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

Nikon Coolpix P100

67

"Good high ISO performance"
digitalcamerareview.com | talking about the P100's iso-noise
"Materials, fit, and finish are typical for the class and price point."
digitalcamerareview.com | talking about the P100's build-quality

Reasons to buy the Nikon Coolpix P100

Movie format
Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Continuous shooting
Rapid fire
10 fps
Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Sensor type
CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Weight
Light-weight
481 g
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

66

"HD image quality is excellent and the stereo mics do a good job of picking up voices at distances of up to several metres."
cameralabs.com | talking about the SX30 IS's video-quality
"The PowerShot SX30 IS is a super-zoom truly worthy of the name. It will, without doubt, prove even more popular than its predecessors."
cameralabs.com | talking about the SX30 IS's overall-performance

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Zoom
Great zoom
35x
Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
External flash
External flash
Better lighting
Fastest shutter speed
Fast shutter speed
1/3200 of a second

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX30 IS

Zoom Much 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
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
An external flash often produces better looking flash images
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)
Macro focus Better macro capability 0 cm vs 1 cm
Help
Almost the same
Fastest shutter speed Significantly 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

Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
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
Size Smaller 114x83x99 mm vs 123x92x108 mm
Help
More than 20% smaller
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 601 g
Help
Around 20% lighter
Thickness Thinner 3.9" vs 4.3"
Help
Around 10% thinner
Shutter lag Slightly less shutter lag 190 ms vs 320 ms
Help
More than 40% less delay when taking photos
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
66 vs 67
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.

advice

Need help deciding?

Ask the community!

I am considering either the Canon SX30 IS or the Nikon P100,
For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

Select aspects that are most important to you: (max 3)

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Zoom Incredible zoom Help
SX30 IS:35x
P100:26.1x
Screen flips out Flip-out screens Help
Great for movies
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
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX30 IS:4.3"
P100:3.9"
Weight Heavy Help
SX30 IS:601 g
P100:481 g
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Size Large Help
SX30 IS:123x92x108 mm
P100:114x83x99 mm
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons

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

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Supports 24p Records movies in 24p
Lowest price Is slightly less expensive
Weight Is slightly heavier
Size Is slightly larger
Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$300

Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
Lowest price Is slightly less expensive
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Aperture Has a significantly narrower aperture
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Super zoom

$409

Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
GPS Has a built-in GPS
Weight Is slightly heavier
Wide angle Has a significantly narrower wide angle lens
Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$397 - $400

Zoom Has much more zoom
Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Weight Is slightly heavier
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $229

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
Fujifilm FinePix HS10

Fujifilm FinePix HS10

Super zoom

$569

High-speed framerate Records even higher-speed movies
Light sensitivity Significantly higher maximum light sensitivity
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Super zoom

$742

Lowest price Is much more expensive
Weight Is slightly heavier

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS20

Super zoom

$299 - $335

Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Zoom Significantly less zoom
Size Larger
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Super zoom

$611

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Zoom Much less zoom
Wide angle Worse wide angle

Nikon Coolpix P100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1

Super zoom

$355

Image stabilization Better image stabilization
Size Slightly smaller
True resolution Much lower true resolution
Zoom Less zoom
Placeholder

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P150

Compact

Size Much smaller
Sensor size Much larger sensor
Wide angle Much worse wide angle
Screen size Much smaller screen
Nikon Coolpix P90

Nikon Coolpix P90

Super zoom

Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity
Image stabilization Better image stabilization
Movie format Lower resolution movies
High-speed framerate Doesn't record high-speed movies

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.