Nikon W300 vs Sony A900

The Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Sony Alpha A900 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2017 and September 2008. The W300 is a fixed lens compact, while the A900 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (W300) and a full frame (A900) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon W300		Sony A900
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-120mm f/2.8-4.9		Sony A mount lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		24.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		no Video
ISO 125-1,600 (125 - 6,400)		ISO 200-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
7 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilization		In-body stabilization
Waterproof body (30m)		Weathersealed body
280 shots per battery charge		880 shots per battery charge
112 x 66 x 29 mm, 231 g		156 x 117 x 82 mm, 895 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Sony Alpha A900? 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 physical size and weight of the Nikon W300 and the Sony A900 are illustrated 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.

The W300 can be obtained in three different colors (black, orange, yellow), while the A900 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 Sony A900 is considerably larger (147 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 A900 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 A900 can take 880 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack. The power pack in the W300 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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 W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
2.		Sony A900	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Sep 2008	2,999	ebay.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 P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
6.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	449	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
8.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
9.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
10.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
11.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
12.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A850	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 W300 was launched at a lower price than the A900, 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.

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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon W300 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony A900 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A900 is 2979 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.0. The sensor in the W300 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A900 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 24.4MP, the A900 offers a higher resolution than the W300 (15.9MP), but the A900 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 1.33μm for the W300) due to its larger sensor. However, the W300 is a much more recent model (by 8 years and 8 months) than the A900, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A900 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A900 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.2 x 20.2 inches or 76.8 x 51.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 41 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 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 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 Sony Alpha A900 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the W300 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A900 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.

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 W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
2.		Sony A900	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.7	12.3	1431	79
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 P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
6.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
7.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
8.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
9.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
10.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
11.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
12.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
13.		Sony A850	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.8	12.2	1415	79
14.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
15.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
16.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
17.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
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. The W300 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the A900 does not. The highest resolution format that the W300 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A900 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the W300 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon W300 and Sony A900 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.		Sony A900	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
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 P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
9.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
10.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A850	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The W300 has one, while the A900 does not. While the built-in flash of the W300 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The W300 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A900 uses Compact Flash or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A900 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the W300 only has one slot.

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 Sony Alpha A900 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.		Sony A900	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony A850	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the W300 offers wifi support, while the A900 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A900 (unlike the W300) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

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.

Both the W300 and the A900 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A900 was replaced by the Sony A99, while the W300 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the W300 and A900 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A900 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Nikon W300 better than the Sony A900 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix W300:

• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 4K/30p movies.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the A900 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x66mm vs 156x117mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the A900).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 30m).
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• 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 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 8 years and 8 months of technical progress since the A900 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A900:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24.4 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 26%.
• 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 framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (880 versus 280) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2008).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A900 comes out slightly ahead of the W300 (14 : 13 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 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 W300 and the Sony A900 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the W300 or the A900. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

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.		Sony A900	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2008	2,999	ebay.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 P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
6.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	449	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
8.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
9.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
10.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
11.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
12.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A850	3/5	..	..	75/100	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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.

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