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Nikon P300 vs Nikon D800 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 D800

36 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D800
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Nikon P300 vs Nikon D800 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 D800, which was introduced in June 2012 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 36.0MP Full frame sensor. There is 12 months difference between P300 and D800 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger D800, 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 D800 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 D800 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-06-11
  • 36MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 25600)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.2" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 4 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 900g. 146 x 123 x 82 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D700 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 D800

Nikon D800 was replaced by Nikon D810. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D810 vs Nikon D800
Nikon D810 vs Nikon Coolpix P300

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P300 and Nikon D800 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P300 over Nikon D800
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 4.0fps 3 fps faster
Weight
189 g vs 900 g 711 g lighter


Reasons to choose Nikon D800 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
Max Sensor Resolution
36 MP vs 12 MP 200% 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
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
900 shots vs 240 shots 660 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
23.83µm2 vs 2.34µm2 918% 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
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
11 points vs none Autofocus with teleconverters
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Nikon D800
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 3.2" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 921k dots High resolution screens
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Nikon D800
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Nikon P300 vs Nikon D800: 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 D800 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 D800 has external dimensions of 146 x 123 x 82 mm (5.75 x 4.84 x 3.23″) and weighs 900 g (1.98 lb / 31.75 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon D800. Nikon P300 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 43mm narrower, 65mm shorter and 50mm thinner than Nikon D800. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon P300 has a built-in lens but Nikon D800 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D800, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon D800 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon D800 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon D800.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon D800 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon D800 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P300 and Nikon D800.
Nikon P300 vs Nikon D800 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon D800 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 (711g ) than the Nikon D800 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 D800, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of D800, 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 D800's 3.2" 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 D800: 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 D800 has a 36.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 3 processor.

Nikon D800's sensor provides 24MP 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 D800 sensor size comparison.

Nikon P300 vs Nikon D800 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Nikon D800 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D800 has a 30.7x 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 D800 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P300 and Nikon D800 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 D800 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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 Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon D800 for Street Photography

GOOD
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 Full frame (35.9 x 24 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 D800 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
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: 900 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D800 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
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
900g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D800 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 Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Nikon P300 vs Nikon D800: 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 D800, 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 D800 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 D800
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #14 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #61 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon D800 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 D800 is the better camera overall.

Nikon P300
Nikon P300
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Nikon D800
Nikon D800
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Nikon D800 vs Nikon P300 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P300 Nikon D800
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2011-05-31 2012-06-11
Body Type Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch Full frame
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 28.07mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 36 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 7360 x 4912
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" 3.2"
Resolution 922k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
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 4.0 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 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 189g 900g
Dimensions 103 x 58 x 32mm 146 x 123 x 82mm
Battery Life 240 shots 900 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 95
DxO Color Depth not tested 25.3
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 14.4
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2853
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