Canon SX10 vs Nikon P900

The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS and the Nikon Coolpix P900 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2008 and March 2015. Both the SX10 and the P900 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 15.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX10		Nikon P900
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
28-560mm f/2.8-5.7		24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5
10 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
480/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.7 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
123 x 88 x 87 mm, 600 g		140 x 103 x 137 mm, 899 g

Check SX10 offers at
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Check P900 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS and the Nikon Coolpix P900? 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 physical size and weight of the Canon SX10 and the Nikon P900 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon P900 is notably larger (33 percent) than the Canon SX10. Moreover, the P900 is substantially heavier (50 percent) than the SX10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX10 nor the P900 are weather-sealed.

The power pack in the P900 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon SX10	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Sep 2008	US$ 399	ebay.com
2.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX1	128 mm	88 mm	88 mm	615 g	..	n	Sep 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX20	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX30	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	601 g	370	n	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	US$ 549	amazon.com
9.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
11.		Canon XS	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
14.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	US$ 299	ebay.com
16.		Nikon P950	140 mm	110 mm	150 mm	1005 g	290	n	Jan 2020	US$ 799	amazon.com
17.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	US$ 999	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the P900, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the P900 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the SX10. This megapixels advantage translates into a 26 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the P900 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.33μm versus 1.67μm for the SX10). However, it should be noted that the P900 is much more recent (by 6 years and 5 months) than the SX10, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. 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 P900 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the P900 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon SX10 are 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm for good quality, 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm for very good quality, and 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix P900 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX10 is build around a CCD sensor, while the P900 uses a BSI-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.

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.		Canon SX10	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	480/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
2.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
3.		Canon SX1	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	1080/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
4.		Canon SX20	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	19.2	10.5	225	37
5.		Canon SX30	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	720/30p	19.4	10.7	320	39
6.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
7.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
8.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
9.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
10.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
11.		Canon XS	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62
12.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
13.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
14.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
15.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
16.		Nikon P950	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.3	1189	52
17.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the P900 provides a better video resolution than the SX10. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 480/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the P900 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the SX10 (921k vs 202k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon SX10, the Nikon P900, 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.		Canon SX10	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX1	202	n	2.8 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	4.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX20	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX30	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.6/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon XS	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
13.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
14.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
16.		Nikon P950	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Nikon P900 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.

Both the SX10 and the P900 have zoom lenses built in. The SX10 has a 28-560mm f/2.8-5.7 optic and the P900 offers a 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Nikon provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Canon. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

The SX10 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the P900 uses SDXC 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 Canon PowerShot SX10 IS and Nikon Coolpix P900 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.		Canon SX10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon SX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon SX20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon XS	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Nikon P950	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the SX10 has a hotshoe, while the P900 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the P900 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the SX10 and the P900 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX10 was replaced by the Canon SX20, while the P900 was followed by the Nikon P950. Further information on the features and operation of the SX10 and P900 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P900 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX10 or the Nikon P900 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS:

• More compact: Is smaller (123x88mm vs 140x103mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 299g or 33 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2008).

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix P900:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 26%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/60p vs 480/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (921k vs 202k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 230k dots).
• 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 1/3200s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 0.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 5 months of technical progress since the SX10 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the P900 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 5 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 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 Canon SX10 and the Nikon P900 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera listing 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SX10 or the P900. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon SX10	..	+ +	..	..	..	4/5	Sep 2008	US$ 399	ebay.com
2.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX1	..	+ +	..	+	..	3.5/5	Sep 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX20	..	+ +	..	73/100	..	4/5	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX30	3/5	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	US$ 549	amazon.com
9.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
11.		Canon XS	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
14.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 299	ebay.com
16.		Nikon P950	..	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2020	US$ 799	amazon.com
17.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, 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.

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