Nikon Coolpix A1000 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC HX99 — Which Is Better?

The Nikon Coolpix A1000 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC HX99 are fixed-lens compacts built around 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensors. The Sony arrived in 2018 and the Nikon a year later in 2019, so they are close contemporaries.

Their size and weight are the practical split. The HX99 measures 102 x 58 x 36 mm and weighs 242 g, while the A1000 is larger at 114 x 72 x 41 mm and 330 g. The Sony is the smaller and lighter camera to carry.

For composing in bright light, the HX99 is the stronger choice, offering an electronic viewfinder with about 2.36 million dots while the A1000 has none. You can then frame shots at eye level on a sunny beach instead of squinting at the rear screen.

Resolution favours the Sony, 18 MP against the A1000's 16 MP, giving more pixels for cropping a distant bird. The Nikon counters with a 1/4000 second top shutter against 1/2000 for shorter daylight exposures, plus 16 autofocus points against the Sony's 9. Both shoot at 10 fps and offer in-body stabilisation.

For slowing fast action such as a cyclist sprinting past, the HX99 has the higher maximum video frame rate, 60 fps against 30 fps on the A1000. Both record 4K video, so the maximum resolution is shared.

The Nikon is the better choice for timelapse, with built-in interval shooting for scenes like clouds crossing a coastline, which the HX99 lacks. File formats also differ, Sony XAVC S against Nikon MPEG-4 and MOV, which matters for matching your editing workflow.

The A1000 has the sharper rear display for checking focus and detail, with 921,000 dots against 638,400 on the HX99. Both are 3-inch TFT LCDs with touch control and articulation, so low-angle and waist-level shots compose the same way.

Their everyday convenience features match closely. Both have a built-in flash for dim interiors, Wi-Fi for transferring photos to a phone, and live view. Neither offers GPS for geotagging travel photos, weather sealing for rain, or an external flash shoe.

The HX99 holds the rated battery advantage, with 370 shots per charge against 250 for the A1000, a 120-shot difference. Each camera uses its own proprietary pack, the Sony NP-BX1 and the Nikon EN-EL12.

The A1000 supports USB charging, handy for topping up from a laptop or power bank, while the HX99 does not. Both accept SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in a single slot, and the Sony additionally takes Memory Stick Duo media.