 20×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.10 vs 3.20	faster lens at wide
Sensor Pixel Area	2.01µm² vs 1.56µm²	28% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V over Nikon Coolpix L120

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max Sensor Resolution	18 MP vs 14 MP	28% more pixels
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 1.0fps	9 fps faster
Weight	254 g vs 431 g	177 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Flash Coverage	7.1m vs 6.0m	1.1m longer range
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V

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
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 922k dots	High resolution screens
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 500mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 5.80	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon L120 vs Sony HX30V: 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 Sony HX30V 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). Sony HX30V has external dimensions of 107 x 62 x 35 mm (4.21 x 2.44 x 1.38″) and weighs 254 g (0.56 lb / 8.96 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V. Sony HX30V is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 3mm narrower, 15mm shorter and 43mm thinner than Nikon L120.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony HX30V is significantly lighter (177g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

HX30V

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120

HX30V

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L120 nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V 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 Sony HX30V'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 Sony HX30V: 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, Sony HX30V has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features BIONZ processor.

Below you can see the L120 and HX30V sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V Cameras

Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Nikon L120 has 28% larger pixel area compared to Sony HX30V, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon L120 vs Sony HX30V Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Sony HX30V features a 25-500 mm F3.2-5.8 20× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.10, Nikon L120 is faster than Sony HX30V at this focal length. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 25mm longer reach than the Sony HX30V. Both cameras has a max aperture of f5.80 at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

HX30V

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120

HX30V

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120

HX30V

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120

HX30V

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Sony HX30V 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

Sony HX30V for Portrait Photography

POOR

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

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony HX30V 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
Manual Focus Mode
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
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony HX30V 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Wireless Connection
500 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony HX30V 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

Compact Body
254g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony HX30V 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

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Sony HX30V: 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 Sony HX30V, 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 Sony HX30V 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

Sony HX30V

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #101 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #573 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony HX30V 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

Sony HX30V vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V
Brand	Nikon	Sony
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-02-28
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	14 megapixels	18 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4896 x 3672
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,800 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	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-525 mm (21×)	25-500 mm (20×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F3.2-5.8
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m	7.10 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	10.0 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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	431g	254g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	107 x 62 x 35mm
Battery Life	330 shots	320 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction