Nikon B700 vs Sony HX95

The Nikon Coolpix B700 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2016 and August 2018. Both the B700 and the HX95 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 18 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon B700		Sony HX95
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-1440mm f/3.3-6.5		24-720mm f/3.5-6.4
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (638k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
350 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
125 x 85 x 107 mm, 565 g		102 x 58 x 36 mm, 242 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix B700 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95? 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.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon B700 and the Sony HX95. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The B700 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the HX95 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony HX95 is considerably smaller (44 percent) than the Nikon B700. Moreover, the HX95 is substantially lighter (57 percent) than the B700. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the B700 nor the HX95 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the B700 gets 350 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL23 battery, while the HX95 can take 370 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	US$ 429	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	US$ 529	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	US$ 549	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
7.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	US$ 499	amazon.com
8.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ82	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	US$ 399	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	US$ 429	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
15.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	US$ 399	ebay.com
16.		Sony ZV-1F	106 mm	60 mm	46 mm	256 g	360	n	Oct 2022	US$ 499	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The HX95 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 14 percent) than the B700, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the B700 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 18 MP of the HX95. This megapixels advantage translates into a 6 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the B700 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.25μm for the HX95). Moreover, it should be noted that the HX95 is much more recent (by 2 years and 6 months) than the B700, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. 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 resolution advantage of the Nikon B700 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the B700 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony HX95 are 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm for good quality, 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm for very good quality, and 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Coolpix B700 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the B700 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the HX95 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
2.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
3.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
5.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
6.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
7.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
8.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
9.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
10.		Panasonic FZ82	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
11.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
12.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
13.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
14.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
15.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
16.		Sony ZV-1F	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.3	12.8	904	67
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the B700 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the HX95 (921k vs 638k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon B700, the Sony HX95, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		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 B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Panasonic FZ82	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony ZV-1F	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	16.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Nikon B700 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 B700 and the HX95 have zoom lenses built in. The B700 has a 24-1440mm f/3.3-6.5 optic and the HX95 offers a 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Nikon and Sony provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Sony has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The B700 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The B700 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the HX95 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.

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 B700 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
9.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic FZ82	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony ZV-1F	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y

Both the B700 and the HX95 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Nikon and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the B700 and HX95 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon B700 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX95 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon B700 or the Sony HX95 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix B700:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 18MP) with a 6% higher linear resolution.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (921k vs 638k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• 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/3.3 vs f/3.5).
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2016).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95:

• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 125x85mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 323g or 57 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (14 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 6 months of technical progress since the B700 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the B700 emerges as the winner of the contest (8 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon B700 and the Sony HX95 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the B700 and the HX95 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	US$ 429	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 529	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	US$ 549	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
7.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	US$ 499	amazon.com
8.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ82	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 399	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	US$ 429	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
15.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	US$ 399	ebay.com
16.		Sony ZV-1F	..	..	4/5	78/100	..	4/5	Oct 2022	US$ 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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