Nikon S9100 vs Fujifilm X20 Comparison

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Nikon S9100

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

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Fujifilm X20

12 MP | 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) CMOS X-TRANS II Sensor

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Nikon S9100 vs Fujifilm X20 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Fujifilm. Nikon S9100 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Fujifilm X20 was launched in April 2013. There is 21 months difference between S9100 and X20 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger X20, especially in sensor tech.

Both cameras have 12.0MP sensors but Nikon S9100's sensor is 1/2.3-inch sized whereas Fujifilm X20 has a 2/3-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 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

Fujifilm X20 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-04-29

12MP - 2/3-inch CMOS X-TRANS II Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800

28-112 mm F2.0-2.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.8" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (tunnel) viewfinder

12 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

353g. 117 x 70 x 57 mm

Replaced Fujifilm X10 Compare

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 Fujifilm X20

Fujifilm X20 was replaced by Fujifilm X30 . You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Fujifilm X30 vs Fujifilm X20
Fujifilm X30 vs Nikon Coolpix S9100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9100 over Fujifilm X20

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.8"	0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Weight	214 g vs 353 g	139 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 112mm	338 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	18× vs 4×	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Fujifilm X20 over Nikon Coolpix S9100

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Optical vs None	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max ISO	12.800 vs 3.200	300% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	12.0fps vs 10.0fps	2 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Max Aperture - Wide	2.00 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.80 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	7.0m vs 4.0m	3m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	4.84µm² vs 2.34µm²	106% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Fujifilm X20

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
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 12.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Fujifilm X20

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.8"	Small display
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Nikon S9100 vs Fujifilm X20: 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 Fujifilm X20 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). Fujifilm X20 has external dimensions of 117 x 70 x 57 mm (4.61 x 2.76 x 2.24″) and weighs 353 g (0.78 lb / 12.45 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20. Nikon S9100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 12mm narrower, 8mm shorter and 22mm thinner than Fujifilm X20.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S9100 is significantly lighter (139g ) than the Fujifilm X20 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

X20

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

X20

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S9100 nor Fujifilm X20 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 S9100's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Fujifilm X20's 2.8" screen.

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

Nikon S9100 vs Fujifilm X20: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Nikon S9100's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Fujifilm X20's sensor is 2/3-inch (8.8 x 6.6 mm ).

Since Fujifilm X20's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Nikon S9100.

Below you can see the S9100 and X20 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 Cameras

As seen above, Fujifilm X20 has a 2.1x Larger sensor area than Nikon S9100. 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 S9100 vs Fujifilm X20 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Fujifilm X20 features a 28-112 mm F2.0-2.8 4× zoom lens.

Nikon S9100 has 3mm wider coverage than the Fujifilm X20. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.00, Fujifilm X20 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S9100 has 338mm longer reach than the Fujifilm X20. However, with a max aperture of f2.80, Fujifilm X20 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100

X20

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S9100

X20

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S9100

X20

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S9100

X20

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 and Fujifilm X20 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

Fujifilm X20 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm X20 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
RAW shooting capability
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Fujifilm X20 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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
112 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm X20 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

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) sensor
353g
Body Thickness 57mm
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Fujifilm X20 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
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon S9100 vs Fujifilm X20: 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 Fujifilm X20, 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 Fujifilm X20 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

Fujifilm X20

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #53 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #471 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Fujifilm X20 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S9100 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S9100. Otherwise, Fujifilm X20 is the better camera overall.

Fujifilm X20 vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S9100	Fujifilm X20
Brand	Nikon	Fujifilm
Announced	2011-07-19	2013-04-29
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CMOS X-TRANS II
Size	1/2.3-inch	2/3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	8.8 x 6.6 mm
Area	28.07mm²	58.08mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	12,800 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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-450 mm (18×)	28-112 mm (4×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.9	F2.0-2.8
Macro Focus Range	4cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	2.8"
Resolution	921k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Optical (tunnel)
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	85%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m	7.00 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	1/1000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	12.0 fps
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	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	214g	353g
Dimensions	105 x 62 x 35mm	117 x 70 x 57mm
Battery Life	270 shots	270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction