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Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310 Comparison

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Nikon S02

13 MP | 1/3" (4.8 x 3.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon S02
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Nikon P310

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

Nikon P310
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Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing S02 and P310, two Compact cameras by Nikon. Nikon Coolpix S02 is a Ultracompact class camera and Nikon Coolpix P310 is a Small Sensor Compact class camera.

Nikon S02 was introduced to the market in September 2013 and Nikon P310 was launched in June 2012. There is 14 months difference between S02 and P310 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger S02, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Nikon S02 and Nikon P310 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S02 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-09-05
  • 13MP - 1/3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 1600
  • 30-90 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Digital only Image Stabilization
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 100g. 77 x 51 x 18 mm

Nikon P310 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-06-22
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 6.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 194g. 103 x 58 x 32 mm
  • Replaced Nikon Coolpix P300 Compare

Nikon P310 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix P330. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix P330 vs Nikon Coolpix P310
Nikon Coolpix P330 vs Nikon Coolpix S02

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Nikon S02 and Nikon P310 compare 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 S02 over Nikon Coolpix P310
Internal Storage
7.3 GB vs None Extra built-in storage
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Weight
100 g vs 194 g 94 g lighter
CHECK S02 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P310 over Nikon Coolpix S02
In-built Image Stabilization
Optical vs Digital only Sharper images especially at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 13 MP 23% more pixels
Max ISO
3.200 vs 1.600 100% 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
Battery Life
230 shots vs 210 shots 20 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 30mm 6 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
100mm vs 90mm 10 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
4.2× vs 3× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
CHECK P310 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S02 and Nikon Coolpix P310
Image Stabilization
Digital only vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
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 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S02 and Nikon Coolpix P310
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
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310: 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 S02 and Nikon P310 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S02 has external dimensions of 77 x 51 x 18 mm (3.03 x 2.01 x 0.69″) and weighs 100 g (0.22 lb / 3.53 oz) (including batteries). Nikon P310 has external dimensions of 103 x 58 x 32 mm (4.06 x 2.28 x 1.26″) and weighs 194 g (0.43 lb / 6.84 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon S02 and the Nikon P310. Nikon S02 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 26mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 14mm thinner than Nikon P310.

Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Nikon S02 and the Nikon P310 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Nikon S02 and Nikon P310.

Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Nikon S02 and the Nikon P310 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S02 and Nikon P310.
Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Nikon S02 and the the Nikon P310 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S02 is significantly lighter (94g ) than the Nikon P310 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S02
P310
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S02
P310
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Nikon Coolpix S02 nor Nikon Coolpix P310 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, 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 P310's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon S02's 2.7" screen.

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


Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S02 has a 13.0MP 1/3-inch (4.8 x 3.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Nikon P310 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the S02 and P310 sensor size comparison.

Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S02 and Nikon P310 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon P310 has a 1.6x Larger sensor area than Nikon S02. 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 S02 vs Nikon P310 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S02 features a 30-90 mm F3.3-5.9 3× zoom lens whereas Nikon P310 features a 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 4.2× zoom lens.

Nikon P310 has 6mm wider coverage than the Nikon S02. At f1.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon P310 has 10mm longer reach than the Nikon S02. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S02
P310
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S02
P310
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S02
P310
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S02
P310
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon S02 and Nikon P310 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S02 and Nikon P310 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 S02 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Nikon P310 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
Small 1/3" (4.8 x 3.6 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
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon S02 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P310 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
30 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/3" (4.8 x 3.6 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon S02 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon P310 for Sports Photography

POOR
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
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/s
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 210 shots
90 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
99 Focus Points
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 230 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon S02 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P310 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Compact Body
100g
Body Thickness 18mm
Small 1/3" (4.8 x 3.6 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
3.0X Optical Zoom
Read the details
Compact Body
194g
4.2X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon S02 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon P310 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
30 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/3" (4.8 x 3.6 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 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 Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon S02 vs Nikon P310: 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 S02 and Nikon P310, 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 S02 and Nikon P310 scores compare:

Nikon S02
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #27 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #855 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Nikon P310
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #91 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #593 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Nikon P310 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S02 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S02. Otherwise, Nikon P310 is the better camera overall.

Nikon S02
Nikon S02
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Nikon P310
Nikon P310
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Nikon P310 vs Nikon S02 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix S02 Nikon Coolpix P310
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2013-09-05 2012-06-22
Body Type Ultracompact Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size 1/3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 4.8 x 3.6 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 17.28mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 13 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 4160 x 3120 4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 100 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 99
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 30-90 mm (3×) 24-100 mm (4.2×)
Max Aperture F3.3-5.9 F1.8-4.9
Macro Focus Range 5cm 2cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.70" 3.00"
Resolution 230k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter n/a 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Digital only Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 1.40 m n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 6.0 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 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 100g 194g
Dimensions 77 x 51 x 18mm 103 x 58 x 32mm
Battery Life 210 shots 230 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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