Although both of these two cameras are available in the same price range, choosing between Nikon Coolpix P900 vs Panasonic FZ1000 requires you to consider several factors. Nikon Coolpix P900 can be an awesome value item for the money, mainly because of the superb 83.3x zoom lens. On the other hand, Panasonic FZ1000 offers a larger sensor with a better viewfinder and 4K video quality. Below, we are going to see the comparisons between these two models to determine which one has the best value for the money. Continue reading!
Design and Dimension
These two digital cameras are very bulky and heavy. They are almost as big and heavy as DSLRs. They are certainly not the best options if lightness and portability are your top priorities – take a look at Nikon Coolpix P900 vs Sony RX10 III if you need a more compact camera. But these cameras are great if you are already used with DSLR cameras.
Of the two, Nikon Coolpix P900 is the bigger and heavier one. It measures 140 mm x 103 mm x 137 mm, and it weighs about 899 grams. The major contributor to the bulkiness and heaviness is the lens – we will discuss about the lens further in the next section. The grip and handling are very nice and solid. On the rear, you can find a three-inch display screen that can fully rotate.
On the other hand, Panasonic FZ1000 is slightly smaller and lighter. The dimensions are 137 mm x 99 mm x 131 mm, and the weight is approximately 831 grams. Just like Nikon Coolpix P900, it has a grip design that is similar to mirrorless and DSLR cameras. The grip area is textured to enhance the handling. However, you can notice that the grip area is slightly curved, creating a nice ergonomic feel. Panasonic FZ1000 is also equipped with a three-inch articulating display screen.
Lens
The lens is a big factor to consider when choosing between Nikon Coolpix P900vs Panasonic FZ1000. Do you really need high zoom levels? Having high zoom levels is indeed very nice, and it can be handy at times.
Nikon Coolpix P900 is equipped with the Nikkor Super ED VR lens, which is equivalent to 24 mm – 2000 mm F/2.8–6.5. This is an awesome lens. If purchased separately, such lens can easily cost thousands of dollars. It can give you a maximum optical zoom level of 83.3x – among today’s compact digital cameras, that’s the highest zoom level available right now. This lens can be very useful in a variety of situations, such as sports and wildlife photography.
On the other hand, Panasonic FZ1000 features the Leica DC Vario-Elmarit zoom lens, which is equivalent to 25 mm – 400 mm F/2.8–4.0. This lens is able to give you a maximum optical zoom of 16x. That’s already a pretty good power, but it is obviously not in the same league as Nikon Coolpix P900’s lens.
Image Sensor
Nikon Coolpix P900vs Panasonic FZ1000 come with different image sensors. For sure, Panasonic FZ1000 is the better one. Nikon Coolpix P900 is only equipped with a 16 MP 1/2.3” CMOS sensor. The ISO range goes from 100 to 6400, expandable to 12800. While the optical resolution is good, the size of the image sensor is small. It is the same size that is used by many cheaper digital cameras. It has less area to capture light, so there is no surprise that the low-light performance isn’t very good.
Panasonic FZ1000 is equipped with a better image sensor, which is a 20 MP 1.0” CMOS sensor. It has an ISO range of 125 – 12800, and it is expandable to 80 – 25600. As you can see the optical resolution is higher, and the total ISO range is much wider. Thanks to the improved sensor size, this camera offers much better low-light performance. You can expect better depth of field and dynamic range as well as significantly reduced noise when using a larger sensor.
Videography
Today, 4K videos have become incredibly popular. Today, nearly everybody wants to record in 4K. Well, of course, not all people are captured by the 4K craze; there are many who prefer to stick with 1080p due to several reasons.
In general, for videography, Panasonic FZ1000 is the better choice. Not only because it has a maximum video quality of 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) at 30 fps, but also because it has a microphone port. If you want to capture high-quality audio with clarity, you should consider using an external mic rather than relying on the camera’s built-in mic. Additionally, this camera also features the 4K Photo Mode, which enables you to extract 8 MP photographs from a 4K video during the playback.
Nikon Coolpix P900’s maximum video quality is only Full HD (1920 x 1080). And, it does not have any mic port. Even though the video quality is decent, Panasonic FZ1000 is definitely a much better choice for videography, as the prices of the two models are quite close.
Features
Between Nikon Coolpix P900vs Panasonic FZ1000, the latter model is the more feature-packed camera. Apparently, the awesome lens of Nikon Coolpix P900 comes at the cost of limited features.
Both of these two digital cameras come with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, and both also have smartphone remote control capabilities. Both have manual focus, manual exposure, and face detection autofocus. However, Panasonic FZ1000’s electronic viewfinder is much better with higher resolution.
In addition, Nikon Coolpix P900 only has a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000s and continuous shooting speed of 7.0 fps. It does not have an external flash shoe, RAW support, or AE bracketing.
Panasonic FZ1000 offers higher shutter speeds, up to 1/16000s, and a continuous shooting speed of 12.0 fps. Furthermore, it supports the RAW format, making it great for sports photography and dedicated photographers in general. It also has AE bracketing, and an external flash shoe.
Conclusion
All in all, Nikon Coolpix P900 is only a viable choice if you can benefit from the super zoom lens. Not many people really need the super zoom lens. If you are into sports or wildlife photography, the super zoom lens is indeed worth the money. Otherwise, if you don’t really need that high zoom levels, you should choose Panasonic FZ1000. It has much better image quality and features.
