Nikon Z30 vs Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Nikon Z30 and the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Nikon Z30 was introduced in June 2022 and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS was introduced in February 2009. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Nikon Z30 Highlights

      • 20.9 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • No Optical Low-pass Filter
      • 100 - 51,200 Native ISO
      • 209 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 1,040k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 11.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • 2 h 5 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS Highlights

      • 12 MP 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
      • 80 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points (9 Cross-type)
      • Image Stabilization
      • 2.50" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (tunnel) Viewfinder
      • 0.8 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1280 x 720 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon Z30 and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS.

      PROS

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Digital Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   USB Charging
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Light - 155 g (0.34 lb / 5.47 oz)
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12 Megapixel
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/1500 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.8 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.9 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   -4.5 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Screen Size - 2.50"

      Advantage of Nikon Z30

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon Z30 over Canon PowerShot SD780 IS.

      Nikon Z30 vs Canon PowerShot SD780 IS
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 1/2.3-inch
      Higher Sensor Resolution 20.9 Megapixel vs 12 Megapixel
      Max Image Resolution 5568 x 3712 vs 4000 x 3000
      RAW Support vs
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 209 vs 9
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Continuous Autofocus vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Screen Type Fully Articulated vs Fixed
      Touch Screen vs
      Larger Screen 3.0" vs 2.50"
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,040k dot vs 230k dot
      Lower Min Shutter Speed 30 sec vs 15 sec
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/1500 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps vs 0.8 fps
      External Flash Connectivity vs
      Manual Exposure Mode vs
      Aperture Priority vs
      Shutter Priority vs
      Average Metering vs
      Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720
      Higher USB Speed USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
      Microphone Input vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Environmental Sealing vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon Z30.

      Advantage of Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon PowerShot SD780 IS over Nikon Z30.

      Nikon Z30 vs Canon PowerShot SD780 IS
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 80
      Higher Native ISO 51,200 vs 1,600
      Image Stabilization vs
      Built-in Flash vs
      Speaker Mono vs Stereo
      Lighter 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) vs 155 g (0.34 lb / 5.47 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon PowerShot SD780 IS.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Nikon Z30 Canon PowerShot SD780 IS
        Video Capture
        High Native ISO51,2001,600
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        Light405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)155 g (0.34 lb / 5.47 oz)
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Nikon Z30 Canon PowerShot SD780 IS
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Nikon Z30 has a 3.0" Fully Articulated screen with 1,040k dot resolution and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS has a 2.50" Fixed screen with 230k dot resolution. Fully articulated screen makes Nikon Z30 selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting. Nikon Z30 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

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      Nikon Z30 with Fully Articulated screen


      Optical (tunnel) Viewfinder on Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS has a built-in Optical (tunnel) viewfinder. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Nikon Z30.

      Sensor

      Nikon Z30 features a 20.9 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.7 mm and a total area of 369 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 51,200 and expands to 100 - 204,800 in boosted mode. Canon PowerShot SD780 IS features a 12 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 20.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 80 - 1,600.

      Photography Features

      Nikon Z30 is equipped with EXPEED 6 processor and can take pictures up to 5568 x 3712 resolution. Canon PowerShot SD780 IS can take pictures up to 4000 x 3000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4000 x 2248, 3264 x 2448, 2592 x 1944, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480, 320 x 140 with 4:3, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      No Low-Pass Filter on Nikon Z30

      There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor on Nikon Z30. This results in a slightly sharper image but may also introduce moiré patterns and aliasing artifacts when photographing subjects with fine, repetitive patterns or details.

      Image Stabilization on Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Nikon Z30

      Nikon Z30 has a built-in Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth on Nikon Z30

      Nikon Z30 has a built-in Bluetooth (version 4.2) which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Nikon Z30 comes with EN-EL25 battery pack with battery life of 330 shots and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS comes with NB-4L battery pack.


      External Storage Slots

      Nikon Z30 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot. Canon PowerShot SD780 IS has a single SD/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus/HD MMCplus card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Nikon Z30 has Electronic shutter and Mechanical Focal Plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Nikon Z30, and up to 1/1500 sec on Canon PowerShot SD780 IS. Nikon Z30 can shoot continuously up to 11.0 fps. Canon PowerShot SD780 IS can shoot continuously up to 0.8 fps.


      Focusing

      Nikon Z30 has Hybrid phase-detection/contrast AF system with 209 focusing points and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS has 9 focusing points. Nikon Z30 has detection range from -4.5 to +19 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Nikon Z30 ranges from -4 to +17 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Nikon Z30 and ±2 range on Canon PowerShot SD780 IS. You can also do exposure lock and exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Nikon Z30 and exposure bracketing on Canon PowerShot SD780 IS.


      Flash

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS has a built-in flash with maximum range of 3.50 m. Nikon Z30 has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/200 sec on Nikon Z30.

      Physical Parameters

      Nikon Z30 body has dimensions of 128 x 74 x 60 mm (5.04 x 2.91 x 2.36") and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS body has dimensions of 87 x 56 x 18 mm (3.43 x 2.2 x 0.71"). Nikon Z30 weighs 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS weighs 155 g (0.34 lb / 5.47 oz).

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      128 mm

      74 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      87 mm

      56 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      74 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      56 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Nikon Z30 and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      Nikon Z30 and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      GOOD
      82
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      POOR
      47
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      GOOD
      74
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      63
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.8 fps
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      GOOD
      74
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      59
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.8 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      GOOD
      83
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.50"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      GOOD
      83
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 155 g (0.34 lb / 5.47 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 155 g (0.34 lb / 5.47 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Nikon Z30 and Canon PowerShot SD780 IS and give them scores of 77 and 51 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      OVERALL
      77
      OVERALL
      51

      Sensor

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.9 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      POOR
      45
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12 Megapixel
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      GOOD
      70
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      AVERAGE
      58
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/1500 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.8 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity

      Video

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      POOR
      43
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720

      Focusing

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   -4.5 EV Min AF Detection
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      AVERAGE
      61
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      POOR
      50
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.50"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot

      Connectivity

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      EXCELLENT
      94
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      POOR
      46
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Nikon Z30

      Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      POOR
      54
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 155 g (0.34 lb / 5.47 oz)


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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