Nikon L840 vs Olympus SZ-12

On this page, we will be contrasting the Nikon L840 vs Olympus SZ-12, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by rivals Nikon and Olympus. The image resolution of the L840 (16MP) and the SZ-12 (14MP) is pretty similar and both cameras have the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The L840 was announced 3 years later than the SZ-12 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Nikon L840 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a thorough comparison, here is a concise summary of how the L840 matches up vs the SZ-12 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix L840 & Olympus SZ-12. The whole galleries are available at Nikon L840 Gallery & Olympus SZ-12 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Nikon L840 comes with exterior measurements of 114mm x 89mm x 96mm (4.5" x 3.5" x 3.8") and a weight of 538 grams (1.19 lbs) while the Olympus SZ-12 has specifications of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

See the Nikon L840 vs Olympus SZ-12 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use at the time. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the L840 against the SZ-12.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the L840 and SZ-12 is 67 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements only by reading a spec sheet. The photograph here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the L840 and SZ-12.

As you can see, each of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You can expect the Nikon L840 to deliver extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The younger L840 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.