Nikon S9100 vs Olympus SZ-15 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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Olympus SZ-15

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

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Nikon S9100 vs Olympus SZ-15 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing S9100 and SZ-15, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon S9100 has a 12.0 MP and Olympus SZ-15 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Nikon S9100 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Olympus SZ-15 was launched in June 2013. There is 23 months difference between S9100 and SZ-15 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger SZ-15, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 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

Olympus SZ-15 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-06-21

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

23-483 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

250g. 108 x 70 x 40 mm mm

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 Olympus SZ-15

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9100 over Olympus SZ-15

LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Weight	214 g vs 250 g	36 g lighter
Flash Coverage	4.0m vs 3.5m	0.5m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.34µm² vs 1.76µm²	32% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Olympus SZ-15 over Nikon Coolpix S9100

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	23mm vs 25mm	2 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	483mm vs 450mm	33 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	21× vs 18×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Olympus SZ-15

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
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 10.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 483mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Olympus SZ-15

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
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 5.90	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon S9100 vs Olympus SZ-15: 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 Olympus SZ-15 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). Olympus SZ-15 has external dimensions of and weighs 250 g (0.55 lb / 8.82 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15. Nikon S9100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 3mm narrower, 8mm shorter and 5mm thinner than Olympus SZ-15.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 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 (36g ) than the Olympus SZ-15 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ-15

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ-15

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S9100 nor Olympus SZ-15 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 and Olympus SZ-15'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 Olympus SZ-15: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S9100 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Olympus SZ-15 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the S9100 and SZ-15 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 Cameras

Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 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 S9100 has 32% larger pixel area compared to Olympus SZ-15, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon S9100 vs Olympus SZ-15 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Olympus SZ-15 features a 23-483 mm F2.8-5.9 21× zoom lens.

Olympus SZ-15 has 2mm wider coverage than the Nikon S9100. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus SZ-15 has 33mm longer reach than the Nikon S9100. Both cameras has a max aperture of f5.90 at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ-15

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ-15

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ-15

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ-15

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 and Olympus SZ-15 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

Olympus SZ-15 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
Manual Exposure 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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus SZ-15 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
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
23 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

Nikon S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus SZ-15 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Wireless Connection
483 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus SZ-15 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
250g
21.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Body Thickness 40mm
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus SZ-15 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
Built-in GPS
23 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 S9100 vs Olympus SZ-15: 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 Olympus SZ-15, 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 Olympus SZ-15 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

Olympus SZ-15

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #105 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #582 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Olympus SZ-15 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, Olympus SZ-15 is the better camera overall.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S9100	Olympus SZ-15
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2011-07-19	2013-06-21
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CCD
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	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4608 x 3456
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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-450 mm (18×)	23-483 mm (21×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.9	F2.8-5.9
Macro Focus Range	4cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/2000s
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	10.0 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	AVI MPEG4, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	214g	250g
Dimensions	105 x 62 x 35mm	108 x 70 x 40 mmmm
Battery Life	270 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction