Nikon S6100 vs Nikon S9300 Comparison

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Nikon S6100

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

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Nikon S9300

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

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Nikon S6100 vs Nikon S9300 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras by Nikon. Nikon S6100 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Nikon S9300 was launched in July 2012. There is 17 months difference between S6100 and S9300 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger S9300, especially in sensor tech.

Both Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 cameras have 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensors.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S6100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-02-09

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

28-196 mm F3.7-5.6 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

175g. 98 x 58 x 27 mm

Nikon S9300 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-07-16

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

ISO 125 - 3200

25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

6.9 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

120fps High-Speed Video

Built-in GPS

215g. 109 x 62 x 31 mm

Replaced Nikon Coolpix S9100 Compare

Nikon S9300 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix S9500. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix S9500 vs Nikon Coolpix S9300
Nikon Coolpix S9500 vs Nikon Coolpix S6100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S6100 over Nikon Coolpix S9300

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Battery Life	210 shots vs 200 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
Weight	175 g vs 215 g	40 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele	5.60 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9300 over Nikon Coolpix S6100

GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/8000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	6.9fps vs 1.0fps	5.9 fps faster
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 196mm	254 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	18× vs 7×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.50 vs 3.70	faster lens at wide
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S6100 and Nikon Coolpix S9300

Image Stabilization	Optical 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 S6100 and Nikon Coolpix S9300

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
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
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

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Nikon S6100 vs Nikon S9300: 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 S6100 and Nikon S9300 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S6100 has external dimensions of 98 x 58 x 27 mm (3.86 x 2.28 x 1.06″) and weighs 175 g (0.39 lb / 6.17 oz) (including batteries). Nikon S9300 has external dimensions of 109 x 62 x 31 mm (4.29 x 2.44 x 1.22″) and weighs 215 g (0.47 lb / 7.58 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300. Nikon S6100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 11mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 4mm thinner than Nikon S9300.

Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300.

Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S6100 is significantly lighter (40g ) than the Nikon S9300 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S6100

S9300

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S6100

S9300

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S6100 nor Nikon Coolpix S9300 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

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300'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 S6100 vs Nikon S9300: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 have 1/2.3-inch sized 16.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the S6100 and S9300 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 Cameras

Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon S6100 vs Nikon S9300 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S6100 features a 28-196 mm F3.7-5.6 7× zoom lens whereas Nikon S9300 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens.

Nikon S9300 has 3mm wider coverage than the Nikon S6100. At f3.50, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S9300 has 254mm longer telezoom reach than the Nikon S6100. However, with a max aperture of f5.60, Nikon S6100 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S6100

S9300

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S6100

S9300

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S6100

S9300

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S6100

S9300

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S6100 and Nikon S9300 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 S6100 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Nikon S9300 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus 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
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
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
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon S9300 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Slow Lens at Wide: f3.70
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 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

Nikon S6100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon S9300 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
196 mm Tele Lens
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
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 210 shots
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Fast Continuous Shooting: 6.9fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
450 mm Tele Lens
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.9fps
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
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S9300 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
175g
7.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
215g
18.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon S9300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Focus Mode
28 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 Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Built-in GPS
25 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

Nikon S6100 vs Nikon S9300: 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 S6100 and Nikon S9300, 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 S6100 and Nikon S9300 scores compare:

Nikon S6100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #184 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #749 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon S9300

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #200 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #771 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon S9300 vs Nikon S6100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S6100	Nikon Coolpix S9300
Brand	Nikon	Nikon
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-07-16
Body Type	Compact	Compact
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	16 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	3,200 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	28-196 mm (7×)	25-450 mm (18×)
Max Aperture	F3.7-5.6	F3.5-5.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	4cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.50 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	6.9 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	MPEG-4, Motion JPEG	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	175g	215g
Dimensions	98 x 58 x 27mm	109 x 62 x 31mm
Battery Life	210 shots	200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction