Canon S90 vs Nikon S9700

On this page, we are reviewing the Canon S90 and Nikon S9700, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Canon and Nikon. There exists a large gap among the resolutions of the S90 (10MP) and S9700 (16MP) and the S90 (1/1.7") and S9700 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizes.

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The S90 was unveiled 4 years prior to the S9700 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before delving right into a complete comparison, here is a brief view of how the S90 matches up versus the S9700 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot S90 & Nikon Coolpix S9700. The full galleries are viewable at Canon S90 Gallery & Nikon S9700 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you should take into account its weight and dimensions. The Canon S90 has outer dimensions of 100mm x 58mm x 31mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 195 grams (0.43 lbs) while the Nikon S9700 has dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") having a weight of 232 grams (0.51 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon S90 and Nikon S9700 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the S90 vs the S9700.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the S90 and S9700 is 92 and 90 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes only by researching technical specs. The pic below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the S90 and S9700.

As you have seen, both of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The S90 with its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Nikon S9700 will result in more detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged S90 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.