Nikon S9100 vs Pentax WG-2 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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Pentax WG-2

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

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Nikon S9100 vs Pentax WG-2 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 Pentax WG-2, which was introduced in February 2012 is a Waterproof camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. There is only 7 months difference between S9100 and WG-2 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 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

Pentax WG-2 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-02-07

16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 6400

28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens

3" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

192g. 122 x 61 x 30 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 Pentax Optio WG-2

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9100 over Pentax Optio WG-2

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
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 260 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
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

Reasons to choose Pentax Optio WG-2 over Nikon Coolpix S9100

Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Weight	192 g vs 214 g	22 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Max Aperture - Tele	5.50 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	5.4m vs 4.0m	1.4m longer range

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Pentax Optio WG-2

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 Pentax Optio WG-2

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 Pentax WG-2: 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 Pentax WG-2 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). Pentax WG-2 has external dimensions of 122 x 61 x 30 mm (4.8 x 2.4 x 1.18″) and weighs 192 g (0.42 lb / 6.77 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2. Pentax WG-2 is 1mm shorter and 5mm thinner than Nikon S9100 but it is also 17mm wider.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax WG-2 is 22g lighter than the Nikon S9100 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

S9100

WG-2

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

S9100

WG-2

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2'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 Pentax WG-2: 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, Pentax WG-2 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the S9100 and WG-2 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 Cameras

Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 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 Pentax WG-2 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Pentax WG-2 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5× zoom lens.

Nikon S9100 has 3mm wider coverage than the Pentax WG-2. Both cameras has a max aperture of f3.50 at the wide end. On the tele end, Nikon S9100 has 310mm longer reach than the Pentax WG-2. However, with a max aperture of f5.50, Pentax WG-2 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100

WG-2

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S9100

WG-2

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S9100

WG-2

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S9100

WG-2

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 and Pentax WG-2 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

Pentax WG-2 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

Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
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

Pentax WG-2 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

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 Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Pentax WG-2 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

Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
140 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax WG-2 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

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
192g
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

Pentax WG-2 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
28 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 Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Nikon S9100 vs Pentax WG-2: 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 Pentax WG-2, 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 Pentax WG-2 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

Pentax WG-2

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #97 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #568 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Pentax WG-2 scores higher than the Nikon S9100 thanks to its better general imaging quality, compact size and higher value for the money. On the other hand, Nikon S9100 has some extra features which may become a game changer if you have some specific requirements.
We recommend you to read our detailed Pro's and Con's section and see if any Pro of Nikon S9100 is a must-have for you. If not, choose the Pentax WG-2.

Pentax WG-2 vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S9100	Pentax Optio WG-2
Brand	Nikon	Pentax
Announced	2011-07-19	2012-02-07
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-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	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4288 x 3216
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	160 ISO	125 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	F3.5-5.5
Macro Focus Range	4cm	1cm
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	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m	5.40 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	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	214g	192g
Dimensions	105 x 62 x 35mm	122 x 61 x 30mm
Battery Life	270 shots	260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction