Nikon S31 vs Panasonic FX78

Its time to look closer at the Nikon S31 vs Panasonic FX78, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Nikon and Panasonic. The resolution of the S31 (10MP) and the FX78 (12MP) is very close but the S31 (1/2.9") and FX78 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The S31 was launched 2 years later than the FX78 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before delving right into a complete comparison, here is a short introduction of how the S31 scores against the FX78 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix S31 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78. The complete galleries are available at Nikon S31 Gallery & Panasonic FX78 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry your camera often, you should think about its weight and size. The Nikon S31 features physical 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) and the Panasonic FX78 has specifications of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Check out the Nikon S31 vs Panasonic FX78 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you use at that time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the S31 compared to the FX78.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the S31 and FX78 is 90 and 95 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizing purely by researching specifications. The graphic here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the S31 and FX78.

To sum up, each of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The S31 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field tougher and the Panasonic FX78 will render greater detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The younger S31 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.