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Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1 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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Sony RX1

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1
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Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing P300 and RX1, two Compact cameras from Nikon and Sony. Nikon Coolpix P300 is a Small Sensor Compact class camera and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 is a Large Sensor Compact class camera.

Nikon P300 was introduced to market in May 2011 and Sony RX1 was launched in February 2013. There is 21 months difference between P300 and RX1 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger RX1, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P300 and Sony RX1 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

Sony RX1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-02-19
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 482g. 113 x 65 x 70 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P300 and Sony RX1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P300 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
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 5.0fps 2 fps faster
Weight
189 g vs 482 g 293 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 35mm 11 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
100mm vs 35mm 65 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
4.2× vs 1x more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs 2.00 faster lens at wide
CHECK P300 PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 over Nikon Coolpix P300
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 12 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 3.200 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 9 16 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.229k dots vs 922k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
270 shots vs 240 shots 30 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Tele
2.00 vs 4.90 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
35.50µm2 vs 2.34µm2 1417% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
CHECK RX1 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 1.229k dots High resolution screens
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1: 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 Sony RX1 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). Sony RX1 has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 70 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.76″) and weighs 482 g (1.06 lb / 17.00 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Sony RX1. Nikon P300 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 38mm thinner than Sony RX1.

Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Sony RX1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P300 and Sony RX1.
Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Sony RX1 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 (293g ) than the Sony RX1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300
RX1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300
RX1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P300 nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 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 Sony RX1's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1: 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, Sony RX1 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Sony RX1'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.

Below you can see the P300 and RX1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Sony RX1 Cameras


As seen above, Sony RX1 has a 30.4x 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.

Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P300 features a 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 4.2× zoom lens whereas Sony RX1 features a 35 mm F2.0-22.0 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Nikon P300's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Sony RX1's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, RX1's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Nikon P300 has 65mm longer reach than the Sony RX1. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Sony RX1 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

P300
RX1
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

P300
RX1
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

P300
RX1
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

P300
RX1
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon P300 and Sony RX1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P300 and Sony RX1 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

Sony RX1 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1 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 (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony RX1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
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 (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony RX1 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
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
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon P300 vs Sony RX1: 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 Sony RX1, 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 Sony RX1 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
Sony RX1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #15 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #214 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Sony RX1 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, Sony RX1 is the better camera overall.

Nikon P300
Nikon P300
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Sony RX1
Sony RX1
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Sony RX1 vs Nikon P300 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P300 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Brand Nikon Sony
Announced 2011-05-31 2013-02-19
Body Type Compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch Full frame
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 35.8 x 23.8 mm
Area 28.07mm2 852.04mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 25,600 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 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-100 mm (4.2×) 35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture F1.8-4.9 F2.0-22.0
Macro Focus Range 3cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 922k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic and Optical (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.50 m 6.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/4000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 5.0 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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 189g 482g
Dimensions 103 x 58 x 32mm 113 x 65 x 70mm
Battery Life 240 shots 270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 93
DxO Color Depth not tested 25.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 14.3
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2534
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