Nikon P7100 vs Sony S980

Following is a in-depth review of the Nikon P7100 versus Sony S980, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by companies Nikon and Sony. The sensor resolution of the P7100 (10MP) and the S980 (12MP) is pretty well matched but the P7100 (1/1.7") and S980 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor measurements.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The P7100 was revealed 3 years after the S980 which is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple view of how the P7100 grades against the S980 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix P7100 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The full galleries are viewable at Nikon P7100 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and proportions. The Nikon P7100 has got outer dimensions of 116mm x 77mm x 48mm (4.6" x 3.0" x 1.9") and a weight of 395 grams (0.87 lbs) while the Sony S980 has measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Look at the Nikon P7100 versus Sony S980 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the P7100 and the S980.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the P7100 and S980 is 82 and 94 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes simply by looking at technical specs. The image here will give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the P7100 and S980.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The P7100 using its bigger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Sony S980 will resolve more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The younger P7100 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.