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Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V Comparison

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Nikon S9100

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Nikon S9100
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Sony HX400V

20 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony HX400V
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Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing S9100 and HX400V, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Sony. Nikon S9100 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Sony HX400V was launched in February 2014. As you can see, S9100 is 3 years older than HX400V. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S9100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-07-19
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 3200
  • 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • 214g. 105 x 62 x 35 mm

Sony HX400V Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-02-12
  • 20MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • 24-1200 mm F2.8-6.3 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 660g. 130 x 93 x 103 mm
  • Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 Compare

Nikon S9100 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix S9300. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix S9300 vs Nikon Coolpix S9100
Nikon Coolpix S9300 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V 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 S9100 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
Internal Storage
71 MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Weight
214 g vs 660 g 446 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
5.90 vs 6.30 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.34µm2 vs 1.39µm2 68% larger pixel area
CHECK S9100 PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V over Nikon Coolpix S9100
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 12 MP 66% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 3.200 300% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
300 shots vs 270 shots 30 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 25mm 1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
1200mm vs 450mm 750 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
50x vs 18× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
8.5m vs 4.0m 4.5m longer range
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
CHECK HX400V PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 921k dots High resolution screens
Max Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 10.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Focal Length - Tele
450mm vs 1200mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V: 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 S9100 and Sony HX400V side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S9100 has external dimensions of 105 x 62 x 35 mm (4.13 x 2.44 x 1.38″) and weighs 214 g (0.47 lb / 7.55 oz) (including batteries). Sony HX400V has external dimensions of 130 x 93 x 103 mm (5.1 x 3.67 x 4.06″) and weighs 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V. Nikon S9100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 25mm narrower, 31mm shorter and 68mm thinner than Sony HX400V.

Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V.

Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V.
Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S9100 is significantly lighter (446g ) than the Sony HX400V which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

S9100
HX400V
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

S9100
HX400V
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S9100 nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V 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
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

On the other hand, Sony HX400V features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Nikon S9100 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to HX400V.
Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S9100 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 HX400V has a 20.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.

Sony HX400V's sensor provides 8MP more than Nikon S9100'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 S9100 and HX400V sensor size comparison.

Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V Cameras


Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V have the same 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 S9100 has 68% larger pixel area compared to Sony HX400V, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Sony HX400V features a 24-1200 mm F2.8-6.3 50x zoom lens.

Sony HX400V has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon S9100. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Sony HX400V has 750mm longer telezoom reach than the Nikon S9100. However, with a max aperture of f5.90, Nikon S9100 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100
HX400V
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

S9100
HX400V
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

S9100
HX400V
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

S9100
HX400V
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 and Sony HX400V 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 S9100 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Sony HX400V for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus 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 Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony HX400V for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony HX400V for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
450 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Wireless Connection
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.30
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony HX400V for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Compact Body
214g
18.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
50.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
660g
Body Thickness 103mm
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony HX400V for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Focus Mode
25 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 Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
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 Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon S9100 vs Sony HX400V: 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 S9100 and Sony HX400V, 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 S9100 and Sony HX400V scores compare:

Nikon S9100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #175 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #773 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Sony HX400V
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #28 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #437 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Sony HX400V is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S9100 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S9100. Otherwise, Sony HX400V is the better camera overall.

Nikon S9100
Nikon S9100
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Sony HX400V
Sony HX400V
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Sony HX400V vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix S9100 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
Brand Nikon Sony
Announced 2011-07-19 2014-02-12
Body Type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS BSI-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 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 5184 x 3888
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 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 9 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-450 mm (18×) 24-1200 mm (50x)
Max Aperture F3.5-5.9 F2.8-6.3
Macro Focus Range 4cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 921k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 4.00 m 8.50 m (ISO Auto)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 10.0 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 MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 214g 660g
Dimensions 105 x 62 x 35mm 130 x 93 x 103mm
Battery Life 270 shots 300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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