Canon A480 vs Nikon S02

Following is a extended assessment of the Canon A480 vs Nikon S02, both Ultracompact cameras by brands Canon and Nikon. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the A480 (10MP) and S02 (13MP) and the A480 (1/2.3") and S02 (1/3") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The A480 was released 5 years earlier than the S02 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer the identical body type (Ultracompact).

Before diving through a more detailed comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the A480 grades versus the S02 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot A480 and Nikon Coolpix S02. The complete galleries are available at Canon A480 Gallery and Nikon S02 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Canon A480 has got external measurements of 92mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 140 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Nikon S02 has proportions of 77mm x 51mm x 18mm (3.0" x 2.0" x 0.7") and a weight of 100 grams (0.22 lbs).

Check out the Canon A480 vs Nikon S02 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select during that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the A480 compared to the S02.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the A480 and S02 is 94 and 97 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to see the gap in sensor sizes only by looking through specifications. The picture underneath will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the A480 and S02.

To sum up, the two cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The A480 because of its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Nikon S02 will provide you with more detail as a result of its extra 3 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged A480 will be behind in sensor innovation.