Canon PowerShot S110 vs Nikon Coolpix S3700: A Detailed Comparison for Your Next Compact Camera

Choosing the right compact camera can be challenging, especially with so many models offering different strengths across design, image quality, and usability. Today, we’re diving deep into two popular models from Canon and Nikon: the Canon PowerShot S110 (2012) and the Nikon Coolpix S3700 (2015). Both target enthusiasts and casual photographers seeking a capable pocket-sized camera, but they differ significantly in features, performance, and versatility.

Drawing on extensive hands-on testing experience with thousands of cameras, this comparison aims to equip you with meaningful, practical insights. We cover everything from image sensor technology and autofocus performance to ergonomics and photographic applications - helping you find the best fit based on your creative goals.

Compact Design and Handling: Which Feels Better in Your Hands?

The first impression often comes from how a camera feels physically. While both cameras are compact, their dimensions, weight, and control layout impact how comfortable and effective they are during extended use.

The Canon S110's slightly larger and heavier body makes it more comfortable and secure to hold, particularly for enthusiasts who shoot for extended periods or use manual controls frequently. The added depth provides better grip, making it more approachable when using one hand.

On the other hand, the Nikon S3700's ultracompact form factor excels in portability, slipping easily into a pocket without bulk. This makes it highly attractive for spontaneous shooting or travel when size and weight matter. However, the tradeoff is less ergonomic control and a lighter build that feels less substantial.

Control Layout and Interface: Intuitive or Minimalist?

A camera’s design impacts not just comfort but workflow efficiency. How exposure settings, focus modes, and playback are accessed matters - especially once the creative juices start flowing.

The Canon S110 impresses with a top control layout that caters to enthusiasts:

• Dedicated mode dial with PASM settings plus custom modes
• A dial for exposure compensation accessible during shooting
• Physical shutter button with zoom lever built-in

These controls empower you to quickly adjust parameters like aperture and shutter speed without diving into menus - vital for creative flexibility in dynamic shooting situations.

In contrast, the Nikon S3700 skews toward a minimalist layout:

• No manual exposure modes; only full-auto scene selection
• Few physical buttons; reliance on menus for adjustments
• Limited exposure compensation or manual focus options

While easier for complete beginners or snapshot shooters, the Nikon’s control scheme limits user creativity and overrides quick adjustments. If you enjoy manually dialing in settings, the Canon is the clear winner here.

Display Quality and Interaction: How You See Your Shot

Display technology impacts framing, focusing, and image review. A clear, bright screen with responsive touch can make a huge difference in user experience.

The Canon S110’s 3-inch screen offers a bright 461 dpi resolution paired with touchscreen capability. This implementation enhances easy navigation through settings, quick focus point selection, and smooth image review with pinch-to-zoom. These features improve usability, especially when trying to nail manual focus or exposure.

Conversely, the Nikon S3700’s fixed 2.7-inch screen is non-touch and visibly less crisp. While sufficient for simple composition, it’s harder to preview fine details for critical focus or exposure assessment. If you value a high-quality display that boosts your shooting confidence, the Canon again pulls ahead.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Camera

A fundamental determinant of photo quality is the sensor size and technology. Larger sensors gather more light, produce cleaner images, and offer better dynamic range and color depth.

The Canon S110 sports a larger 1/1.7" CMOS sensor versus the smaller 1/2.3" CCD sensor on the Nikon S3700. This translates to:

• Better light gathering and dynamic range on the Canon, confirmed by DxO Mark’s color depth (20.6 bits) and dynamic range (11.2 EV), enabling nuanced skin tones and well-balanced landscapes.
• The Canon’s much higher max native ISO of 12,800 vastly outperforms Nikon’s limit of 3200, making the S110 more adept in low-light and night photography.
• RAW format availability on Canon allows for more extensive post-processing flexibility, essential for advanced users.

Although the Nikon camera boasts 20MP resolution versus Canon’s 12MP, the smaller sensor means increased pixel density, resulting in more noise, especially at higher ISOs. The Nikon’s image quality excels primarily in bright conditions.

Autofocus Systems: Speed and Accuracy Matter

Depending on your preferred subjects - action, portraits, or landscapes - autofocus can make or break your shots.

The Canon S110’s contrast-detection AF uses 9 points and supports face detection and touch-to-focus, giving you versatility for portrait and general photography. Continuous AF and tracking also help when photographing moving subjects - sports, children, or pets.

The Nikon S3700 employs a simpler contrast-based AF with single center point and face detection but lacks continuous AF or touch focus. Manual focus is unavailable, limiting precision control. For wildlife or fast-moving subjects, the Canon’s AF system offers a clear practical advantage.

Lens and Zoom Range: Reach vs Creativity

Zoom ranges on compact fixed-lens cameras indicate versatility - how close you can get to wildlife or how wide your landscapes appear.

The Nikon S3700’s more extensive 8x zoom reaches 200mm equivalent, giving you a longer telephoto to capture distant subjects like wildlife or sports moments. However, this comes with the penalty of a smaller aperture (f/3.7 to 6.6), reducing low-light ability and bokeh quality.

The Canon S110 prioritizes wider apertures starting at f/2.0 for its 24mm wide end, benefiting portraits and low-light photography by creating pleasing background separation and sharper images at moderate focal lengths. The shorter 5x zoom is still adequate for travel and day-to-day scenes.

Both cameras feature optical image stabilization, essential for avoiding shaky shots, especially at telephoto or slow shutter speeds.

Low-Light and Night Performance: Who Shines When Light Fades?

Low-light performance boils down to sensor technology, aperture, image stabilization, and ISO flexibility.

• The Canon’s larger sensor and f/2.0 aperture put it firmly ahead for candlelit portraits, street scenes after dark, and astrophotography.
• Its ISO ceiling of 12,800 combined with RAW support means you can push exposures in post-processing with less noise and greater detail preservation.
• The Nikon’s limited ISO range and smaller sensor lead to noticeable noise and less flexibility in dim light.
• The Nikon also offers no RAW, further hampering creative adjustments after shooting.
• Both cameras include optical stabilization, helpful for handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds.

If night and low-light photography factor into your plans, the Canon S110 is a much stronger choice.

Video Recording Capabilities: Are You Vlogging or Capturing Memories?

Both cameras record video but with distinct feature sets.

Canon’s full HD video with H.264 compression offers better-quality footage with smoother gradations in color and detail, suitable for casual recording or vlogging. The ability to touch-focus during recording is also rare in compact cameras of this era.

Nikon limits you to 720p HD at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format - less efficient compression resulting in larger file sizes and reduced image quality. It lacks touch AF, making focus pulls during video more challenging.

For hybrid photo-video usage, the Canon again excels.

Battery Life and Connectivity: How Long and How Connected?

Reliable power and sharing options are important, especially when out shooting or traveling.

You get slightly longer battery life with the Nikon S3700, which may matter if you shoot for long periods without access to charging. However, the Canon's built-in Wi-Fi allows easy wireless image transfer to smartphones, while Nikon's NFC support (absent on Canon) simplifies pairing.

The Canon’s HDMI output can connect to larger displays for instant previews, an advantage for presentations or remote viewing.

Genre-Specific Performance: Matching Camera to Your Photography Style

Let’s now break down how these cameras fare by popular photographic disciplines. The photography-type-cameras-scores.jpg illustration below provides our detailed assessment based on key criteria.

Portrait Photography

• Canon S110: Offers sharp 12MP images with pleasant color depth, f/2.0 aperture for creamy bokeh, accurate face/eye detection, and touch-to-focus. Great for skin tones and controlled backgrounds.
• Nikon S3700: Higher resolution but smaller sensor and slower aperture limit background blur. Face detection present but not as refined. Best for casual portraits.

Landscape Photography

• Canon S110: Larger sensor and superior dynamic range capture richer shadow and highlight details. Wide-angle 24mm lens lets you frame expansive vistas.
• Nikon S3700: Higher resolution catch details well in good light but struggles with highlight clipping and shadows. Limited wide-angle due to 25mm start.

Wildlife Photography

• Canon S110: Manual focusing and continuous AF help, but 120mm max focal length limits reach.
• Nikon S3700: 200mm zoom offers extra reach but slower aperture and AF hinders quick focusing on moving subjects.

Sports Photography

• Canon S110: 10fps burst shooting supports action sequences, plus continuous AF boosts capture success.
• Nikon S3700: No continuous AF and slower burst limit sports usefulness.

Street Photography

• Canon S110: Silent shooting, manual controls, and touch AF help discreet frames.
• Nikon S3700: Smaller, lighter, more pocketable for stealth, but auto-only mode limits creativity.

Macro Photography

• Canon S110: 3cm close focusing with f/2.0 aperture allows sharp, artistic near shots.
• Nikon S3700: 2cm macro range but slower aperture impacts depth and brightness.

Night/Astro Photography

• Canon S110: High ISO, RAW support, long shutter speed (up to 15 sec), and stabilization equip you for star trails and nightscapes.
• Nikon S3700: Max 1500 shutter speed (approx 1/15 sec), ISO limit 3200, no RAW restrict astro potential.

Video Capabilities

• Canon S110: Full HD 1080p, efficient compression, touch AF, and image stabilization.
• Nikon S3700: HD 720p only, larger files, basic stabilization; adequate for casual videos.

Travel Photography

• Canon S110: Slightly larger but still pocketable, versatile focal range, and manual controls.
• Nikon S3700: Super-light and small, longer zoom, great for casual hiking or sightseeing.

Professional Work

• Neither camera is designed for high-end professional photography workflows due to compact sensor sizes and limited RAW file handling on Nikon. Canon’s RAW support and manual features make it a more flexible option for pros in a pinch or as a second camera.

Sample Images Side-by-Side: What to Expect in Real Life

Let’s look at image quality samples captured with both cameras under similar conditions:

Canon S110 front Canon S110 screen back Nikon S3700 front Nikon S3700 screen back

• Notice Canon S110’s richer colors and better shadow detail.
• Nikon S3700 offers higher resolution but displays more noise and less tonal range.
• At wider apertures, Canon’s background blur is more pronounced for portraits.
• In telephoto shots, Nikon reaches farther but suffers noise and softness.

Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses

Final Recommendations: Which Camera Should You Choose?

If You Want:

• Creative control and superior image quality: The Canon PowerShot S110 is clearly the more versatile tool. Its larger sensor and manual modes let you push boundaries in portraits, low-light, and manual photography. It’s suitable for enthusiasts or as a compact backup for professionals.

• Portability and zoom flexibility on a budget: The Nikon Coolpix S3700 is an excellent choice. It fits easily in your pocket and offers an 8x zoom for varied compositions. If you value ease of use and travel light without fussing with settings, this will serve you well.

Additional Considerations and Creative Accessories

• The Canon S110’s optional GPS accessory can be handy for geotagging adventures.
• Consider investing in a small tripod and external remote shutter for long exposure or night photography with the Canon.
• For Nikon S3700 users, carry extra batteries to offset the smaller capacity.
• Both cameras work with standard SD cards, but opting for a fast-class SD card improves writing speed, especially for video capture.

Closing Thoughts

While these two models target similar entry-to-enthusiast compact camera segments, the Canon PowerShot S110 is the clear choice if you demand image quality, manual control, and video capabilities. Meanwhile, the Nikon Coolpix S3700 appeals to those prioritizing portability, ease of use, and telephoto reach on a tighter budget. Both cameras remain viable options, but your decision boils down to whether you want more creative latitude or maximum convenience.

We encourage trying these cameras in-store - handling the ergonomics, testing autofocus, and seeing how their user interfaces match your workflow. Great photography starts with the right gear for your style, and both models here offer stepping stones to capture moments beautifully.

Happy shooting!

Images included in this review:

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• Canon S110 front Canon S110 screen back Nikon S3700 front Nikon S3700 screen back