Updated (February, 2011): Compare the Nikon Coolpix P500 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A230

Nikon Coolpix P100

58

"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
Screen size
Large screen
3.0"
High-speed framerate
High speed movies
240 fps
Continuous shooting
Rapid fire
10 fps
Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Sensor type
CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Sony Alpha DSLR-A230

38

Reasons to buy the Sony Alpha DSLR-A230

Sensor size
Large sensor
APS-C 23.5x15.7mm
Badge
Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Thickness
Thin
2.7"
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Interchangeable lenses
Interchangeable lenses
Many lenses to choose from
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Pentamirror

differences

Advantages of the Nikon P100

Movie format Shoots movies 1080p @ 30fps vs None
Help
Shoots Full HD (1080p) video as well as still pictures
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 460k dots vs 230k dots
Help
2x higher resolution screen
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 10 fps vs 2.5 fps
Help
4x faster continuous shooting
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Nikon Coolpix P100 Learn more about
the Nikon P100

Advantages of the Sony DSLR-A230

Sensor size Much larger sensor APS-C 23.5x15.7mm vs 1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm
Help
Around 13x larger sensor
Interchangeable lenses Has interchangeable lenses Yes vs No
Help
Can take advantage of a variety of lenses
Supports RAW Shoots RAW Yes vs No
Help
Digitally develop your own photos with precise image control
Storage slots Has more storage slots 2 vs 1
Help
More slots allows storing more images without switching memory cards
Thickness Significantly thinner 2.7" vs 3.9"
Help
More than 30% thinner
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Size Slightly smaller 128x97x68 mm vs 114x83x99 mm
Help
Around 10% smaller
Viewfinder Has an optical viewfinder Pentamirror vs Digital
Help
Optical viewfinders save battery life and are more detailed
Fastest shutter speed Significantly faster max shutter speed 1/4000s vs 1/2000s
Help
2x faster max shutter speed
Longest exposure Longer exposures 30s vs 8s
Help
Around 4x longer exposures
Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 Learn more about
the Sony DSLR-A230
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digital cameras, and ignoring price

Nikon Coolpix P100 Nikon Coolpix P100
58 vs 38
Explain scores
Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 Sony Alpha DSLR-A230
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon Coolpix P100. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a super zoom with a entry-level DSLR.

advice

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votes
by Ali-Elhami last month
Nikon P500 vs Nikon P100

i wana use it in my travels and in parties, so i do not use it in profetional ways. i travel ...

similarities

Compared to recent digital cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Viewfinder Viewfinders Help
P100:Digital
DSLR-A230:Pentamirror
Thickness Quite thick Help
P100:3.9"
DSLR-A230:2.7"
Weight Heavy Help
P100:481 g
DSLR-A230:490 g
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Size Large Help
P100:114x83x99 mm
DSLR-A230:128x97x68 mm
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$300

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
Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$397 - $400

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
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $547 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Takes significantly higher resolution photos
Supports 24p Records movies in 24p
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1

Super zoom

$355

Image stabilization Has better image stabilization
Thickness Is thicker
True resolution Takes slightly lower resolution photos
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$544 - $949 body only

$649 - $867 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

Nikon Coolpix P100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $229

Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
Size Smaller
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Placeholder

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P150

Compact

Size Much smaller
Thickness Much thinner
Screen size Much smaller screen
Wide angle Much worse wide angle
Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Zoom Much more zoom
Supports 24p Supports 24p
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
Screen resolution Lower resolution screen
Nikon Coolpix P90

Nikon Coolpix P90

Super zoom

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

Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200

Entry-level DSLR

Storage slots Has fewer storage slots
Size Slightly larger
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$333 body only

$489 - $500 with 18-55mm lens

Autofocus Faster autofocus
Movie format Shoots movies
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Storage slots Has fewer storage slots
Sony Alpha DSLR-A290

Sony Alpha DSLR-A290

Entry-level DSLR

Autofocus Faster autofocus
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution
Size Larger
Thickness Thicker
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS

Entry-level DSLR

$348 - $595 body only

$439 with 18-55mm lens

Live view Has live view
Lens availability Significantly more lenses available
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Screen size Smaller screen
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$481 with 18-55mm lens

Autofocus Faster autofocus
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Image stabilization No image stabilization

appearance

Nikon Coolpix P100 Sony Alpha DSLR-A230
Nikon Coolpix P100 Sony Alpha DSLR-A230
Nikon Coolpix P100 Sony Alpha DSLR-A230

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