Nikon Coolpix A900 vs. Samsung WB350F: A Hands-On Comparison of Two Small-Sensor Superzoom Compacts

Choosing the right superzoom compact camera can be a tricky proposition. These models promise versatile focal lengths packed into a pocketable form but often require compromises in image quality, speed, or features. Today, we’re diving deep into two such cameras popular in the affordable superzoom segment: the Nikon Coolpix A900, announced in early 2016, and the Samsung WB350F, released back in 2014. Both are compact cameras with fixed superzoom lenses, 1/2.3” BSI-CMOS sensors, and aimed at enthusiasts needing an all-in-one travel buddy without carrying heavy interchangeable lenses.

Over the years, I’ve tested hundreds of compact cameras in similar categories, so I’m bringing my experience across various shooting conditions - from quick wildlife bursts to posed portraits and challenging night scenes - to give you an authoritative side-by-side comparison. Let’s explore their design, handling, image quality, autofocus, video capabilities, and evaluate what kind of photographer each one suits best.

Size, Handling, and Ergonomics: Comfort Meets Control

If you often find yourself fumbling with your camera while trying to catch a fleeting moment, ergonomics matter a lot. Neither the Nikon A900 nor the Samsung WB350F steps into DSLR-style ergonomics territory - they’re true compact cameras - but nuances in their size and handling influence real-world usability.

The Nikon A900 measures 113 x 67 x 40 mm and weighs 289 grams with battery, while the Samsung WB350F is slightly slimmer at 114 x 65 x 25 mm and lighter at 276 grams. The Samsung’s thinner profile definitely benefits pocketability but at the cost of a somewhat flatter grip area. The A900’s thicker body allows for a more pronounced grip bump, improving hold stability during longer shoots.

Switching between the two, I noticed the Nikon felt more substantial and confident in the hand, especially when zooming in at the far telephoto end - an area where steadiness is critical. The Samsung, while light to carry, tends to invite a finger slip or requires additional stabilization.

The Nikon’s buttons feel more tactile and deliberate, likely reflecting a slightly newer design philosophy. The Samsung relies more on the touchscreen for crucial controls, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on your preference - more on that soon.

Top-Side Design and Control Layout: How We Interact Matters

Good physical controls and a thoughtfully designed layout can accelerate your workflow and minimize missed shots. Here’s how these two compacts stack up.

The A900 leaves no doubt that it targets users expecting manual control, offering dedicated dials and buttons for exposure compensation, mode selection, and playback, plus a well-positioned zoom rocker on the shutter button. The built-in flash deploys via a button rather than a manual toggle.

In contrast, the WB350F is more minimalistic. It provides manual focus rings and exposure compensation but misses some tactile controls that I personally find valuable - exposure mode toggling requires menu navigation. Its touchscreen is responsive but the fixed 3-inch LCD has a lower resolution, which affects preview clarity.

For photographers used to quick in-camera adjustments without shooting through a menu maze, the Nikon offers greater efficiency. But casual shooters or those comfortable with touchscreen interfaces might appreciate Samsung’s cleaner top plate.

Sensor Details and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras feature a small 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor, the usual size for compact superzooms. This sensor size inherently limits low-light performance and dynamic range compared to larger APS-C or full-frame sensors, but the implementation differs slightly, impacting image sharpness and noise.

The Nikon A900 boasts a 20-megapixel sensor, while the Samsung WB350F has a slightly lower 16-megapixel count. Despite the difference, pixel density is similarly high, and neither camera supports RAW capture, meaning image processing is largely locked into their JPEG engines.

Through side-by-side testing in well-lit and indoor conditions, the Nikon produces slightly sharper images with better color accuracy - likely aided by improvements in sensor circuitry and image processing over time. Samsung images tend to have a bit more softness and less punch in colors unless manually boosted in camera profiles.

When ISO sensitivity climbs, both cameras reveal sensor limitations, but the Nikon’s BSI technology gives it a modest edge, maintaining cleaner shadows and less aggressive noise reduction artifacts up to ISO 800. Beyond that, significant grain and detail loss kick in for both.

In landscape scenarios, the A900’s 5184 x 3888 resolution gives it a slight advantage for medium prints, but even here sensor size constrains ultimate dynamic range - bright highlights clip easily, and shadows contain less recoverable detail.

For casual sharing or social media, both cameras deliver respectable image quality, but serious enthusiasts or professionals will immediately notice the image processing compromises inherent in this sensor class.

LCD Screen and Interface Usability: Seeing and Controlling Your Shot

Since neither camera sports an electronic viewfinder, most composition happens via the LCD screen, raising the stakes for display quality and interface intuitiveness.

The Nikon A900 provides a 3-inch tilting LCD with a sharp 921k-dot resolution, which enhances framing flexibility - especially useful low or high angle shots - and gives clear image previews. The screen’s responsiveness is excellent, though it lacks touchscreen capability, leaving navigation to physical buttons.

The WB350F also has a 3-inch display but with much lower 460k-dot resolution, fixed in place, and it does offer touchscreen input. While the touchscreen simplifies menu navigation for beginners and supports tap-to-focus, the lower resolution combined with fixed angle curtails framing flexibility and preview clarity.

In practical field use, I found myself appreciating the sharpness of the A900’s screen much more, as it aids in critical focusing and verifying exposure. The tilting screen also makes travel shooting more comfortable, a plus for vloggers or those documenting at awkward heights.

Autofocus Systems and Performance: Speed and Precision Matter

For many photographers, autofocus (AF) performance can make or break a camera’s usability. Small-sensor compacts typically rely on contrast-detection AF, which is slower and less reliable than phase-detection systems found on DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

The Nikon A900 employs a contrast-detect AF system with face detection and some continuous AF tracking, helpful for subjects moving unpredictably. It has several AF modes - single, continuous, tracking, and center point - which lend some versatility.

The Samsung WB350F also uses contrast-detection AF but lacks continuous tracking or face detection support, relying primarily on single AF point focusing.

During testing, the Nikon’s AF system was noticeably quicker to lock focus in bright conditions and managed continuous subject tracking well for casual wildlife or street photography. The WB350F, in turn, felt sluggish and less confident, especially under low light or with moving subjects, leading to more missed or soft-focus shots.

Neither camera’s AF excels in fast-paced sports photography, but Nikon’s advantage here is clear and would better suit anyone chasing moderate action or wildlife.

Zoom Range and Lens Characteristics: Versatility in the Field

Superzoom cameras sell their extensive focal range as a primary feature, so let’s compare these cameras’ lens specs.

The Nikon A900 sports an impressive 24-840mm equivalent zoom (35x optical zoom) with a variable aperture from f/3.4 at wide to f/6.9 at telephoto.

The Samsung WB350F offers a 23-483mm range (21x optical zoom) with a brighter aperture range of f/2.8-5.9.

Nikon A900 front Nikon A900 screen back Samsung WB350F front Samsung WB350F screen back

The A900’s extensive zoom range allows photographers to shoot everything from wide-angle landscapes and portraits to distant wildlife or sports. However, image quality at the extreme telephoto end suffers from softness and chromatic aberrations - typical sacrifices in these ultra-zoom setups.

Samsung’s shorter zoom range restricts tight framing options but starts with a brighter wide aperture better suited for low light and shallow depth of field effects. The overall image throughout zoom steps remains quite consistent, with less degradation at the long end compared to Nikon’s massive zoom push.

Interestingly, Nikon’s 1 cm macro focus capability enables close-up photography with pronounced detail, while Samsung lacks a specified macro range, limiting its versatility in that domain.

Ultimately, Nikon’s zoom gives unmatched reach for travel or wildlife, while Samsung promises slightly better optics for everyday shooting with moderate zoom needs.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Speed: Capturing the Decisive Moment

For photographers chasing action - children, pets, sports - the ability to shoot multiple frames quickly is indispensable.

The Nikon A900 offers a respectable 7 fps continuous shooting, relatively fast for this class, paired with shutter speeds spanning 8s to 1/4000s. This allows deliberate long exposure experimentation and freezing fast-moving subjects.

Samsung’s slower max shutter speed of 1/2000s and lack of a continuous burst rate (not specified) limit its utility for fast action or long exposure creativity.

In field tests, the Nikon handled rapid bursts smoothly in daylight, capturing sequences well. Samsung’s intermittent focusing and slower frame capture resulted in missed moments.

Video Capabilities: Beyond Still Images

Video capture increasingly factors into camera purchases. Let’s examine each model’s offerings.

The Nikon A900 supports 4K UHD video recording at 30p and 25p, as well as Full HD at 60p and below, using MPEG-4/H.264 codecs. It includes optical image stabilization for steady handheld video but lacks microphone or headphone jacks, restricting audio control.

The Samsung WB350F shoots up to Full HD 1080p only, without any 4K support, and employs similar video compression standards.

While neither camera caters specifically to videographers, Nikon’s 4K video option is a clear advantage for casual video creators wanting sharper footage or extracting still frames from video - though it doesn't have advanced audio features or in-body stabilization modes seen on modern hybrids.

Battery Life and Storage: Practical Realities

I’ve always found battery longevity to be a practical dealbreaker during extended shoots or travel.

The Nikon A900 uses an EN-EL12 rechargeable battery rated for approximately 300 shots per charge, a modest performance requiring carrying spares.

Samsung’s battery details aren’t widely published but likely provide similar endurance, supported by MicroSD storage options, contrasting Nikon’s full-size SD cards.

Note that the Nikon supports SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, while Samsung uses MicroSD variants - which may be less convenient for transferring cards between devices.

Connectivity and Wireless Features: Sharing Made Simple?

Wireless features are now baseline expectations for instant sharing and remote control.

Nikon A900 integrates built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity, facilitating pairing with smartphones or tablets for remote shooting and image transfer.

Samsung WB350F offers NFC and Wi-Fi but lacks Bluetooth, a limitation for stable, low-energy connections.

Nikon’s more modern wireless stack reflects advancements in mobile integration since Samsung’s 2014 release.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Durability in the Field

Neither camera attempts environmental sealing, dustproofing, or freezeproofing. Both are aimed at casual shooters rather than rugged professionals.

The Nikon’s slightly chunkier body conveys a sense of robustness, but neither withstands harsh elements without added protection.

Overall Performance Scores and Genre-Specific Evaluations

Finally, let’s put quantitative context around their performance across photography types.

The Nikon A900 scores noticeably higher in autofocus speed, zoom range, image quality, and video.

• Portraits: Nikon’s superior face detection and sharper output give it an edge for flattering skin tones and eye sharpness.
• Landscape: Both limited by sensor size, Nikon’s higher resolution and tilting screen aid composition and detail.
• Wildlife: Nikon’s longer zoom and faster AF make it markedly better.
• Sports: Neither excels, but Nikon’s burst speed is a plus.
• Street: Samsung’s slimmer design appeals, but Nikon’s screen and controls improve versatility.
• Macro: Nikon with 1 cm focus pulls ahead.
• Night/Astro: Both constrained, Nikon’s noise handling offers mild advantage.
• Video: Nikon wins on 4K and stabilization.
• Travel: Nikon’s zoom and display triumph despite slightly larger size.
• Professional Work: Neither replaces rugged pro gear, but Nikon’s versatility and wireless features suit casual professional tasks.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Fits Your Needs?

Both the Nikon Coolpix A900 and Samsung WB350F cater to photographers seeking compact superzoom convenience but approach the concept with different emphases.

Choose the Nikon A900 if you:

• Prioritize zoom reach (up to 840mm) for travel, wildlife, or sports casual shooting
• Appreciate manual controls and need exposure mode flexibility
• Desire 4K video and modern connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth)
• Want a tilting high-resolution screen for varied shooting angles
• Value a camera that performs better in autofocus and burst shooting

Opt for the Samsung WB350F if you:

• Seek a very pocketable, slim camera for general day-to-day photography
• Prefer touchscreen interfaces and a brighter lens for better wide-angle low-light snapshots
• Are on a tighter budget (lower price point)
• Don’t require advanced video or high telephoto reach

In essence, Nikon’s A900 feels like a mature, feature-rich compact offering more creative freedom and better technical performance, while Samsung’s WB350F compensates with simplicity, slimness, and ease of use.

For beginners venturing into superzoom photography or casual travel snappers, Samsung may suffice. For enthusiasts wanting a solid all-rounder with extra reach, sharper images, and future-proofed connectivity, Nikon A900 is the smarter buy.

As always, hands-on testing remains invaluable. I encourage readers to handle each camera personally if possible, inspecting how controls feel and how images meet your creative vision. Superzoom compacts form a versatile, if niche, photographic tool - these two models occupy distinct points on that continuum.

Whether chasing birds at the park, capturing architectural details in cities, or recording family moments, understanding each camera’s strengths and limitations ensures you get gear that supports your story - not complicates it.

Happy shooting!