Nikon P900 vs P950
The Nikon Coolpix P900 and the Nikon Coolpix P950 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2015 and January 2020. Both the P900 and the P950 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 P900 and the Nikon Coolpix P950? 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
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon P900 and the Nikon P950 is provided 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 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 P950 is notably larger (7 percent) than the Nikon P900. Moreover, the P950 is markedly heavier (12 percent) than the P900. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the P900 nor the P950 are weather-sealed.
Concerning battery life, the P900 gets 360 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL23 battery, while the P950 can take 290 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL20a power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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 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.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon P900 | 140 mm | 103 mm | 137 mm | 899 g | 360 | n | Mar 2015 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon P950 | 140 mm | 110 mm | 150 mm | 1005 g | 290 | n | Jan 2020 | 799 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon SX60 | 128 mm | 93 mm | 114 mm | 650 g | 340 | n | Sep 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
4. | Kodak AZ901 | 139 mm | 104 mm | 119 mm | 777 g | 400 | n | Jan 2016 | 499 | amazon.com | |
5. | Leica V-LUX 2 | 124 mm | 80 mm | 95 mm | 520 g | 410 | n | Sep 2010 | 849 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon B600 | 122 mm | 82 mm | 99 mm | 500 g | 280 | n | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon A1000 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 41 mm | 330 g | 250 | n | Jan 2019 | 429 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon P1000 | 146 mm | 119 mm | 181 mm | 1415 g | 250 | n | Jul 2018 | 999 | amazon.com | |
9. | Nikon B700 | 125 mm | 85 mm | 107 mm | 565 g | 350 | n | Feb 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon B500 | 114 mm | 78 mm | 95 mm | 541 g | 600 | n | Jan 2016 | 299 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon L840 | 113 mm | 78 mm | 96 mm | 538 g | 590 | n | Feb 2015 | 299 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic FZ100 | 124 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 540 g | 410 | n | Jul 2010 | 499 | ebay.com | |
13. | Ricoh GR II | 117 mm | 63 mm | 35 mm | 251 g | 320 | n | Jun 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
14. | 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. | |||||||||||
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 P900 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the P950, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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.
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 P900 and the P950 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the P950 is much more recent (by 4 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 P900 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The Nikon Coolpix P950 offers exactly the same ISO settings.
In terms of underlying technology, the P900 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the P950 uses a 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.
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 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 P900 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 727 | 47 | |
2. | Nikon P950 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.3 | 1189 | 52 | |
3. | Canon SX60 | 1/2.3 | 14.2 | 4608 | 3072 | 1080/60p | 19.2 | 10.8 | 127 | 39 | |
4. | Kodak AZ901 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/30p | 20.3 | 11.7 | 806 | 48 | |
5. | Leica V-LUX 2 | 1/2.3 | 14.0 | 4320 | 3240 | 1080/60i | 19.4 | 10.7 | 321 | 39 | |
6. | Nikon B600 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1095 | 52 | |
7. | Nikon A1000 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1095 | 52 | |
8. | Nikon P1000 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1044 | 51 | |
9. | Nikon B700 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 20.4 | 11.8 | 818 | 48 | |
10. | Nikon B500 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 20.3 | 11.7 | 810 | 48 | |
11. | Nikon L840 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 20.2 | 11.6 | 721 | 47 | |
12. | Panasonic FZ100 | 1/2.3 | 14.0 | 4320 | 3240 | 1080/60i | 19.4 | 10.7 | 306 | 39 | |
13. | Ricoh GR II | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/30p | 23.6 | 13.7 | 1078 | 80 | |
14. | 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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the P950 provides a better video resolution than the P900. It can shoot movie 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 range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the P950 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 P900, the Nikon P950, and comparable 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 P900 | 921 | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Nikon P950 | 2359 | n | 3.2 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon SX60 | 922 | n | 3.0 / 922 | swivel | n | 1/2000s | 6.4/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Kodak AZ901 | 202 | n | 3.0 / 920 | swivel | n | 1/2000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Leica V-LUX 2 | 202 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | n | 1/2000s | 11.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Nikon B600 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Nikon A1000 | 1166 | n | 3.0 / 1036 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Nikon P1000 | 2359 | n | 3.2 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Nikon B700 | 921 | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Nikon B500 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Nikon L840 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Panasonic FZ100 | 202 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | n | 1/2000s | 11.0/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Ricoh GR II | optional | n | 3.0 / 1230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
14. | 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. |
The Nikon P900 and the Nikon P950 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 P900 and the P950 have zoom lenses built in. Both optics have identical focal length range and aperture specifications (4.3-357mm f/2.8-6.5). Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the P900 and the P950 write their files to 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 Nikon Coolpix P900 and Nikon Coolpix P950 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 P900 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
2. | Nikon P950 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
3. | Canon SX60 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Kodak AZ901 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
5. | Leica V-LUX 2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon B600 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
7. | Nikon A1000 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
8. | Nikon P1000 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
9. | Nikon B700 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
10. | Nikon B500 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
11. | Nikon L840 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
12. | Panasonic FZ100 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Ricoh GR II | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
14. | Sony HX400V | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the P950 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The P900 does not feature such a mic input.
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 P950 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 P900 and P950 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon P900 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P950 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Is the Nikon P900 better than the Nikon P950 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix P900:
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 106g or 11 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (360 versus 290) on 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 segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2015).
Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix P950:
- 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.
- 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.
- More modern: Reflects 4 years and 10 months of technical progress since the P900 launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the P950 comes out slightly ahead of the P900 (7 : 6 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 P900 and the Nikon P950 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the P900 or the P950. 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 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon P900 | .. | .. | .. | 77/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2015 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon P950 | .. | .. | 3/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2020 | 799 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon SX60 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
4. | Kodak AZ901 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2016 | 499 | amazon.com | |
5. | Leica V-LUX 2 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Sep 2010 | 849 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon B600 | .. | + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon A1000 | .. | + + | 3.5/5 | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2019 | 429 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon P1000 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | 73/100 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Jul 2018 | 999 | amazon.com | |
9. | Nikon B700 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon B500 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2016 | 299 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon L840 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2015 | 299 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic FZ100 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2010 | 499 | ebay.com | |
13. | Ricoh GR II | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
14. | 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 ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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.
Specifications: Nikon P900 vs Nikon P950
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 P900 | Nikon P950 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Fixed lens compact camera |
Camera Lens | 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 | 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 |
Launch Date | March 2015 | January 2020 |
Launch Price | USD 599 | USD 799 |
Sensor Specs | Nikon P900 | Nikon P950 |
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | 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 | 1080/60p Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 6,400 ISO | 100 - 6,400 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 12,800 ISO | 100 - 12,800 ISO |
Screen Specs | Nikon P900 | Nikon P950 |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 90% |
Viewfinder Resolution | 921k dots | 2359k dots |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.2inch |
LCD Resolution | 921k dots | 921k dots |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | Swivel screen |
Shooting Specs | Nikon P900 | Nikon P950 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 7 shutter flaps/s | 7 shutter flaps/s |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | 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 | no | no |
Connectivity Specs | Nikon P900 | Nikon P950 |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | no NFC |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Geotagging | GPS built-in | no internal GPS |
Body Specs | Nikon P900 | Nikon P950 |
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL23 | Nikon EN-EL20a |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 360 shots per charge | 290 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
140 x 103 x 137 mm (5.5 x 4.1 x 5.4 in) |
140 x 110 x 150 mm (5.5 x 4.3 x 5.9 in) |
Camera Weight | 899 g (31.7 oz) | 1005 g (35.5 oz) |
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