Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FS12 Comparison

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Nikon L31

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

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Panasonic FS12

12 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

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Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FS12 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing L31 and FS12, two Ultracompact cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Nikon L31 was introduced to market in January 2015 and Panasonic FS12 was launched in April 2009. As you can see, FS12 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 Panasonic FS12 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

Panasonic FS12 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-04-17

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600 ( expands to 6400)

31-124 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.70" Fixed Type Screen

2.0fps continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video resolution

129g. 97 x 55 x 22 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L31 and Panasonic FS12 compares 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Focal Length - Wide	26mm vs 31mm	5 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	130mm vs 124mm	6 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12 over Nikon Coolpix L31

In-built Image Stabilization	Optical vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Weight	129 g vs 160 g	31 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.20	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	6.3m vs 3.6m	2.7m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.31µm2 vs 1.76µm2	31% larger pixel area

CHECK FS12 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12

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 Panasonic FS12: 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 Panasonic FS12 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). Panasonic FS12 has external dimensions of 97 x 55 x 22 mm (3.82 x 2.17 x 0.87″) and weighs 129 g (0.28 lb / 4.55 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FS12. Panasonic FS12 is 4mm shorter and 7mm thinner than Nikon L31 but it is also 1mm wider.

Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FS12 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic FS12 is significantly lighter (31g ) than the Nikon L31 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31

FS12

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31

FS12

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12 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 Panasonic FS12'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 Panasonic FS12: Sensor Comparison

Nikon L31 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic FS12 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the L31 and FS12 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FS12 Cameras

Nikon L31 and Panasonic FS12 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 L31 vs Panasonic FS12 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Panasonic FS12 features a 31-124 mm F2.8-5.9 4× zoom lens.

Nikon L31 has 5mm wider coverage than the Panasonic FS12. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Panasonic FS12 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L31 has 6mm longer reach than the Panasonic FS12. However, with a max aperture of f5.90, Panasonic FS12 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31

FS12

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L31

FS12

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L31

FS12

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L31

FS12

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Panasonic FS12 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Panasonic FS12 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

Panasonic FS12 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

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 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

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Panasonic FS12 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

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
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
31 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic FS12 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

Image Stabilization
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
124 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: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Panasonic FS12 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
129g
Body Thickness 22mm
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic FS12 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

Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
31 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FS12: 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 Panasonic FS12, 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 Panasonic FS12 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

Panasonic FS12

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #109 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1142 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Nikon L31 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic FS12 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Panasonic FS12 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L31	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2015-01-14	2009-04-17
Body Type	Ultracompact	Ultracompact
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CCD
Size	1/2.3'	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area	28.07mm²	27.72mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	6400 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×)	31-124 mm (4×)
Max Aperture	F3.2-6.5	F2.8-5.9
Macro Focus Range	10cm	5cm
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	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.60 m	6.30 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	640 x 480
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	160g	129g
Dimensions	96 x 59 x 29mm	97 x 55 x 22mm
Battery Life	200 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction