Nikon S31 vs Panasonic FH1

Let's look more closely at the Nikon S31 vs Panasonic FH1, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Nikon and Panasonic. The resolution of the S31 (10MP) and the FH1 (12MP) is relatively comparable but the S31 (1/2.9") and FH1 (1/2.3") offer different sensor measurements.

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The S31 was launched 3 years later than the FH1 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a brief summation of how the S31 scores versus the FH1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon Coolpix S31 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1. The complete galleries are available at Nikon S31 Gallery & Panasonic FH1 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Nikon S31 comes with outer dimensions of 105mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.1" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 185 grams (0.41 lbs) while the Panasonic FH1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs).

Check out the Nikon S31 vs Panasonic FH1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are employing at that moment. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the S31 against the FH1.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the S31 and FH1 is 90 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements simply by seeing specs. The graphic here will provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the S31 and FH1.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The S31 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field tougher and the Panasonic FH1 will provide extra detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The younger S31 should have an edge with regard to sensor tech.