Nikon S6100 vs Panasonic FX90 Comparison

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Nikon S6100

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

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Panasonic FX90

12 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

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Nikon S6100 vs Panasonic FX90 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing S6100 and FX90, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon S6100 has a 16.0 MP and Panasonic FX90 has a 12.0 MP resolution. Nikon S6100 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Panasonic FX90 was launched in August 2011. There is only 7 months difference between S6100 and FX90 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 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

Panasonic FX90 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-08-26

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

24-120 mm F2.5-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

4 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

149g. 102 x 56 x 22 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S6100 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Battery Life	210 shots vs 200 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele	196mm vs 120mm	76 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	7× vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.60 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90 over Nikon Coolpix S6100

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 9	14 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	4.0fps vs 1.0fps	3 fps faster
Weight	149 g vs 175 g	26 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.50 vs 3.70	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	5.9m vs 4.5m	1.4m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.31µm² vs 1.76µm²	31% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S6100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Touch Screen	Yes vs Yes	Easy control of camera functions

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S6100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90

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
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
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 Panasonic FX90: 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 Panasonic FX90 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). Panasonic FX90 has external dimensions of 102 x 56 x 22 mm (4.02 x 2.2 x 0.87″) and weighs 149 g (0.33 lb / 5.26 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90. Panasonic FX90 is 2mm shorter and 5mm thinner than Nikon S6100 but it is also 4mm wider.

Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90.

Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic FX90 is significantly lighter (26g ) than the Nikon S6100 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S6100

FX90

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S6100

FX90

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S6100 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90 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 Panasonic FX90'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 Panasonic FX90: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S6100 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Panasonic FX90 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the S6100 and FX90 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 Cameras

Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon S6100 vs Panasonic FX90 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S6100 features a 28-196 mm F3.7-5.6 7× zoom lens whereas Panasonic FX90 features a 24-120 mm F2.5-5.9 5× zoom lens.

Panasonic FX90 has 4mm wider coverage than the Nikon S6100. At f2.50, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S6100 has 76mm longer reach than the Panasonic FX90. At f5.60, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S6100

FX90

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S6100

FX90

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S6100

FX90

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S6100

FX90

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S6100 and Panasonic FX90 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

Panasonic FX90 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: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 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

Panasonic FX90 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
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.50
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic FX90 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 Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
120 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
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic FX90 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

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
149g
Body Thickness 22mm
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic FX90 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

24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon S6100 vs Panasonic FX90: 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 Panasonic FX90, 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 Panasonic FX90 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

Panasonic FX90

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #198 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #765 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic FX90 vs Nikon S6100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S6100	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2011-02-09	2011-08-26
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area	28.07mm²	27.72mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	6,400 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	9	23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-196 mm (7×)	24-120 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.7-5.6	F2.5-5.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.50 m	5.90 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	4.0 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	MPEG-4, Motion JPEG	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	175g	149g
Dimensions	98 x 58 x 27mm	102 x 56 x 22mm
Battery Life	210 shots	200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction