Nikon P900 vs Sony H200

The Nikon Coolpix P900 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2015 and January 2013. Both the P900 and the H200 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 15.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon P900		Sony H200
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5		24-633mm f/3.1-5.9
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video		720/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-3,200
Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
7 shutter flaps per second		0.8 shutter flaps per second
360 shots per battery charge		240 shots per battery charge
140 x 103 x 137 mm, 899 g		123 x 83 x 87 mm, 530 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix P900 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200? 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 Sony H200 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 measures 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 H200 is notably smaller (29 percent) than the Nikon P900. Moreover, the H200 is substantially lighter (41 percent) than the P900. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the P900 nor the H200 are weather-sealed.

The power pack in the P900 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along 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 P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
2.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
5.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
6.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon P950	140 mm	110 mm	150 mm	1005 g	290	n	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
10.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
12.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
13.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
14.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
15.		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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The H200 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 58 percent) than the P900, 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. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the P900 offers a slightly higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 15.2 MP of the H200. This megapixels advantage translates into a 11 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the P900 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.33μm versus 1.36μm for the H200). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the P900 is much more recent (by 2 years and 1 month) than the H200, 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 Nikon Coolpix P900 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the P900 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the H200 uses a CCD 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.

Sensor Characteristics

		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.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
3.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
4.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
5.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
6.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
7.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
8.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
9.		Nikon P950	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.3	1189	52
10.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
11.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
12.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
13.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
14.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
15.		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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the P900 provides a higher video resolution than the H200. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

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 H200 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon P900 and Sony H200 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 P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
5.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon P950	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
15.		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 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 P900 and the H200 have zoom lenses built in. The P900 has a 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 optic and the H200 offers a 24-633mm f/3.1-5.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Nikon and Sony provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Sony has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The P900 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The P900 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the H200 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 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 P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Nikon P950	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the P900 offers wifi support, while the H200 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

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 P900 and the H200 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The P900 was replaced by the Nikon P950, while the H200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the P900 and H200 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon P900 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony H200 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon P900 and the Sony H200? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Nikon Coolpix P900:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/60p vs 720/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
• 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.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/1500s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 0.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• 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/3.1).
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (360 versus 240) on 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 file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the H200 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200:

• More compact: Is smaller (123x83mm vs 140x103mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 369g or 41 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (58 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2013).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the P900 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 4 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 P900 and the Sony H200 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the P900 and the H200 in practical situations. 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 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 P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
2.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
5.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
6.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon P950	..	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
10.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
12.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
13.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
14.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. 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

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 make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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