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Nikon P300 vs Canon N Comparison

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Nikon P300

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Nikon P300
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Canon N

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon N
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Nikon P300 vs Canon N Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing P300 and N, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Nikon and Canon. Both Nikon P300 and Canon N cameras have 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensors. Nikon P300 was introduced to market in May 2011 and Canon N was launched in January 2013. There is 19 months difference between P300 and N so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger N, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P300 and Canon N before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon P300 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-05-31
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 3200
  • 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 7 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • 189g. 103 x 58 x 32 mm

Canon N Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-07
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 28-224 mm F3.0-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.8" Tilting Screen
  • 2 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 195g. 79 x 60 x 29 mm

Nikon P300 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix P310. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix P310 vs Nikon Coolpix P300
Nikon Coolpix P310 vs Canon PowerShot N

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P300 and Canon N compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P300 over Canon PowerShot N
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.8" 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 461k dots 99% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 2.0fps 5 fps faster
Battery Life
240 shots vs 200 shots 40 more frames with a single charge
Weight
189 g vs 195 g 6 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 28mm 4 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs 3.00 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot N over Nikon Coolpix P300
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Focal Length - Tele
224mm vs 100mm 124 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
8× vs 4.2× more flexible focal coverage
Sensor Pixel Area
3.12µm2 vs 2.34µm2 33% larger pixel area
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Canon PowerShot N
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Canon PowerShot N
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder
None vs None No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.8" Small display
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
New5
Nikon P300 vs Canon N: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon P300 and Canon N side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon P300 has external dimensions of 103 x 58 x 32 mm (4.06 x 2.28 x 1.26″) and weighs 189 g (0.42 lb / 6.67 oz) (including batteries). Canon N has external dimensions of 79 x 60 x 29 mm (3.11 x 2.36 x 1.14″) and weighs 195 g (0.43 lb / 6.88 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Canon N. Canon N is 24mm narrower and 3mm thinner than Nikon P300 but it is also 2mm taller.

Nikon P300 vs Canon N Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Canon N Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Canon N.

Nikon P300 vs Canon N Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Canon N Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P300 and Canon N.
Nikon P300 vs Canon N Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Canon N Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P300 is 6g lighter than the Canon N but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300
N
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300
N
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P300 nor Canon PowerShot N provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon P300's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon N's 2.8" screen.

On the other hand, Canon N LCD screen has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Nikon P300 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to N.
Nikon P300 vs Canon N: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon P300 and Canon N have 1/2.3-inch sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the P300 and N sensor size comparison.

Nikon P300 vs Canon N Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Canon N Cameras


Nikon P300 and Canon N have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Canon N has 33% larger pixel area (3.12µm2 vs 2.34µm2) compared to Nikon P300, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon P300 vs Canon N Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P300 features a 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 4.2× zoom lens whereas Canon N features a 28-224 mm F3.0-5.9 8× zoom lens.

Nikon P300 has 4mm wider coverage than the Canon N. At f1.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Canon N has 124mm longer telezoom reach than the Nikon P300. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Nikon P300 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

P300
N
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P300
N
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P300
N
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P300
N
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon P300 and Canon N Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P300 and Canon N for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon P300 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon N for Portrait Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon N for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Tilting LCD Screen
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon N for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Wireless Connection
224 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon N for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Compact Body
189g
4.2X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Compact Body
195g
8.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon N for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P300 vs Canon N: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon P300 and Canon N, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon P300 and Canon N scores compare:

Nikon P300
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #177 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #732 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Canon N
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #272 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #885 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P300 has a higher Overall Score than the Canon N and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon P300
Nikon P300
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Canon N
Canon N
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Canon N vs Nikon P300 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P300 Canon PowerShot N
Brand Nikon Canon
Announced 2011-05-31 2013-01-07
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4000 x 2248
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-100 mm (4.2×) 28-224 mm (8×)
Max Aperture F1.8-4.9 F3.0-5.9
Macro Focus Range 3cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3" 2.8"
Resolution 922k dots 461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.50 m n/a
Max Flash Sync n/a s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 2.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats H.264, Motion JPEG H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 189g 195g
Dimensions 103 x 58 x 32mm 79 x 60 x 29mm
Battery Life 240 shots 200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
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