Nikon P1100 vs P950

The Nikon Coolpix P1100 and the Nikon Coolpix P950 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2025 and January 2020. Both the P1100 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 P1100		Nikon P950
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-3000mm f/2.8-8.0		24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.2" LCD – 921k dots		3.2" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
7 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
250 shots per battery charge		290 shots per battery charge
146 x 119 x 181 mm, 1410 g		140 x 110 x 150 mm, 1005 g

Check P1100 price at
amazon.com
Check P950 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix P1100 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.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon P1100 and the Nikon P950. 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon P950 is notably smaller (11 percent) than the Nikon P1100. Moreover, the P950 is markedly lighter (29 percent) than the P1100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the P1100 nor the P950 are weather-sealed.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon P1100	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1410 g	250	n	Feb 2025	US$ 1 099	amazon.com
2.		Nikon P950	140 mm	110 mm	150 mm	1005 g	290	n	Jan 2020	US$ 799	amazon.com
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	US$ 849	ebay.com
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	111 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	230	n	Mar 2013	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
5.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	US$ 429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
8.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	US$ 299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FZ80D	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jul 2024	US$ 479	amazon.com
12.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The P950 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 27 percent) than the P1100, 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. 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 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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.

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 P1100 and the P950 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the P1100 is much more recent (by 5 years and 1 month) than the P950, and its sensor will 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 P1100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 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.

In terms of underlying technology, the P1100 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the P950 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 P1100	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.9	12.9	1694	54
2.		Nikon P950	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.3	1189	52
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.4	13.8	1164	80
5.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
6.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
7.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
8.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
9.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
10.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
11.		Panasonic FZ80D	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.9	12.8	1634	54
12.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The P1100 and the P950 are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 2359k dots. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon P1100 and Nikon P950 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 P1100	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon P950	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	optional	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ80D	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 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 Nikon P1100 and the Nikon P950 both have 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 P1100 and the P950 have zoom lenses built in. The P1100 has a 24-3000mm f/2.8-8.0 optic and the P950 offers a 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the P1100 and P950 provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the P950 has less tele-photo reach at the long end. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the P1100 and the P950 write their files to SDXC cards. The P1100 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.

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 P1100 and Nikon Coolpix P950 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 P1100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon P950	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ80D	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Both the P1100 and the P950 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The P950 replaced the earlier Nikon P900, while the P1100 followed on from the Nikon P1000. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon website.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon P1100 and the Nikon P950? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Nikon Coolpix P1100:

• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 1 month of technical progress since the P950 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix P950:

• More compact: Is smaller (140x110mm vs 146x119mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 405g or 29 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (290 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (27 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2020).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the P950 emerges as the winner of the match-up (5 : 3 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 P1100 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the P1100 or the P950 perform in practice. 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 expert reviews 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.

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 P1100	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2025	US$ 1 099	amazon.com
2.		Nikon P950	..	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2020	US$ 799	amazon.com
3.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	US$ 849	ebay.com
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	4/5	+	..	75/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
5.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	US$ 429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
8.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FZ80D	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 479	amazon.com
12.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 449	ebay.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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check P1100 price at
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Check P950 price at
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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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