Nikon S4100 vs Olympus SP-100 Comparison

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Nikon S4100

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

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Olympus SP-100

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

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Nikon S4100 vs Olympus SP-100 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon S4100, which was introduced in February 2011 is a Ultracompact camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Olympus SP-100, which was introduced in January 2014 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, S4100 is 3 years older than SP-100. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S4100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-02-09

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

g. 95 x 57 x 20 mm

Olympus SP-100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-01-29

16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 6400 ( expands to 12800)

24-1200 mm F2.9-6.5 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

920k dot Electronic viewfinder

7 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

594g. 122 x 91 x 133 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S4100 over Olympus Stylus SP-100

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1700s	faster mechanical shutter
Weight	g vs 594 g	594 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area	2.01µm² vs 1.76µm²	14% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Olympus Stylus SP-100 over Nikon Coolpix S4100

Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 14 MP	14% more pixels
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 230k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	7.0fps vs 1.0fps	6 fps faster
Battery Life	330 shots vs 190 shots	140 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 26mm	2 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	1200mm vs 130mm	1070 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	50× vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.90 vs 3.20	faster lens at wide
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S4100 and Olympus Stylus SP-100

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift 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

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S4100 and Olympus Stylus SP-100

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	6.50 vs 6.50	Slow lenses at tele

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Nikon S4100 vs Olympus SP-100: 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 S4100 and Olympus SP-100 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S4100 has external dimensions of 95 x 57 x 20 mm (3.74 x 2.24 x 0.79″) and weighs (including batteries). Olympus SP-100 has external dimensions of 122 x 91 x 133 mm (4.8 x 3.6 x 5.25″) and weighs 594 g (1.31 lb / 20.95 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100. Nikon S4100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 27mm narrower, 34mm shorter and 113mm thinner than Olympus SP-100.

Comparison image of Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100.

Comparison image of Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S4100 is 594g lighter than the Olympus SP-100 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

S4100

SP-100

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

S4100

SP-100

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S4100 nor Olympus Stylus SP-100 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

Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

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

Nikon S4100 vs Olympus SP-100: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S4100 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Olympus SP-100 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the S4100 and SP-100 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 Cameras

Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 have 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 Nikon S4100 has 14% larger pixel area compared to Olympus SP-100, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon S4100 vs Olympus SP-100 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S4100 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus SP-100 features a 24-1200 mm F2.9-6.5 50× zoom lens.

Olympus SP-100 has 2mm wider coverage than the Nikon S4100. At f2.90, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus SP-100 has 1070mm longer reach than the Nikon S4100. Both cameras has a max aperture of f6.50 at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S4100

SP-100

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

S4100

SP-100

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

S4100

SP-100

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

S4100

SP-100

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S4100 and Olympus SP-100 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 S4100 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Nikon S4100 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus SP-100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
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 RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon S4100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-100 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
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
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 190 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1700s
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Nikon S4100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus SP-100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Compact Body
Body Thickness 20mm
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

50.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
594g
Body Thickness 133mm
Read the details

Nikon S4100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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
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 S4100 vs Olympus SP-100: 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 S4100 and Olympus SP-100, 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 S4100 and Olympus SP-100 scores compare:

Nikon S4100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #47 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #908 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Olympus SP-100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #41 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #503 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Olympus SP-100 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S4100 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Olympus SP-100 vs Nikon S4100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S4100	Olympus Stylus SP-100
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2011-02-09	2014-01-29
Body Type	Ultracompact	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	14 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	12800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	125 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	9	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	26-130 mm (5×)	24-1200 mm (50×)
Max Aperture	F3.2-6.5	F2.9-6.5
Macro Focus Range	10cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	230k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	920k dots
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/1700s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.50 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	7.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	n/a	594g
Dimensions	95 x 57 x 20mm	122 x 91 x 133mm
Battery Life	190 shots	330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction