Nikon AW130 vs Panasonic ZS8

Let's look a bit more closely at the Nikon AW130 versus Panasonic ZS8, former is a Waterproof while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Nikon and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the AW130 (16MP) and the ZS8 (14MP) is pretty similar and both cameras have the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The AW130 was launched 3 years after the ZS8 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a complete comparison, here is a quick summary of how the AW130 scores vs the ZS8 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix AW130 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The complete galleries are available at Nikon AW130 Gallery & Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Nikon AW130 has got physical measurements of 110mm x 66mm x 27mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.1") and a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS8 has specifications of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") and a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

Contrast the Nikon AW130 versus Panasonic ZS8 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the AW130 compared to the ZS8.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the AW130 and ZS8 is 91 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to picture the gap between sensor dimensions purely by going over technical specs. The picture here should provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the AW130 and ZS8.

As you can tell, both cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You can expect the Nikon AW130 to offer greater detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs more aggressively. The newer AW130 should have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.