Panasonic XS1 vs Nikon S9300 Comparison

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Panasonic XS1

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

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Nikon S9300

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

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Panasonic XS1 vs Nikon S9300 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Nikon. Panasonic XS1 was introduced to market in January 2013 and Nikon S9300 was launched in July 2012. There is only 6 months difference between XS1 and S9300 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Both Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 cameras have 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensors.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic XS1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-01-07

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

24-120 mm F2.8-6.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.7" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

103g. 94 x 54 x 14 mm

Nikon S9300 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-07-16

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

ISO 125 - 3200

25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

6.9 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

120fps High-Speed Video

Built-in GPS

215g. 109 x 62 x 31 mm

Replaced Nikon Coolpix S9100 Compare

Nikon S9300 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix S9500. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix S9500 vs Nikon Coolpix S9300
Nikon Coolpix S9500 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 over Nikon Coolpix S9300

Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Battery Life	260 shots vs 200 shots	60 more frames with a single charge
Weight	103 g vs 215 g	112 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9300 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1

GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 230k dots	300% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/8000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	6.9fps vs 1.0fps	5.9 fps faster
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 120mm	330 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	18× vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.90	faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 and Nikon Coolpix S9300

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 and Nikon Coolpix S9300

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 Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	6.90 vs 5.90	Slow lenses at tele

Panasonic XS1 vs Nikon S9300: 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 XS1 and Nikon S9300 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic XS1 has external dimensions of 94 x 54 x 14 mm (3.7 x 2.13 x 0.55″) and weighs 103 g (0.23 lb / 3.63 oz) (including batteries). Nikon S9300 has external dimensions of 109 x 62 x 31 mm (4.29 x 2.44 x 1.22″) and weighs 215 g (0.47 lb / 7.58 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300. Panasonic XS1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 15mm narrower, 8mm shorter and 17mm thinner than Nikon S9300.

Comparison image of Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300.

Comparison image of Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic XS1 is significantly lighter (112g ) than the Nikon S9300 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

XS1

S9300

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

XS1

S9300

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 nor Nikon Coolpix S9300 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 S9300's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic XS1's 2.7" screen.

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

Panasonic XS1 vs Nikon S9300: Sensor Comparison

Both Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 have 1/2.3-inch sized 16.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the XS1 and S9300 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 Cameras

Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 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.

Panasonic XS1 vs Nikon S9300 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic XS1 features a 24-120 mm F2.8-6.9 5× zoom lens whereas Nikon S9300 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens.

Panasonic XS1 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon S9300. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S9300 has 330mm longer reach than the Panasonic XS1. At f5.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

XS1

S9300

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

XS1

S9300

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

XS1

S9300

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

XS1

S9300

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 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 XS1 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Nikon S9300 for Portrait Photography

POOR

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

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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 Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic XS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S9300 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
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

Image Stabilization
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
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic XS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon S9300 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
120 mm Tele Lens
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
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Fast Continuous Shooting: 6.9fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
450 mm Tele Lens
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.9fps
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
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Panasonic XS1 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S9300 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
103g
Body Thickness 14mm
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
215g
18.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic XS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon S9300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

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

Built-in GPS
25 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 Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic XS1 vs Nikon S9300: 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 XS1 and Nikon S9300, 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 Panasonic XS1 and Nikon S9300 scores compare:

Panasonic XS1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #384 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1065 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Nikon S9300

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #200 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #772 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Nikon S9300 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic XS1 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon S9300 vs Panasonic XS1 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1	Nikon Coolpix S9300
Brand	Panasonic	Nikon
Announced	2013-01-07	2012-07-16
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	27.72mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 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	n/a	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-120 mm (5×)	25-450 mm (18×)
Max Aperture	F2.8-6.9	F3.5-5.9
Macro Focus Range	5cm	4cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.7"	3"
Resolution	230k dots	921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1600s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.40 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	6.9 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	103g	215g
Dimensions	94 x 54 x 14mm	109 x 62 x 31mm
Battery Life	260 shots	200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction