Nikon S5200 vs Sony S980

Below, we are reviewing the Nikon S5200 and Sony S980, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by competitors Nikon and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the S5200 (16MP) and S980 (12MP) but they use the exact same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The S5200 was unveiled 4 years later than the S980 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before going through a in depth comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the S5200 grades vs the S980 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon Coolpix S5200 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The full galleries are provided at Nikon S5200 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Nikon S5200 provides physical dimensions of 98mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Sony S980 has dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check the Nikon S5200 and Sony S980 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have at that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the S5200 versus the S980.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the S5200 and S980 is 95 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to visualize the difference in sensor measurements just by going through technical specs. The graphic here will help offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the S5200 and S980.

As you can tell, the two cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but different megapixels. You can anticipate the Nikon S5200 to show greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The younger S5200 should have a benefit in sensor tech.