Canon PowerShot
SX20 IS
 vs
Nikon Coolpix
P100

Updated (February, 2011): Compare the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS vs Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P100

70
"Materials, fit, and finish are typical for the class and price point."
digitalcamerareview.com | talking about the P100's build-quality
"The P100 is definitely the current big deal in Nikon's Coolpix performance line."
digitalcamerareview.com | talking about the P100's overall-performance

Reasons to buy the Nikon Coolpix P100

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Screen size
 Large screen
3.0"
Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
10 fps
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Sensor type
 CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Viewfinder
 Great viewfinder
Digital
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

57

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Viewfinder
 Great viewfinder
Digital
External flash
 External flash
Better lighting

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX20 IS
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
 Less risk of blur
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
 An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Macro focus Better macro capability 0 cm vs 1 cm
Help
 Almost the same
Thickness Thinner 3.4" vs 3.9"
Help
 More than 10% thinner
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/3200s vs 1/2000s
Help
 Around 40% faster max shutter speed
Longest exposure Longer exposures 15s vs 8s
Help
 Around 90% longer exposures
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Learn more about
the Canon SX20 IS

Advantages of the Nikon P100
Screen size Much larger screen 3.0" vs 2.5"
Help
 More than 20% larger screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Zoom More zoom 26.1x vs 20x
Help
 More than 70% more zoom
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies 240 fps vs None
Help
 Capture events too fast for the naked eye and play them back in super-slow motion
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
 CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Wide angle Better wide angle 26 mm vs 28 mm
Help
 Around 10% better wide angle
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 10 fps vs 0.7 fps
Help
 Around 14.5x faster continuous shooting
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 460k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 2x higher resolution screen
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
 The P100's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Weight Lighter 481 g vs 600 g
Help
 Around 20% lighter
Size Slightly smaller 114x83x99 mm vs 128x88x87 mm
Help
 Almost the same
Nikon Coolpix P100 Learn more about
the Nikon P100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent super zooms, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
57 vs 70
Explain scores
Nikon Coolpix P100 Nikon Coolpix P100
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon Coolpix P100.

performance Which camera has better performance? Cast your vote!

CanonPowerShot SX20 IS
 Canon PowerShot SX20 IS vs Nikon Coolpix P100
NikonCoolpix P100
Uses Travel score Travel
On holiday or vacation
3
10
Vote Vote
Sports score Sports
Fast action, sometimes indoors
4
10
Vote Vote
Features Low light image quality Low light image quality
Lack of noise, sharp details
4
9
Vote Vote
Color accuracy Color accuracy
White balance in varied lighting
4
9
Vote Vote
Autofocus peformance Still image focusing
Speed and accuracy
3
11
Vote Vote
Autofocus performance Video focusing
Speed and accuracy
3
10
Vote Vote
Manual controls Manual settings
How quickly and easily you can change settings
4
9
Vote Vote
Performance Image stabilization
Ability to reduce blur from hand shake
4
11
Vote Vote
Green arrow Join in the discussion below!

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Screen flips out Flip-out screens Help
Great for movies
Zoom Great zoom Help
SX20 IS:20x
P100:26.1x
Aperture Wide aperture Help
f/2.8
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
SX20 IS:0 cm
P100:1 cm
Viewfinder Both have digital viewfinders Help
Digital
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX20 IS:3.4"
P100:3.9"
Weight Heavy Help
SX20 IS:600 g
P100:481 g
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Size Large Help
SX20 IS:128x88x87 mm
P100:114x83x99 mm

Compared to recent super zooms

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.
Supports RAW No RAW support Help
Less editing fidelity

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$339 - $350
Zoom Has way more more zoom
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Coolpix P500 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS
Compare the Coolpix P500 vs the Coolpix P100
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Super zoom

$420
Zoom Has much more zoom
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the PowerShot SX30 IS vs the PowerShot SX20 IS
Compare the PowerShot SX30 IS vs the Coolpix P100
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$227 - $230
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Size Is slightly smaller
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Viewfinder Doesn't have a viewfinder
Compare the Coolpix L120 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS
Compare the Coolpix L120 vs the Coolpix P100
Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$379
Zoom Has much more zoom
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS
Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the Coolpix P100
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1

Super zoom

$355
Longest exposure Slightly longer exposures
Sensor size Has a slightly smaller sensor
True resolution Takes much lower resolution photos
Compare the Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS
Compare the Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 vs the Coolpix P100
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS20

Super zoom

$310 - $475
Zoom Has slightly more zoom
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the FinePix HS20 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS
Compare the FinePix HS20 vs the Coolpix P100
Nikon Coolpix P90

Nikon Coolpix P90

Super zoom

$525
Light sensitivity Significantly higher maximum light sensitivity
Weight Is slightly lighter
Movie format Records lower quality movies
Compare the Coolpix P90 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS
Compare the Coolpix P90 vs the Coolpix P100

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

Travel zoom

$305 - $379
Screen size Much larger screen
Size Much smaller
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Aperture Narrower aperture
Compare the PowerShot SX220 HS vs the PowerShot SX20 IS
Canon PowerShot SX10 IS

Canon PowerShot SX10 IS

Super zoom
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Compare the PowerShot SX10 IS vs the PowerShot SX20 IS

Nikon Coolpix P100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Olympus SP-800 UZ

Olympus SP-800 UZ

Super zoom

$310 - $379
Zoom More zoom
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Compare the SP-800 UZ vs the Coolpix P100

appearance

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Nikon Coolpix P100
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Nikon Coolpix P100
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Nikon Coolpix P100

Find similar cameras

Here are some links to help you find other cameras with similar features to both of these:

discussion Which do you think is better?

Speech is free, but discussion at Snapsort is moderated! Please discuss your opinion of these cameras here, and discuss feedback for Snapsort at our support community.

Showing 2 comments

Kanian (6:55 AM, October 14, 2011)
אני רק קונה קנון.נקודהההה
 
Anandkumar Rsvm (1:53 PM, January 03, 2011)
If u r looking for the best camera then go through nikon coolpix p100.