Nikon W150 vs Z fc

The Nikon Coolpix W150 and the Nikon Z fc are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2019 and June 2021. The W150 is a fixed lens compact, while the Z fc is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/3.1-inch (W150) and an APS-C (Z fc) sensor. The W150 has a resolution of 13 megapixels, whereas the Z fc provides 20.7 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon W150		Nikon Z fc
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
30-90mm f/3.3-5.9		Nikon Z mount lenses
13 MP – 1/3.1" sensor		20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-1,600		ISO 100-51,200 (100 - 204,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
4.7 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (10m)		not weather sealed
220 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
110 x 67 x 38 mm, 177 g		135 x 94 x 44 mm, 445 g

Check W150 offers at
ebay.com
Check Z fc price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W150 and the Nikon Z fc? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon W150 and the Nikon Z fc is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W150 can be obtained in five different colors (blue, orange, white, flower, resort), while the Z fc is available in seven color-versions (silver, grey, brown, pink, green, white, beige).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon Z fc is considerably larger (72 percent) than the Nikon W150. It is worth mentioning in this context that the W150 is splash and dust resistant, while the Z fc does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W150 is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the W150 has a lens built in, whereas the Z fc is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	110 mm	67 mm	38 mm	177 g	220	Y	Apr 2019	159	ebay.com
2.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	959	amazon.com
3.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	979	amazon.com
4.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
5.		Nikon 1 V3	111 mm	65 mm	33 mm	381 g	310	n	Mar 2014	799	ebay.com
6.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
10.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
12.		Nikon Z50	127 mm	94 mm	60 mm	450 g	320	Y	Oct 2019	859	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh WG-6	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	246 g	340	Y	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The W150 was launched at a lower price than the Z fc, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon W150 features a 1/3.1-inch sensor and the Nikon Z fc an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the Z fc is 2206 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 7.4 and 1.5. The sensor in the W150 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the Z fc offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 20.7MP, the Z fc offers a higher resolution than the W150 (13MP), but the Z fc nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.22μm versus 1.11μm for the W150) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the Z fc is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 2 months) than the W150, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon Z fc implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Z fc for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon W150 are 20.8 x 15.6 inches or 52.8 x 39.6 cm for good quality, 16.6 x 12.5 inches or 42.3 x 31.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.9 x 10.4 inches or 35.2 x 26.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Z fc has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon Coolpix W150 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Z fc are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-204800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon W150	1/3.1	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	22.1	13.8	4058	65
2.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
3.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
4.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
5.		Nikon 1 V3	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	384	52
6.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
7.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
8.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
9.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
10.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
11.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
12.		Nikon Z50	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1963	84
13.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
14.		Ricoh WG-6	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1104	52
15.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
16.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
17.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the Z fc provides a better video resolution than the W150. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the W150 is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Z fc has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the W150 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon W150, the Nikon Z fc, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon W150	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.7/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
4.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
5.		Nikon 1 V3	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Nikon Z50	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Ricoh WG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.0/s	Y	n
15.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
17.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The W150 has one, while the Z fc does not. While the built-in flash of the W150 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z fc has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the W150 and the Z fc write their files to SDXC cards. The Z fc supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the W150 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Coolpix W150 and Nikon Z fc and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon W150	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon 1 V3	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Z50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Ricoh WG-6	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	-	-	-
15.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the Z fc has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The W150 does not feature such a mic input.

The Z fc is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the W150 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the W150 from Nikon. Further information on the features and operation of the W150 and Z fc can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W150 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon Z fc Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon W150 better than the Nikon Z fc or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix W150:

• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the Z fc requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x67mm vs 135x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the Z fc).
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 10m).
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in April 2019).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Z fc:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.7 vs 13MP), which boosts linear resolution by 29%.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 4.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (300 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 2 months of technical progress since the W150 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Z fc is the clear winner of the contest (24 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon W150 and the Nikon Z fc place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the W150 and the Z fc in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Apr 2019	159	ebay.com
2.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	959	amazon.com
3.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	979	amazon.com
4.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
5.		Nikon 1 V3	3/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2014	799	ebay.com
6.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
10.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
12.		Nikon Z50	5/5	..	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	859	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh WG-6	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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