Nikon B600 vs P900
The Nikon Coolpix B600 and the Nikon Coolpix P900 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2019 and March 2015. Both the B600 and the P900 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch 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 B600 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 Nikon B600 and the Nikon P900 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The B600 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the P900 is only available in black.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon P900 is considerably larger (44 percent) than the Nikon B600. Moreover, the P900 is substantially heavier (80 percent) than the B600. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the B600 nor the P900 are weather-sealed.
Concerning battery life, the B600 gets 280 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL12 battery, while the P900 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL23 power pack. The power pack in the P900 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon B600 | 122 mm | 82 mm | 99 mm | 500 g | 280 | n | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon P900 | 140 mm | 103 mm | 137 mm | 899 g | 360 | n | Mar 2015 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX520 | 120 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 441 g | 210 | n | Jul 2014 | 399 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon P950 | 140 mm | 110 mm | 150 mm | 1005 g | 290 | n | Jan 2020 | 799 | amazon.com | |
5. | Nikon A1000 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 41 mm | 330 g | 250 | n | Jan 2019 | 429 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon P1000 | 146 mm | 119 mm | 181 mm | 1415 g | 250 | n | Jul 2018 | 999 | amazon.com | |
7. | Nikon W300 | 112 mm | 66 mm | 29 mm | 231 g | 280 | Y | May 2017 | 389 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon B700 | 125 mm | 85 mm | 107 mm | 565 g | 350 | n | Feb 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon B500 | 114 mm | 78 mm | 95 mm | 541 g | 600 | n | Jan 2016 | 299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon L840 | 113 mm | 78 mm | 96 mm | 538 g | 590 | n | Feb 2015 | 299 | ebay.com | |
11. | Panasonic FZ100 | 124 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 540 g | 410 | n | Jul 2010 | 499 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony WX800 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 233 g | 370 | n | Oct 2018 | 399 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 B600 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 42 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.
Sensor comparison
The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies 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.
The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the B600 and the P900 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the B600 is much more recent (by 3 years and 10 months) than the P900, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. 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 Nikon Coolpix B600 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 6400. 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 B600 is build around a CMOS 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon B600 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1095 | 52 | |
2. | Nikon P900 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 727 | 47 | |
3. | Canon SX520 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.1 | 11.5 | 672 | 46 | |
4. | Nikon P950 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.3 | 1189 | 52 | |
5. | Nikon A1000 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1095 | 52 | |
6. | Nikon P1000 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1044 | 51 | |
7. | Nikon W300 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.5 | 12.0 | 938 | 50 | |
8. | Nikon B700 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 20.4 | 11.8 | 818 | 48 | |
9. | Nikon B500 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 20.3 | 11.7 | 810 | 48 | |
10. | Nikon L840 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 20.2 | 11.6 | 721 | 47 | |
11. | Panasonic FZ100 | 1/2.3 | 14.0 | 4320 | 3240 | 1080/60i | 19.4 | 10.7 | 306 | 39 | |
12. | Sony WX800 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.2 | 1070 | 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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the P900 provides a faster frame rate than the B600. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the B600 is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the P900 has an electronic viewfinder (921k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the B600 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon B600 and Nikon P900 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 B600 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Nikon P900 | 921 | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon SX520 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 1.6/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Nikon P950 | 2359 | n | 3.2 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Nikon A1000 | 1166 | n | 3.0 / 1036 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Nikon P1000 | 2359 | n | 3.2 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Nikon W300 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Nikon B700 | 921 | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Nikon B500 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Nikon L840 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Panasonic FZ100 | 202 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | n | 1/2000s | 11.0/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony WX800 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/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 B600 and the P900 have zoom lenses built in. The B600 has a 24-1440mm f/3.3-6.5 optic and the P900 offers a 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the B600 and P900 provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the P900 has more tele-photo reach at the long end. The P900 offers the faster maximum aperture.
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the B600 and the P900 write their files to SDXC cards. The B600 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the P900 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 B600 and Nikon Coolpix P900 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 B600 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
2. | Nikon P900 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
3. | Canon SX520 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Nikon P950 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
5. | Nikon A1000 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
6. | Nikon P1000 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
7. | Nikon W300 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
8. | Nikon B700 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
9. | Nikon B500 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
10. | Nikon L840 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
11. | Panasonic FZ100 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Sony WX800 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
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 B600 and the P900 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The P900 was replaced by the Nikon P950, while the B600 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the B600 and P900 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon B600 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P900 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Nikon B600 better than the Nikon P900 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix B600:
- More compact: Is smaller (122x82mm vs 140x103mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 399g or 44 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (42 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 3 years and 10 months of technical progress since the P900 launch.
Advantages of the Nikon Coolpix P900:
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
- Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.8 vs f/3.3).
- More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (360 versus 280) out of a single battery charge.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in March 2015).
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the P900 is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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 B600 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the B600 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 why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 B600 | .. | + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon P900 | .. | .. | .. | 77/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2015 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX520 | .. | + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Jul 2014 | 399 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon P950 | .. | .. | 3/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2020 | 799 | amazon.com | |
5. | Nikon A1000 | .. | + + | 3.5/5 | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2019 | 429 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon P1000 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | 73/100 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Jul 2018 | 999 | amazon.com | |
7. | Nikon W300 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | May 2017 | 389 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon B700 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon B500 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2016 | 299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon L840 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2015 | 299 | ebay.com | |
11. | Panasonic FZ100 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2010 | 499 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony WX800 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Oct 2018 | 399 | 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. 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 500D vs Nikon P900
- Canon SX720 vs Nikon P900
- Fujifilm GFX 50S II vs Nikon B600
- Nikon B600 vs Olympus E-M1X
- Nikon B600 vs Olympus E-PL2
- Nikon B600 vs Panasonic TS7
- Nikon B600 vs Samsung NX500
- Nikon B600 vs Sony NEX-3N
- Nikon D5600 vs Nikon P900
- Nikon P900 vs Panasonic LX15
- Nikon P900 vs Panasonic S1
- Nikon P900 vs Sony H300
Specifications: Nikon B600 vs Nikon P900
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 B600 | Nikon P900 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Fixed lens compact camera |
Camera Lens | 24-1440mm f/3.3-6.5 | 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 |
Launch Date | January 2019 | March 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 349 | USD 599 |
Sensor Specs | Nikon B600 | Nikon P900 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/2.3" Sensor | 1/2.3" Sensor |
Sensor Size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 6.17 x 4.55 mm |
Sensor Area | 28.0735 mm2 | 28.0735 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 7.7 mm | 7.7 mm |
Crop Factor | 5.6x | 5.6x |
Sensor Resolution | 15.9 Megapixels | 15.9 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4608 x 3456 pixels | 4608 x 3456 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.33 μm | 1.33 μm |
Pixel Density | 56.73 MP/cm2 | 56.73 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 1080/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 125 - 6,400 ISO | 100 - 6,400 ISO |
ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 100 - 12,800 ISO |
Screen Specs | Nikon B600 | Nikon P900 |
Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 921k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 921k dots | 921k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Swivel screen |
Shooting Specs | Nikon B600 | Nikon P900 |
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 | 7.4 shutter flaps/s | 7 shutter flaps/s |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | UHS-I | no |
Connectivity Specs | Nikon B600 | Nikon P900 |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | no Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | micro HDMI |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | no Bluetooth |
Geotagging | no internal GPS | GPS built-in |
Body Specs | Nikon B600 | Nikon P900 |
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL12 | Nikon EN-EL23 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 280 shots per charge | 360 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
122 x 82 x 99 mm (4.8 x 3.2 x 3.9 in) |
140 x 103 x 137 mm (5.5 x 4.1 x 5.4 in) |
Camera Weight | 500 g (17.6 oz) | 899 g (31.7 oz) |
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