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 Pentax WS80 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

Pentax WS80

10 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Pentax WS80
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Nikon L31 vs Pentax WS80 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 Pentax WS80, which was introduced in August 2009 is a Waterproof camera with a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, WS80 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 WS80 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 WS80 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-08-05
  • 10MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 64 - 6400
  • 35-175 mm F3.8-4.7 Zoom Lens
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 125g. 92 x 60 x 22 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 WS80 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


Related Blog Posts

Top 10 Lightest Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras in 2023
The Most Rented Compact Cameras in 2022
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
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


**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 Pentax Optio WS80
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 10 MP 60% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Wide
26mm vs 35mm 9 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.20 vs 3.80 faster lens at wide
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
CHECK L31 PRICE


Reasons to choose Pentax Optio WS80 over Nikon Coolpix L31
Max ISO
6.400 vs 1.600 300% higher Max ISO
Weight
125 g vs 160 g 35 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Tele
175mm vs 130mm 45 mm longer tele reach
Max Aperture - Tele
4.70 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.81µm2 vs 1.76µm2 59% larger pixel area
CHECK WS80 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Pentax Optio WS80
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Pentax Optio WS80
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
2.70" vs 2.70" Small display
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 230k dots Low resolution screens
Nikon L31 vs Pentax WS80: 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 WS80 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 WS80 has external dimensions of 92 x 60 x 22 mm (3.62 x 2.36 x 0.87″) and weighs 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon L31 and the Pentax WS80. Pentax WS80 is 4mm narrower and 7mm thinner than Nikon L31 but it is also 1mm taller.

Nikon L31 vs Pentax WS80 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the Pentax WS80 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Nikon L31 and Pentax WS80.

Nikon L31 vs Pentax WS80 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the Pentax WS80 Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax WS80 is significantly lighter (35g ) than the Nikon L31 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

L31
WS80
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

L31
WS80
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather-sealed body of the WS80, 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 and Pentax WS80's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 2.70 inches.

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


Nikon L31 vs Pentax WS80: 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 WS80 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Prime processor.

Nikon L31's sensor provides 6MP more than Pentax WS80's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the L31 and WS80 sensor size comparison.

Nikon L31 vs Pentax WS80 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Pentax WS80 Cameras


Nikon L31 and Pentax WS80 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 Pentax WS80 has 59% larger pixel area (2.81µm2 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 Pentax WS80 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Pentax WS80 features a 35-175 mm F3.8-4.7 5× zoom lens.

Nikon L31 has 9mm wider coverage than the Pentax WS80. At f3.20, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Pentax WS80 has 45mm longer reach than the Nikon L31. At f4.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31
WS80
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L31
WS80
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L31
WS80
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L31
WS80
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Pentax WS80 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Pentax WS80 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 WS80 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
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
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 WS80 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
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Slow Lens at Wide: f3.80
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Pentax WS80 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
175 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 WS80 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
125g
Body Thickness 22mm
Environmental Sealings
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Pentax WS80 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
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon L31 vs Pentax WS80: 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 WS80, 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 WS80 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 WS80
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #267 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #908 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Pentax WS80 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L31. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that WS80 trails behind the L31: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Nikon L31. If not, we recommend the Pentax WS80.

Nikon L31
Nikon L31
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Pentax WS80
Pentax WS80
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Pentax WS80 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L31 Pentax Optio WS80
Brand Nikon Pentax
Announced 2015-01-14 2009-08-05
Body Type Ultracompact Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
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 10 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 3648 x 2736
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×) 35-175 mm (5×)
Max Aperture F3.2-6.5 F3.8-4.7
Macro Focus Range 10cm n/a
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 1/1500s
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 3.40 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 125g
Dimensions 96 x 59 x 29mm 92 x 60 x 22mm
Battery Life 200 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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