Sony HX400V vs Nikon P1000

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V and the Nikon Coolpix P1000 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2014 and July 2018. Both the HX400V and the P1000 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 15.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony HX400V		Nikon P1000
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3		24-3000mm f/2.8-8.0
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 12,800)		ISO 100-6,400
Electronic viewfinder (210k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.2" LCD – 921k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
300 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
130 x 93 x 103 mm, 660 g		146 x 119 x 181 mm, 1415 g

Check HX400V offers at
ebay.com
Check P1000 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V and the Nikon Coolpix P1000? 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 Sony HX400V and the Nikon P1000 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon P1000 is considerably larger (44 percent) than the Sony HX400V. Moreover, the P1000 is substantially heavier (114 percent) than the HX400V. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the HX400V nor the P1000 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the HX400V gets 300 shots out of its Sony NP-BX1 battery, while the P1000 can take 250 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL20a power pack. The power pack in the P1000 can be charged via the USB port, 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.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
2.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
7.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
10.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
12.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	2,799	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 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 HX400V was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the P1000, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 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. 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.

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 HX400V offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the P1000. This megapixels advantage translates into a 13 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the HX400V has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.33μm for the P1000). Moreover, it should be noted that the P1000 is much more recent (by 4 years and 4 months) than the HX400V, 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 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 HX400V implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the HX400V for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon P1000 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 80-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix P1000 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

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.

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 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.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
2.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
3.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.9	12.8	1002	72
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
6.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
7.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
8.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
9.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
10.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
11.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
12.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
13.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
14.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
15.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
16.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
17.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the P1000 provides a better video resolution than the HX400V. It can shoot movie 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 two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the P1000 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the HX400V (2359k vs 210k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony HX400V and Nikon P1000 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.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
10.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Nikon P1000 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 HX400V and the P1000 have zoom lenses built in. The HX400V has a 24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3 optic and the P1000 offers a 24-3000mm f/2.8-8.0 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Sony and Nikon provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Nikon has more tele-photo reach at the long end. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

The HX400V writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the P1000 uses SDXC cards. The P1000 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the HX400V 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V and Nikon Coolpix P1000 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.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the P1000 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The HX400V does not feature such a mic input.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the HX400V has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The P1000 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the HX400V has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the HX400V from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the HX400V and P1000 can be found, respectively, in the Sony HX400V Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P1000 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony HX400V and the Nikon P1000? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.9MP) with a 13% higher linear resolution.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (130x93mm vs 146x119mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 755g or 53 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (300 versus 250) on a single battery charge.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2014).

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix P1000:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2359k vs 210k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• 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.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 4 months of technical progress since the HX400V launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the P1000 emerges as the winner of the match-up (12 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Sony HX400V and the Nikon P1000 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the HX400V or the P1000 perform in practice. 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.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
2.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
7.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
10.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
12.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check HX400V offers at
ebay.com
Check P1000 price at
amazon.com

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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