Nikon S9100 vs Panasonic LX7 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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Panasonic LX7

10 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Nikon S9100 vs Panasonic LX7 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Nikon S9100 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Panasonic LX7 was launched in October 2012. There is 15 months difference between S9100 and LX7 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger LX7, especially in sensor tech.

Nikon S9100 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Panasonic LX7 has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7 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

Panasonic LX7 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-10-15

10MP - 1/1.7-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400 ( expands to 12800)

24-90 mm F1.4-2.3 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

11 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

120fps High-Speed Video

298g. 111 x 68 x 46 mm

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

Panasonic LX7 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 vs Nikon Coolpix S9100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9100 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
Weight	214 g vs 298 g	84 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 90mm	360 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	18× vs 3.8x	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 over Nikon Coolpix S9100

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
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	11.0fps vs 10.0fps	1 fps faster
Battery Life	330 shots vs 270 shots	60 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.40 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.30 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	8.5m vs 4.0m	4.5m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	4.16µm² vs 2.34µm²	77% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter	Yes vs No	Use larger aperture under strong light

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

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
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 920k dots	High resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 11.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Nikon S9100 vs Panasonic LX7: 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 Panasonic LX7 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). Panasonic LX7 has external dimensions of 111 x 68 x 46 mm (4.37 x 2.68 x 1.81″) and weighs 298 g (0.66 lb / 10.51 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7. Nikon S9100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 6mm narrower, 6mm shorter and 11mm thinner than Panasonic LX7.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7 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 (84g ) than the Panasonic LX7 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

LX7

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

LX7

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S9100 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 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 Panasonic LX7'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 Panasonic LX7: 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, Panasonic LX7 has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the S9100 and LX7 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7 Cameras

As seen above, Panasonic LX7 has a 1.5x 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 Panasonic LX7 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Panasonic LX7 features a 24-90 mm F1.4-2.3 3.8x zoom lens.

Panasonic LX7 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon S9100. At f1.40, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S9100 has 360mm longer reach than the Panasonic LX7. However, with a max aperture of f2.30, Panasonic LX7 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100

LX7

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S9100

LX7

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S9100

LX7

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S9100

LX7

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 and Panasonic LX7 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

Panasonic LX7 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic LX7 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
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.40
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic LX7 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
90 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic LX7 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
298g
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Body Thickness 46mm
3.8X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic LX7 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
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon S9100 vs Panasonic LX7: 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 Panasonic LX7, 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 Panasonic LX7 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

Panasonic LX7

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #26 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #387 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic LX7 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, Panasonic LX7 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic LX7 vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S9100	Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2011-07-19	2012-10-15
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/1.7-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area	28.07mm²	41.52mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	10 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	12800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	160 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	25-450 mm (18×)	24-90 mm (3.8x)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.9	F1.4-2.3
Macro Focus Range	4cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic (optional)
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	8.50 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	11.0 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	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	214g	298g
Dimensions	105 x 62 x 35mm	111 x 68 x 46mm
Battery Life	270 shots	330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	50
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.7
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.7
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	147
	Report a correction	Report a correction