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Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30 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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Sony TX30

18 MP | 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony TX30
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Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Sony. Nikon L120 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Sony TX30 was launched in July 2013. As you can see, L120 is 2 years older than TX30. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon L120 has a 14.0 MP and Sony TX30 has a 18.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 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 TX30 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-07-26
  • 18MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • 26-130 mm F3.5-4.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 141g. 96 x 59 x 15 mm mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 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-TX30
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/1600s faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 26mm 1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
525mm vs 130mm 395 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
21× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.10 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 over Nikon Coolpix L120
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 14 MP 28% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 6.400 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3.3" vs 3" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 921k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 1.0fps 9 fps faster
Weight
141 g vs 431 g 290 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
4.80 vs 5.80 faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
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
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 3.3" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 1.229k dots High resolution screens
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L120 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
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
Manual Exposure
No vs No No manual exposure control
Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30: 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 TX30 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 TX30 has external dimensions of and weighs 141 g (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony TX30. Sony TX30 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 14mm narrower, 18mm shorter and 63mm thinner than Nikon L120.

Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony TX30.

Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L120 and Sony TX30.
Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony TX30 is significantly lighter (290g ) than the Nikon L120 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
TX30
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L120
TX30
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of TX30, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to L120.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony TX30's 3.3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon L120's 3" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30: 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 TX30 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.16 x 4.62 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the L120 and TX30 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 Cameras


Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L120 features a 25-525 mm F3.1-5.8 21× zoom lens whereas Sony TX30 features a 26-130 mm F3.5-4.8 5× zoom lens.

Nikon L120 has 1mm wider coverage than the Sony TX30. At f3.10, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L120 has 395mm longer reach than the Sony TX30. However, with a max aperture of f4.80, Sony TX30 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L120
TX30
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L120
TX30
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L120
TX30
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L120
TX30
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L120 and Sony TX30 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 TX30 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
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony TX30 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
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony TX30 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
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
130 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
Unknown Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony TX30 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
Compact Body
141g
Body Thickness 15mm
Environmental Sealings
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L120 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony TX30 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
Environmental Sealings
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Nikon L120 vs Sony TX30: 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 TX30, 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 TX30 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 TX30
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #31 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #857 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon L120 has a higher Overall Score than the Sony TX30 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon L120
Nikon L120
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Sony TX30
Sony TX30
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Sony TX30 vs Nikon L120 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L120 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
Brand Nikon Sony
Announced 2011-02-09 2013-07-26
Body Type Compact Ultracompact
Sensor
Type CCD BSI-CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.16 x 4.62 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.46mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 18 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4896x3672
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 80 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×) 26-130 mm (5×)
Max Aperture F3.1-5.8 F3.5-4.8
Macro Focus Range 1cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3.3"
Resolution 921k dots 1,229k 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 n/a
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 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 431g 141g
Dimensions 110 x 77 x 78mm 96 x 59 x 15 mmmm
Battery Life 330 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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