Nikon L31 vs Pentax W80 Comparison

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Nikon L31

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

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Pentax W80

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

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Nikon L31 vs Pentax W80 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing L31 and W80, two Compact cameras from Nikon and Pentax. Nikon Coolpix L31 is a Ultracompact class camera and Pentax Optio W80 is a Small Sensor Compact class camera.

Nikon L31 was introduced to the market in January 2015 and Pentax W80 was launched in June 2009. As you can see, W80 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 the Nikon L31 and Pentax W80 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

Pentax W80 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-06-25

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 64 - 6400

28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens

2.50" Fixed Type Screen

1.0fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

156g. 100 x 56 x 25 mm

Weather-sealed Body

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Nikon L31 and Pentax W80 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 Pentax Optio W80

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	2.7" vs 2.5"	0.2 inches larger display
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1500s	faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Wide	26mm vs 28mm	2 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.20 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Selfie & Vlogger LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

CHECK L31 PRICE

Reasons to choose Pentax Optio W80 over Nikon Coolpix L31

Max ISO	6.400 vs 1.600	300% higher Max ISO
Weight	156 g vs 160 g	4 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Tele	140mm vs 130mm	10 mm longer tele reach
Max Aperture - Tele	5.50 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.31µm2 vs 1.76µm2	31% larger pixel area

CHECK W80 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Pentax Optio W80

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

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Pentax Optio W80

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	2.50" vs 2.50"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens

Nikon L31 vs Pentax W80: 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 Pentax W80 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). Pentax W80 has external dimensions of 100 x 56 x 25 mm (3.94 x 2.2 x 0.98″) and weighs 156 g (0.34 lb / 5.50 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon L31 and the Pentax W80. Pentax W80 is 3mm shorter and 4mm thinner than Nikon L31 but it is also 4mm wider.

Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the Pentax W80 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. Pentax W80 is 4g lighter than the Nikon L31 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31

W80

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31

W80

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather-sealed body of the W80, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to the L31.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon L31's 2.70" LCD screen is slightly larger than Pentax W80's 2.5" screen.

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

Nikon L31 vs Pentax W80: Sensor Comparison

Nikon L31 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Pentax W80 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the L31 and W80 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Pentax W80 Cameras

Nikon L31 and Pentax W80 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.

Nikon L31 vs Pentax W80 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Pentax W80 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5× zoom lens.

Nikon L31 has 2mm wider coverage than the Pentax W80. At f3.20, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Pentax W80 has 10mm longer reach than the Nikon L31. At f5.50, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31

W80

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L31

W80

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L31

W80

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L31

W80

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Pentax W80 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Pentax W80 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

Pentax W80 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

Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Pentax W80 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

Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Pentax W80 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

Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
140 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Pentax W80 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
156g
Environmental Sealings
5.0X 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

Pentax W80 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

Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Nikon L31 vs Pentax W80: 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 Pentax W80, 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 Pentax W80 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

Pentax W80

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #375 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1077 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Pentax W80 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L31 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Pentax W80 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L31	Pentax Optio W80
Brand	Nikon	Pentax
Announced	2015-01-14	2009-06-25
Body Type	Ultracompact	Compact
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	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	64 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	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	26-130 mm (5×)	28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.2-6.5	F3.5-5.5
Macro Focus Range	10cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.70"	2.50"
Resolution	230k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/1500s
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	3.90 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	n/a	1.0 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	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	160g	156g
Dimensions	96 x 59 x 29mm	100 x 56 x 25mm
Battery Life	200 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction