Nikon L21 vs Olympus SZ-12

On this page, we will be looking at the Nikon L21 versus Olympus SZ-12, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Nikon and Olympus. There exists a noticeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the L21 (8MP) and SZ-12 (14MP) but both cameras have the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The L21 was launched 23 months earlier than the SZ-12 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short summation of how the L21 scores against the SZ-12 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon Coolpix L21 & Olympus SZ-12. The complete galleries are provided at Nikon L21 Gallery & Olympus SZ-12 Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Nikon L21 provides physical dimensions of 92mm x 67mm x 28mm (3.6" x 2.6" x 1.1") with a weight of 169 grams (0.37 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-12 has proportions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Look at the Nikon L21 versus Olympus SZ-12 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the L21 against the SZ-12.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the L21 and SZ-12 is 93 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions merely by reading through specs. The picture here may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the L21 and SZ-12.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You can count on the Olympus SZ-12 to resolve extra detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged L21 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.