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Nikon B600 vs P950

The Nikon Coolpix B600 and the Nikon Coolpix P950 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2019 and January 2020. Both the B600 and the P950 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.9 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Nikon B600
versus
Nikon P950
Nikon B600   Nikon P950
Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
24-1440mm f/3.3-6.5 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor 15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 125-6,400 ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots 3.2" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
7.4 shutter flaps per second 7 shutter flaps per second
280 shots per battery charge290 shots per battery charge
122 x 82 x 99 mm, 500 g 140 x 110 x 150 mm, 1005 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix B600 and the Nikon Coolpix P950? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon B600 and the Nikon P950 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The B600 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the P950 is only available in black.

Size Nikon B600 vs Nikon P950
Compare B600 versus P950 top
Comparison B600 or P950 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon P950 is considerably larger (54 percent) than the Nikon B600. Moreover, the P950 is substantially heavier (101 percent) than the B600. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the B600 nor the P950 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the B600 gets 280 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL12 battery, while the P950 can take 290 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL20a power pack. The power pack in the P950 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon B600 122 mm 82 mm 99 mm 500 g 280 n Jan 2019 US$ 349ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon P950 140 mm 110 mm 150 mm 1005 g 290 n Jan 2020 US$ 799 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 4000D 129 mm 102 mm 77 mm 436 g 500 n Feb 2018 US$ 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon SX520 120 mm 82 mm 92 mm 441 g 210 n Jul 2014 US$ 399ebay.com
5.
 
Canon SX740 110 mm 64 mm 40 mm 299 g 265 n Jul 2018 US$ 399 amazon.com
6.
 
Fujifilm X70 113 mm 64 mm 44 mm 340 g 330 n Jan 2016 US$ 799ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon A1000 114 mm 72 mm 41 mm 330 g 250 n Jan 2019 US$ 429ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon B500 114 mm 78 mm 95 mm 541 g 600 n Jan 2016 US$ 299ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon L840 113 mm 78 mm 96 mm 538 g 590 n Feb 2015 US$ 299ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon P900 140 mm 103 mm 137 mm 899 g 360 n Mar 2015 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon P1000 146 mm 119 mm 181 mm 1415 g 250 n Jul 2018 US$ 999 amazon.com
12.
 
Panasonic LX100 II 115 mm 66 mm 65 mm 392 g 300 n Aug 2018 US$ 999ebay.com
13.
 
Sony WX800 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 233 g 370 n Oct 2018 US$ 399ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The B600 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 56 percent) than the P950, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Nikon B600 and Nikon P950 sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the B600 and the P950 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the P950 is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the B600, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Nikon Coolpix B600 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix P950 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

B600 versus P950 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon B600 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.712.2109552
2.
 
Nikon P950 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34564K/30p20.712.3118952
3.
 
Canon 4000D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.469563
4.
 
Canon SX520 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.111.567246
5.
 
Canon SX740 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38884K/30p20.612.1105051
6.
 
Fujifilm X70 APS-C 16.0 4896 32641080/60p23.713.0160880
7.
 
Nikon A1000 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34564K/30p20.712.2109552
8.
 
Nikon B500 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/60i20.311.781048
9.
 
Nikon L840 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/60i20.211.672147
10.
 
Nikon P900 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/60p20.211.672747
11.
 
Nikon P1000 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34564K/30p20.612.1104451
12.
 
Panasonic LX100 II Four Thirds 16.8 4736 35524K/30p22.812.797972
13.
 
Sony WX800 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36724K/30p20.612.2107051
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the P950 provides a better video resolution than the B600. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the B600 is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the P950 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the B600 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon B600 and Nikon P950 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon B600none n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 7.4/s Y Y
2.
 
Nikon P9502359 n3.2 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 7.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon 4000Doptical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon SX520none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/2000s 1.6/s Y Y
5.
 
Canon SX740none n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/3200s 10.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Fujifilm X70optional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon A10001166 n3.0 / 1036 tilting Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Nikon B500none n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/4000s 7.4/s Y Y
9.
 
Nikon L840none n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/4000s 7.4/s Y Y
10.
 
Nikon P900921 n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 7.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Nikon P10002359 n3.2 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 7.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Panasonic LX100 II2764 n3.0 / 1240 fixed Y 1/4000s 11.0/s n Y
13.
 
Sony WX800none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
The P950 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the B600 does not have a selfie-screen.

The Nikon P950 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Both the B600 and the P950 have zoom lenses built in. The B600 has a 24-1440mm f/3.3-6.5 optic and the P950 offers a 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the B600 and P950 provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the P950 has more tele-photo reach at the long end. The P950 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the B600 and the P950 write their files to SDXC cards. The B600 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the P950 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Coolpix B600 and Nikon Coolpix P950 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon B600-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
2.
 
Nikon P950Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Canon 4000DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon SX520-stereo / mono--mini2.0---
5.
 
Canon SX740-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
6.
 
Fujifilm X70Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Nikon A1000-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
8.
 
Nikon B500-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
9.
 
Nikon L840-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
10.
 
Nikon P900-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
11.
 
Nikon P1000Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
12.
 
Panasonic LX100 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
13.
 
Sony WX800-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-

It is notable that the P950 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The B600 does not feature such a mic input.

The P950 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the B600 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the B600 from Nikon. Further information on the features and operation of the B600 and P950 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon B600 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P950 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon B600 and the Nikon P950? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


Advantages of the Nikon Coolpix B600:

  • More compact: Is smaller (122x82mm vs 140x110mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 505g or 50 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (56 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2019).


Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix P950:

  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.8 vs f/3.3).
  • More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (11 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the P950 is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

B600 05:12 P950

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon B600 and the Nikon P950 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the B600 and the P950 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon B600..+....3.5/53/5 Jan 2019 US$ 349ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon P950....3/5..4/54/5 Jan 2020 US$ 799 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 4000D2.5/5o3/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 US$ 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon SX520..+....3.5/53.5/5 Jul 2014 US$ 399ebay.com
5.
 
Canon SX740..+3.5/5..4/54/5 Jul 2018 US$ 399 amazon.com
6.
 
Fujifilm X704.5/5....76/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2016 US$ 799ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon A1000..+ +3.5/5..3.5/53/5 Jan 2019 US$ 429ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon B500..+....4/53.5/5 Jan 2016 US$ 299ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon L840..+ +....3.5/54/5 Feb 2015 US$ 299ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon P900......77/1004/54/5 Mar 2015 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon P1000..+3.5/573/1003.5/53.5/5 Jul 2018 US$ 999 amazon.com
12.
 
Panasonic LX100 II4.5/5+4.2/582/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2018 US$ 999ebay.com
13.
 
Sony WX800............ Oct 2018 US$ 399ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Nikon B600 vs Nikon P950

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Nikon B600 Nikon P950
    Camera Type Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens 24-1440mm f/3.3-6.5 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5
    Launch Date January 2019 January 2020
    Launch Price USD 349 USD 799
    Sensor Specs Nikon B600 Nikon P950
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format 1/2.3" Sensor 1/2.3" Sensor
    Sensor Size 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 28.0735 mm2 28.0735 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 7.7 mm 7.7 mm
    Crop Factor 5.6x 5.6x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 4608 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 1.33 μm 1.33 μm
    Pixel Density 56.73 MP/cm2 56.73 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 125 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 6,400 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 100 - 12,800 ISO
    Screen Specs Nikon B600 Nikon P950
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 90%
    Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 921k dots 921k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Swivel screen
    Shooting Specs Nikon B600 Nikon P950
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 7.4 shutter flaps/s 7 shutter flaps/s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I no
    Connectivity Specs Nikon B600 Nikon P950
    External Flash no Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Nikon B600 Nikon P950
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL12 Nikon EN-EL20a
    Battery Life (CIPA)280 shots per charge290 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 122 x 82 x 99 mm
    (4.8 x 3.2 x 3.9 in)
    140 x 110 x 150 mm
    (5.5 x 4.3 x 5.9 in)
    Camera Weight 500 g (17.6 oz) 1005 g (35.5 oz)
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