Canon ELPH 130 vs Nikon S01

Canon ELPH 130 vs Nikon Coolpix S01: The Battle of the Ultra-Compacts – Which One Suits Your Pocket and Your Passion?

In the realm of ultra-compact cameras, size often trumps specs, and ease of use is king. But even the smallest shooters aspire to deliver satisfying images that hold their own against smartphone photography and beg for a place in your pocket on those spontaneous outings. Today, I’m diving deep into two curious contenders from 2013’s crop: the Canon ELPH 130 - known across some regions as the IXUS 140 - and Nikon’s diminutive Coolpix S01. Both target the casual photographer who values portability but come with marked differences worth exploring.

Having handled thousands of cameras over the years, including myriad pocket-friendly models, I understand how the tiniest design choices can have outsized impacts on usability and image quality. So let’s unpack these two compact marvels, think beyond the raw specs, and see which one deserves your attention – or your hard-earned dollars.

Pocketable by Design: Size and Handling

Size matters. At first blush, we’re looking at petite powerhouses. The Canon ELPH 130 measures a trim 95 x 56 x 21 mm and weighs a modest 133 grams. Nikon’s S01 shrinks the footprint even further to a mere 77 x 52 x 17 mm and tips the scale at only 96 grams. That’s a featherweight champion that practically laughs at your gym membership.

The Nikon’s ultra-compact body certainly wins in the portability contest - it disappeared into my jacket pocket like a coin purse. However, that diminutive form factor comes with ergonomic trade-offs. The Canon offers a more substantial grip area, making it easier to hold steady, especially for longer shooting sessions or in shaky hands. The S01 requires a more careful grip and sometimes a bit of finger gymnastics to avoid accidental button presses.

Ergonomics often sneakily impact shooting comfort and stability, particularly outdoors or during travel - where you want your camera to just perform without fuss. From personal experience, most ultra-compact shooters walk that tightrope between tiny allure and frustrating fiddliness. The Canon leans toward the comfortable side, while Nikon’s S01 aggressively prioritizes pocketability.

Controls Up Top: How Handsome Are They on First Touch?

On to the tactile experience - those buttons and dials you won’t stop tapping.

Both cameras ditch manual exposure modes - no shutter or aperture priority, and definitely no manual control. That’s expected in this class but worth reminding anyone aiming to learn photographic craft with an automatic snapshot beater. Canon sticks with a more traditional control layout: a mode dial combined with zoom rocker and well-sized shutter button. Nikon’s S01 pares down controls brutally minimalist, with just a shutter release and zoom toggle.

The Canon’s control schema felt more intuitive during real-world testing, especially in dynamic scenes where quick framing adjustments matter. The Nikon’s minimal buttons mean less to fiddle with, but also less direct control - expect a lot of menu diving for settings tweaks (which can be a minor frustration on such a tiny screen).

On the Inside: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Now, the soul of any camera is its sensor - the actual image-capturing powerhouse. Here, the Canon ELPH 130 boasts a 1/2.3-inch backside-illuminated CMOS sensor with a 16-megapixel resolution. Nikon’s S01 is fitted with a smaller 1/2.9-inch CCD sensor at 10 megapixels.

Aside from sheer pixel count, the Canon’s BSI-CMOS technology benefits from improved light capture efficiency, usually translating into better low-light performance and dynamic range. Nikon’s CCD sensor is an older design, which traditionally excels at color rendition but usually suffers in higher ISO noise and limited dynamic range.

From my exhaustive lab and field testing - involving ISO sensitivity charts, standardized color targets, and outdoor shooting in varied lighting - the Canon delivers cleaner images, particularly when shooting above ISO 400. The Nikon’s images tend to show more noise and less shadow detail in dim environments.

In bright daylight, the differences shrink, and both cameras produce acceptable snapshots for social sharing. Also noteworthy: neither supports RAW - so image processing is entirely in-camera, limiting post-processing flexibility for enthusiasts who like to fine-tune their shots.

Compose and Review: Screen and Viewfinder Experience

Neither camera has an electronic viewfinder, which is expected in their ultra-compact tiers. The reliance is on their LCD screens.

Canon ELPH 130 offers a 3-inch, fixed PureColor II G TFT LCD with 460k dots resolution. Nikon’s S01 settles for a smaller, 2.5-inch TFT-LCD with anti-reflection coating but half the resolution at 230k dots.

On sunny days, the Canon’s larger, higher-res screen made framing and menu navigation notably easier. The S01’s screen is sharper than many older compacts but tends to wash out outdoors and requires shading your hand for critical compositions.

The Canon lacks touch control, meaning navigation is button-driven - not my favorite, but the interface is well laid out. Surprisingly, Nikon includes touchscreen capabilities, but given the tiny screen size, my gains in speed were minimal, and I found some touches misregistered in casual handling.

Zoom and Lens Range: Can 3x Compete with 8x?

The Canon ELPH 130 shoots with a lens ranging from 28-224mm equivalency in 35mm terms - a hefty 8x zoom range that covers wide-angle landscapes and comfortably zoomed-in portraits or street scenes. It has an aperture range of f/3.2 to f/6.9.

Nikon’s modest 29-87mm, or about 3x zoom, from f/3.3 to f/5.9, feels limited in versatility, especially on the telephoto end. This impacts composition flexibility, especially for wildlife or sports enthusiasts who might want decent reach in an ultracompact.

In real-world testing, the Canon’s longer zoom was a welcome feature for casual travel and candid portraits, allowing me to frame tighter shots without physically moving closer - and crucially, without swapping lenses, since both cameras possess fixed optics.

Autofocus: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Autofocus is the unsung hero of a good photographic experience.

The Canon packs a contrast-detection AF system with 9 fixed points, including face detection for improved portrait results. It supports single-shot, continuous, and tracking autofocus. Nikon’s S01 offers a contrast-detection AF but lacks face detection, continuous AF, and tracking capabilities - quite a barebones system.

During fast-moving scenarios - such as children darting around or pets chasing toys - the Canon’s AF was noticeably more reliable in locking focus promptly and tracking moving subjects. The Nikon often struggled to acquire focus quickly and suffered hunting in less-than-ideal light.

For street photographers aiming to capture spontaneous moments, Canon’s AF versatility is a distinct edge.

Image Stabilization and Low-Light Performance

Image stabilization (IS) is your ally when shaking hands or long zooms coincide. Canon includes optical IS in the ELPH 130, which in my shooting reduced blur significantly at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds down to 1/15 second with acceptable results.

Nikon’s S01 lacks any named IS technology - so handheld shots at zoom extremes or in dimmer lighting are at more risk of camera shake blur. Low-light ISO performance was overall better in Canon’s favor, owing to sensor tech and IS.

Night-time snapshots, or impromptu indoor events, benefited clearly from Canon’s approach, though neither camera is a long-exposure or high-ISO champ by any stretch.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Are These Cameras Tough Enough?

Neither model offers environmental sealing, waterproofing, or shock resistance. That’s unsurprising given their ultra-compact design and target market.

With plastic constructions and rather lightweight frames, they both feel delicate compared with ruggedized alternatives. However, the Canon’s slightly larger frame lends a better grip and makes it less prone to accidental slips. For occasional travel and gentle use, either is fine - but neither suits rough or extreme environments.

Storage, Battery, and Connectivity: Practical Considerations

Both run on proprietary battery packs - Canon ELPH 130 uses the NB-11L, and Nikon’s battery is built-in. Canon claims around 190 shots per charge; Nikon makes the same claim, but the smaller model’s battery isn’t user-replaceable, a downside for heavy shooters who need spares.

Storage-wise, Canon supports SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with a dedicated slot, while Nikon’s S01 sadly lacks any external storage option - you’re limited to its internal memory, a significant limitation for continuous shooting or high-volume trips.

On connectivity, Canon features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi), HDMI output, and USB 2.0, allowing quick sharing and tethering. Nikon omits wireless entirely, lacks HDMI, and offers only USB 2.0, making file transfers and live shooting more cumbersome.

Video Capabilities: HD Enough for Casual Use?

Both capture HD at 1280x720 pixels, with Canon at 25fps and Nikon at 30fps. Neither offers 4K or advanced video features.

Canon supports H.264 encoding, has optical IS benefiting handheld video, and a built-in flash to aid in low-light scenarios. However, neither model includes microphone or headphone jacks, limiting sound quality control.

Canon’s video footage appeared smoother and less shaky in my tests, while Nikon’s limited lens reach and lack of stabilization made video capture more prone to blur.

How They Handle Different Photography Genres

Though these are humble cameras, let’s see how they fare across photography disciplines:

• Portraiture: Canon’s superior AF with face detection and longer zoom range produce more flattering subject isolation and accurate skin tone capture. Nikon’s fixed shorter zoom and no face AF leave portraits feeling less polished.

• Landscape: Canon’s 16MP sensor gives higher resolution and better detail rendition, with a wider lens reaching 28mm for landscape expanses. Nikon’s narrower field and lower resolution miss some fine detail, though landscapes remain acceptable.

• Wildlife & Sports: Canon’s 8x zoom and continuous AF enable capturing moderately distant or quick-moving subjects better. Nikon’s 3x zoom and single AF mode are limiting for action shots or distant wildlife.

• Street: Canon’s larger size is slightly less discreet but better adaptable to changing scenes with AF and zoom. Nikon’s tiny form factor ideal for low-profile shooting but requires patience with slower AF.

• Macro: Canon allows focusing down to 1cm, great for close-ups of flowers or small objects. Nikon’s 5cm minimum focus distance is less versatile for macro enthusiasts.

• Night & Astro: Neither excels here, but Canon’s sensor and IS enable cleaner low-light shots at ISO 400+. Nikon struggles noticeably beyond ISO 100.

• Travel: Both shine for travelers who prize small size, but Canon’s better battery, connectivity, zoom, and ergonomics make it the more satisfying travel companion.

• Professional work: Neither is suited to professional demands lacking RAW support, manual controls, or robust file compatibility. Canon comes closer with better image quality for casual side gigs.

The Verdict: Which Should You Pack in Your Pocket?

Canon ELPH 130 screen back Nikon S01 front Nikon S01 screen back

After extensive hands-on testing, the Canon ELPH 130 emerges as the winner for most users seeking an ultra-compact camera. Its larger sensor, 8x zoom, optical image stabilization, face detection autofocus, and wireless connectivity contribute to a significantly better shooting experience and image quality for casual photography in varied conditions.

The Nikon Coolpix S01 appeals most if sheer pocketability and minimalism are your top priorities - it’s impressively small and light, but sacrifices versatility, zoom reach, and AF responsiveness. It can be a fun “grab-and-go” camera for pure casual snaps but is noticeably less flexible and less capable in challenging shoots.

Technical Performance Summary

Breaking down technical merit, Canon leads in sensor tech, autofocus capabilities, image stabilization, zoom flexibility, ergonomics, and connectivity. Nikon’s main points are extreme portability and quirky design, but it comes with compromises in sharpness, zoom range, and ease of use.

Genre-Specific Performance Snapshot

The Canon ELPH 130 shines across portrait, landscape, street, and travel photo categories - solid versatility in a neat package. Nikon’s S01 best suits ultracompact street shooting where discretion beats technical performance.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

If you desire a genuinely pocket-sized, “set and forget” snapshot camera that you can also use for diverse casual shoots - portraits, landscapes, some telephoto reach - the Canon ELPH 130 strikes the most satisfying balance between simplicity and competence.

Choose the Nikon Coolpix S01 if you want the smallest possible camera to slip into a pocket unobtrusively, focusing on spur-of-the-moment street captures or backup snaps, and can tolerate limited zoom and basic autofocus.

For photography enthusiasts or professionals seeking a secondary compact camera, the Canon offers greater practical value and image quality. The Nikon feels more like a niche novelty or fashion accessory - fun but not your go-to shooter.

Appendix: Hands-on Testing Methodology

My testing involved side-by-side shooting in mixed indoor and outdoor lighting, varying focal lengths, and dynamic subjects. Focus acquisition speed was measured during walks through crowded urban areas and wildlife parks. ISO noise and dynamic range were analyzed using X-Rite ColorChecker targets charted under controlled lighting conditions. Video quality was judged in handheld walking and static tripod modes. Battery performance was gauged with continuous shooting until depletion, including wireless transfer for Canon.

This comprehensive, real-world approach ensures the review reflects practical day-to-day use, not just sterile lab numbers.

Thanks for reading this deep dive comparing two uniquely compact contenders in early 2010s ultracompact digital cameras. Should you need a camera that balances convenience, decent image quality, and functionality in a pint-sized package - I favor the Canon ELPH 130. But of course, the final call depends on your style, needs, and pocket space.

Happy shooting!