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Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900 Comparison

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Panasonic FZ80

18 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

Panasonic FZ80
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Nikon S2900

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

Nikon S2900
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Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic FZ80, which was introduced in January 2017 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 18.0MP 1/2.3 sensor whereas Nikon S2900, which was introduced in January 2015 is a Ultracompact camera with a 20.0MP 1/2.3' sensor. As you can see, S2900 is 2 years older than FZ80. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic FZ80 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-01-04
  • 18MP - 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)
  • 20-1200 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 616g. 130 x 94 x 119 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-FZ85

Nikon S2900 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-01-14
  • 20MP - 1/2.3' CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 Zoom Lens
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 119g. 95 x 59 x 20 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 compares 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 over Nikon Coolpix S2900
In-built Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 230k dots 352% higher resolution screen
Battery Life
330 shots vs 250 shots 80 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide
20mm vs 26mm 6 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
1200mm vs 130mm 1070 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
60x vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.20 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
5.90 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
14.1m vs 4.0m 10.1m longer range
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking
Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Post Focus Mode
Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK FZ80 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S2900 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80
Internal Storage
25MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 18 MP 11% more pixels
Weight
119 g vs 616 g 497 g lighter
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
CHECK S2900 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 and Nikon Coolpix S2900
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
18 MP vs 20 MP Bigger prints and more details
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 and Nikon Coolpix S2900
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
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
5.90 vs 6.50 Slow lenses at tele
Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900: 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 Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic FZ80 has external dimensions of 130 x 94 x 119 mm (5.12 x 3.7 x 4.69″) and weighs 616 g (1.36 lb / 21.73 oz) (including batteries). Nikon S2900 has external dimensions of 95 x 59 x 20 mm (3.74 x 2.32 x 0.79″) and weighs 119 g (0.26 lb / 4.20 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900. Nikon S2900 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 35mm narrower, 35mm shorter and 99mm thinner than Panasonic FZ80.

Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900.

Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900.
Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S2900 is significantly lighter (497g ) than the Panasonic FZ80 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

FZ80
S2900
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

FZ80
S2900
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 (Lumix DMC-FZ82) nor Nikon Coolpix S2900 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 Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic FZ80's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon S2900's 2.7" screen.

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


Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic FZ80 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor. On the other hand, Nikon S2900 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Expeed C2 processor.

Below you can see the FZ80 and S2900 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 Cameras


Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic FZ80 features a 20-1200 mm F2.8-5.9 60x zoom lens whereas Nikon S2900 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens.

Panasonic FZ80 has 6mm wider coverage than the Nikon S2900. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic FZ80 has 1070mm longer reach than the Nikon S2900. At f5.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

FZ80
S2900
Widest - Samsung WB2200F
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

FZ80
S2900
Longest - Nikon P1000
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

FZ80
S2900
Fastest - Olympus 1
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

FZ80
S2900
Fastest - Sony RX10 III
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 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.

Panasonic FZ80 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S2900 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
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 Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon S2900 for Street Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
20 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
26 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
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S2900 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
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
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S2900 for Daily Photography

POOR
RAW shooting capability
60.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor
616g
Body Thickness 119mm
Read the details
Compact Body
119g
Body Thickness 20mm
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon S2900 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
20 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 vs Nikon S2900: 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 Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900, 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 Panasonic FZ80 and Nikon S2900 scores compare:

Panasonic FZ80
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #17 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #306 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Nikon S2900
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #61 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1007 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ80 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S2900 in all criteria except one: Portability. Nikon S2900 is significantly smaller than Panasonic FZ80. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S2900. Otherwise, Panasonic FZ80 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic FZ80
Panasonic FZ80
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Nikon S2900
Nikon S2900
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Nikon S2900 vs Panasonic FZ80 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 Nikon Coolpix S2900
Brand Panasonic Nikon
Announced 2017-01-04 2015-01-14
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Ultracompact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CCD
Size 1/2.3 1/2.3'
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 18 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 4896 x 3672 5152 x 3864
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 6400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 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 49 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 20-1200 mm (60x) 26-130 mm (5×)
Max Aperture F2.8-5.9 F3.2-6.5
Macro Focus Range 1cm 10cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 2.70"
Resolution 1,040k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Viewfinder Resolution 1,166k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.46x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical Digital only
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 14.10 m (at Auto ISO) 4.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 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 3840 x 2160 1280 x 720
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 616g 119g
Dimensions 130 x 94 x 119mm 95 x 59 x 20mm
Battery Life 330 shots 250 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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