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Nikon S9100 vs Canon D20 Comparison

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Nikon S9100

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

Nikon S9100
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Canon D20

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon D20
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Nikon S9100 vs Canon D20 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon S9100, which was introduced in July 2011 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Canon D20, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Waterproof camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. There is 23 months difference between S9100 and D20 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger D20, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S9100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-07-19
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 3200
  • 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • 214g. 105 x 62 x 35 mm

Canon D20 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-18
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 28-140 mm F3.9-4.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Unknown continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in GPS
  • 228g. 112 x 71 x 28 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Nikon S9100 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix S9300. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix S9300 vs Nikon Coolpix S9100
Nikon Coolpix S9300 vs Canon PowerShot D20

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9100 over Canon PowerShot D20
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 461k dots 99% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1600s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
214 g vs 228 g 14 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 28mm 3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
450mm vs 140mm 310 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
18× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.50 vs 3.90 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
4.0m vs 3.5m 0.5m longer range


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot D20 over Nikon Coolpix S9100
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
4.80 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Canon PowerShot D20
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
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Canon PowerShot D20
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
Nikon S9100 vs Canon D20: 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 S9100 and Canon D20 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S9100 has external dimensions of 105 x 62 x 35 mm (4.13 x 2.44 x 1.38″) and weighs 214 g (0.47 lb / 7.55 oz) (including batteries). Canon D20 has external dimensions of 112 x 71 x 28 mm (4.41 x 2.8 x 1.1″) and weighs 228 g (0.50 lb / 8.04 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Canon D20. Nikon S9100 is 7mm narrower and 9mm shorter than Canon D20 but it is also 7mm thicker.

Nikon S9100 vs Canon D20 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Canon D20.

Nikon S9100 vs Canon D20 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Canon D20.
Nikon S9100 vs Canon D20 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S9100 is 14g lighter than the Canon D20 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

S9100
D20
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

S9100
D20
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon S9100 and Canon D20'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 S9100 vs Canon D20: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 have 1/2.3-inch sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the S9100 and D20 sensor size comparison.

Nikon S9100 vs Canon D20 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 Cameras


Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 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 S9100 vs Canon D20 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Canon D20 features a 28-140 mm F3.9-4.8 5× zoom lens.

Nikon S9100 has 3mm wider coverage than the Canon D20. At f3.50, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S9100 has 310mm longer reach than the Canon D20. However, with a max aperture of f4.80, Canon D20 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100
D20
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S9100
D20
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S9100
D20
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S9100
D20
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 and Canon D20 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 S9100 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon D20 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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

Nikon S9100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon D20 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
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
Read the details
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: f3.90
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon D20 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
450 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
140 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 Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon D20 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
214g
18.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Compact Body
228g
Environmental Sealings
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon D20 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Focus Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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
Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Nikon S9100 vs Canon D20: 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 S9100 and Canon D20, 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 S9100 and Canon D20 scores compare:

Nikon S9100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #174 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #727 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Canon D20
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #121 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #615 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon D20 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon S9100 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon S9100
Nikon S9100
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Canon D20
Canon D20
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Canon D20 vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix S9100 Canon PowerShot D20
Brand Nikon Canon
Announced 2011-07-19 2013-06-18
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS 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 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 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 9 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-450 mm (18×) 28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture F3.5-5.9 F3.9-4.8
Macro Focus Range 4cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 4.00 m 3.50 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps n/a
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 214g 228g
Dimensions 105 x 62 x 35mm 112 x 71 x 28mm
Battery Life 270 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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