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Nikon L31 vs Olympus SP-820UZ 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 SP-820UZ

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

Olympus SP-820UZ
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Nikon L31 vs Olympus SP-820UZ Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing L31 and SP-820UZ, two Compact cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Nikon Coolpix L31 is a Ultracompact class camera and Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ is a Small Sensor Superzoom class camera.

Nikon L31 was introduced to market in January 2015 and Olympus SP-820UZ was launched in August 2012. As you can see, SP-820UZ is 3 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 SP-820UZ 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 SP-820UZ Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-08-21
  • 14MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 22-896 mm F3.4-5.7 Zoom Lens
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • 485g. 117 x 78 x 93 mm mm
  • Replaced Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ 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 Stylus SP-820UZ
Internal Storage
17MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 14 MP 14% more pixels
Weight
160 g vs 485 g 325 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide
3.20 vs 3.40 faster lens at wide
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
CHECK L31 PRICE


Reasons to choose Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ over Nikon Coolpix L31
Max ISO
6.400 vs 1.600 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
460k dots vs 230k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Focal Length - Wide
22mm vs 26mm 4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
896mm vs 130mm 766 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
40× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele
5.70 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
15.0m vs 3.6m 11.4m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
2.04µm2 vs 1.76µm2 15% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
CHECK SP-820UZ PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ
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 Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ
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 Resolution
230k dots vs 460k 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 5.70 Slow lenses at tele
Nikon L31 vs Olympus SP-820UZ: 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 SP-820UZ 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 SP-820UZ has external dimensions of and weighs 485 g (1.07 lb / 17.11 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ. Nikon L31 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 21mm narrower, 19mm shorter and 64mm thinner than Olympus SP-820UZ.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus SP-820UZ Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ.
Nikon L31 vs Olympus SP-820UZ Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ 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 (325g ) than the Olympus SP-820UZ which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31
SP-820UZ
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31
SP-820UZ
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ 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

Olympus SP-820UZ'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 Olympus SP-820UZ: 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 SP-820UZ has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the L31 and SP-820UZ sensor size comparison.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus SP-820UZ Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ Cameras


Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ 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 SP-820UZ has 15% larger pixel area (2.04µm2 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 SP-820UZ Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus SP-820UZ features a 22-896 mm F3.4-5.7 40× zoom lens.

Olympus SP-820UZ has 4mm wider coverage than the Nikon L31. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.20, Nikon L31 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus SP-820UZ has 766mm longer reach than the Nikon L31. At f5.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31
SP-820UZ
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L31
SP-820UZ
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L31
SP-820UZ
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L31
SP-820UZ
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Olympus SP-820UZ 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 SP-820UZ 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: 14.0MP
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 SP-820UZ 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
Face-Detection Focusing
22 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 SP-820UZ 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
896 mm Tele Lens
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
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-820UZ 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
40.7X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
485g
Body Thickness 93mm
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-820UZ 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
22 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

Nikon L31 vs Olympus SP-820UZ: 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 SP-820UZ, 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 SP-820UZ 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 SP-820UZ
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #404 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1124 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Nikon L31
Nikon L31
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Olympus SP-820UZ
Olympus SP-820UZ
CHECK PRICE

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Olympus SP-820UZ vs Nikon L31 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L31 Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ
Brand Nikon Olympus
Announced 2015-01-14 2012-08-21
Body Type Ultracompact Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
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 14 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4288 x 3216
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 6,400 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 n/a n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 26-130 mm (5×) 22-896 mm (40×)
Max Aperture F3.2-6.5 F3.4-5.7
Macro Focus Range 10cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.70" 3.00"
Resolution 230k dots 460k 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 15.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 2.0 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 None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 160g 485g
Dimensions 96 x 59 x 29mm 117 x 78 x 93 mmmm
Battery Life 200 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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