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Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30 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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Panasonic ZS30

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

Panasonic ZS30
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Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Nikon P300 was introduced to market in May 2011 and Panasonic ZS30 was launched in January 2013. There is 19 months difference between P300 and ZS30 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger ZS30, especially in sensor tech.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon P300 has a 12.0 MP and Panasonic ZS30 has a 18.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 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

Panasonic ZS30 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-07
  • 18MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 220fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 198g. 105 x 59 x 28 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ40
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 (Lumix DMC-TZ40)

Panasonic ZS30 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 (Lumix DMC-TZ40)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 vs Nikon Coolpix P300

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P300 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1200s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
189 g vs 198 g 9 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 6.40 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.34µm2 vs 1.56µm2 49% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 over Nikon Coolpix P300
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 12 MP 50% more pixels
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
23 vs 9 14 more focus points
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 7.0fps 3 fps faster
Battery Life
260 shots vs 240 shots 20 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele
480mm vs 100mm 380 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
20× vs 4.2× more flexible focal coverage
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 920k dots High resolution screens
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 24mm Very good wide angle coverage
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30
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
Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30: 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 Panasonic ZS30 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). Panasonic ZS30 has external dimensions of 105 x 59 x 28 mm (4.13 x 2.32 x 1.1″) and weighs 198 g (0.44 lb / 6.98 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30. Nikon P300 is 2mm narrower and 1mm shorter than Panasonic ZS30 but it is also 4mm thicker.

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30.

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30.
Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P300 is 9g lighter than the Panasonic ZS30 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300
ZS30
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300
ZS30
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P300 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 (Lumix DMC-TZ40) 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 Panasonic ZS30'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 Panasonic ZS30: 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, Panasonic ZS30 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Panasonic ZS30'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 ZS30 sensor size comparison.

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 Cameras


Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 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 Nikon P300 has 49% larger pixel area compared to Panasonic ZS30, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P300 features a 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 4.2× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS30 features a 24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 20× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 24mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Nikon P300 is faster than Panasonic ZS30 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS30 has 380mm 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
ZS30
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P300
ZS30
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P300
ZS30
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P300
ZS30
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P300 and Panasonic ZS30 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

Panasonic ZS30 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
Manual Exposure Mode
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

Nikon P300 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS30 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
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

Nikon P300 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS30 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
480 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1200s
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS30 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
198g
20.0X 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

Panasonic ZS30 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
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

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic ZS30: 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 Panasonic ZS30, 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 Panasonic ZS30 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
Panasonic ZS30
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #115 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #597 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS30 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon P300 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon P300
Nikon P300
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Panasonic ZS30
Panasonic ZS30
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Panasonic ZS30 vs Nikon P300 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P300 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30
Brand Nikon Panasonic
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 18 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4896 x 3672
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 6,400 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 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-100 mm (4.2×) 24-480 mm (20×)
Max Aperture F1.8-4.9 F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range 3cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 922k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/1200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.50 m 6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 10.0 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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 189g 198g
Dimensions 103 x 58 x 32mm 105 x 59 x 28mm
Battery Life 240 shots 260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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