Nikon L21 vs Sony RX10

The following is a thorough analysis of the Nikon L21 vs Sony RX10, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Nikon and Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the image resolutions of the L21 (8MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the L21 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") use totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The L21 was unveiled 5 years earlier than the RX10 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Nikon L21 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going in to a detailed comparison, below is a simple view of how the L21 matches up versus the RX10 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix L21 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The full galleries are viewable at Nikon L21 Gallery & Sony RX10 Gallery.

If you're aiming to travel with your camera, you will want to think about its weight and dimensions. The Nikon L21 offers physical measurements of 92mm x 67mm x 28mm (3.6" x 2.6" x 1.1") having a weight of 169 grams (0.37 lbs) while the Sony RX10 has dimensions of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Analyze the Nikon L21 vs Sony RX10 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the L21 and the RX10.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the L21 and RX10 is 93 and 58 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to see the gap in sensor dimensions merely by researching technical specs. The picture below should provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the L21 and RX10.

As you can tell, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The L21 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Sony RX10 will provide you with greater detail having an extra 12MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images far more aggressively. The more aged L21 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.