Nikon B700 vs Sony HX50V: A Hands-On Comparison of Two Small Sensor Superzoom Cameras

As someone who has tested thousands of cameras over the last 15 years - from niche mirrorless models to rugged DSLRs - I’ve had my fair share of experiences with superzoom bridge cameras. These compact yet versatile tools intrigue many photographers wanting an all-in-one solution that goes from wide-angle landscapes to extreme telephoto wildlife shots without fuss.

Today, I’m diving deep into two popular small sensor superzooms: the Nikon Coolpix B700 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V. Both share a sensor size (1/2.3"), similar resolution, and a superzoom pedigree but differ significantly in design, features, and shooting capabilities. Through hands-on tests across different photography styles, I’ll unpack their real-world performance and camera ergonomics while tacking their technical strengths and caveats.

If you’re an enthusiast or professional weighing these two as your next travel companion, wildlife shooter, or everyday all-rounder, this comparison is tailored to hit every important note - fair and square.

Size, Handling, and Ergonomics: Who Feels Better in the Hand?

Taking cameras into the field multiple times a week immediately reveals how ergonomics affect not just comfort but also image steadiness and shooting agility. On paper, the Nikon B700 sits closer to a “bridge” or SLR-like body type, whereas the Sony HX50V opts for a more compact, pocketable shape.

The Nikon B700’s grip is chunky and pronounced compared to the slim Sony HX50V, which fits comfortably in one hand or jacket pocket.

In my experience, the Nikon B700’s 565g weight and substantial grip make it well-balanced for telephoto shooting, especially when manually focusing or holding the camera still during wildlife sessions. The thumb naturally rests near the control dial, reducing hand fatigue on extended outings. The flared lens barrel adds to balance but ups the bulk.

Conversely, the HX50V is featherlight at 272g and slim, making it a breeze to carry all day or slip into a jacket pocket on urban walks or vacations. However, the small fixed lens and minimal grip can feel less secure when zoomed in at 720mm equivalent - you’ll definitely want to brace your arms or use a strap wrist loop.

Control Layout and Interface

Ergonomics extend beyond shape into button placement and control layout, which shape your interaction speed and intuitive shooting.

The Nikon B700’s controls are spaced out and prominent, while the Sony HX50V’s compact size leads to a more clustered but finesse-oriented design.

The B700 offers dedicated buttons for exposure compensation, playback, and quick access to zoom and ISO settings, complemented by a multi-selector to swiftly navigate menus. The electronic viewfinder is bright with 921k-dot resolution, which I appreciated outdoors for framing stability.

Sony’s HX50V, on the other hand, uses a simplified control scheme befitting its compact form. The lack of a built-in viewfinder (optional external EVF accessory available) requires relying on the rear LCD, which can challenge bright sunlight shooting.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Similar Specs, Different Realities

Both cameras sport a 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor sized approximately 6.17 x 4.55 mm with 20-megapixel resolution. This size is common among superzooms and point-and-shoots, designed to cram decent resolution into small form while keeping costs and dimensions down.

The sensor size of 1/2.3" limits light gathering compared to APS-C or full-frame, impacting noise and dynamic range.

Despite identical sensor sizes and megapixels, I noted clear variations in image processing and dynamic range rendering between the two cameras.

Nikon’s B700 benefits from newer image processing algorithms introduced in 2016, yielding punchier colors and cleaner images at mid ISO settings (100–800). The B700 maintains usable detail and modest noise levels up to ISO 1600. Conversely, the Sony HX50V’s older processor (from 2013) produces more muted colors with a slight tendency toward shadows clipping in challenging light. Noise is more pronounced beyond ISO 800, limiting its low-light potential.

RAW & JPEG Output

If you crave maximum post-processing flexibility, the Nikon B700 impresses with RAW shooting support, a real edge in this class. By shooting RAW, I could pull back shadow detail and correct white balance effectively, something impossible with Sony HX50V’s JPEG-only output.

The B700’s built-in anti-aliasing filter helps avoid moiré at the expense of razor-sharp detail, a trade-off typical for compact sensors.

Portraits to Telephoto Wildlife: Autofocus and Optical Performance

I often test cameras across a spectrum of genres, and autofocus (AF) capabilities are critical - especially when capturing fleeting moments in portraiture, wildlife, or sports.

Autofocus Systems Compared

While both rely on contrast-detection AF, their AF implementations differ.

The Nikon B700 offers fully manual focus, single and continuous AF modes, and face detection. One standout: multi-area AF with tracking. This meant, during wildlife sessions, the camera remained locked on moving birds better than the Sony. It’s not speedy by professional standards, but reliable for a superzoom.

The Sony HX50V disappoints somewhat on AF speed and adaptability. Its autofocus is limited to single AF with tracking and multi-area AF, lacking continuous AF during burst modes, restricting its sports and wildlife use. Face detection works well in good light but can struggle in shadows.

Lens Reach and Optical Quality

Nikon B700 front Nikon B700 screen back Sony HX50V front Sony HX50V screen back

The Nikons’s lens spans an extraordinary 24-1440mm equivalent (60x zoom) with a max aperture ranging from f/3.3 to f/6.5. This unrivaled zoom length lets me isolate distant subjects like birds on treetops or details on city skylines without a teleconverter or lens swap. Sharpness holds up surprisingly well through the mid-telephoto range; however, at max zoom, diffraction and lens limitations soften images slightly.

The Sony’s lens is shorter at 24-720mm (30x zoom) with f/3.5 to f/6.3. This lens is optically excellent for its class, delivering sharper images than expected at shorter focal lengths with less evident chromatic aberration. It excels for portraits with modest background separation and general purpose shooting but obviously cannot compete with Nikon’s extreme telephoto reach.

Macro performance also favors the Nikon (focusing down to 1 cm vs Sony’s 5 cm), allowing more creative close-up shots with intricate detail.

Viewing, LCD, and EVF: Framing Your Shots

With superzoom cameras often relied on for travel and dynamic shooting, viewing options matter.

Nikon’s fully articulated screen facilitates creative angles and selfies, while Sony’s fixed LCD is ideal for straightforward shooting.

Nikon B700 sports a fully articulated 3-inch LCD screen with 921k dot resolution, excellent for waist-level shooting or difficult angles. The articulated LCD responds well under sunlight and enables photographers to shoot selfies - a feature I found genuinely handy on family trips.

Sony’s HX50V uses a fixed XtraFine 3-inch LCD with the same resolution, which boasts vivid colors and fine detail but lacks articulation, limiting creative framing. The absence of a built-in EVF is a drawback if you prefer shooting with your eye to the camera in bright environments. Sony offers an optional external EVF accessory, adding to cost and bulk.

Burst Rates and Video Capabilities: Capturing Motion and Memories

If you’re into sports, wildlife, or family events, burst shooting speed and video features matter.

The Sony HX50V boasts 10 fps continuous shooting, which is impressively fast for this class - great for capturing action sequences. Unfortunately, continuous AF doesn’t work during bursts, so locking focus prior to shooting is necessary. Nikon’s B700 offers a more modest 5 fps burst, but with continuous AF mode available, arguably providing more reliable focus tracking on moving subjects.

Video-wise, the Nikon B700 shines with 4K UHD recording up to 30p, arguably its killer feature in this class. It also supports timelapse recording and has a built-in stereo microphone (though lacks external mic input). The Sony HX50V maxes out at Full HD 1080p at 60fps, offering smooth video but lacking 4K and timelapse. Both cameras lack headphone ports, limiting audio monitoring.

Connectivity, Storage, and Power: Staying Connected and Shooting Longer

Wireless connectivity nowadays is essential for quick photo sharing and camera control remotely.

Nikon includes built-in WiFi, NFC, and Bluetooth, making transferring images to smartphones or tablets seamless. This proved practical during my travels when quick sharing was necessary.

Sony HX50V has built-in GPS but lacks Bluetooth and NFC, slightly limiting wireless workflows. It does support a broader array of media including Memory Stick formats along with SD cards, which may interest existing Sony users.

Battery life-wise, the Sony HX50V slightly edges out the Nikon B700: 400 shots per charge vs 350. The Sony’s small NP-BX1 battery helps keep weight down but may require spares on longer trips.

Durability and Build Quality: Weather-Sealing and Robustness

Neither camera offers weather sealing or rugged construction, so neither is ideal for harsh environments without protective gear. The Nikon’s SLR-like body feels more robust in hand but both should be treated with care to avoid dust or moisture damage.

Value, Pricing, and Who Should Buy Which?

At current prices hovering around $440 for the Sony HX50V and about $500 for the Nikon B700, both are affordable superzooms, though neither represents best-in-class image quality compared to more recent mirrorless or DSLR competitors.

Breaking down suitability:

Examining Genre-Specific Performance Across Photography Types

To flesh out their real-world strengths and weaknesses across photography genres, I mapped their scores and key attributes:

• Portraits: Nikon’s RAW output and articulation aid advanced portrait shooters; Sony’s smaller lens aperture constrains bokeh.
• Landscape: Both offer decent resolution, but Nikon’s broader zoom range excels for framing distant vistas.
• Wildlife: Nikon’s continuous AF and zoom reach dominate.
• Sports: Sony’s rapid burst rates are beneficial, but AF limitations constrain fast subject tracking.
• Street: Sony’s compact size and quiet operation win for discrete street shooting.
• Macro: Nikon’s 1cm macro focus distance delivers finer close-ups.
• Night/Astro: Both limited by sensor size; Nikon slightly better at high ISOs.
• Video: Nikon supports 4K; Sony capped at HD.
• Travel: Sony’s lightweight form factor and battery life take the lead.
• Professional Use: Neither replaces professional-grade cameras, but Nikon’s RAW and 4K video offer more integration potential.

Final Thoughts and Buying Advice From My Field Tests

After spending extensive time shooting with both in diverse lighting conditions, subject matter, and environments, these two superzooms appeal to different types of photographers.

The Nikon Coolpix B700 is the clear choice if you crave maximum zoom reach, better autofocus tracking, and modern video capabilities. Its RAW support opens doors for advanced editing, and the articulated LCD increases creativity. It feels like a versatile “all-in-one” for wildlife, travel, casual portraits, and emerging video work.

Conversely, the Sony HX50V shines as a super-compact, rapid-fire hiking or urban exploration camera. Its 10 fps burst is surprisingly good in this category, and the built-in GPS is handy for geo-tagging your images on the fly. It lacks RAW and 4K, which somewhat caps its longevity for serious enthusiasts, but for casual shooters prioritizing portability, it’s a solid pick.

If you find yourself torn, consider what matters most in your photography:

• Big reach and 4K video? Go Nikon B700.
• Lightweight with bursts and GPS? Sony HX50V fits better.

Either way, these cameras represent practical superzoom solutions with distinct personalities to match various shooting styles and travel needs.

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Nikon or Sony. All testing was independently performed using standardized evaluation setups and real-world photo excursions.

I hope this detailed comparison helps you make the right choice. Feel free to reach out with questions - I’m always eager to hear about your own shooting experiences with these or other bridge cameras. Happy shooting!