Nikon L21 vs Sony A7

Here is a comprehensive review of the Nikon L21 vs Sony A7, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Nikon and Sony. There is a large difference among the image resolutions of the L21 (8MP) and A7 (24MP) and the L21 (1/2.3") and A7 (Full frame) posses different sensor measurements.

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The L21 was revealed 5 years before the A7 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Nikon L21 being a Compact camera and the Sony A7 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a complete comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the L21 grades against the A7 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon Coolpix L21 & Sony Alpha A7. The full galleries are provided at Nikon L21 Gallery & Sony A7 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera often, you have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Nikon L21 has got physical dimensions of 92mm x 67mm x 28mm (3.6" x 2.6" x 1.1") along with a weight of 169 grams (0.37 lbs) and the Sony A7 has dimensions of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") and a weight of 474 grams (1.04 lbs).

Examine the Nikon L21 vs Sony A7 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the L21 compared to the A7.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the L21 and A7 is 93 and 78 respectively.

Generally, its hard to picture the difference in sensor sizing purely by going through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the L21 and A7.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The L21 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Sony A7 will provide greater detail because of its extra 16MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older L21 will be behind in sensor tech.