Nikon Coolpix 3200 vs. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W12
Comparison
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| Nikon Coolpix 3200 | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W12 | ||||
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Megapixels
3.10
5.22
Max. image resolution
2048 x 1536
2592 x 1944
Sensor
Sensor type
CCD
CCD
Sensor size
1/2.7" (~ 5.33 x 4 mm)
1/1.8" (~ 7.11 x 5.33 mm)
Sensor size comparison
Sensor size is generally a good indicator of the quality of the camera.
Sensors can vary greatly in size. As a general rule, the bigger the
sensor, the better the image quality.
Bigger sensors are more effective because they have more surface area to capture light. An important factor when comparing digital cameras is also camera generation. Generally, newer sensors will outperform the older.
Learn more about sensor sizes »
Bigger sensors are more effective because they have more surface area to capture light. An important factor when comparing digital cameras is also camera generation. Generally, newer sensors will outperform the older.
Learn more about sensor sizes »
Actual sensor size
Note: Actual size is set to screen → change »
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| Nikon Coolpix 3200 | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W12 | |
Surface area:
| 21.32 mm² | vs | 37.90 mm² |
Difference: 16.58 mm² (78%)
W12 sensor is approx. 1.78x bigger than 3200 sensor.
Pixel pitch tells you the distance from the center of one pixel (photosite) to the center of the next. It tells you how close the pixels are to each other.
The bigger the pixel pitch, the further apart they are and the bigger each pixel is. Bigger pixels tend to have better signal to noise ratio and greater dynamic range.
The bigger the pixel pitch, the further apart they are and the bigger each pixel is. Bigger pixels tend to have better signal to noise ratio and greater dynamic range.
Pixel or photosite area affects how much light per pixel can be gathered.
The larger it is the more light can be collected by a single pixel.
Larger pixels have the potential to collect more photons, resulting in greater dynamic range, while smaller pixels provide higher resolutions (more detail) for a given sensor size.
Larger pixels have the potential to collect more photons, resulting in greater dynamic range, while smaller pixels provide higher resolutions (more detail) for a given sensor size.
Relative pixel sizes:
vs
Pixel area difference: 0.43 µm² (6%)
A pixel on Sony W12 sensor is approx. 6% bigger than a pixel on Nikon 3200.
Pixel density tells you how many million pixels fit or would fit in one
square cm of the sensor.
Higher pixel density means smaller pixels and lower pixel density means larger pixels.
Higher pixel density means smaller pixels and lower pixel density means larger pixels.
To learn about the accuracy of these numbers,
click here.
Specs
Nikon 3200
Sony W12
Total megapixels
3.30
Effective megapixels
3.10
Optical zoom
3x
Yes
Digital zoom
Yes
Yes
ISO sensitivity
Auto, (50-200)
Auto, 100, 200, 400
RAW
Manual focus
Normal focus range
30 cm
50 cm
Macro focus range
4 cm
6 cm
Focal length (35mm equiv.)
38 - 115 mm
38 - 114 mm
Aperture priority
No
No
Max. aperture
f2.8 - f4.9
f2.8 - f5.6
Metering
256-segment Matrix
Multi Spot, Spot
Exposure compensation
±2 EV (in 1/2 EV steps)
±2 EV (in 1/3 EV steps)
Shutter priority
No
No
Min. shutter speed
4 sec
30 sec
Max. shutter speed
1/3000 sec
1/2000 sec
Built-in flash
External flash
Viewfinder
Optical (tunnel)
Optical
White balance presets
6
5
Screen size
1.6"
2.5"
Screen resolution
80,000 dots
123,200 dots
Video capture
Max. video resolution
Storage types
Secure Digital
Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro
USB
USB 1.0
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI
Wireless
GPS
Battery
AA (2) batteries (NiMH recommended)
2x AA
Weight
140 g
189 g
Dimensions
88 x 65 x 38 mm
91 x 60 x 33 mm
Year
2004
2004
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Diagonal
Diagonal is calculated by the use of Pythagorean theorem:
where w = sensor width and h = sensor height
| Diagonal = √ | w² + h² |
Nikon 3200 diagonal
The diagonal of 3200 sensor is not 1/2.7 or 0.37" (9.4 mm) as you might expect, but approximately two thirds of
that value - 6.66 mm. If you want to know why, see
sensor sizes.
w = 5.33 mm
h = 4.00 mm
w = 5.33 mm
h = 4.00 mm
| Diagonal = √ | 5.33² + 4.00² | = 6.66 mm |
Sony W12 diagonal
The diagonal of W12 sensor is not 1/1.8 or 0.56" (14.1 mm) as you might expect, but approximately two thirds of
that value - 8.89 mm. If you want to know why, see
sensor sizes.
w = 7.11 mm
h = 5.33 mm
w = 7.11 mm
h = 5.33 mm
| Diagonal = √ | 7.11² + 5.33² | = 8.89 mm |
Surface area
Surface area is calculated by multiplying the width and the height of a sensor.
3200 sensor area
Width = 5.33 mm
Height = 4.00 mm
Surface area = 5.33 × 4.00 = 21.32 mm²
Height = 4.00 mm
Surface area = 5.33 × 4.00 = 21.32 mm²
W12 sensor area
Width = 7.11 mm
Height = 5.33 mm
Surface area = 7.11 × 5.33 = 37.90 mm²
Height = 5.33 mm
Surface area = 7.11 × 5.33 = 37.90 mm²
Pixel pitch
Pixel pitch is the distance from the center of one pixel to the center of the
next measured in micrometers (µm). It can be calculated with the following formula:
| Pixel pitch = | sensor width in mm | × 1000 |
| sensor resolution width in pixels |
3200 pixel pitch
Sensor width = 5.33 mm
Sensor resolution width = 2031 pixels
Sensor resolution width = 2031 pixels
| Pixel pitch = | 5.33 | × 1000 | = 2.62 µm |
| 2031 |
W12 pixel pitch
Sensor width = 7.11 mm
Sensor resolution width = 2635 pixels
Sensor resolution width = 2635 pixels
| Pixel pitch = | 7.11 | × 1000 | = 2.7 µm |
| 2635 |
Pixel area
The area of one pixel can be calculated by simply squaring the pixel pitch:
You could also divide sensor surface area with effective megapixels:
Pixel area = pixel pitch²
You could also divide sensor surface area with effective megapixels:
| Pixel area = | sensor surface area in mm² |
| effective megapixels |
3200 pixel area
Pixel pitch = 2.62 µm
Pixel area = 2.62² = 6.86 µm²
Pixel area = 2.62² = 6.86 µm²
W12 pixel area
Pixel pitch = 2.7 µm
Pixel area = 2.7² = 7.29 µm²
Pixel area = 2.7² = 7.29 µm²
Pixel density
Pixel density can be calculated with the following formula:
One could also use this formula:
| Pixel density = ( | sensor resolution width in pixels | )² / 1000000 |
| sensor width in cm |
One could also use this formula:
| Pixel density = | effective megapixels × 1000000 | / 10000 |
| sensor surface area in mm² |
3200 pixel density
Sensor resolution width = 2031 pixels
Sensor width = 0.533 cm
Pixel density = (2031 / 0.533)² / 1000000 = 14.52 MP/cm²
Sensor width = 0.533 cm
Pixel density = (2031 / 0.533)² / 1000000 = 14.52 MP/cm²
W12 pixel density
Sensor resolution width = 2635 pixels
Sensor width = 0.711 cm
Pixel density = (2635 / 0.711)² / 1000000 = 13.73 MP/cm²
Sensor width = 0.711 cm
Pixel density = (2635 / 0.711)² / 1000000 = 13.73 MP/cm²
Sensor resolution
Sensor resolution is calculated from sensor size and effective megapixels. It's slightly higher
than maximum (not interpolated) image resolution which is usually stated on camera specifications.
Sensor resolution is used in pixel pitch, pixel area, and pixel density formula.
For sake of simplicity, we're going to calculate it in 3 stages.
1. First we need to find the ratio between horizontal and vertical length by dividing the former with the latter (aspect ratio). It's usually 1.33 (4:3) or 1.5 (3:2), but not always.
2. With the ratio (r) known we can calculate the X from the formula below, where X is a vertical number of pixels:
3. To get sensor resolution we then multiply X with the corresponding ratio:
Resolution horizontal: X × r
Resolution vertical: X
1. First we need to find the ratio between horizontal and vertical length by dividing the former with the latter (aspect ratio). It's usually 1.33 (4:3) or 1.5 (3:2), but not always.
2. With the ratio (r) known we can calculate the X from the formula below, where X is a vertical number of pixels:
| (X × r) × X = effective megapixels × 1000000 → |
|
Resolution horizontal: X × r
Resolution vertical: X
3200 sensor resolution
Sensor width = 5.33 mm
Sensor height = 4.00 mm
Effective megapixels = 3.10
Resolution horizontal: X × r = 1527 × 1.33 = 2031
Resolution vertical: X = 1527
Sensor resolution = 2031 x 1527
Sensor height = 4.00 mm
Effective megapixels = 3.10
| r = 5.33/4.00 = 1.33 |
|
Resolution vertical: X = 1527
Sensor resolution = 2031 x 1527
W12 sensor resolution
Sensor width = 7.11 mm
Sensor height = 5.33 mm
Effective megapixels = 5.22
Resolution horizontal: X × r = 1981 × 1.33 = 2635
Resolution vertical: X = 1981
Sensor resolution = 2635 x 1981
Sensor height = 5.33 mm
Effective megapixels = 5.22
| r = 7.11/5.33 = 1.33 |
|
Resolution vertical: X = 1981
Sensor resolution = 2635 x 1981
Crop factor
Crop factor or focal length multiplier is calculated by dividing the diagonal
of 35 mm film (43.27 mm) with the diagonal of the sensor.
| Crop factor = | 43.27 mm |
| sensor diagonal in mm |
3200 crop factor
Sensor diagonal in mm = 6.66 mm
| Crop factor = | 43.27 | = 6.5 |
| 6.66 |
W12 crop factor
Sensor diagonal in mm = 8.89 mm
| Crop factor = | 43.27 | = 4.87 |
| 8.89 |
35 mm equivalent aperture
Equivalent aperture (in 135 film terms) is calculated by multiplying lens aperture
with crop factor (a.k.a. focal length multiplier).
3200 equivalent aperture
Crop factor = 6.5
Aperture = f2.8 - f4.9
35-mm equivalent aperture = (f2.8 - f4.9) × 6.5 = f18.2 - f31.9
Aperture = f2.8 - f4.9
35-mm equivalent aperture = (f2.8 - f4.9) × 6.5 = f18.2 - f31.9
W12 equivalent aperture
Crop factor = 4.87
Aperture = f2.8 - f5.6
35-mm equivalent aperture = (f2.8 - f5.6) × 4.87 = f13.6 - f27.3
Aperture = f2.8 - f5.6
35-mm equivalent aperture = (f2.8 - f5.6) × 4.87 = f13.6 - f27.3
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