Nikon P900 vs Sony HX350

The Nikon Coolpix P900 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in March 2015 and December 2016. Both the P900 and the HX350 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 19.9 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 HX350
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5		24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
7 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
360 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
140 x 103 x 137 mm, 899 g		130 x 93 x 103 mm, 652 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-HX350? 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 P900 and the Sony HX350. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. 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 Sony HX350 is notably smaller (16 percent) than the Nikon P900. Moreover, the HX350 is markedly lighter (27 percent) than the P900. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the P900 nor the HX350 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the P900 gets 360 shots out of its EN-EL23 battery, while the HX350 can take 300 images on a single charge of its NP-BX1 power pack. 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 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 P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
5.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
6.		Nikon P950	140 mm	110 mm	150 mm	1005 g	290	n	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
7.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.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.		Nikon 1 J4	100 mm	60 mm	29 mm	232 g	300	n	Apr 2014	549	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ82	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	amazon.com
13.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	amazon.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
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 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 HX350 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the P900, 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. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and 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 HX350 offers a higher resolution of 19.9 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the P900. This megapixels advantage translates into a 12 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the HX350 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.19μm versus 1.33μm for the P900). However, it should be noted that the HX350 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the P900, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly 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 HX350 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the HX350 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.8 x 19.3 inches or 65.4 x 49.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.6 x 15.5 inches or 52.3 x 39.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.2 x 12.9 inches or 43.6 x 32.7 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon P900 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 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-HX350 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-12800.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
2.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
4.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
5.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
6.		Nikon P950	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.3	1189	52
7.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
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.		Nikon 1 J4	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	426	53
12.		Panasonic FZ82	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
13.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
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
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, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the P900 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the HX350 (921k vs 202k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon P900, the Sony HX350, 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 P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
5.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon P950	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	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.		Nikon 1 J4	none	n	3.0 / 1037	Fixed	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic FZ82	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
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
Notes: *) 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 HX350 have zoom lenses built in. The P900 has a 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 optic and the HX350 offers a 24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3 (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. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

The P900 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the HX350 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-HX350 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 HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon P950	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	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.		Nikon 1 J4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic FZ82	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Ricoh GR II	Y	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	-

It is notable that the P900 offers wifi support, while the HX350 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 HX350 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The P900 was replaced by the Nikon P950, while the HX350 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon and Sony websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon P900 or the Sony HX350 – 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.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix P900:

• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (921k vs 202k 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.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (360 versus 300) 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 heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in March 2015).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (19.9 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (130x93mm vs 140x103mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 247g or 27 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 9 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the P900 is the clear winner of the match-up (11 : 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 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 HX350 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the P900 or the HX350. 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 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 P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
5.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
6.		Nikon P950	..	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
7.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.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.		Nikon 1 J4	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Apr 2014	549	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ82	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	amazon.com
13.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	amazon.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
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 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.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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