Nikon 1 V3 vs Sony HX95

The Nikon 1 V3 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2014 and August 2018. The V3 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the HX95 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an one-inch (V3) and a 1/2.3-inch (HX95) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 18.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 18 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon 1 V3		Sony HX95
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Nikon 1 mount lenses		24-720mm f/3.5-6.4
18.2 MP – 1" sensor		18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 160-12,800		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
Viewfinder optional		Electronic viewfinder (638k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
60 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
310 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
111 x 65 x 33 mm, 381 g		102 x 58 x 36 mm, 242 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon 1 V3 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95? 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 1 V3 and the Sony HX95. 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 Sony HX95 is notably smaller (18 percent) than the Nikon 1 V3. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the V3 nor the HX95 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the HX95 has a lens built in, whereas the V3 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the V3 gets 310 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL20a battery, while the HX95 can take 370 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the HX95 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon 1 V3	111 mm	65 mm	33 mm	381 g	310	n	Mar 2014	799	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
5.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
7.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T10	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	381 g	350	n	May 2015	799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
10.		Nikon 1 J5	98 mm	60 mm	32 mm	231 g	250	n	Apr 2015	399	ebay.com
11.		Nikon 1 J4	100 mm	60 mm	29 mm	232 g	300	n	Apr 2014	549	ebay.com
12.		Nikon 1 V2	109 mm	82 mm	46 mm	278 g	310	n	Oct 2012	799	ebay.com
13.		Nikon 1 V1	113 mm	76 mm	44 mm	383 g	350	n	Sep 2011	799	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.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 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 HX95 was launched at a lower price than the V3, 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon 1 V3 features an one-inch sensor and the Sony HX95 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the HX95 is 76 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 5.6. The sensor in the V3 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the HX95 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 18.2MP, the V3 offers a slightly higher resolution than the HX95 (18MP), but the V3 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 2.52μm versus 1.25μm for the HX95) due to its larger sensor. However, the HX95 is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 5 months) than the V3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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 V3 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon 1 V3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 1 V3	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	384	52
2.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
3.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
5.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
6.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
7.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
8.		Fujifilm X-T10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	12.9	1546	79
9.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
10.		Nikon 1 J5	1-inch	20.7	5568	3712	4K/15p	21.1	12.0	479	65
11.		Nikon 1 J4	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	426	53
12.		Nikon 1 V2	1-inch	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	20.2	10.8	403	50
13.		Nikon 1 V1	1-inch	10.0	3872	2592	1080/60i	21.3	11.0	346	54
14.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
15.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
16.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
17.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
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 HX95 provides a better video resolution than the V3. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the HX95 has an electronic viewfinder (638k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the V3 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the V3 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the DF-N1000. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon 1 V3 and Sony HX95 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 1 V3	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Fujifilm X-T10	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon 1 J5	none	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon 1 J4	none	n	3.0 / 1037	Fixed	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon 1 V2	1440	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	15.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon 1 V1	1440	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The V3 has a touchscreen, while the HX95 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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, the V3 is one of those camera that have an additional 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 1 V3 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.

The V3 writes its imaging data to micro SDXC cards, while the HX95 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The V3 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the HX95 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 1 V3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 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 1 V3	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Fujifilm X-T10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Nikon 1 J5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Nikon 1 J4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Nikon 1 V2	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon 1 V1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the V3 has a microphone port, which is missing on the HX95. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the V3 and the HX95 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Nikon and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the V3 and HX95 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon 1 V3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX95 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon 1 V3 better than the Sony HX95 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon 1 V3:

• 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.
• 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.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (60 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2014).

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the V3 necessitates an extra lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 111x65mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the V3).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (370 versus 310) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• 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: Reflects 4 years and 5 months of technical progress since the V3 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the V3 emerges as the winner of the contest (15 : 13 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 1 V3 and the Sony HX95 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the V3 or the HX95 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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 1 V3	3/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2014	799	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
5.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
7.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T10	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	May 2015	799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
10.		Nikon 1 J5	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	399	ebay.com
11.		Nikon 1 J4	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Apr 2014	549	ebay.com
12.		Nikon 1 V2	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2012	799	ebay.com
13.		Nikon 1 V1	..	+	..	69/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	799	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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. 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. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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