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Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000 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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Olympus FE-4000

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

Olympus FE-4000
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Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing L31 and FE-4000, two Compact cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Nikon Coolpix L31 is a Ultracompact class camera and Olympus FE-4000 is a Small Sensor Compact class camera.

Nikon L31 was introduced to market in January 2015 and Olympus FE-4000 was launched in July 2009. As you can see, FE-4000 is 6 years older than L31. 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 L31 and Olympus FE-4000 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

Olympus FE-4000 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-07-22
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • 26-105 mm F2.6-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • - 640 x 480 video resolution
  • 136g. 95 x 57 x 22 mm
  • Also known as X-925

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000 compares 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 Olympus FE-4000
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 12 MP 33% more pixels
Focal Length - Tele
130mm vs 105mm 25 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
5× vs 4× more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution
1280 x 720 vs 640 x 480 Higher Resolution Video
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
CHECK L31 PRICE


Reasons to choose Olympus FE-4000 over Nikon Coolpix L31
Weight
136 g vs 160 g 24 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide
2.60 vs 3.20 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
5.90 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
4.0m vs 3.6m 0.4m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
2.38µm2 vs 1.76µm2 35% larger pixel area
CHECK FE-4000 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus FE-4000
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus FE-4000
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
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
2.70" vs 2.70" Small display
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 230k dots Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
6.50 vs 5.90 Slow lenses at tele
Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000: 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 L31 and Olympus FE-4000 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). Olympus FE-4000 has external dimensions of 95 x 57 x 22 mm (3.74 x 2.24 x 0.87″) and weighs 136 g (0.30 lb / 4.80 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000. Olympus FE-4000 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 1mm narrower, 2mm shorter and 7mm thinner than Nikon L31.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000.
Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus FE-4000 is significantly lighter (24g ) than the Nikon L31 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31
FE-4000
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31
FE-4000
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Olympus FE-4000 (X-925) 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 L31 and Olympus FE-4000's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 2.70".

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


Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000: Sensor Comparison

Nikon L31 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Olympus FE-4000 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features TruePic III processor.

Below you can see the L31 and FE-4000 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000 Cameras


Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000 have the same 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 Olympus FE-4000 has 35% larger pixel area (2.38µm2 vs 1.76µm2) compared to Nikon L31, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus FE-4000 features a 26-105 mm F2.6-5.9 4× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 26mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.60, Olympus FE-4000 is faster than Nikon L31 at this focal length. On the tele end, Nikon L31 has 25mm longer reach than the Olympus FE-4000. However, with a max aperture of f5.90, Olympus FE-4000 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31
FE-4000
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L31
FE-4000
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L31
FE-4000
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L31
FE-4000
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Olympus FE-4000 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

Olympus FE-4000 for Portrait Photography

POOR
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
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Olympus FE-4000 for Street Photography

POOR
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
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.60
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

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus FE-4000 for Sports Photography

POOR
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
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
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
105 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Olympus FE-4000 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
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
Compact Body
136g
Body Thickness 22mm
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus FE-4000 for Landscape Photography

POOR
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
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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

Nikon L31 vs Olympus FE-4000: 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 Olympus FE-4000, 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 Olympus FE-4000 scores compare:

Nikon L31
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #105 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1132 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Olympus FE-4000
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #460 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1217 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Nikon L31 has a higher Overall Score thanks to its better image quality and more features compared to Olympus FE-4000. On the other hand the Olympus FE-4000 beats Nikon L31 in two significant areas: Value for Money and Compactness.

If you are a price conscious buyer and looking for a small and relatively low priced camera where you can take everywhere with you, Olympus FE-4000 is the right choice for you.
If you are after the better photographic performance with all the advanced features, definitely get the Nikon L31

Nikon L31
Nikon L31
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Olympus FE-4000
Olympus FE-4000
CHECK PRICE

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Olympus FE-4000 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L31 Olympus FE-4000
Brand Nikon Olympus
Announced 2015-01-14 2009-07-22
Body Type Ultracompact Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size 1/2.3' 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 3968 x 2976
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 1,600 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 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 26-130 mm (5×) 26-105 mm (4×)
Max Aperture F3.2-6.5 F2.6-5.9
Macro Focus Range 10cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.70" 2.70"
Resolution 230k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
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 4.00 m
External Flash
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 720 640 x 480
Video Formats Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 160g 136g
Dimensions 96 x 59 x 29mm 95 x 57 x 22mm
Battery Life 200 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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