CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
    • All Cameras
    • Cameras by Brand
      • Sony Cameras
      • Canon Cameras
      • Nikon Cameras
      • Pentax Cameras
      • Fujifilm Cameras
      • Olympus Cameras
      • OM-System Cameras
      • Panasonic Cameras
      • Leica Cameras
    • Cameras by Body Type
      • Mirrorless Cameras
      • DSLR Cameras
      • Compact Cameras
      • Bridge Cameras
      • Waterproof Cameras
    • Cameras by Lens Mount
      • Sony E Mount Cameras
      • Canon RF Mount Cameras
      • Nikon Z Mount Cameras
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Cameras
      • Fujifilm X Mount Cameras
      • Leica L Mount Cameras
      • Nikon F Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF M Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF S Mount Cameras
      • Pentax KAF Mount Cameras
      • Sony Alpha Mount Cameras
      • Fujifilm G Mount Cameras
      • Sigma SA Mount Cameras
      • Nikon 1 Mount Cameras
  • LENSES
    • All Lenses
    • Lenses by Mount
      • Sony E Mount Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF M Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF S Mount Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Lenses
      • Pentax KAF Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm G Mount Lenses
      • Sigma SA Mount Lenses
      • Sony Alpha Mount Lenses
    • Teleconverters
    • Cinema Lenses
      • Sony E Mount Cine Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Cine Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Cine Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Cine Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Cine Lenses
      • ARRI PL Mount Cine Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Cine Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Cine Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Cine Lenses
  • TOOLS
    • Cameras
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Lenses
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
  • BLOG

Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000 Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Nikon L31

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

Nikon L31
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Panasonic FZ1000

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic FZ1000
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000 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 Panasonic FZ1000, which was introduced in June 2014 is a Large Sensor Superzoom camera with a 20.0MP 1″ sensor. There is only 7 months difference between L31 and FZ1000 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000 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 FZ1000 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-06-12
  • 20MP - 1″ CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80 - 25600)
  • 25-400 mm F2.8-4.0 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 12.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840x2160 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 831g. 137 x 99 x 131 mm

Panasonic FZ1000 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II vs Nikon Coolpix L31

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


Related Blog Posts

DPReview to Close
Daily Deals: Sirui Anamorphic Lens, Apple MacBook Air and more
100-400mm Lens Size Comparison: Leica vs Sony vs Canon vs Nikon
Leica Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm f5-6.3 for L Mount Announced
Sirui 24mm f2.8 Super35 Anamorphic 1.33x Lens %50 Off
Nikon Z9 firmware Update v3.10 Released
Best Selling Lenses in Micro Four Thirds, Fujifilm X and Canon EF Mounts in 2023
Daily Deals: Sigma 12-24mm Lens, SmallRig Cage, LED Lights and more


**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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Internal Storage
17MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Weight
160 g vs 831 g 671 g lighter
CHECK L31 PRICE


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 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
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 16 MP 25% 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
360 shots vs 200 shots 160 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 26mm 1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
400mm vs 130mm 270 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
16x vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.20 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
4.00 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
13.5m vs 3.6m 9.9m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
5.82µm2 vs 1.76µm2 230% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840x2160 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK FZ1000 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
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 12.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs Yes Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000: 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 FZ1000 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 FZ1000 has external dimensions of 137 x 99 x 131 mm (5.39 x 3.9 x 5.16″) and weighs 831 g (1.83 lb / 29.31 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000. Nikon L31 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 41mm narrower, 40mm shorter and 102mm thinner than Panasonic FZ1000.

Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000.

Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000.
Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000 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 (671g ) than the Panasonic FZ1000 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L31
FZ1000
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

L31
FZ1000
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 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
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic FZ1000's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon L31's 2.7" screen.

Moreover, Panasonic FZ1000 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Nikon L31 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to FZ1000.


Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000: 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 FZ1000 has a 20.0MP 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the L31 and FZ1000 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000 Cameras


As seen above, Panasonic FZ1000 has a 4.1x 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.

Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Panasonic FZ1000 features a 25-400 mm F2.8-4.0 16x zoom lens.

Panasonic FZ1000 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon L31. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic FZ1000 has 270mm longer reach than the Nikon L31. At f4.00, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31
FZ1000
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

L31
FZ1000
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

L31
FZ1000
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

L31
FZ1000
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Panasonic FZ1000 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 FZ1000 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
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ1000 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ1000 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
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
400 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f4.00
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ1000 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
16.0X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
831g
Body Thickness 131mm
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ1000 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 vs Panasonic FZ1000: 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 FZ1000, 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 FZ1000 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 FZ1000
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #7 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #190 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ1000 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, Panasonic FZ1000 is the better camera overall.

Nikon L31
Nikon L31
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic FZ1000
Panasonic FZ1000
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic FZ1000 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L31 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Brand Nikon Panasonic
Announced 2015-01-14 2014-06-12
Body Type Ultracompact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3' 1″
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area 28.07mm2 116.16mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 125 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 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 49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 26-130 mm (5×) 25-400 mm (16x)
Max Aperture F3.2-6.5 F2.8-4.0
Macro Focus Range 10cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 2.70" 3.00"
Resolution 230k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.7x
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 Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 3.60 m 13.50 m (at Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 12.0 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 3840x2160
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 160g 831g
Dimensions 96 x 59 x 29mm 137 x 99 x 131mm
Battery Life 200 shots 360 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 64
DxO Color Depth not tested 22.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.7
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 517
Report a correction Report a correction


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Sony A7 IV
33 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7R IV
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Canon R3
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Canon M50 II
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon EF-M Mount
Nikon Z9
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Fujifilm X-T30 II
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Fujifilm GFX 100
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Nikon Z5
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Latest Cameras
Canon R50
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Canon R8
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Panasonic S5 II X
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Panasonic S5 II
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Pentax KF
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Pentax KAF2 Mount
Fujifilm X-T5
40 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R6 II
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Sony A7R V
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Copyright © 2023 by CameraDecision
Privacy About Contact Us SpeakerDecision

Report a Correction