Nikon W300 vs Olympus E-PL8
The Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Olympus PEN E-PL8 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2017 and September 2016. The W300 is a fixed lens compact, while the E-PL8 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (W300) and a Four Thirds (E-PL8) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.9 megapixels.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Olympus PEN E-PL8? 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
The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon W300 and the Olympus E-PL8. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The W300 can be obtained in three different colors (black, orange, yellow), while the E-PL8 is also available in three color-versions, but different ones (black, brown, white).
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PL8 is somewhat larger (4 percent) than the Nikon W300. It is worth mentioning in this context that the W300 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-PL8 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W300 is water-proof up to 30m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the W300 has a lens built in, whereas the E-PL8 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-PL8 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.
Concerning battery life, the W300 gets 280 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL12 battery, while the E-PL8 can take 350 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 power pack. The power pack in the W300 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon W300 | 112 mm | 66 mm | 29 mm | 231 g | 280 | Y | May 2017 | 389 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-PL8 | 115 mm | 67 mm | 38 mm | 357 g | 350 | n | Sep 2016 | 549 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon B600 | 122 mm | 82 mm | 99 mm | 500 g | 280 | n | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon A1000 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 41 mm | 330 g | 250 | n | Jan 2019 | 429 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon P1000 | 146 mm | 119 mm | 181 mm | 1415 g | 250 | n | Jul 2018 | 999 | amazon.com | |
6. | Olympus E-PL10 | 117 mm | 68 mm | 39 mm | 380 g | 350 | n | Oct 2019 | 599 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-PL9 | 117 mm | 68 mm | 39 mm | 380 g | 350 | n | Feb 2018 | 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-M10 III | 122 mm | 84 mm | 50 mm | 410 g | 330 | n | Aug 2017 | 649 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus TG-5 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 32 mm | 250 g | 340 | Y | May 2017 | 449 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-M10 II | 120 mm | 83 mm | 47 mm | 390 g | 320 | n | Aug 2015 | 649 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-PL7 | 115 mm | 67 mm | 38 mm | 357 g | 350 | n | Aug 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic TS7 | 117 mm | 76 mm | 37 mm | 319 g | 300 | Y | May 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
13. | Ricoh WG-60 | 123 mm | 62 mm | 30 mm | 193 g | 300 | Y | Oct 2018 | 279 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony HX99 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 242 g | 370 | n | Aug 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony HX95 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 242 g | 370 | n | Aug 2018 | 429 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony WX800 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 233 g | 370 | n | Oct 2018 | 399 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony HX80 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 245 g | 390 | n | Mar 2016 | 349 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The W300 was launched at a lower price than the E-PL8, 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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 W300 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Olympus E-PL8 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-PL8 is 704 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.0. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.
Even though the E-PL8 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This implies that the E-PL8 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 1.33μm for the W300), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the W300 is a somewhat more recent model (by 8 months) than the E-PL8, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.
The Nikon Coolpix W300 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 125-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus PEN E-PL8 are ISO 200 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.
In terms of underlying technology, the W300 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the E-PL8 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon W300 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.5 | 12.0 | 938 | 50 | |
2. | Olympus E-PL8 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.0 | 12.6 | 1030 | 73 | |
3. | Nikon B600 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1095 | 52 | |
4. | Nikon A1000 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1095 | 52 | |
5. | Nikon P1000 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1044 | 51 | |
6. | Olympus E-PL10 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.3 | 13.1 | 1324 | 76 | |
7. | Olympus E-PL9 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1162 | 74 | |
8. | Olympus E-M10 III | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1120 | 74 | |
9. | Olympus TG-5 | 1/2.3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 4K/30p | 20.5 | 11.9 | 934 | 50 | |
10. | Olympus E-M10 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
11. | Olympus E-PL7 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.4 | 873 | 72 | |
12. | Panasonic TS7 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1028 | 51 | |
13. | Ricoh WG-60 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 20.6 | 12.2 | 1072 | 51 | |
14. | Sony HX99 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1058 | 51 | |
15. | Sony HX95 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1057 | 51 | |
16. | Sony WX800 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.2 | 1070 | 51 | |
17. | Sony HX80 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 1080/60p | 20.4 | 11.8 | 822 | 48 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the W300 provides a higher video resolution than the E-PL8. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The W300 and the E-PL8 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. That said, the E-PL8 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-4. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon W300, the Olympus E-PL8, and comparable cameras.
# | 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 W300 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Olympus E-PL8 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Nikon B600 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Nikon A1000 | 1166 | n | 3.0 / 1036 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Nikon P1000 | 2359 | n | 3.2 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Olympus E-PL10 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.6/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-PL9 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.6/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-M10 III | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.6/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Olympus TG-5 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 20.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-M10 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Olympus E-PL7 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
12. | Panasonic TS7 | 1170 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/1300s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Ricoh WG-60 | none | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
14. | Sony HX99 | 638 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony HX95 | 638 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony WX800 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony HX80 | 638 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
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 W300 has one, while the E-PL8 does not. While the built-in flash of the W300 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The E-PL8 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the W300 does not have a selfie-screen.The Olympus E-PL8 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 W300 and the E-PL8 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-PL8 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the W300 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 W300 and Olympus PEN E-PL8 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon W300 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
2. | Olympus E-PL8 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
3. | Nikon B600 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
4. | Nikon A1000 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
5. | Nikon P1000 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
6. | Olympus E-PL10 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-PL9 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-M10 III | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
9. | Olympus TG-5 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-M10 II | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-PL7 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
12. | Panasonic TS7 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
13. | Ricoh WG-60 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony HX99 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony HX95 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony WX800 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony HX80 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the E-PL8 has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The W300 does not feature such an accessory-socket.
Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the W300 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.
Both the W300 and the E-PL8 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-PL8 was replaced by the Olympus E-PL9, while the W300 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the W300 and E-PL8 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL8 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon W300 better than the Olympus E-PL8 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix W300:
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
- Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the E-PL8 requires a separate lens.
- Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the E-PL8).
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- 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 30m).
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
- More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 8 months after the E-PL8).
Reasons to prefer the Olympus PEN E-PL8:
- Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
- Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
- More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 921k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in 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 burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 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 (350 versus 280) out of a single battery charge.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2016).
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-PL8 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 11 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 W300 and the Olympus E-PL8 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the W300 or the E-PL8 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon W300 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | May 2017 | 389 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-PL8 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2016 | 549 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon B600 | .. | + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon A1000 | .. | + + | 3.5/5 | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2019 | 429 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon P1000 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | 73/100 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Jul 2018 | 999 | amazon.com | |
6. | Olympus E-PL10 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 77/100 | .. | 4/5 | Oct 2019 | 599 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-PL9 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2018 | 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-M10 III | .. | + | 5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2017 | 649 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus TG-5 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | May 2017 | 449 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-M10 II | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2015 | 649 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-PL7 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic TS7 | .. | + | .. | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | May 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
13. | Ricoh WG-60 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Oct 2018 | 279 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony HX99 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony HX95 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Aug 2018 | 429 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony WX800 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Oct 2018 | 399 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony HX80 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Mar 2016 | 349 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 1200D vs Olympus E-PL8
- Canon 77D vs Olympus E-PL8
- Canon 800D vs Nikon W300
- Fujifilm X-T100 vs Olympus E-PL8
- Fujifilm X100F vs Nikon W300
- Fujifilm X100S vs Olympus E-PL8
- Nikon D200 vs Nikon W300
- Nikon W300 vs Olympus E-P1
- Nikon W300 vs Panasonic FZ80
- Nikon W300 vs Panasonic G1
- Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic S1H
- Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony A99
Specifications: Nikon W300 vs Olympus E-PL8
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Nikon W300 | Olympus E-PL8 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | 24-120mm f/2.8-4.9 | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | May 2017 | September 2016 |
Launch Price | USD 389 | USD 549 |
Sensor Specs | Nikon W300 | Olympus E-PL8 |
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/2.3" Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
Sensor Size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 28.0735 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 7.7 mm | 21.6 mm |
Crop Factor | 5.6x | 2.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 15.9 Megapixels | 15.9 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4608 x 3456 pixels | 4608 x 3456 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.33 μm | 3.76 μm |
Pixel Density | 56.73 MP/cm2 | 7.08 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 1080/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 125 - 1,600 ISO | 200 - 6,400 ISO |
ISO Boost | 125 - 6,400 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
Screen Specs | Nikon W300 | Olympus E-PL8 |
Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | Viewfinder optional |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 921k dots | 1037k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Nikon W300 | Olympus E-PL8 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 7 shutter flaps/s | 8 shutter flaps/s |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | Lens-based stabilization | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | no | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Nikon W300 | Olympus E-PL8 |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | micro HDMI |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | no Bluetooth |
Geotagging | GPS built-in | no internal GPS |
Body Specs | Nikon W300 | Olympus E-PL8 |
Environmental Sealing | Waterproof body (30m) | not weather sealed |
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL12 | Olympus BLS-50 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 280 shots per charge | 350 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | no USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
112 x 66 x 29 mm (4.4 x 2.6 x 1.1 in) |
115 x 67 x 38 mm (4.5 x 2.6 x 1.5 in) |
Camera Weight | 231 g (8.1 oz) | 357 g (12.6 oz) |
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