Upgrade Guide
Nikon Coolpix P520→Nikon Coolpix P950
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the Coolpix P520. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the Coolpix P950
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Battery life~290 shots (CIPA) vs ~200 shots (CIPA)
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Generation7 years newer (2020 vs 2013)
Unchanged or similar
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ResolutionSimilar (16MP)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | Coolpix P520 | Coolpix P950 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.4 | ||
| Street | -0.7 | ||
| Travel | -0.9 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.9 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +0.2 | ||
| Documentary | +1.0 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.2 | ||
| Landscape | -0.2 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.1 | ||
| Casual | -0.5 | ||
| Food | — | ||
| Macro | -0.1 | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.6 | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Coolpix P520 | Coolpix P950 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £79 used | £434 used | |
| Released | 2013 | 2020 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 18MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS | 16MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS | |
| Resolution | 18MP | 16MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30 (1080/60i) | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/60 | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF with face detection and target tracking | Contrast-detect AF with face detection and target tracking | |
| Stabilisation | Lens-shift VR (optical, in the lens) | Lens-shift VR (optical, in the lens) | |
| Burst Rate | 7fps | 7fps | |
| Battery Life | ~200 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 550g (with battery) | 1005g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 0.2", 201k dots | OLED EVF, 0.39", 2.36M dots | |
| Screen | 3.2" vari-angle LCD, 921k dots | 3.2" vari-angle LCD, 921k dots | |
| Mount | Fixed 42x Nikkor 24-1000mm equivalent f/3-5.9 | Fixed 83x Nikkor 24-2000mm equivalent f/2.8-6.5 | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See Coolpix P520 and Coolpix P950 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the Coolpix P950 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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