CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
  • LENSES
  • TOOLS
    • Smart Find
    • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Size Comparison

Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70

x
Camera to replace
Change

Nikon S31

10 MP | 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 mm) CCD Sensor

Nikon S31
$89.95

CHECK TODAY's PRICE
Change

Panasonic ZS70

20 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

Panasonic ZS70
$297.99

CHECK TODAY's PRICE
Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Nikon S31 was introduced to market in June 2013 and Panasonic ZS70 was launched in April 2017. As you can see, S31 is 4 years older than ZS70. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Nikon S31 has a 10.0MP 1/2.9" sensor whereas Panasonic ZS70 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3" sensor.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Nikon S31 and Panasonic ZS70 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S31 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-21
  • 10MP - 1/2.9" CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 29-87 mm Zoom Lens
  • 2.7" Fixed Type Screen
  • Unknown continuous shooting
  • 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 185g. 105 x 65 x 42 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Panasonic ZS70 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-04-19
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)
  • 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 322g. 112 x 67 x 41 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ90
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 Compare

Panasonic ZS70 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70 (Lumix DC-TZ90)
Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 vs Nikon Coolpix S31

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S31 and Panasonic ZS70 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S31 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70
Weight 185 g vs 322 g 137 g lighter
Environmental Sealing Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Wide vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele vs 6.40 faster lens at tele
Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70 over Nikon Coolpix S31
Wireless Connection Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Articulating Screen Yes vs No Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution 20 MP vs 10 MP 100% 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 Screen Resolution 1.040k dots vs 230k dots 352% higher resolution screen
Battery Life 380 shots vs 260 shots 120 more frames with a single charge
Manual Focusing Yes vs No more focusing options
Manual Exposure Yes vs No better exposure control
Timelapse Recording Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide 24mm vs 29mm 5 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele 720mm vs 87mm 633 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom 30x vs 3× more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie Friendly LCD Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
4K Photo Mode Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Post Focus Mode Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot
Smartphone_remote control Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S31 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70
Built-in Flash Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Continuous Shooting fps vs 10.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S31 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70
External Flash Shoe No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70: 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 S31 and Panasonic ZS70 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S31 and Panasonic ZS70. Nikon S31 is 7mm narrower and 2mm shorter than Panasonic ZS70 but it is also 1mm thicker.

Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70 Camera Size Comparison - Front View


Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S31 and Panasonic ZS70.

Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70 Camera Size Comparison - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S31 and Panasonic ZS70.
Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70 Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S31 is significantly lighter (137g ) than the Panasonic ZS70 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S31
ZS70
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S31
ZS70
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS70's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon S31's 2.7" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Panasonic ZS70 LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Nikon S31 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to ZS70.
Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S31 has a 10.0MP 1/2.9" (4.96 x 3.72 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic ZS70 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Panasonic ZS70's sensor provides 10MP more than Nikon S31'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 S31 and ZS70 sensor size comparison.

Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70 Sensor Size Comparison


As seen above, Panasonic ZS70 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Nikon S31. 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 S31 vs Panasonic ZS70 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S31 features a 29-87 mm 3× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS70 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30x zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS70 has 5mm wider coverage than the Nikon S31. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f, Nikon S31 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS70 has 633mm longer telezoom reach than the Nikon S31. However, with a max aperture of f, Nikon S31 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S31
ZS70
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S31
ZS70
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S31
ZS70
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S31
ZS70
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon S31 and Panasonic ZS70 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S31 and Panasonic ZS70 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 S31 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS70 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Small 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 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 Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon S31 for Street Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS70 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f
29 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 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
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Nikon S31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS70 for Sports Photography

POOR
Environmental Sealings
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
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
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
87 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Nikon S31 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS70 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
185g
Small 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Body Thickness 42mm
3.0X Optical Zoom
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
322g
Body Thickness 41mm
Read the details

Nikon S31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS70 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Environmental Sealings
29 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details


Nikon S31 vs Panasonic ZS70: 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 S31 and Panasonic ZS70, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 S31 and Panasonic ZS70 scores compare:

Nikon S31
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #347 out of 474 in Compact cameras
Ranked #971 out of 1190 in all Cameras
Panasonic ZS70
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #3 out of 474 in Compact cameras
Ranked #212 out of 1190 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS70 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S31 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S31. Otherwise, Panasonic ZS70 is the better camera overall.

Nikon S31
Nikon S31
$89.95

Panasonic ZS70
Panasonic ZS70
$297.99

Panasonic ZS70 vs Nikon S31 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix S31 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70
Brand Nikon Panasonic
Announced 2013-06-21 2017-04-19
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD BSI-CMOS
Size 1/2.9" 1/2.3"
Dimensions 4.96 x 3.72 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 18.45mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 5184 x 3888
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 3,200 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 49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 29-87 mm (3×) 24-720 mm (30x)
Max Aperture no lens F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range n/a 3cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 2.7" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.46
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/2000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Unknown Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range n/a 5.60 m (at Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 3840 x 2160
Video Formats n/a MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 185g 322g
Dimensions 105 x 65 x 42mm 112 x 67 x 41mm
Battery Life 260 shots 380 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
Report a correction Report a correction
LATEST HOLIDAY DEALS!

Best Black Friday Deals of 2019
Nikon D750 FF for $996 only!
Sony Alpha a6000 with16-50mm $448
Sony A7 Mark III for $1528 + tax with Amazon Prime Card!

  • See all Active Deals here


  • Most Popular Cameras
    Nikon Z7
    Nikon Z7
    46 MP | Full frame BSI-CMOS | Nikon Z Mount
    Sony A6000
    Sony A6000
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Sony E Mount
    Fujifilm X-T3
    Fujifilm X-T3
    26 MP | APS-C BSI-CMOS | Fujifilm X Mount
    Sony A7 III
    Sony A7 III
    24 MP | Full frame BSI-CMOS | Sony E Mount
    Canon R
    Canon R
    30 MP | Full frame CMOS | Canon RF Mount
    Sony A6400
    Sony A6400
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Sony E Mount
    Nikon D5600
    Nikon D5600
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Nikon F Mount
    Nikon D850
    Nikon D850
    46 MP | Full frame BSI-CMOS | Nikon F Mount
    Nikon D3500
    Nikon D3500
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Nikon F Mount
    Nikon D750
    Nikon D750
    24 MP | Full frame CMOS | Nikon F Mount
    Top Rated Compact Cameras
    Top Cameras Under $200
    Top Compact Cameras Under $500
    Top Compact Cameras Under $750
    Top Compact Cameras Under $1000
    <
    Latest Cameras
    Leica SL2
    Leica SL2
    47 MP | Full frame CMOS | Leica L Mount
    Fujifilm X-Pro3
    Fujifilm X-Pro3
    26 MP | APS-C BSI-CMOS | Fujifilm X Mount
    Olympus E-M5 III
    Olympus E-M5 III
    20 MP | Four Thirds CMOS | Micro Four Thirds Mount
    Nikon Z50
    Nikon Z50
    21 MP | APS-C BSI-CMOS | Nikon Z Mount
    Sony A9 II
    Sony A9 II
    24 MP | Full frame BSI-CMOS | Sony E Mount
    Canon M200
    Canon M200
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Canon EF-M Mount
    Fujifilm X-A7
    Fujifilm X-A7
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Fujifilm X Mount
    Panasonic S1H
    Panasonic S1H
    24 MP | Full frame CMOS | Leica L Mount
    Canon M6 MII
    Canon M6 MII
    33 MP | APS-C CMOS | Canon EF-M Mount
    Canon 90D
    Canon 90D
    33 MP | APS-C CMOS | Canon EF/EF-S Mount

    Copyright © 2019 by CameraDecision
    About Feedback Privacy Cameras

    Report a Correction