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Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100 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 D7100

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D7100
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Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Nikon cameras cameras with different body types: Nikon P300, which was introduced in May 2011 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Nikon D7100, which was introduced in April 2013 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor. There is 23 months difference between P300 and D7100 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger D7100, especially in sensor tech.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100 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
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • 189g. 103 x 58 x 32 mm

Nikon D7100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-04-25
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 25600)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.20" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 6.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 765g. 136 x 107 x 76 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D7000 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 D7100

Nikon D7100 was replaced by Nikon D7200. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D7200 vs Nikon D7100
Nikon D7200 vs Nikon Coolpix P300

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P300 over Nikon D7100
In-built Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Internal Storage
90 MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 6.0fps 1 fps faster
Weight
189 g vs 765 g 576 g lighter
CHECK P300 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon D7100 over Nikon Coolpix P300
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 12 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
51 vs 9 42 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2 vs 3" 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
1.229k dots vs 922k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
950 shots vs 240 shots 710 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 6.5m 5.5m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
15.28µm2 vs 2.34µm2 552% larger pixel area
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK D7100 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Nikon D7100
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3.20" vs 3.20" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 1.229k dots High resolution screens
Max Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Nikon D7100
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100: 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 D7100 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 D7100 has external dimensions of 136 x 107 x 76 mm (5.35 x 4.21 x 2.99″) and weighs 765 g (1.69 lb / 26.98 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100. Nikon P300 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 33mm narrower, 49mm shorter and 44mm thinner than Nikon D7100. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon P300 has a built-in lens but Nikon D7100 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D7100, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100.
Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P300 is significantly lighter (576g ) than the Nikon D7100 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D7100, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of D7100, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to P300.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D7100's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon P300's 3" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100: 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 D7100 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Nikon D7100's sensor provides 12MP 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.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Nikon D7100's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the P300 and D7100 sensor size comparison.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D7100 has a 13.1x Larger sensor area than Nikon P300. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P300 and Nikon D7100 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 D7100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon D7100 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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon D7100 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
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
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
15 Cross Type Focus sensors
51 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 950 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D7100 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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
765g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D7100 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Nikon P300 vs Nikon D7100: 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 D7100, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 D7100 scores compare:

Nikon P300
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #176 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #779 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Nikon D7100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #31 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #160 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Nikon D7100 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon P300 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon P300. Otherwise, Nikon D7100 is the better camera overall.

Nikon P300
Nikon P300
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Nikon D7100
Nikon D7100
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Nikon D7100 vs Nikon P300 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P300 Nikon D7100
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2011-05-31 2013-04-25
Body Type Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch APS-C
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
Area 28.07mm2 366.60mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 100 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 51
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Nikon F
Lens Focal Range 24-100 mm (4.2×) no lens
Max Aperture F1.8-4.9 no lens
Macro Focus Range 3cm no lens
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.20"
Resolution 922k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.63x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.50 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 6.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 189g 765g
Dimensions 103 x 58 x 32mm 136 x 107 x 76mm
Battery Life 240 shots 950 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 83
DxO Color Depth not tested 24.2
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 13.7
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 1256
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