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Sony A7S vs Nikon P520 Comparison

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Sony A7S

12 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A7S
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Nikon P520

18 MP | 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Nikon P520
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Sony A7S vs Nikon P520 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A7S, which was introduced in April 2014 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 12.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Nikon P520, which was introduced in January 2013 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 18.0MP 1/2.3" sensor. There is 14 months difference between A7S and P520 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger A7S, especially in sensor tech.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A7S and Nikon P520 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-06
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 409600
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 489g. 127 x 94 x 48 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Nikon P520 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-29
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 24-1000 mm F3.0-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.2" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 7 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in GPS
  • 550g. 125 x 84 x 102 mm
  • Replaced Nikon Coolpix P510 Compare

Sony A7S was replaced by Sony Alpha 7S II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Sony Alpha A7S
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Nikon Coolpix P520

Nikon P520 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix P530. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix P530 vs Nikon Coolpix P520
Nikon Coolpix P530 vs Sony Alpha A7S

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7S and Nikon P520 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S over Nikon Coolpix P520
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Optional Better connectivity
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max ISO
409.600 vs 3.200 12700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 9 16 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution
1.230k dots vs 921k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
360 shots vs 200 shots 160 more frames with a single charge
Weight
489 g vs 550 g 61 g lighter
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
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
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


Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P520 over Sony Alpha A7S
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 12 MP 50% more pixels
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 3 0.2 inches larger display
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 5.0fps 2 fps faster
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7S and Nikon Coolpix P520
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fully Articulated Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 3.2" Large display
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7S and Nikon Coolpix P520
Sony A7S vs Nikon P520: 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 Sony A7S and Nikon P520 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7S has external dimensions of 127 x 94 x 48 mm (5 x 3.7 x 1.89″) and weighs 489 g (1.08 lb / 17.25 oz) (including batteries). Nikon P520 has external dimensions of 125 x 84 x 102 mm (4.92 x 3.31 x 4.02″) and weighs 550 g (1.21 lb / 19.40 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7S and Nikon P520. Nikon P520 is 2mm narrower and 10mm shorter than Sony A7S but it is also 54mm thicker. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon P520 has a built-in lens but Sony A7S doesn't. Once you put a lens on A7S, its thickness will increase significantly.

Sony A7S vs Nikon P520 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Nikon P520 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7S and Nikon P520.

Sony A7S vs Nikon P520 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Nikon P520 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7S and Nikon P520.
Sony A7S vs Nikon P520 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Sony A7S and Nikon P520 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7S is 61g lighter than the Nikon P520 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

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 A7S, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that A7S has a big advantage over P520 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon P520's 3.2" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A7S's 3 screen.

Sony A7S vs Nikon P520: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7S has a 12.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. On the other hand, Nikon P520 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3" (6.16 x 4.62 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Nikon P520's sensor provides 6MP more than Sony A7S'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 A7S and P520 sensor size comparison.

Sony A7S vs Nikon P520 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7S and Nikon P520 Cameras


As seen above, Sony A7S has a 30.1x Larger sensor area than Nikon P520. 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 Sony A7S and Nikon P520 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7S and Nikon P520 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.

Sony A7S for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Nikon P520 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Sony A7S for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon P520 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Sony A7S for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon P520 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1000 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Sony A7S for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon P520 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
489g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details
41.7X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
550g
Body Thickness 102mm
Read the details

Sony A7S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P520 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A7S vs Nikon P520: 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 Sony A7S and Nikon P520, 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 Sony A7S and Nikon P520 scores compare:

Sony A7S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #39 out of 86 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #71 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Nikon P520
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #74 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #648 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Sony A7S is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon P520 in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Sony A7S
Sony A7S
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Nikon P520
Nikon P520
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Nikon P520 vs Sony A7S Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7S Nikon Coolpix P520
Brand Sony Nikon
Announced 2014-04-06 2013-01-29
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size Full frame 1/2.3"
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm 6.16 x 4.62 mm
Area 855.62mm2 28.46mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 18 megapixels
Max Resolution 4240 x 2832 4896 x 3672
Max Native Light sensitivity 409,600 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 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 25 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 24-1000 mm (41.7×)
Max Aperture no lens F3.0-5.9
Macro Focus Range no lens 1cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fully Articulated
Size 3 3.2"
Resolution 1,230k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots n/a
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Optical
Built-in Flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 7.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 489g 550g
Dimensions 127 x 94 x 48mm 125 x 84 x 102mm
Battery Life 360 shots 200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None BuiltIn
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 87 not tested
DxO Color Depth 23.9 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 13.2 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 3702 not tested
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