Nikon L120 vs Sony TF1 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 TF1

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

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Nikon L120 vs Sony TF1 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 Sony TF1, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Waterproof camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, L120 is 2 years older than TF1. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 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 TF1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-06-21

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

25-100 mm F3.6-4.7 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.7" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

152g. 102 x 62 x 23 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 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-TF1

Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life	330 shots vs 240 shots	90 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele	525mm vs 100mm	425 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	21× vs 4×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.10 vs 3.60	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	6.0m vs 3.9m	2.1m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.01µm² vs 1.76µm²	14% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TF1 over Nikon Coolpix L120

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 14 MP	14% more pixels
Weight	152 g vs 431 g	279 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	4.70 vs 5.80	faster lens at tele

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TF1

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

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TF1

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
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	Small display
Continuous Shooting	1.0fps vs 1.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control

Nikon L120 vs Sony TF1: 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 TF1 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 TF1 has external dimensions of 102 x 62 x 23 mm (4.02 x 2.44 x 0.91″) and weighs 152 g (0.34 lb / 5.36 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony TF1. Sony TF1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 8mm narrower, 15mm shorter and 55mm thinner than Nikon L120.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony TF1.

Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony TF1.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony TF1 is significantly lighter (279g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

L120

TF1

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

L120

TF1

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon L120's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony TF1's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Nikon L120 vs Sony TF1: 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 TF1 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the L120 and TF1 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 Cameras

Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 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 14% larger pixel area compared to Sony TF1, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon L120 vs Sony TF1 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Sony TF1 features a 25-100 mm F3.6-4.7 4× 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 TF1 at this focal length. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 425mm longer reach than the Sony TF1. However, with a max aperture of f4.70, Sony TF1 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120

TF1

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120

TF1

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120

TF1

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120

TF1

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Sony TF1 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 TF1 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

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony TF1 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

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony TF1 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
Environmental Sealings
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
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
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony TF1 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
152g
Environmental Sealings
4.0X 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 TF1 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

Environmental Sealings
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Sony TF1: 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 TF1, 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 TF1 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 TF1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #175 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #728 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony TF1 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L120 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony TF1 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L120	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TF1
Brand	Nikon	Sony
Announced	2011-02-09	2013-06-21
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
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	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 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×)	25-100 mm (4×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.8	F3.6-4.7
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	2.7"
Resolution	921k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m	3.90 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	1.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	431g	152g
Dimensions	110 x 77 x 78mm	102 x 62 x 23mm
Battery Life	330 shots	240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction