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Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300 Comparison

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Nikon L31

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

Nikon L31
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Nikon D3300

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D3300
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Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Nikon cameras cameras with different body types: Nikon L31, which was introduced in January 2015 is a Ultracompact camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3' sensor whereas Nikon D3300, which was introduced in April 2014 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor. There is only 9 months difference between L31 and D3300 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Nikon L31 and Nikon D3300 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon L31 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-01-14
  • 16MP - 1/2.3' CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 Zoom Lens
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 160g. 96 x 59 x 29 mm

Nikon D3300 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-21
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 12800 ( expands to 25600)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 430g. 124 x 98 x 76 mm
  • Replaced Nikon D3200 Compare

Nikon D3300 was replaced by Nikon D3400. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D3400 vs Nikon D3300
Nikon D3400 vs Nikon Coolpix L31

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Nikon L31 and Nikon D3300 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L31 over Nikon D3300
Internal Storage
17MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Weight
160 g vs 430 g 270 g lighter
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
CHECK L31 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon D3300 over Nikon Coolpix L31
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 16 MP 50% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 1.600 700% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
921k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
700 shots vs 200 shots 500 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 3.6m 8.4m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
15.28µm2 vs 1.76µm2 768% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK D3300 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Nikon D3300
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 L31 and Nikon D3300
In-body Image Stabilization
Digital only vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
New4
Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Nikon L31 and Nikon D3300 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon L31 has external dimensions of 96 x 59 x 29 mm (3.78 x 2.32 x 1.14″) and weighs 160 g (0.35 lb / 5.64 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D3300 has external dimensions of 124 x 98 x 76 mm (4.88 x 3.86 x 2.99″) and weighs 430 g (0.95 lb / 15.17 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon L31 and the Nikon D3300. Nikon L31 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 28mm narrower, 39mm shorter and 47mm thinner than Nikon D3300. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon L31 has a built-in lens but Nikon D3300 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D3300, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the Nikon D3300 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Nikon L31 and Nikon D3300.

Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the Nikon D3300 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L31 and Nikon D3300.
Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the the Nikon D3300 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon L31 is significantly lighter (270g ) than the Nikon D3300 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D3300, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Nikon D3300 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, 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
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D3300's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon L31's 2.7" screen.

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


Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300: Sensor Comparison

Nikon L31 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Nikon D3300 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4 processor.

Nikon D3300's sensor provides 8MP more than Nikon L31's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Nikon D3300's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the L31 and D3300 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Nikon D3300 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D3300 has a 13.1x Larger sensor area than Nikon L31. 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.

What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Nikon D3300 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Nikon D3300 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 L31 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Nikon D3300 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
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 (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Nikon D3300 for Street Photography

GOOD
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon D3300 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
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
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
11 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 700 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Nikon D3300 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
160g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
430g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D3300 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
26 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
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 vs Nikon D3300: 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 L31 and Nikon D3300, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 L31 and Nikon D3300 scores compare:

Nikon L31
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #105 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1132 out of 1260 in all Cameras
Nikon D3300
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #27 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #250 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Nikon D3300 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon L31 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon L31. Otherwise, Nikon D3300 is the better camera overall.

Nikon L31
Nikon L31
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Nikon D3300
Nikon D3300
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Nikon D3300 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L31 Nikon D3300
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2015-01-14 2014-04-21
Body Type Ultracompact Compact SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3' APS-C
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
Area 28.07mm2 366.60mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 25600 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 n/a 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Nikon F
Lens Focal Range 26-130 mm (5×) no lens
Max Aperture F3.2-6.5 no lens
Macro Focus Range 10cm no lens
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.70" 3.00"
Resolution 230k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 95%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.57x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Digital only No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 3.60 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 160g 430g
Dimensions 96 x 59 x 29mm 124 x 98 x 76mm
Battery Life 200 shots 700 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 82
DxO Color Depth not tested 24.3
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.8
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 1385
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