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Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500 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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Nikon S9500

18 MP | 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Nikon S9500
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Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras by Nikon. Nikon P300 was introduced to market in May 2011 and Nikon S9500 was launched in January 2013. There is 20 months difference between P300 and S9500 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger S9500, especially in sensor tech.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon P300 has a 12.0 MP and Nikon S9500 has a 18.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 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

Nikon S9500 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-29
  • 18MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 1600
  • 25-550 mm Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 7.5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 205g. 110 x 60 x 31 mm
  • Replaced Nikon Coolpix S9300 Compare

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 Nikon Coolpix S9500

Nikon S9500 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix S9700. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix S9700 vs Nikon Coolpix S9500
Nikon Coolpix S9700 vs Nikon Coolpix P300

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P300 over Nikon Coolpix S9500
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max ISO
3.200 vs 1.600 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 614k dots 50% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
240 shots vs 230 shots 10 more frames with a single charge
Weight
189 g vs 205 g 16 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 25mm 1 mm wider coverage


Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9500 over Nikon Coolpix P300
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 12 MP 50% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
99 vs 9 90 more focus points
Continuous Shooting
7.5fps vs 7.0fps 0.5 fps faster
Focal Length - Tele
550mm vs 100mm 450 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
22× vs 4.2× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
vs 1.80 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
vs 4.90 faster lens at tele

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Nikon Coolpix S9500
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 7.5fps Fast shooting speeds
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs Fast lenses at wide
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Nikon Coolpix S9500
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
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
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500: 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 Nikon S9500 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). Nikon S9500 has external dimensions of 110 x 60 x 31 mm (4.33 x 2.36 x 1.22″) and weighs 205 g (0.45 lb / 7.23 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500. Nikon P300 is 7mm narrower and 2mm shorter than Nikon S9500 but it is also 1mm thicker.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500.
Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P300 is 16g lighter than the Nikon S9500 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300
S9500
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300
S9500
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P300 nor Nikon Coolpix S9500 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 and Nikon S9500's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500: Sensor Comparison

Nikon P300 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Nikon S9500 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.16 x 4.62 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Nikon S9500's sensor provides 6MP more than Nikon P300's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the P300 and S9500 sensor size comparison.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 Cameras


Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P300 features a 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 4.2× zoom lens whereas Nikon S9500 features a 25-550 mm 22× zoom lens.

Nikon P300 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon S9500. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f, Nikon S9500 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S9500 has 450mm longer reach than the Nikon P300. At f, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

P300
S9500
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P300
S9500
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P300
S9500
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P300
S9500
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P300 and Nikon S9500 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

Nikon S9500 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 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

Nikon S9500 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
Fast Lens at Wide: f
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon S9500 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
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.5fps
99 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
550 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f
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
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
Poor Battery Life: 230 shots
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon S9500 for Daily Photography

GOOD
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
205g
22.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon S9500 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Built-in GPS
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P300 vs Nikon S9500: 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 Nikon S9500, 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 Nikon S9500 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
Nikon S9500
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #325 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #970 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P300 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon S9500 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon P300
Nikon P300
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Nikon S9500
Nikon S9500
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Nikon S9500 vs Nikon P300 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P300 Nikon Coolpix S9500
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2011-05-31 2013-01-29
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.16 x 4.62 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.46mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 18 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4896 x 3672
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 125 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 99
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-100 mm (4.2×) 25-550 mm (22×)
Max Aperture F1.8-4.9 no lens
Macro Focus Range 3cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 922k dots 614k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/1500s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.50 m n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 7.5 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 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 189g 205g
Dimensions 103 x 58 x 32mm 110 x 60 x 31mm
Battery Life 240 shots 230 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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