Updated (February, 2011): Compare the Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS vs Nikon Coolpix S3100

Nikon Coolpix S3000

56

Reasons to buy the Nikon Coolpix S3000

Shutter lag
Barely any delay taking photos
320 ms shutter lag
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

51

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

Macro focus
Great macro
3 cm
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Tunnel

differences

Advantages of the Canon SD1200 IS

Aperture Wider aperture f/2.8 vs f/3.2
Help
At its widest zoom, the SD1200 IS's lens captures marginally more light (0.4 f-stops)
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Digital
Help
Less risk of blur
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Tunnel vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Macro focus Significantly better macro capability 3 cm vs 8 cm
Help
Focus on subjects 2.7x closer to the lens
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Learn more about
the Canon SD1200 IS

Advantages of the Nikon S3000

Wide angle Much better wide angle 27 mm vs 35 mm
Help
More than 20% better wide angle
Screen size Larger screen 2.7" vs 2.5"
Help
Around 10% larger screen
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The S3000's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Thickness Thinner 0.7" vs 0.9"
Help
More than 10% thinner
Weight Slightly lighter 116 g vs 120 g
Help
Almost the same
Nikon Coolpix S3000 Learn more about
the Nikon S3000
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent compacts, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS
51 vs 56
Explain scores
Nikon Coolpix S3000 Nikon Coolpix S3000
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon Coolpix S3000.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent compacts

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Size Fairly small Help
SD1200 IS:86x55x22 mm
S3000:94x56x19 mm
Weight Light weight Help
SD1200 IS:120 g
S3000:116 g
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Sensor type Lower-end sensor types Help
CCD
Movie format Standard resolution video Help
SD1200 IS:480p @ 30fps
S3000:480p
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Screen size Very small screens Help
SD1200 IS:2.5"
S3000:2.7"
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
Zoom Poor zoom Help
SD1200 IS:3x
S3000:4x

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix S3100

Nikon Coolpix S3100

Ultra compact

$132

Movie format Records lower quality movies
Panorama Creates panoramas in-camera
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures
Macro focus Much worse macro focusing
Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$148 - $179

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon ELPH 100 HS

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Compact

$103 - $189

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Weight Is slightly heavier

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS

Compact

$178

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Screen size Larger screen
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Size Slightly larger
Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

Compact

$129

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Screen size Much larger screen
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Size Larger
Canon ELPH 310 HS

Canon ELPH 310 HS

Travel zoom

$195 - $196

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Aperture Narrower aperture
Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Ultra compact

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Better wide angle
Aperture Narrower aperture
Weight Heavier
Canon PowerShot SD790 IS

Canon PowerShot SD790 IS

Compact

Screen size Much larger screen
Thickness Slightly thinner
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Weight Much heavier

Nikon Coolpix S3000 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix S4000

Nikon Coolpix S4000

Compact

$289

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Continuous shooting Shoots slower
Size Slightly larger
Nikon Coolpix S3300

Nikon Coolpix S3300

Compact

$120

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Better wide angle
Aperture Narrower aperture
True resolution Slightly lower true resolution
Nikon Coolpix S2600

Nikon Coolpix S2600

Compact

$122

Wide angle Better wide angle
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO
Movie format Does not take movies
Light sensitivity Worse maximum light sensitivity
Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Zoom Much more zoom
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Size Much larger
Thickness Much thicker
Nikon Coolpix L26

Nikon Coolpix L26

Compact

$100

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Size Significantly larger
Thickness Significantly thicker

appearance

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Nikon Coolpix S3000
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Nikon Coolpix S3000
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Nikon Coolpix S3000

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