Nikon W300 vs Sony H400

The Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2017 and February 2014. Both the W300 and the H400 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 W300		Sony H400
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-120mm f/2.8-4.9		24.5-1550mm f/3.4-6.5
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		720/30p Video
ISO 125-1,600 (125 - 6,400)		ISO 80-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (210k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
7 shutter flaps per second		0.7 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (30m)		not weather sealed
280 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
112 x 66 x 29 mm, 231 g		130 x 95 x 122 mm, 628 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 Cyber-shot DSC-H400? 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 Sony H400. 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 H400 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 H400 is considerably larger (67 percent) than the Nikon W300. Moreover, the H400 is substantially heavier (172 percent) than the W300. It is worth mentioning in this context that the W300 is splash and dust resistant, while the H400 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W300 is water-proof up to 30m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the W300 gets 280 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL12 battery, while the H400 can take 300 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 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 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 W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
2.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
5.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
8.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	449	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
10.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
11.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
12.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	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 HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 H400 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 18 percent) than the W300, 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 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 H400 offers a higher resolution of 19.9 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the W300. This megapixels advantage translates into a 12 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the H400 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 W300). Moreover, it should be noted, that the W300 is much more recent (by 3 years and 3 months) than the H400, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the H400 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony H400 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the H400 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 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 Cyber-shot DSC-H400 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the W300 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the H400 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 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 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 W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
2.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
3.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
4.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
5.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
6.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
7.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
8.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
9.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
10.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
11.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
12.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
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 HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
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 cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the W300 provides a higher video resolution than the H400. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the H400 has an electronic viewfinder (210k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the W300 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon W300 and Sony H400 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
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 HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	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.

Both the W300 and the H400 have zoom lenses built in. The W300 has a 24-120mm f/2.8-4.9 optic and the H400 offers a 24.5-1550mm f/3.4-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Nikon provides a wider angle of view at the short end than the Sony, but less tele-photo reach at the long end. The W300 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The W300 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the H400 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 W300 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 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 H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
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 HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

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 H400 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Nikon and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the W300 and H400 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony H400 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon W300 better than the Sony H400 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Nikon Coolpix W300:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 720/30p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 0.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.8 vs f/3.4).
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x66mm vs 130x95mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 397g or 63 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• 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.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 3 months of technical progress since the H400 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (19.9 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (18 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the W300 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 6 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 Sony H400 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Superzoom 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 H400 in practical situations. 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 hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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 W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
2.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
5.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
8.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	449	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
10.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
11.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
12.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	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 HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
17.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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 use the search menu 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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