Fujifilm JZ100 vs Nikon Coolpix S9900: A Hands-On Comparison From a Pro’s Lens

When you’re on the hunt for a compact camera that fits comfortably in your pocket but delivers credible results, the choices can feel overwhelming - especially when you’re balancing specs, usability, and price. Today, I’m putting two small-sensor compacts head-to-head: the Fujifilm FinePix JZ100, launched back in early 2012, and Nikon’s Coolpix S9900 from early 2015. Both are budget-friendly "travel-ready" superzooms with a fixed lens, but they diverge significantly in performance, features, and versatility.

Having tested thousands of cameras across genres, my goal here isn’t just to rehash specs but to truly unpack how these two cameras perform in the real world - from portrait sessions through wild adventures, and even video capture - so you can make an informed buy without regrets.

Let’s dive in.

Size and Handling: Pocket-Friendly or Clubs for Thumbs?

First impressions count, and size plus ergonomics have a massive impact on how a camera feels when you’re out shooting. Both cameras are small sensor compacts, but there’s a notable difference in their physical footprint and control layout.

The Fujifilm JZ100 is a petite, trim little device measuring just 100 x 56 x 24 mm and weighing a lightweight 129 grams. It slips into most pockets uninterrupted and hardly draws attention - ideal for street shooters who want to be discreet and carry minimal gear. That said, its small size translates into really tiny buttons and a lack of physical controls that might frustrate crews with larger hands (one of those “where exactly is that button?” moments).

On the other hand, the Nikon S9900 is bigger and heftier at 112 x 66 x 40 mm and 289 grams. It’s not bulky, but you definitely feel you’re holding a solid chunk of gear in your hand. The benefit? The extra girth allows for a more comfortable grip, bigger buttons, and more robust control dials - helping keep you in the zone rather than fumbling. This can be a game-changer for prolonged shooting or fast-paced scenarios like wildlife or sports.

Comparing their top views illustrates this well:

The Nikon offers dedicated shutter speed and aperture controls, alongside an exposure compensation dial and a mode dial, giving you creative control at your fingertips - a boon when you want to quickly switch shooting modes without diving deep into menus. The Fujifilm’s lack of manual exposure modes forces you into full auto, limiting your creative flexibility.

Bottom line on ergonomics? If you prize ultra compactness and light packing, Fujifilm wins. For better handling and quicker control access, Nikon is the clear favorite.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Camera

Let’s get to the meat of image quality - sensor specs, which dictate resolution, noise performance, and dynamic range.

Both cameras use the same sensor size: a 1/2.3-inch sensor measuring 6.17 x 4.55 mm (~28 mm²). This small sensor size caps the base image quality compared to APS-C or full-frame cameras but is par for the course in budget superzooms.

Where they diverge is in sensor technology and resolution. The Fujifilm JZ100 uses a CCD sensor delivering 14 megapixels, while the Nikon S9900 has a CMOS sensor with a slightly higher 16 MP count.

From my experience testing such sensors, CMOS tends to outperform CCDs in noise management and power consumption, contributing to better low light shots and longer battery life. Indeed, the Nikon's higher maximum native ISO of 6400 (compared to Fujifilm's 1600) theoretically gives it an edge for dim environments, which shines through in practice.

Both cameras apply an anti-aliasing filter, meaning there is a slight tradeoff between sharpness and moiré control.

In everyday shooting at base ISO, both produce respectable image quality suitable for casual prints and online use. However, Nikon’s cooler sensor tech and additional 2MP often produce images with tighter detail rendition and cleaner shadows. Dynamic range is modest on both, typical for 1/2.3-inch sensors, but the Nikon pulls a fraction more detail from highlights and shadows due to newer sensor construction.

For pixel peepers craving ultimate image quality, there’s little surprise here: neither camera breaks new ground, but Nikon’s CMOS sensor offers a pragmatic edge.

LCDs and Interface: Your Window to the Shot

Since neither camera features a viewfinder, the rear screen quality becomes critical for composing your shots.

The Fujifilm JZ100 sports a fixed 2.7" TFT LCD with a modest 230k-dot resolution - adequate but uninspiring. It’s bright enough for most indoor shots, but outdoor daylight visibility suffers, forcing you to shade the screen with your hand frequently.

Meanwhile, the Nikon S9900 boasts a fully articulated 3" LCD with almost four times the resolution at 921k dots. The articulating design is a major plus for shooting at awkward angles or selfies (more on that soon). The higher resolution grants a clearer preview and easier menu navigation, crucial when you want to check focus accuracy or fine-tune settings without second-guessing.

Interface-wise, both stick to conventional button-plus-dial setups without touch screens, preserving responsive tactile control without choked responsiveness. Nikon’s menus feel more polished and versatile, reflecting its higher price point and more advanced feature set.

Lens Capabilities: Zoom Reach and Aperture Trade-offs

Looking under the hood, these cameras differ dramatically in zoom range and aperture flexibility, impacting composition and shooting scenarios.

The Fujifilm JZ100 comes with a 25-200 mm equivalent zoom (an 8x range) with apertures between f/2.9 to f/5.9. The Nikon S9900 beats this with a 25-750 mm equivalent lens (30x zoom!), apertures f/3.7 to f/6.4.

This gigantic focal length stretch lets Nikon users nail everything from wide landscapes through to distant wildlife or sports moments without changing lenses, a huge convenience for travel and versatility.

The trade-off? Both cameras have very slow telephoto apertures - pixel-peepers and low-light shooters beware. Narrow apertures at long zoom lengths limit background separation and require either high ISO or slower shutter speeds, increasing blur risk.

Interestingly, the Nikon’s macro capability starts at 1cm - impressively close - while Fujifilm starts at 5 cm. So for budding macro shooters dabbling in close-ups of flowers or insects, the Nikon should feel more capable.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Catching the Action

Autofocus can be a make-or-break factor depending on your shooting style - do you squirrel after wildlife, fast sports, or street subjects on the fly? Here, the Nikon S9900 flexes its muscles.

The Fujifilm JZ100 relies solely on contrast-detection autofocus with a single-center AF point and no face or tracking detection. Its continuous shooting is painfully slow at 1 fps with no burst mode support, making it best suited to still-life or deliberate shots.

The Nikon S9900 packs a more advanced contrast-detection AF paired with face detection, selectable AF areas, and continuous AF mode workable for tracking moving subjects. Its burst shooting clocks in at 7 fps, enabling you to capture action sequences with better odds of a keeper.

In practice, the Nikon’s ability to lock focus swiftly and track subjects works well for casual wildlife and sports photography, while the Fuji demands patience and static subjects.

Real-World Performance Across Photography Genres

Now that we’ve dissected core hardware, let’s get practical and see how these cameras handle different photographic needs. I’m including sample imagery from both cameras for reference, highlighting real-world image characteristics.

Fujifilm JZ100 front Fujifilm JZ100 screen back Nikon S9900 front Nikon S9900 screen back

Portrait Photography

Portraits are as much about rendering flattering skin tones and smooth bokeh as getting sharp eyes.

Both cameras have modest apertures, so deep background blur (bokeh) is limited. The Nikon’s longer zoom helps isolate subjects a bit better, but neither has face or eye detection autofocus - Nikon does have face detection but lacks dedicated eye AF. The Fujifilm lacks face detection entirely.

Skin tones are more natural in Nikon images with less aggressive JPG processing, while Fujifilm’s colors lean slightly towards cooler tones. If you prize naturalistic portraits and need a camera that can somewhat separate subject from background, Nikon nudges ahead.

Landscape Photography

Landscape shooters crave resolution, dynamic range, and build quality.

Both cameras max out around 16 MP, decent for 8x10 prints. Dynamic range is limited but Nikon pulls a slight advantage from its newer sensor tech. Neither camera offers any environmental sealing; both require some care in inclement weather.

The wider 25 mm wide-angle capability on both cameras works fine but won’t match dedicated wide primes for ultra expansive scenes.

Wildlife Photography

Wildlife photography demands speed, reach, and autofocus accuracy.

Here, Nikon’s 30x zoom (equivalent 750 mm telephoto) combined with its autofocus tracking and 7 fps burst mode makes it a clear candidate for casual wildlife shots. Fujifilm’s 8x zoom (200 mm max) falls short for actual wildlife spotting unless you get very close. Slow continuous shooting and basic AF reduce its efficacy outdoors on moving subjects.

Sports Photography

Sports is all about fast autofocus, tracking, and frame rate.

Nikon again wins with continuous AF and 7 fps burst shooting. The Fujifilm is simply not designed for sports or fast action.

Street Photography

The smaller Fujifilm feels more street-friendly given its lighter weight and inconspicuous size. Its quick start times and focused feature set suit candid shooting. Nikon’s bigger body and longer zoom range might be overkill and more attention-grabbing.

Macro Photography

Nikon’s ability to focus as close as 1cm gives it the edge when shooting fine details like flowers or insects. Fujifilm’s 5cm minimum focus distance is decent, but less competitive.

Night and Astro Photography

Neither camera excels here. Small sensors and limited manual exposure options constrain long-exposure or astrophotography attempts. Nikon’s higher max ISO settings means it can eke out slightly better low-light shots but expect grain and soft images.

Video Shooting: Basics vs Better Quality

The Fujifilm JZ100 offers HD video at 1280 x 720 (30 fps) in Motion JPEG, an older and less efficient codec, with no manual controls or microphone input.

Nikon’s S9900 shoots Full HD 1080p video up to 60 interlaced fps (60i), using H.264 compression - a marked improvement. While manual exposure control is still absent during video, the Nikon’s better sensor, image stabilization, and articulating screen facilitate more creative filmmaking and vlogging. No microphone input on either device, so audio is limited to their built-in mics.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity: Staying Power and Sharing

Battery life is crucial when you’re out capturing moments all day.

Fujifilm’s specs are sparse here, but with a small CCD sensor and no power-hungry features, expect modest endurance; still, lightweight NP-45A batteries might leave you packing backups.

The Nikon S9900 officially delivers about 300 shots per charge with its EN-EL19 battery, respectable for a compact, and offers USB charging.

On storage, both support SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, though Nikon also supports built-in GPS and an NFC wireless connection for easy geotagging and smartphone pairing - a big convenience for travel photographers keen on instant sharing.

Durability and Build Quality

Neither camera offers any weather sealing or rugged features; you’ll want to keep them dry and protected from shocks. Nikon’s thicker build and rubberized grips give a sense of durability over the cheaper-feeling Fuji plastic body.

Price and Value Analysis: What You Pay vs What You Get

• Fujifilm FinePix JZ100: Roughly $190
• Nikon Coolpix S9900: Roughly $300

For about $110 more, the Nikon offers a massive zoom advantage, better sensor performance, faster shooting, and far richer feature set including GPS, higher-res screen, video, and connectivity.

If you’re a casual snapper focused mostly on street, simple snaps, or a cheapskate with limited needs, the Fujifilm isn’t a bad deal at all.

But if you want versatility, decent telephoto reach, and more creative control in a still-compact package, the Nikon S9900’s price premium seems justified.

Overall Scores and Genre Breakdown

Let me wrap up with an overview of their evaluated performance, synthesized from extensive field testing and lab metrics.

Nikon outperforms Fujifilm across all key categories except pocket size and simplicity.

Final Pros and Cons Round-Up

Fujifilm FinePix JZ100

Pros:

• Ultra compact and lightweight
• Simple, straightforward operation for beginners
• Optical image stabilization included
• Affordable price

Cons:

• Slow autofocus, no face detection
• Limited zoom range (8x only)
• Low-res fixed LCD screen
• No manual exposure controls
• Modest video quality only

Nikon Coolpix S9900

Pros:

• Massive 30x zoom (25-750mm equiv.)
• Faster, more accurate autofocus with face detection
• Articulating high-res LCD screen
• Full HD video at 60i with better compression
• Built-in GPS and NFC wireless connectivity
• Manual exposure modes available
• Faster burst shooting (7 fps)

Cons:

• Larger and heavier body
• Shorter battery life despite bigger battery
• No viewfinder (like Fuji)
• Not weather sealed

Who Should Buy What?

• If you’re a travel or street photographer who wants a no-fuss, lightweight carry-anywhere camera with simple controls and okay zoom for casual snaps: the Fujifilm FinePix JZ100 suits you well. It keeps your pockets light and your wallet lighter.

• If you want a versatile compact with superzoom reach for wildlife, sports, macro, and travel, plus decent video and creative control, and don’t mind a bigger footprint or a higher price tag, the Nikon Coolpix S9900 is your better bet.

Closing Thoughts: Balancing Budget, Use Case, and Expectations

When I test cameras, I’m always sensitive to who will use them and how. Neither the JZ100 nor the S9900 will satisfy a professional needing pro-level image quality or extensive manual control, but both serve entry-level to enthusiast compacts well in distinct niches.

The Fujifilm is a cheapskate’s delight for day-to-day casual photography, while Nikon’s S9900 brings a turbocharged feature set ready to capture subjects across many photography genres with greater confidence.

Choose wisely depending on whether your top priority is stealth and simplicity, or versatility and zoom power.

Happy shooting!

Disclosure: All opinions are based on hands-on tests and years of camera evaluations. Prices current as of mid-2024 but may vary.