Canon G12 vs Nikon AW110

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Canon G12 and Nikon AW110, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Waterproof by brands Canon and Nikon. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the G12 (10MP) and AW110 (16MP) and the G12 (1/1.7") and AW110 (1/2.3") offer different sensor dimensions.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The G12 was launched 3 years earlier than the AW110 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a complete comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the G12 grades against the AW110 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot G12 & Nikon Coolpix AW110. The complete galleries are available at Canon G12 Gallery & Nikon AW110 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Canon G12 provides external dimensions of 112mm x 76mm x 48mm (4.4" x 3.0" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 401 grams (0.88 lbs) while the Nikon AW110 has specifications of 110mm x 65mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.0") having a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon G12 and Nikon AW110 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the G12 compared to the AW110.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the G12 and AW110 is 83 and 92 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to picture the gap in sensor sizing just by viewing specs. The photograph below might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the G12 and AW110.

As you can plainly see, both cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The G12 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Nikon AW110 will provide you with greater detail utilizing its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots more aggressively. The older G12 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.