Nikon S31 vs Panasonic FX48

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Nikon S31 versus Panasonic FX48, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Nikon and Panasonic. The resolution of the S31 (10MP) and the FX48 (12MP) is very similar but the S31 (1/2.9") and FX48 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The S31 was announced 4 years later than the FX48 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before going straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a quick summary of how the S31 matches up versus the FX48 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix S31 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48. The whole galleries are available at Nikon S31 Gallery and Panasonic FX48 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Nikon S31 comes with outside dimensions of 105mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.1" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 185 grams (0.41 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FX48 has dimensions of 95mm x 53mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.9") and a weight of 150 grams (0.33 lbs).

Look at the Nikon S31 versus Panasonic FX48 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the S31 and the FX48.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the S31 and FX48 is 90 and 95 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to see the difference between sensor sizing just by going over a spec sheet. The visual here will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the S31 and FX48.

Clearly, each of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The S31 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic FX48 will deliver more detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The newer S31 will have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.