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Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31 Comparison

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Nikon D3400

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D3400
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Nikon S31

10 MP | 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 mm) CCD Sensor

Nikon S31
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Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Nikon cameras cameras with different body types: Nikon D3400, which was introduced in August 2016 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Nikon S31, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Waterproof camera with a 10.0MP 1/2.9-inch sensor. As you can see, S31 is 3 years older than D3400. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Nikon D3400 and Nikon S31 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D3400 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-08-17
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 395g. 124 x 98 x 76 mm
  • Replaced Nikon D3300 Compare

Nikon S31 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-21
  • 10MP - 1/2.9-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 29-87 mm Zoom Lens
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 185g. 105 x 65 x 42 mm
  • Weather-sealed Body

Nikon D3400 was replaced by Nikon D3500. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D3500 vs Nikon D3400
Nikon D3500 vs Nikon Coolpix S31

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Nikon D3400 and Nikon S31 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Nikon D3400 over Nikon Coolpix S31
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
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 10 MP 140% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 1.600 1500% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
921k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
1200 shots vs 260 shots 940 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK D3400 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S31 over Nikon D3400
Internal Storage
26 MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Weight
185 g vs 395 g 210 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
CHECK S31 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon D3400 and Nikon Coolpix S31
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D3400 and Nikon Coolpix S31
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
LCD Screen Size
2.70" vs 2.70" Small display
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Nikon D3400 and Nikon S31 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon D3400 has external dimensions of 124 x 98 x 76 mm (4.88 x 3.86 x 2.99″) and weighs 395 g (0.87 lb / 13.93 oz) (including batteries). Nikon S31 has external dimensions of 105 x 65 x 42 mm (4.13 x 2.56 x 1.65″) and weighs 185 g (0.41 lb / 6.53 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon D3400 and the Nikon S31. Nikon S31 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 19mm narrower, 33mm shorter and 34mm thinner than Nikon D3400. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon S31 has a built-in lens but Nikon D3400 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D3400, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Nikon D3400 and the Nikon S31 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Nikon D3400 and Nikon S31.

Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Nikon D3400 and the Nikon S31 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D3400 and Nikon S31.
Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Nikon D3400 and the the Nikon S31 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S31 is significantly lighter (210g ) than the Nikon D3400 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D3400, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather-sealed body of the S31, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to the D3400.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D3400's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon S31's 2.7" screen.

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


Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D3400 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4 processor. On the other hand, Nikon S31 has a 10.0MP 1/2.9-inch (4.96 x 3.72 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Nikon D3400's sensor provides 14MP more than Nikon S31's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Nikon D3400's sensor lacks anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the D3400 and S31 sensor size comparison.

Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D3400 and Nikon S31 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D3400 has a 19.9x Larger sensor area than Nikon S31. 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.

What types of Photography are Nikon D3400 and Nikon S31 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D3400 and Nikon S31 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 D3400 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S31 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Small 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Image Stabilization
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 D3400 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S31 for Street Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f
29 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon S31 for Sports Photography

POOR
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
11 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1200 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Environmental Sealings
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
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
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
87 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Nikon S31 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
395g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details
Compact Body
185g
Environmental Sealings
Small 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Body Thickness 42mm
3.0X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S31 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Environmental Sealings
29 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.9″ (4.96 x 3.72 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Nikon D3400 vs Nikon S31: 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 D3400 and Nikon S31, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 D3400 and Nikon S31 scores compare:

Nikon D3400
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #31 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #267 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Nikon S31
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #324 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #995 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Nikon D3400 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S31 in all criteria except one: Portability. Nikon S31 is significantly smaller than Nikon D3400. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S31. Otherwise, Nikon D3400 is the better camera overall.

Nikon D3400
Nikon D3400
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Nikon S31
Nikon S31
CHECK PRICE

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Nikon S31 vs Nikon D3400 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D3400 Nikon Coolpix S31
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2016-08-17 2013-06-21
Body Type Compact SLR Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size APS-C 1/2.9-inch
Dimensions 23.5 x 15.6 mm 4.96 x 3.72 mm
Area 366.60mm2 18.45mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 10 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 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 11 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 29-87 mm (3×)
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 2.70"
Resolution 921k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder Coverage 95% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.56x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 7.00 m (at ISO 100) n/a
Max Flash Sync 1/200s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps n/a
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Optional None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 395g 185g
Dimensions 124 x 98 x 76mm 105 x 65 x 42mm
Battery Life 1200 shots 260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 86 not tested
DxO Color Depth 24.8 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 13.9 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 1192 not tested
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