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Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1 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 1

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Olympus 1
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Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two 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 Olympus 1, which was introduced in November 2013 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor. There is 14 months difference between L31 and 1 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger L31, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Nikon L31 and Olympus 1 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 1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-11-25
  • 12MP - 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • 28-300 mm F2.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 1440k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 402g. 116 x 87 x 57 mm

Olympus 1 was replaced by Olympus Stylus 1s. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus Stylus 1s vs Olympus Stylus 1
Olympus Stylus 1s vs Nikon Coolpix L31

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Nikon L31 and Olympus 1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L31 over Olympus Stylus 1
Internal Storage
17MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 12 MP 33% more pixels
Weight
160 g vs 402 g 242 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
26mm vs 28mm 2 mm wider coverage
CHECK L31 PRICE


Reasons to choose Olympus Stylus 1 over Nikon Coolpix L31
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
In-built Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
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
1.040k dots vs 230k dots 352% higher resolution screen
Battery Life
410 shots vs 200 shots 210 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele
300mm vs 130mm 170 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
10.7× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.20 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.80 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
3.52µm2 vs 1.76µm2 100% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
CHECK 1 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus Stylus 1
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Continuous Shooting
fps vs 7.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus Stylus 1
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1: 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 Olympus 1 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 1 has external dimensions of 116 x 87 x 57 mm (4.57 x 3.43 x 2.24″) and weighs 402 g (0.89 lb / 14.18 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon L31 and the Olympus 1. Nikon L31 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 20mm narrower, 28mm shorter and 28mm thinner than Olympus 1.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the Olympus 1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Nikon L31 and Olympus 1.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the Olympus 1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus 1.
Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the the Olympus 1 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 (242g ) than the Olympus 1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L31
1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L31
1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Olympus Stylus 1 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 Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus 1's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon L31's 2.7" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Olympus 1 LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels. On the other hand, Nikon L31 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to 1.


Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1: 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 1 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features TruePic VI processor.

Below you can see the L31 and 1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus 1 Cameras


As seen above, Olympus 1 has a 1.5x 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.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus 1 features a 28-300 mm F2.8 10.7× zoom lens.

Nikon L31 has 2mm wider coverage than the Olympus 1. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Olympus 1 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus 1 has 170mm longer reach than the Nikon L31. At f2.80, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31
1
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

L31
1
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

L31
1
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

L31
1
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Olympus 1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Olympus 1 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 1 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
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Olympus 1 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
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus 1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
25 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
300 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f2.80
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Olympus 1 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
RAW shooting capability
10.7X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
402g
Body Thickness 57mm
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus 1 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
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 vs Olympus 1: 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 1, 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 1 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
Olympus 1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #13 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #284 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Olympus 1 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, Olympus 1 is the better camera overall.

Nikon L31
Nikon L31
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Olympus 1
Olympus 1
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Olympus 1 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L31 Olympus Stylus 1
Brand Nikon Olympus
Announced 2015-01-14 2013-11-25
Body Type Ultracompact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size 1/2.3' 1/1.7-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area 28.07mm2 41.52mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 3968 x 2976
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 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 n/a 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 26-130 mm (5×) 28-300 mm (10.7×)
Max Aperture F3.2-6.5 F2.8
Macro Focus Range 10cm 5cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 2.70" 3.00"
Resolution 230k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 1,440k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
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 Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 3.60 m n/a
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 7.0 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 Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 160g 402g
Dimensions 96 x 59 x 29mm 116 x 87 x 57mm
Battery Life 200 shots 410 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 51
DxO Color Depth not tested 20.7
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.6
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 179
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