Nikon S9100 vs Panasonic SZ8 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 SZ8

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

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Nikon S9100 vs Panasonic SZ8 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing S9100 and SZ8, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon S9100 has a 12.0 MP and Panasonic SZ8 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Nikon S9100 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Panasonic SZ8 was launched in January 2014. As you can see, S9100 is 3 years older than SZ8. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 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 SZ8 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-01-06

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600 ( expands to 6400)

24-288 mm F3.1-6.3 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

159g. 100 x 60 x 27 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 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-SZ8

Max ISO	3.200 vs 1.600	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 1.0fps	9 fps faster
Battery Life	270 shots vs 200 shots	70 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 288mm	162 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	18× vs 12×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.30	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.34µm² vs 1.74µm²	34% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 over Nikon Coolpix S9100

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Weight	159 g vs 214 g	55 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.10 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	5.2m vs 4.0m	1.2m longer range
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8

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
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 288mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8

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
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.30	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon S9100 vs Panasonic SZ8: 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 SZ8 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 SZ8 has external dimensions of 100 x 60 x 27 mm (3.94 x 2.36 x 1.06″) and weighs 159 g (0.35 lb / 5.61 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8. Panasonic SZ8 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 5mm narrower, 2mm shorter and 8mm thinner than Nikon S9100.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic SZ8 is significantly lighter (55g ) than the Nikon S9100 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ8

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ8

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S9100 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 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 SZ8'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 SZ8: 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 SZ8 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the S9100 and SZ8 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 Cameras

Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 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 S9100 vs Panasonic SZ8 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Panasonic SZ8 features a 24-288 mm F3.1-6.3 12× zoom lens.

Panasonic SZ8 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon S9100. At f3.10, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S9100 has 162mm longer reach than the Panasonic SZ8. At f5.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ8

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ8

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ8

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S9100

SZ8

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 and Panasonic SZ8 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 SZ8 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
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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 S9100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic SZ8 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

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
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
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 S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic SZ8 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
Wireless Connection
288 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
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
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.30
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic SZ8 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
159g
12.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic SZ8 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

24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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 S9100 vs Panasonic SZ8: 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 SZ8, 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 SZ8 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 SZ8

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #280 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #901 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon S9100 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic SZ8 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Panasonic SZ8 vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S9100	Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2011-07-19	2014-01-06
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	6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area	28.07mm²	27.72mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	6400 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×)	24-288 mm (12×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.9	F3.1-6.3
Macro Focus Range	4cm	n/a
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	5.20 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	1.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1280 x 720
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	214g	159g
Dimensions	105 x 62 x 35mm	100 x 60 x 27mm
Battery Life	270 shots	200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction