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Nikon AW130

 
Nikon Coolpix AW130 front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-120mm (F2.8-4.9) lens
  • 221g - 110 x 66 x 27mm
  • Revealed February 2015
  • Replaced the Nikon AW120
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
91
Imaging
41
Features
44
Overall
42

Nikon AW130 overview

Nikon AW130 is Nikon's Waterproof digital camera initially released on February of 2015. The camera has got a 16MP, CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 4608 x 3456.

Nikon introduced this model in order to upgrade the older Nikon AW120 (Read Full Comparison)

The AW130 ranks at #9 out of 75 in Waterproof cameras & all around #605 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. You can try out our Advanced camera search to find camera ratings based on your custom requirements.

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The following is a diagram of multiple criteria used in the scoring system.

Nikon AW130 history

The Nikon AW130 has a history of related cameras. Listed below, you can find all older and latest models alongside key features.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Nikon-Coolpix-A1000 front thumbnailNikon A1000
AW130 vs A1000
24-840mm
F3.4-6.9
16MP1/2.3"2019
Nikon-Coolpix-A900 front thumbnailNikon A900
AW130 vs A900
24-840mm
F3.4-6.9
20MP1/2.3"2016
Photography Glossary
Nikon-Coolpix-AW130 front thumbnailNikon AW13024-120mm
F2.8-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2015
Nikon-Coolpix-AW120 front thumbnailNikon AW120
AW130 vs AW120
24-120mm
F2.8-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Nikon-Coolpix-AW110 front thumbnailNikon AW110
AW130 vs AW110
28-140mm
F3.9-4.8
16MP1/2.3"2013
Nikon-Coolpix-AW100 front thumbnailNikon AW100
AW130 vs AW100
28-140mm
F3.9-4.8
16MP1/2.3"2011
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Nikon AW130 Pros and Cons

Below is a selection of good and bad points of the Nikon AW130 based on factors that are typically seen as useful in a digital camera.

better than average battery power (370 per charge)
built in lens has zoom (24-120mm 5.0 x zoom)
decent megapixels (16MP)
environment proof
flash built-in
good resolution screen (921 thousand dots)
has HDMI socket
has image stabilization (Optical)
high video quality (1920 x 1080 resolution)
offers face detect focus
offers tracking focus
reasonably wide (24mm)
screen is a decent size (3 inches)
does not have phase detect auto focus
does not have RAW files
fixed screen
lack of manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
manual exposure not possible
max zoom aperture not good (f4.9)
no aperture priority mode
no external flash support
no headphone socket
no mic socket
no shutter priority mode
screen is not selfie friendly
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.8)
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Nikon AW130 Sensor specifications

The sensor specification in the Nikon AW130 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor can resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels and aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization as the latter can cause cropping.

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The CMOS sensor has 16MP and provides a standard ISO range of 125 - 6400. Unfortunately, RAW photos are not saved therefore the user has less margin for error.

The graphic below displays the AW130's sensor dimensions compared to other popular sizes. The AW130 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is outlined in green.

Nikon Coolpix AW130 sensor size Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Nikon AW130 dimensions

Nikon AW130 weighs in at 0.49 lbs (221 gr / 7.80 ounces) & has outer proportions of 110mm x 66mm x 27mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.1"). The weight of general Waterproof camera is 195 gr so the Nikon AW130 is heavier when compared to other competitors.

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The following is a pic of the Nikon AW130 alongside a soda to help you to get a sense of its scale.

Nikon Coolpix AW130 dimensions scale

The top view here will provide the button design on the AW130.

Nikon Coolpix AW130 topview buttons dials

Nikon AW130 Lens specifications

The AW130 has an inbuilt lens featuring a focal range of 24-120mm giving it a 5.0 x zoom which isn't amazing but it may be handy in certain scenarios.

At the widest 24mm, the lens has an aperture of f2.8 which is rather slow and not good for low light events and you will probably find it hard to get a shallow depth of field. You will also have to raise the ISO setting which causes noisy photos. For the tele end, 120mm comes with f4.9 which is quite slow and you might need to choose slower shutter speeds.

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Nikon AW130 Connectivity

The AW130 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes
  • GPS Yes

Cameras with NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can be controlled wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to send files and at times change settings without connecting physically to the camera.

Several applications even give a Liveview and press the shutter whenever you aren't near the camera. If the camera has a HDMI port, it can be attached to an external display. The majority of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery with the USB port.

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Nikon AW130 Video specifications

The highest video quality in the Nikon AW130 is 1920 x 1080 and you can shoot in MPEG-4 and H.264 file format. 1080p quality offers a decent balance between video quality versus file sizes but FULL HD is not going to give you any room to crop. The camera doesn't include a microphone or headphone jack which means that you have got little control over the sound. It is perhaps best to consider an alternative camera if you need better sound for your videos.

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Nikon AW130 Weather Sealing

Nikon AW130 features environment sealing which makes it a good selection for use during challenging locations. This is especially useful when you are uncertain about the conditions you may face during outdoor photography.

Nikon AW130 Screen and Viewfinder

The Nikon AW130 has got a 3 inch fixed display supporting a resolution of 921 thousand dots.

Unfortunately the display isn't a touch screen.

Nikon Coolpix AW130 screen and viewfinder Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

The ViewFinder details for Nikon AW130 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders can be really helpful during bright outdoor conditions which might make the camera screen washed out and hard to see.

Nikon AW130 Shutter specifications

Nikon AW130 continuous shooting speed is 7.0 fps. The max shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.

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Nikon AW130 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Nikon AW130 has only built in flash without external flash ability.

Nikon AW130 Autofocus specifications

Nikon AW130 has just Contrast Based Autofocus & lacks Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is more quicker & precise when compared to Contrast Based focusing. The camera has got Face detection making it valuable for people photography.

It also boasts Tracking Autofocus for moving things. Nikon AW130 does not have manual focusing. Manual focusing is useful during low light conditions or you want more precise focus control.

Photography Glossary

Nikon AW130 Battery life

The battery power (EN-EL12) on the Nikon AW130 is built to last for 370 shutters according to the CIPA specifications which is above average ın comparison with its category. The typical Waterproof camera battery life is 275. Olympus TG-4 comes with the highest (380) battery life within this category of cameras.

Listed below is a listing of Waterproof cameras which have the strongest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
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Nikon-Coolpix-AW130 front thumbnailNikon AW130370 nonono

Nikon AW130 for specific kinds of photography

The following bar chart provides a analysis of the Nikon AW130 for specific kinds of photography. To learn more, check out the specific section below.

Nikon AW130 Portrait photography details

The Nikon AW130 gets a points tally of 36 which is really bad, meaning that it is just not acceptable for portrait photography. Shooting portrait images favors heavily to sensor dimension, support for RAW files along with the flexibility to use external flash.

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MP count decent (16MP)
offers face detection autofocus
focusing manually not possible
no manual control
can't use external flash
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
no RAW format

Nikon AW130 Street photography highlights

Having a above average points tally of 62, the Nikon AW130 is a very decent pick for street photography. A good street photography camera comes with a good balance of picture quality and portability.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
weather sealing
no articulating screen
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format

Nikon AW130 Sports photography highlights

A average sports photography score of 51 means the Nikon AW130 is reasonably suitable for photographing sports. A camera should have very good tracking and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (16 megapixels)
has tracking focus
weather proof
good battery life (370 per charge)
no shutter priority
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect AF

Nikon AW130 as a Travel photography camera

Weight is super critical when picking a camera for travel. Overall, the Nikon AW130 gets a nice 73 as a travelling camera which is a fine fit to buy for your vacations.

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good battery pack (370 shots)
environment proofing
good MP (16MP)
built-in flash
decently wide (24mm)
display isn't selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f2.8)

Nikon AW130 Landscape photography advice

For those who are looking to buy a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most essential factor will be image quality. The Nikon AW130 at it's average score of 50 as a landscape camera is reasonably appropriate within the current marketplace.

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pretty wide (24mm)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
weather proofing
good battery life (370 per charge)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
manual mode not available
small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files

Nikon AW130 Vlogging features

A vlogging camera really should come with a articulating screen, microphone port and ideally IBIS. Considering everything, the Nikon AW130 is just not acceptable for vlogging as it comes to a really bad score of 33.

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quite wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
features face detect focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
does not contain selfie friendly display
no mic jack

Nikon AW130 Alternatives

If you are in the market for alternatives to the AW130, here is a collection of the top ranked cameras that fall under the family of Waterproof.

The chart below gives you a summary of the AW130 versus it's top rated rivals mentioned earlier.

Here are a few more cameras you may take into account as alternative options. To see a extensive comparison, click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand
Nikon
Model type
Nikon Coolpix AW130
Category
Waterproof
Revealed
2015-02-10
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW support
Highest native ISO
6400
Lowest native ISO
125
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Lens
Lens support
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
24-120mm (5.0x)
Highest aperture
f/2.8-4.9
Macro focusing distance
1cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Screen type
Fixed Type
Screen diagonal
3 inches
Screen resolution
921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Lowest shutter speed
4 seconds
Highest shutter speed
1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate
7.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
5.20 m (at Auto ISO)
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60i ,50i, 30p, 25p), 1280 x 720 (30p, 25p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4, H.264
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
221 grams (0.49 lb)
Physical dimensions
110 x 66 x 27mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.1")
Other
Battery life
370 photographs
Type of battery
Battery Pack
Battery ID
EN-EL12
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots
Single
Launch cost
$398