Nikon P1000 vs P900

The Nikon Coolpix P1000 and the Nikon Coolpix P900 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2018 and March 2015. Both the P1000 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.

Headline Specifications

Nikon P1000		Nikon P900
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-3000mm f/2.8-8.0		24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)
3.2" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
7 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
250 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
146 x 119 x 181 mm, 1415 g		140 x 103 x 137 mm, 899 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix P1000 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 P1000 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 views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. 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 smaller (17 percent) than the Nikon P1000. Moreover, the P900 is substantially lighter (36 percent) than the P1000. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the P1000 nor the P900 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the P1000 gets 250 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL20a battery, while the P900 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL23 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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 P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
2.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
4.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
5.		Nikon Coolpix A	111 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	230	n	Mar 2013	1,099	ebay.com
6.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
9.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon P950	140 mm	110 mm	150 mm	1005 g	290	n	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	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
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The P900 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 40 percent) than the P1000, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

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 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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 P1000 and the P900 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the P1000 is much more recent (by 3 years and 4 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 P1000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 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.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated 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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
2.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.9	12.8	1002	72
4.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
5.		Nikon Coolpix A	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.4	13.8	1164	80
6.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
7.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
8.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
9.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
10.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
11.		Nikon P950	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.3	1189	52
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
13.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
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
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the P1000 provides a higher video resolution than the P900. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the P900 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the P1000 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the P900 (2359k vs 921k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon P1000, 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.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
4.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon Coolpix A	optional	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
11.		Nikon P950	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
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
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Nikon P1000 and the Nikon P900 both have 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 P1000 and the P900 have zoom lenses built in. The P1000 has a 24-3000mm f/2.8-8.0 optic and the P900 offers a 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the P1000 and P900 provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the P900 has less tele-photo reach at the long end. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the P1000 and the P900 write their files to SDXC cards. The P1000 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 P1000 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.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon Coolpix A	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Nikon P950	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the P1000 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.

The P1000 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the P900 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the P900 was succeeded by the Nikon P950. Further information on the features and operation of the P1000 and P900 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon P1000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P900 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon P1000 or the Nikon P900 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix P1000:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2359k vs 921k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• 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 4 months of technical progress since the P900 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix P900:

• More compact: Is smaller (140x103mm vs 146x119mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 516g or 36 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (360 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• 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 affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (40 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in March 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the P1000 emerges as the winner of the contest (9 : 7 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 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 Nikon P1000 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the P1000 or the P900 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
2.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
4.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
5.		Nikon Coolpix A	4/5	+	..	75/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	1,099	ebay.com
6.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
9.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon P950	..	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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