Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 vs Nikon Coolpix S6400

In this comparison, we will evaluate the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 and the Nikon Coolpix S6400, 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.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 was introduced in January 2014 and Nikon Coolpix S6400 was introduced in August 2012. Let us first list highlights of the models.

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.

This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 over Nikon Coolpix S6400.

This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon Coolpix S6400 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40.

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.

Screen

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 and Nikon Coolpix S6400 have 3.0" Fixed screens with 920k dot and 460k dot resolutions respectively. Nikon Coolpix S6400 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment

Electronic Viewfinder on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 200k dot resolution. It has a 100% coverage. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Nikon Coolpix S6400.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 features a 18.1 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 28.1 mm². Its native ISO range is 100 - 3,200 and expands to 100 - 6,400 in boosted mode. Nikon Coolpix S6400 features a 16 megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 20.7 mm². Its native ISO range is 125 - 3,200.

Nikon Coolpix S6400 has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 is equipped with Venus Engine processor and can take pictures up to 4896 x 3672 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4896 x 3264, 2896 x 2752, 3664 x 3664, 4000 x 3000, 4000 x 2692, 4000 x 2248, 2992 x 2992, 3264 x 2448, 3264 x 2176, 3264 x 1840, 2448 x 2448, 2560 x 1920, 2560 x 1712, 2560 x 1440, 1920 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 2048 x 1536, 1920 x 1080, 1536 x 1536, 640 x 480, 640 x 424, 640 x 360, 480 x 480 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios. Nikon Coolpix S6400 is equipped with Expeed C2 processor and can take pictures up to 4608 x 3456 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4608 x 2592, 3264 x 2448, 2272 x 1704, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480 with 4:3, 16:9 aspect ratios.

Image Stabilization

The cameras have a built-in [y] image stabilization.

Built-in GPS on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 has a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) technology which allows you to automatically tag the location where you took your photos. You can later categorize, organize, and search for photos based on location. This is very useful for travel and outdoor photographers for documenting the locations where images were captured.
  Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in GPS.

Built-in Wi-Fi on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 has a built-in Wi-Fi 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.

NFC on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.

USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 has a Micro HDMI and Nikon Coolpix S6400 has a Mini HDMI connector for video signal output.

Battery

Nikon Coolpix S6400 comes with EN-EL19 battery pack with battery life of 160 shots.

External Storage Slots

Cameras have a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

Shutter

Shutter speed can go up to 1/2000 sec on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40, and up to 1/4000 sec on Nikon Coolpix S6400. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.

Flash

Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 6.40 m on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40..

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 body has dimensions of 111 x 64 x 34 mm (4.37 x 2.52 x 1.34") and Nikon Coolpix S6400 body has dimensions of 95 x 58 x 27 mm (3.74 x 2.28 x 1.06"). Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 weighs 240 g (0.53 lb / 8.47 oz) and Nikon Coolpix S6400 weighs 150 g (0.33 lb / 5.29 oz).

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40

Nikon Coolpix S6400

111 mm

64 mm

95 mm

58 mm

64 mm

58 mm

34 mm

27 mm