Canon S95 vs Nikon AW120

Following is a extensive comparison of the Canon S95 versus Nikon AW120, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Waterproof by rivals Canon and Nikon. There is a significant difference among the sensor resolutions of the S95 (10MP) and AW120 (16MP) and the S95 (1/1.7") and AW120 (1/2.3") possess different sensor dimensions.

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The S95 was revealed 4 years prior to the AW120 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before going straight into a full comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the S95 scores vs the AW120 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot S95 and Nikon Coolpix AW120. The full galleries are provided at Canon S95 Gallery and Nikon AW120 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Canon S95 enjoys outside measurements of 100mm x 58mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 195 grams (0.43 lbs) whilst the Nikon AW120 has sizing of 110mm x 66mm x 26mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.0") along with a weight of 213 grams (0.47 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon S95 versus Nikon AW120 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at the time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the S95 and the AW120.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the S95 and AW120 is 93 and 92 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to picture the difference in sensor sizes only by going through technical specs. The image below will help offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the S95 and AW120.

As you have seen, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The S95 having a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Nikon AW120 will produce more detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots far more aggressively. The more aged S95 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.