Canon PowerShot A1100 IS vs Nikon Coolpix S9500: The Compact Camera Showdown You Didn’t Know You Needed

Choosing a compact camera in today’s smartphone-saturated world might seem like a lost cause. Yet, for enthusiasts and professionals alike, dedicated cameras still hold their charm - especially when it comes to zoom versatility, better image quality than phones can offer, and tactile controls that remind you photography is a hands-on craft. Today, we're diving deep into a face-off between two compact cameras separated by more than just a few years - the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS (launched in early 2009) and the Nikon Coolpix S9500 (introduced in 2013).

Despite being from different generations - and with the inexorable march of technology between them - they still offer compelling insights into what compact cameras can deliver. I’ve logged hundreds of hours with weathered cameras and fresh releases, pushing their sensors, lenses, and menus to understand exactly what they bring to the table. Let’s examine the nuances, the outright wins, and the disappointments.

A Tale of Two Compacts: Size and Handling First

Let’s start with the shells - because how a camera feels in your hand often determines how much you enjoy using it. Despite both being “compact,” they offer subtly different experiences.

The Canon A1100 IS is a neat little package, with dimensions of 95x62x31mm and a light 150 grams (excluding battery). Its diminutive size makes it genuinely pocketable. The Nikon S9500, while still compact, is noticeably wider at 110x60x31mm and a smidge heavier at 205 grams, mostly due to its bigger zoom lens assembly and battery pack. This extra girth lends it a more substantial feel, which some users equate with sturdiness, while others might find cumbersome for truly minimalist carry.

Handling-wise, the Canon sticks to simple ergonomics, with modestly sized buttons that can feel cramped if you have large hands - especially since the style leans towards a modest scoop grip rather than a pronounced handle. Nikon responded with a slender, elongated shape that balances well for two-handed use, though it trades off some one-hand steadiness. For street enthusiasts who prize nimble, unobtrusive gear, the Canon edges ahead here. The Nikon feels a little more “stuffed” in the pocket.

Laying Out the Controls: Simplicity vs Complexity

While size matters, control layout can make or break the shooting experience, especially when quick reaction times are essential.

The Canon keeps things minimalist: no manual focus ring, basic mode dial functions absent (no aperture or shutter priority), and a fixed zoom lever that feels snappy but lacks finesse for creative framing. The optical tunnel viewfinder (rare for compacts nowadays) gives a retro feel but grapples with parallax errors in close shots.

Nikon’s S9500, while it also lacks manual exposure modes, compensates with a richer array of quick-access buttons and a larger, brighter 3” OLED display (more on that soon). It sports a 99-point contrast-detect autofocus system, a rangefinder-style zoom rocker with smooth travel, and a dedicated record button for its superior video capabilities.

One notable quirk from the Nikon side: no optical viewfinder at all. This means you’re relying entirely on the rear screen for composition, which can be challenging in bright daylight but ultimately becomes reassuring once you acclimate.

Sensors and Image Quality: Pixel Counts Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Specs can be deceiving, particularly with small sensor compacts where nuanced differences zoom in on image quality.

Both cameras stick to the 1/2.3” sensor size, hovering around 28mm² active area - small territory compared to mirrorless or DSLRs, but par for the course at this price and form factor. Sensor size largely dictates noise performance, dynamic range, and diffraction limits, so both are fundamentally limited here.

Yet, the Canon A1100 IS employs an older 12MP CCD sensor, known historically for slightly warmer, smoother images with arguably better color rendition at low ISO but at a significant cost in noise performance. The Nikon S9500 takes advantage of a 16.0+MP BSI-CMOS sensor, a more modern design offering better high ISO sensitivity, faster data readout, and improved dynamic range.

In practical terms, the Nikon’s CMOS sensor yields sharper images with less noise creeping in past ISO 400. In daylight landscape shots, Nikon’s greater resolution provides a bit more latitude for cropping and preserving detail. The Canon, conversely, crafts softer tones and can deliver pleasing color gradations at base ISO 80 - valuable if your focus is on portraits or casual snapshots where noise isn’t a killer issue.

One limitation with both: neither supports RAW capture, so you’re betting on in-camera JPEG processing. Nikon’s newer engine edges ahead with more competent color balance and noise reduction.

Viewing the World: Displays and Viewfinders Compared

Nothing frustrates more than a lousy screen - especially with tiny compacts where the rear display is the primary interface.

Canon’s 2.5” fixed LCD on the A1100 IS comes in at a paltry 115k dot resolution. It’s usable indoors but struggles horrendously in bright sunlight, turning reflections into a confetti nightmare. The lack of touchscreen and no articulation limits compositional flexibility.

Nikon, keeping up with trends, sports a 3” OLED screen with 614k dots. This is a substantial step up, offering vibrant colors, deeper black levels, and wide viewing angles. While it’s not touchscreen either, the larger, crisper display makes framing, reviewing, and menu navigation a genuine pleasure. The lack of viewfinder can be a pain in bright outdoor situations - but frankly, the superior LCD eases that tradeoff.

Zoom Power and Lens Versatility: Narrow vs Superzoom

Lens capabilities are the linchpin of utility in compact point-and-shoots.

Canon’s fixed lens offers a 35-140mm equivalent focal range (a 4x zoom), with a max aperture of f/2.7 to f/5.6 - fairly standard for its class at the time, but quite limited in reach and soft in telephoto corners. Macro focusing down to 3cm is handy for close-ups but suffers from shallow depth of field controls.

The Nikon steps up the game with an astonishing 25-550mm equivalent focal length - a 22x superzoom monster. While the aperture isn’t specified exactly, expect it to dabble between f/3.4 at wide and f/6.3 at full zoom, typical for mega-zooms. This vast versatility makes the S9500 a strong contender for wildlife, travel, and casual sports capture.

But - and this is a key point - superzooms come with inevitable optical compromises - noticeable softness at the extremes, chromatic aberration under harsh light, and slower autofocus at long reach. That said, Nikon’s lens coupled with optical image stabilization makes handheld wildlife snaps achievable in good light, though not a replacement for a DSLR with a telephoto prime.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Steadfast or Sluggish?

Autofocus performance makes or breaks action, wildlife, and event photography - even with comps.

The Canon A1100 IS uses a basic 9-point contrast-detect AF with face detection that works okay in good lighting but can be painfully slow and “hunt” in dim or low-contrast scenes. It only offers single AF; no continuous or tracking modes here. Burst shooting is limited to a snail-paced 1 fps - barely enough for a decent action sequence.

Nikon’s S9500 ups the ante with a 99-point AF system (contrast detect without phase detection) and a burst rate of 7.5 fps. While this isn’t blazing fast compared to DSLRs, it’s a big performance burst up from Canon’s model. AF speed remains acceptable for casual sports or wildlife, although the hunting persists under very low light.

For portraits or street shooters, the Canon’s face detection is a lifesaver, but Nikon’s multi-area and multi-point AF gives more framing freedom.

In the Field: Low Light, Stabilization, and ISO Behavior

Compact cameras’ Achilles heel is often low-light performance. Let’s get real.

Both employ optical image stabilization, which is crucial - especially at longer zooms. Canon’s OIS works well, countering small shakes pretty effectively, though its limited max shutter speed (1/1600s) and max ISO 1600 cap restrict low-light options.

Nikon’s S9500 also sports optical stabilization, and importantly, uses a back-illuminated sensor design, which delivers better signal-to-noise ratio. This translates into less noisy images at ISO 800 and above, giving shooters more flexibility indoors or at dusk.

That said, neither camera excels in dim astrophotography or night scenes due to small sensors, absence of long exposure modes, and no RAW support. Your best bet is to settle for static subjects and use a tripod.

Video Capabilities: From VGA to Full HD

Video specs show the most generational advancement here.

Canon’s A1100 IS records in Motion JPEG at a meager 640x480 resolution at 30 fps - essentially a decade-old VGA standard that looks grim by today’s expectations. Audio recording is mono and fairly noisy, with no external mic input.

The Nikon S9500 answers with 1080p Full HD video at 30 fps, delivering crisp footage with respectable color reproduction. While lacking mic or headphone jacks, at least the quality is commendable for casual videography on a superzoom camera. Unfortunately, there’s no 4K, slow-motion, or touch focusing.

For anyone interested in casual video diary keeping or travel snippets, Nikon easily triumphs here.

Battery Life and Storage: Practical Realities

For some photographers, convenience beats specifications.

Canon uses two AA batteries - something that’s both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, AAs can be swapped anywhere, a boon when traveling far from plugs. On the other hand, battery life is typically short, and lightweight rechargeables are advisable.

Nikon operates with a proprietary EN-EL12 battery pack, rated at just 230 shots per charge - below average for even a compact. This means you’ll likely need a charger and spares on hand during extended use.

Both use SD cards happily, with the Nikon extending compatibility to SDXC, allowing for large capacity and faster cards that make video recording smoother.

Connectivity and Extras: What’s Under the Hood?

Canon A1100 is pretty barebones - lacking wireless, HDMI, GPS, or Bluetooth. Simply hook it to a PC via USB for file transfer.

Nikon S9500 offers built-in WiFi and GPS, a lovely surprise in the compact category that appeals to travelers wanting geo-tagged shots and easy image sharing without fumbling cables. HDMI is unfortunately absent, but WiFi means you can preview and upload images on the go.

Toughness and Weather Resistance

Neither camera sports weather sealing or rugged build - think gentle desk companions, not expedition mates.

Price and Value: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

The Canon A1100 IS, now often found under $160, offers a very affordable gateway into photography with a trusted Canon name and decent optics. The Nikon S9500 commands more (around $230) due to its advanced sensor, superzoom, and video quality.

For that price difference, Nikon delivers much more versatility, but you sacrifice compactness and battery convenience.

Real-World Sample Images: A Visual Story

Enough talk - how do these cameras handle real shooting?

Canon A1100 IS screen back Nikon S9500 front Nikon S9500 screen back

In daylight portraits, Canon’s images breathe softer skin tones - with slightly warmer, natural colors. The Nikon’s higher megapixel count does give more punch and cropping flexibility but can feel a little clinical.

Landscape shots under harsh light show Nikon’s superior resolution and dynamic range, capturing finer detail in shadows and highlights, though both cameras struggle with HDR extremes.

Telephoto wildlife shots (100+ meters) are only workable on Nikon S9500 thanks to the superzoom - Canon simply cannot compete here.

When pushing ISO above 800, Nikon’s images retain more fidelity; Canon’s show noisy grain and halftone patterns.

Video from Nikon is watchable and smooth; Canon’s VGA videos look grainy and outdated even on small screens.

Scoring the Cameras Across the Board

Here’s a quick glance at the overall evaluations we arrived at, considering all tested factors:

Specialization Breakdown: Which Camera Shines in What Genre?

Let’s dissect for each photography winner and loser.

• Portraits: Canon edges with skin tone comfort and face detection.
• Landscape: Nikon’s sensor and resolution win the day.
• Wildlife: Nikon’s superzoom and burst speed annihilate the Canon.
• Sports: Nikon’s burst and AF points are superior, though both lag against DSLRs.
• Street: Canon’s pocketability and tunnel finder give it a stealth advantage.
• Macro: Canon’s 3cm short focus range is a slight plus.
• Night/Astro: Neither impress, but Nikon's cleaner ISO is preferable.
• Video: Nikon rubs it in with Full HD versus VGA.
• Travel: Nikon again with WiFi, GPS, and zoom versatility.
• Professional: Neither meets professional standards fully - no RAW, no weather sealing.

Who Should Buy Which?

Having lived with these two through miles of shooting and thousands of images, whom do I recommend each for?

Buy the Canon A1100 IS if...

• You want an ultra-pocketable, easy-to-use camera with warm, natural images.
• You shoot mostly daylight portraits or casual events.
• You travel light and want battery flexibility with AAs.
• Budget constraints are firm and you want decent bang for a minimal buck.
• You dislike cluttered menus and prefer to point and shoot simply.

Choose the Nikon Coolpix S9500 if...

• You crave zoom reach, from wide landscapes to distant wildlife photos.
• Video recording matters to you, with a decidedly higher bar.
• You value connectivity (WiFi, GPS) for travel and instant sharing.
• You appreciate a sharp, bright rear OLED for composing.
• You don’t mind carrying a slightly bigger, heavier camera with rechargeable battery packs.
• You want better low-light and high ISO imaging.

Final Thoughts: Legacy Models with Particular Places

Both the Canon A1100 IS and Nikon S9500 shine as snapshots of compact evolution: Canon representing straightforward, dependable simplicity and Nikon pushing boundaries in zoom and imaging tech. Neither replaces the experience, speed, or image quality of mirrorless or DSLR systems, but for dedicated pocketsize rigs with unique charms, they still have roles.

If you find one at a budget price and your priorities match, these cameras can still ignite joy and creativity, provided you temper expectations with sensor limitations and missing modern conveniences like touchscreen or RAW.

Choosing between these two ultimately boils down to your shooting style, zoom needs, and appetite for modern features. I hope this analysis, steeped in hands-on tests and experience, helps you navigate that decision with a sprinkle of confidence and clarity.

Happy shooting!