Updated (February, 2012): Compare the Canon PowerShot SX230 HS vs Nikon Coolpix S9300

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

75

vs
Nikon Coolpix S9100

66
 
 
 
 

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

GPS
 Built-in GPS
Great for travel
Size
 Really small
Compact 106x59x33 mm
Supports 24p
 24p movies
For that film look
Panorama
 In-camera panoramas
Stitches together multiple photos into a panorama
 

Reasons to buy the Nikon Coolpix S9100

Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
921k dots
Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
9.5 fps
HDR
 In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Panorama
 In-camera panoramas
Stitches together multiple photos into a panorama
 
Differences | Recommendations | Similarities | Competitors | Appearance | Discussion

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX230 HS
GPS Has a GPS Yes vs No
Help
 Automatically geotags your photos when traveling
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
 Get that real film feel
Aperture Wider aperture f/3.1 vs f/3.5
Help
 At its widest zoom, the SX230 HS's lens captures marginally more light (0.4 f-stops)
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens, Sensor shift vs Sensor shift
Help
 Less risk of blur
Size Smaller 106x59x33 mm vs 105x62x35 mm
Help
 Around 10% smaller
Lowest price Significantly cheaper $235.48 vs $421.99
Help
 The best price we've seen is $187 cheaper (more than 40% less)
Thickness Thinner 1.3" vs 1.4"
Help
 Around 10% thinner
True resolution Slightly higher true resolution 9.8 MP vs 9.7 MP
Help
 Almost the same
Longest exposure Longer exposures 15s vs 1s
Help
 15x longer exposures
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/3200s vs 1/2000s
Help
 Around 40% faster max shutter speed
Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Learn more about
the Canon SX230 HS

Advantages of the Nikon S9100
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle 25 mm vs 28 mm
Help
 More than 10% better wide angle
Zoom More zoom 18x vs 14x
Help
 Around 70% more zoom
Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen 921k dots vs 461k dots
Help
 Around 2x higher resolution screen
HDR Has in-camera HDR Yes vs No
Help
 Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 9.5 fps vs 3.2 fps
Help
 Around 3x faster continuous shooting
Battery life Longer battery life 270 shots vs 210 shots
Help
 Around 30% more shots per battery charge
Macro focus Better macro capability 4 cm vs 5 cm
Help
 Focus on subjects 20% closer to the lens
Nikon Coolpix S9100 Learn more about
the Nikon S9100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent travel zooms, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Canon PowerShot SX230 HS
75 vs 66
Explain scores
Nikon Coolpix S9100 Nikon Coolpix S9100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot SX230 HS.

similarities

Compared to recent compacts

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Movie format Both shoot high resolution HD movies Help
1080p @ 30fps
Zoom Great zoom Help
SX230 HS:14x
S9100:18x
High-speed framerate Very high speed movies Help
240 fps
Sensor type Better sensor types Help
Better in low light
Panorama In-camera panoramas Help
Stitches together multiple photos into a panorama
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX230 HS:1.3"
S9100:1.4"
Weight Heavy Help
SX230 HS:215 g
S9100:214 g
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Size Large Help
SX230 HS:106x59x33 mm
S9100:105x62x35 mm
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons

Compared to recent travel zooms

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting weaknesses shared by these two products.

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS

Travel zoom

$200 - $229
Zoom Has slightly more zoom
Aperture Has a slightly narrower aperture
Compare the PowerShot SX260 HS vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Compare the PowerShot SX260 HS vs the Coolpix S9100
Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

Travel zoom

$219 - $678
Zoom Has slightly more zoom
Aperture Has a slightly narrower aperture
Compare the PowerShot SX240 HS vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Compare the PowerShot SX240 HS vs the Coolpix S9100
Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

Travel zoom

$219
Panorama Lacks a built in panoramas
Wide angle Has a significantly narrower wide angle lens
Compare the PowerShot SX220 HS vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Compare the PowerShot SX220 HS vs the Coolpix S9100
Nikon Coolpix S9300

Nikon Coolpix S9300

Travel zoom

$298
3D Captures 3D images
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
High-speed framerate Records less high-speed movies
Compare the Coolpix S9300 vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Compare the Coolpix S9300 vs the Coolpix S9100
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Travel zoom

$1,813
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
3D Captures 3D images
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Lowest price Is much more expensive
Compare the Cybershot DSC-HX9v vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Compare the Cybershot DSC-HX9v vs the Coolpix S9100
Nikon Coolpix S9500

Nikon Coolpix S9500

Travel zoom

$297 - $327
Zoom Has significantly more zoom
3D Captures 3D images
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Compare the Coolpix S9500 vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Compare the Coolpix S9500 vs the Coolpix S9100
Nikon Coolpix L820

Nikon Coolpix L820

Super zoom

$277
Zoom Has way more more zoom
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Compare the Coolpix L820 vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Compare the Coolpix L820 vs the Coolpix S9100

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon PowerShot SX270 HS

Canon PowerShot SX270 HS

Travel zoom

$355 - $393
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Zoom Significantly more zoom
GPS No built-in GPS
Supports 24p No 24p support
Compare the PowerShot SX270 HS vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Canon PowerShot SX210 IS

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS

Travel zoom

$406
Size Slightly smaller
Thickness Slightly thinner
GPS No built-in GPS
Supports 24p No 24p support
Compare the PowerShot SX210 IS vs the PowerShot SX230 HS
Canon PowerShot SX280 HS

Canon PowerShot SX280 HS

Travel zoom

$268 - $299
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Zoom Significantly more zoom
Supports 24p No 24p support
Aperture Narrower aperture
Compare the PowerShot SX280 HS vs the PowerShot SX230 HS

Nikon Coolpix S9100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon Coolpix S8200

Nikon Coolpix S8200

Travel zoom

$175
Aperture Wider aperture
Size Smaller
Zoom Less zoom
HDR Lacks in-camera HDR
Compare the Coolpix S8200 vs the Coolpix S9100
Placeholder

Nikon Coolpix S9200

Travel zoom

$149
GPS Has a GPS
3D Takes 3D photos
High-speed framerate Lower speed movies
Battery life Shorter battery life
Compare the Coolpix S9200 vs the Coolpix S9100

appearance

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Nikon Coolpix S9100
Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Nikon Coolpix S9100
Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Nikon Coolpix S9100

discussion

Showing 3 comments

Bob (3:39 PM, September 27, 2011)
I have a Nikon & very disapointed. It seems to be out of focus. Asy sugestions?
 
Erosewater6040 (11:22 PM, July 29, 2011)
The Nikon has approximately 30% more zoom, not %70.
 
Samiam (6:24 AM, April 11, 2011)
What?! How does Snapsport come up with 70% more zoom? And how do these two get even results - both 88's?
It's 14X vs 18X; It's 392mm vs 450mm; how is that 70%? The Nikon does start wider at 25mm vs 28mm for the Canon.
A friend just bought the S9100, and I played around with it for a couple hours. I can tell you the S9100 feels a lot larger in-hand and in-pocket.
Nikon included no manual controls on the S9100, very limited ISO choices (starts at 160 ugh!), no aperture priority, no shutter priority. It's like a big version of of a basic P&S for kids or something.
Before seriously considering the Nikon S9100, compare IQ between the two - no contest, Canon wins this one by a land slide.