Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon AW120

Lets look a little more closely at the Canon SX230 HS and Nikon AW120, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Waterproof by brands Canon and Nikon. There exists a noticeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the SX230 HS (12MP) and AW120 (16MP) but they come with the exact same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SX230 HS was revealed 3 years prior to the AW120 which is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a short introduction of how the SX230 HS grades vs the AW120 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SX230 HS & Nikon Coolpix AW120. The full galleries are provided at Canon SX230 HS Gallery & Nikon AW120 Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Canon SX230 HS provides outside measurements of 106mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 223 grams (0.49 lbs) whilst the Nikon AW120 has sizing of 110mm x 66mm x 26mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.0") with a weight of 213 grams (0.47 lbs).

See the Canon SX230 HS and Nikon AW120 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the SX230 HS compared to the AW120.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SX230 HS and AW120 is 91 and 92 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be tough to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by reading through a spec sheet. The image here may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SX230 HS and AW120.

As you can see, each of the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but different resolution. You can anticipate the Nikon AW120 to give extra detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more aged SX230 HS is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.