Nikon S9900 vs Pentax E85

Here is a detailed review of the Nikon S9900 and Pentax E85, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Nikon and Pentax. There exists a noticeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the S9900 (16MP) and E85 (12MP) but both cameras offer the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The S9900 was revealed 5 years later than the E85 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the S9900 grades vs the E85 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix S9900 & Pentax Optio E85. The full galleries are available at Nikon S9900 Gallery & Pentax E85 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Nikon S9900 has got physical measurements of 112mm x 66mm x 40mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.6") along with a weight of 289 grams (0.64 lbs) and the Pentax E85 has proportions of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") and a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Look at the Nikon S9900 and Pentax E85 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the S9900 vs the E85.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S9900 and E85 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizing only by looking at a spec sheet. The graphic here should give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the S9900 and E85.

Clearly, both the cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different MP. You can expect the Nikon S9900 to give extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs way more aggressively. The younger S9900 provides a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.