Canon S120 vs Nikon D780

In this write-up, we are looking at the Canon S120 versus Nikon D780, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Canon and Nikon. There exists a considerable gap between the sensor resolutions of the S120 (12MP) and D780 (25MP) and the S120 (1/1.7") and D780 (Full frame) come with totally different sensor measurements.

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The S120 was unveiled 7 years before the D780 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Canon S120 being a Compact camera and the Nikon D780 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a thorough comparison, below is a quick view of how the S120 grades against the D780 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot S120 & Nikon D780. The full galleries are viewable at Canon S120 Gallery & Nikon D780 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Canon S120 has external measurements of 100mm x 59mm x 29mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 217 grams (0.48 lbs) while the Nikon D780 has dimensions of 144mm x 116mm x 76mm (5.7" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 840 grams (1.85 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon S120 versus Nikon D780 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the S120 vs the D780.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S120 and D780 is 92 and 57 respectively.

Sometimes, it's tough to envision the contrast between sensor sizes just by looking at specs. The image below might offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the S120 and D780.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The S120 with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Nikon D780 will give more detail having an extra 13 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The more aged S120 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.