Nikon L840 vs Sony HX99

The Nikon Coolpix L840 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2015 and August 2018. Both the L840 and the HX99 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 15.9 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 L840		Sony HX99
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
22.5-855mm f/3.0-6.5		24-720mm f/3.5-6.4
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60i Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (638k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting touchscreen
7.4 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
590 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
113 x 78 x 96 mm, 538 g		102 x 58 x 36 mm, 242 g

Check L840 offers at
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Check HX99 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix L840 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99? 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 L840 and the Sony HX99. 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 L840 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the HX99 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 Sony HX99 is considerably smaller (33 percent) than the Nikon L840. Moreover, the HX99 is substantially lighter (55 percent) than the L840. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the L840 nor the HX99 are weather-sealed.

The power pack in the HX99 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 want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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 L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	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 P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
11.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
12.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
16.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
17.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	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 obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The L840 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the HX99, 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 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. 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the HX99 offers a higher resolution of 18 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the L840. This megapixels advantage translates into a 6 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the HX99 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.25μm versus 1.33μm for the L840). However, it should be noted that the HX99 is much more recent (by 3 years and 6 months) than the L840, 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 Sony HX99 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the HX99 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon L840 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Coolpix L840 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
2.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
3.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
4.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
5.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
6.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
7.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
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 P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
11.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
12.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
13.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
14.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
15.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
16.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
17.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
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 HX99 provides a better video resolution than the L840. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the HX99 has an electronic viewfinder (638k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the L840 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon L840 and Sony HX99 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	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 SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/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 P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/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 HX99 has a touchscreen, while the L840 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Both the L840 and the HX99 have zoom lenses built in. The L840 has a 22.5-855mm f/3.0-6.5 optic and the HX99 offers a 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4 (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 Sony. The L840 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The L840 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the HX99 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The HX99 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the L840 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 L840 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 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 L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Nikon B600	-	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 P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the L840 and the HX99 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The L840 was replaced by the Nikon B500, while the HX99 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the L840 and HX99 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon L840 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX99 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon L840 better than the Sony HX99 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix L840:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.0 vs f/3.5).
• 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.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (590 versus 370) on a single battery charge.
• 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 February 2015).

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (18 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 6%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 7.4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 113x78mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 296g or 55 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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 modern: Reflects 3 years and 6 months of technical progress since the L840 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the HX99 is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 7 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 L840 and the Sony HX99 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 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 L840 or the HX99 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews 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.

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 L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	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 P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
11.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
12.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
16.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
17.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check L840 offers at
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Check HX99 offers at
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Other camera comparisons

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