Nikon W300 vs Z30

The Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Nikon Z30 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2017 and June 2022. The W300 is a fixed lens compact, while the Z30 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (W300) and an APS-C (Z30) sensor. The W300 has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Z30 provides 20.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon W300		Nikon Z30
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-120mm f/2.8-4.9		Nikon Z mount lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-1,600 (125 - 6,400)		ISO 100-51,200 (100 - 204,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
7 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (30m)		Weathersealed body
280 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
112 x 66 x 29 mm, 231 g		128 x 74 x 60 mm, 405 g

Check W300 offers at
ebay.com
Check Z30 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Nikon Z30? 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 W300 and the Nikon Z30. 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W300 can be obtained in three different colors (black, orange, yellow), while the Z30 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon Z30 is notably larger (28 percent) than the Nikon W300. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments. More than that, the W300 is water-proof up to 30m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the W300 has a lens built in, whereas the Z30 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 W300 gets 280 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL12 battery, while the Z30 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL25 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. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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 W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
2.		Nikon Z30	128 mm	74 mm	60 mm	405 g	330	Y	Jun 2022	709	amazon.com
3.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
4.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z50	127 mm	94 mm	60 mm	450 g	320	Y	Oct 2019	859	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	959	amazon.com
10.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	449	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
12.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
16.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	699	amazon.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 W300 was launched at a lower price than the Z30, 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 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 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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon W300 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Nikon Z30 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the Z30 is 1218 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 W300 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the Z30 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 20.7MP, the Z30 offers a higher resolution than the W300 (15.9MP), but the Z30 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.22μm versus 1.33μm for the W300) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the Z30 is a much more recent model (by 5 years) than the W300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Z30 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon Z30 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Z30 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon W300 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 Z30 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon Coolpix W300 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 125-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Z30 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the W300 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the Z30 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 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 W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
2.		Nikon Z30	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	13.9	2230	86
3.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
4.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
5.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
6.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
7.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
8.		Nikon Z50	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1963	84
9.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
10.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
11.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
12.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
13.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
14.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
15.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
16.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
17.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The W300 and the Z30 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon W300 and Nikon Z30 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 W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon Z30	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
3.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon Z50	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
10.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	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 HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The Z30 has a touchscreen, while the W300 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the Z30 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z30 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the W300 and the Z30 write their files to SDXC cards. The Z30 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the W300 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 W300 and Nikon Z30 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 W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the Z30 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The W300 does not feature such a mic input.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the W300 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The Z30 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the W300 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the W300 from Nikon. Further information on the features and operation of the W300 and Z30 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon Z30 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon W300 and the Nikon Z30? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix W300:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the Z30 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x66mm vs 128x74mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the Z30).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 30m).
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in May 2017).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Z30:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.7 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 921k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (330 versus 280) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years of technical progress since the W300 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z30 is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 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 W300 and the Nikon Z30 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 W300 and the Z30 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 why hands-on reviews by experts 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 W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
2.		Nikon Z30	4/5	..	4/5	86/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2022	709	amazon.com
3.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
4.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z50	5/5	..	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	859	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	959	amazon.com
10.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	449	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
12.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
16.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	699	amazon.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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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.

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Other camera comparisons

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