Canon S95 vs Nikon 1 J4

Following is a extensive review of the Canon S95 and Nikon 1 J4, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Canon and Nikon. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the S95 (10MP) and 1 J4 (18MP) and the S95 (1/1.7") and 1 J4 (1") posses different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The S95 was introduced 4 years before the 1 J4 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Canon S95 being a Compact camera and the Nikon 1 J4 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a short highlight of how the S95 matches up vs the 1 J4 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon PowerShot S95 & Nikon 1 J4. The whole galleries are provided at Canon S95 Gallery & Nikon 1 J4 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and volume. The Canon S95 features physical dimensions of 100mm x 58mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2") along with a weight of 195 grams (0.43 lbs) and the Nikon 1 J4 has sizing of 100mm x 60mm x 29mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") and a weight of 232 grams (0.51 lbs).

Compare the Canon S95 and Nikon 1 J4 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the S95 and the 1 J4.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the S95 and 1 J4 is 93 and 92 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes only by researching a spec sheet. The image here should offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the S95 and 1 J4.

Clearly, each of these cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The S95 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Nikon 1 J4 will render greater detail using its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more aged S95 will be behind in sensor technology.