Nikon P950 vs Sony A77 II

The Nikon Coolpix P950 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2020 and May 2014. The P950 is a fixed lens compact, while the A77 II is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (P950) and an APS-C (A77 II) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon P950		Sony A77 II
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5		Sony A mount lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.2" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
7 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilization		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
290 shots per battery charge		480 shots per battery charge
140 x 110 x 150 mm, 1005 g		143 x 104 x 81 mm, 647 g

Check P950 price at
amazon.com
Check A77 II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix P950 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II? 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 P950 and the Sony A77 II is provided 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 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 A77 II is somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Nikon P950. It is noteworthy in this context that the A77 II is splash and dust-proof, while the P950 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the P950 has a lens built in, whereas the A77 II is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the P950 gets 290 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL20a battery, while the A77 II can take 480 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack. The power pack in the P950 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 P950	140 mm	110 mm	150 mm	1005 g	290	n	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
2.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
4.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
5.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
9.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	810 g	350	n	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
12.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
13.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
16.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	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

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The P950 was launched at a lower price than the A77 II, despite having a lens built in. 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. 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 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon P950 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony A77 II an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A77 II is 1211 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.5. The sensor in the P950 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A77 II offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 24MP, the A77 II offers a higher resolution than the P950 (15.9MP), but the A77 II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 1.33μm for the P950) due to its larger sensor. However, the P950 is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 8 months) than the A77 II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the P950 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A77 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A77 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon P950 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 P950 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 Alpha SLT-A77 II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-51200.

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 P950	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.3	1189	52
2.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
4.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
5.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
6.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
7.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
8.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
9.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
10.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
11.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	546	65
12.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
13.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
14.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
15.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
16.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
17.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
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 P950 provides a higher video resolution than the A77 II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The P950 and the A77 II are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 2359k dots. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon P950, the Sony A77 II, 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 P950	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	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 P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
10.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the A77 II, but is missing on the P950 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The Nikon P950 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.

The P950 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A77 II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A77 II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the P950 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 P950 and Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II 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 P950	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A77 II (unlike the P950) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The P950 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the A77 II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the A77 II from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the P950 and A77 II can be found, respectively, in the Nikon P950 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A77 II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon P950 or the Sony A77 II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix P950:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the A77 II requires a separate lens.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 8 months of technical progress since the A77 II launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 921k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (480 versus 290) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in May 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A77 II is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 9 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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 P950 and the Sony A77 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings 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 P950 or the A77 II. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 P950	..	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
2.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
4.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
5.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
9.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	..	..	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
12.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
13.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
16.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, 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 P950 price at
amazon.com
Check A77 II offers at
ebay.com

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 your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

~

Check P950 price at
amazon.com
Check A77 II offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.