Canon PowerShot
SX30 IS
 vs
Nikon Coolpix
P100

Updated (September, 2011): Compare the Canon Powershot SX40 vs Nikon Coolpix P500

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

52

  
Nikon Coolpix P100

51

  

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Aperture
 Wide aperture
f/2.7
Image stabilization
 Image stabilization
Lens
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
External flash
 External flash
Better lighting
 

Reasons to buy the Nikon Coolpix P100

Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
10 fps
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Sensor type
 CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
190 ms shutter lag
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX30 IS
Zoom More zoom 35x vs 26.1x
Help
 More than 80% more zoom
Wide angle Better wide angle 24 mm vs 26 mm
Help
 Around 10% better wide angle
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
 Less risk of blur
Aperture Slightly wider aperture f/2.7 vs f/2.8
Help
 At its widest zoom, the SX30 IS's lens captures marginally more light (0.1 f-stops)
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
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 SX30 IS Learn more about
the Canon SX30 IS

Advantages of the Nikon P100
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
 More than 10% larger screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
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
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 10 fps vs 1.1 fps
Help
 More than 9x faster continuous shooting
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 460k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 2x higher resolution screen
Size Smaller 114x83x99 mm vs 123x92x108 mm
Help
 More than 20% smaller
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 190 ms vs 320 ms
Help
 More than 40% less delay when taking photos
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 601 g
Help
 Around 20% lighter
Thickness Slightly thinner 3.9" vs 4.3"
Help
 Around 10% thinner
Nikon Coolpix P100 Learn more about
the Nikon P100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent super zooms, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
52 vs 51
Explain scores
Nikon Coolpix P100 Nikon Coolpix P100
Green arrow Too close to call! Snapsort considers these cameras too competitive to make a clear recommendation.

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Screen flips out Flip-out screens Help
Great for movies
Zoom Great zoom Help
SX30 IS:35x
P100:26.1x
Aperture Wide aperture Help
SX30 IS:f/2.7
P100:f/2.8
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
SX30 IS:0 cm
P100:1 cm
Viewfinder Both have digital viewfinders Help
Digital
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX30 IS:4.3"
P100:3.9"
Weight Heavy Help
SX30 IS:601 g
P100:481 g
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Size Large Help
SX30 IS:123x92x108 mm
P100:114x83x99 mm
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support

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
External mic jack Neither has an external mic jack Help
Limited to the in-camera mic
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
SX30 IS:1,600 ISO
P100:3,200 ISO

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$299 - $320
Supports 24p Records movies in 24p
Lowest price Is significantly less expensive
Weight Is slightly heavier
Shutter lag Has slightly more shutter lag
Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the Coolpix P100
Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$596
Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Aperture Has a significantly narrower aperture
Compare the Coolpix P500 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Coolpix P500 vs the Coolpix P100
Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$339 - $347
Zoom Has significantly more zoom
Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
Shutter lag Has slightly more shutter lag
Macro focus Slightly worse macro focusing
Compare the Coolpix P510 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Coolpix P510 vs the Coolpix P100
Canon PowerShot SX500 IS

Canon PowerShot SX500 IS

Super zoom

$248 - $249
Size Is slightly smaller
Thickness Is thinner
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Viewfinder Doesn't have a viewfinder
Compare the PowerShot SX500 IS vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the PowerShot SX500 IS vs the Coolpix P100
Nikon Coolpix L810

Nikon Coolpix L810

Super zoom

$209 - $249
Screen resolution Has a significantly 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 L810 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Coolpix L810 vs the Coolpix P100
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$332 body only

$429 - $499 with 18-55mm lens
True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Screen flips out Doesn't have a screen which flips out
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Rebel T3 vs the Coolpix P100
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$497 body only

$597 - $805 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Compare the D5100 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the D5100 vs the Coolpix P100

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Super zoom

$429 - $450
Zoom Much more zoom
Supports 24p Supports 24p
Aperture Significantly narrower aperture
True resolution Slightly lower true resolution
Compare the PowerShot SX50 HS vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Super zoom
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Zoom Less zoom
Size Larger
Compare the FinePix HS20 EXR vs the PowerShot SX30 IS

Nikon Coolpix P100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon Coolpix L310

Nikon Coolpix L310

Super zoom

$194 - $200
Size Smaller
Wide angle Slightly better wide angle
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Macro focus Much worse macro capability
Compare the Coolpix L310 vs the Coolpix P100

appearance

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Nikon Coolpix P100
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Nikon Coolpix P100
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Nikon Coolpix P100

discussion

Showing 8 comments

Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (4:36 PM, April 08, 2011)
If you want light and simple, you might consider the Panasonic ZS7, it packs 12x zoom into a small camera, and has great image quality and ease of use.

The super zoom cameras like the Canon SX30 and P100 are the biggest/heaviest cameras you can get (outside of DSLRs), and tend to be more advanced cameras too. But, they do have huge zoom.
 
RSF (11:34 AM, April 08, 2011)
Hi,

I'm trying to decide between Canon SX30 and Coolpix P100. I'm looking for ease of use (read idiot-friendly), easy to carry around. It got be light cause I don't like the dragging a ton of weight around my neck....and of course value for money.
 
Juanmanuelpulido (3:22 PM, April 03, 2011)
I have a P100. Is the best camera. Perhaps i miss the external flash. You can solve it!
 
Rick (6:17 AM, March 17, 2011)
I tried both cameras and settled on the Cannon. There were so many things i liked about the Nikon but I felt the Cannon had better picture quality and the sound was sooo much better when using the video option.
 
Rameshhrao (7:22 AM, December 28, 2010)
But type of Battery and Battery backup time comparison is missing! Snapshot should immediately give comaparison and update the above comparison table.
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (9:38 PM, October 12, 2010)
Fixed, thanks!
 
Avatar for Mark Feeney Mark Feeney (9:37 PM, October 12, 2010)
The bad price has been corrected. Thanks for letting us know.
 
Peter (6:49 AM, October 09, 2010)
The low price for the Canon, at megastore is fake. When you visit the shop it is not the same camera.