Nikon P950 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II

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Nikon P950

16 MP | 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic FZ1000 II

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Nikon P950 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Nikon P950 was introduced to market in January 2020 and Panasonic FZ1000 II was launched in February 2019. There is only 11 months difference between P950 and FZ1000 II so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Nikon P950 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3" sensor whereas Panasonic FZ1000 II has a 20.0MP 1" sensor. This will be an interesting match up as even though these two cameras doesn't have the exact same body type, they are both ranked amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Nikon P950 is ranked #10 out of 243 Small Sensor Superzoom cameras with an overall score of 61 whereas Panasonic FZ1000 II is ranked #3 out of 10 Large Sensor Superzoom cameras with an overall score of 72.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Nikon P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon P950 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2020-01-07

16MP - 1/2.3" CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

24-2000 mm F2.8-6.5 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.2" Fully Articulated Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

7.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

1005g. 140 x 110 x 150 mm

Panasonic FZ1000 II Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2019-02-18

20MP - 1" BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80-25600)

25-400 mm F2.8-4.0 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3 Fully Articulated Screen

2360k dot Electronic viewfinder

12.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

120 fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

808g. 136 x 97 x 132 mm

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P950 over Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II

LCD Screen Size	3.2" vs 3	0.2 inches larger display
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	2000mm vs 400mm	1600 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	83.3x vs 16x	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II over Nikon Coolpix P950

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution	20 MP vs 16 MP	25% more pixels
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	1.240k dots vs 921k dots	34% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage	100% vs 90%	More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting	12.0fps vs 7.0fps	5 fps faster
Battery Life	350 shots vs 290 shots	60 more frames with a single charge
Weight	808 g vs 1005 g	197 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele	4.00 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	13.5m vs 11.5m	2m longer range
Viewfinder Resolution	2360k dot vs 2359k dot	0% higher resolution
Sensor Pixel Area	5.82µm² vs 1.76µm²	230% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range	±3 EV vs ±2 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
4K Photo Mode	Yes vs No	Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Focus Bracketing	Yes vs No	Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking	Yes vs No	Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Post Focus Mode	Yes vs No	Change focus point after taking a shot
Support for UHS Memory Cards	UHS-I vs none	Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P950 and Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection	Yes vs Yes	Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	All the lenses are stabilized
Adjustable LCD Screen	Fully Articulated vs Fully Articulated	Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 1.240k dots	High resolution screens
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs Yes	creative shooting
Focal Length - Tele	2000mm vs 400mm	Very good Telezoom
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie Friendly LCD	Yes vs Yes	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Smartphone Remote Control	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P950 and Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II

Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Nikon P950 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II: 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 P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II. Panasonic FZ1000 II is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 4mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 18mm thinner than Nikon P950.

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II.

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II.

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic FZ1000 II is significantly lighter (197g ) than the Nikon P950 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P950

FZ1000 II

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P950

FZ1000 II

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P950 nor Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II 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 P950's 3.2" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic FZ1000 II's 3 screen.

Nikon P950 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II: Sensor Comparison

Nikon P950 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic FZ1000 II has a 20.0MP 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the P950 and FZ1000 II sensor size comparison.

As seen above, Panasonic FZ1000 II has a 4.1x Larger sensor area than Nikon P950. 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 P950 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P950 features a 24-2000 mm F2.8-6.5 83.3x zoom lens whereas Panasonic FZ1000 II features a 25-400 mm F2.8-4.0 16x zoom lens.

Nikon P950 has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic FZ1000 II. Both cameras has a max aperture of f2.80 at the wide end. On the tele end, Nikon P950 has 1600mm longer reach than the Panasonic FZ1000 II. However, with a max aperture of f4.00, Panasonic FZ1000 II is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P950

FZ1000 II

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

P950

FZ1000 II

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

P950

FZ1000 II

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

P950

FZ1000 II

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II 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 P950 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic FZ1000 II for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P950 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic FZ1000 II for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Nikon P950 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic FZ1000 II for Sports Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Wireless Connection
2000 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 290 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
400 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f4.00
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P950 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic FZ1000 II for Daily Photography

GOOD

RAW shooting capability
83.3X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor
1005g
Body Thickness 150mm
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
16.0X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
808g
Body Thickness 132mm
Read the details

Nikon P950 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ1000 II for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P950 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II: 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 P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II, 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 P950 and Panasonic FZ1000 II scores compare:

Nikon P950

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #15 out of 112 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #254 out of 1192 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ1000 II

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #2 out of 112 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #103 out of 1192 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ1000 II is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon P950 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Nikon P950

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Panasonic FZ1000 II

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Panasonic FZ1000 II vs Nikon P950 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix P950	Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2020-01-07	2019-02-18
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3"	1"
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area	28.07mm²	116.16mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	20 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	125 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	80 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	n/a	49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-2000 mm (83.3x)	25-400 mm (16x)
Max Aperture	F2.8-6.5	F2.8-4.0
Macro Focus Range	1cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fully Articulated	Fully Articulated
Size	3.2"	3
Resolution	921k dots	1,240k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,359k dots	2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	90%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a	0.74
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter	n/a	1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	11.50 m (at Auto ISO)	13.50 m (with Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	7.0 fps	12.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	1005g	808g
Dimensions	140 x 110 x 150mm	136 x 97 x 132mm
Battery Life	290 shots	350 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction