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Nikon

COOLPIX P950

83x super-telephoto bridge camera with a 24-2000mm equivalent lens, 16MP CMOS sensor, RAW, and 4K UHD video.

$799

Launch price

Released Jan 2020

vs
Alpha 7 IV

Sony

Alpha 7 IV

33MP hybrid all-rounder with 10-bit 4K 60p and AI-powered subject tracking.

$2,499

Launch price

Released Oct 2021

Alpha 7 IV is 1.8 years newer.

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Wins

1categories

COOLPIX P950

Sports & Action

Wins

8categories

Alpha 7 IV

PortraitWildlife

1 categories tied

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

COOLPIX P950 wins 1 categories·Alpha 7 IV wins 4 categories
  • BAlpha 7 IV has higher ISO max (native) (51,200 vs 1,600)
  • ACOOLPIX P950 has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 10 fps)
  • BAlpha 7 IV has higher Resolution (33 MP vs 16 MP)
  • BAlpha 7 IV has higher 4K max frame rate (60 fps vs 30 fps)
  • BAlpha 7 IV has higher Battery life (CIPA) (580 shots vs 290 shots)

Key specs at a glance

COOLPIX P950Alpha 7 IV
Resolution16 MP33 MP
Sensor1/2.3 in.Full Frame
ISO max1,60051,200
Burst120 fps10 fps
4K30 fps60 fps
IBISNo5.5-stop
Weight1005 g658 g
Battery290 shots580 shots

Size and weight, to scale

COOLPIX P950

140 × 110 × 150 mm

1005 g (2.22 lb / 35.45 oz)

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

for scale

Alpha 7 IV front view

Alpha 7 IV

131 × 96 × 80 mm

658 g (1.45 lb / 23.21 oz)

COOLPIX P950 is 9mm wider, 13mm taller, and 70mm thicker than Alpha 7 IV.

COOLPIX P950 is 347 g heavier than Alpha 7 IV.

Depth (front-to-back): 150mm COOLPIX P950 · 80mm Alpha 7 IV

Back view, to scale

Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.

COOLPIX P950

140 × 110 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

Alpha 7 IV back view

Alpha 7 IV

131 × 96 mm

Top view, to scale

Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.

COOLPIX P950

140 × 150 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

Alpha 7 IV top view

Alpha 7 IV

131 × 80 mm

Sensor size, to scale

Alpha 7 IV

35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame

858 mm² area

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

COOLPIX P950: mount data unavailable

Alpha 7 IV

✓ more lenses

Sony E

350+

native lenses available

80 first-party270 third-party

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseCOOLPIX P950Alpha 7 IV
Portrait
1.0Limited
9.0Excellent✓ wins
Sports & Action
6.5Good
6.5Good
Video & Hybrid
2.0Limited
7.5Good✓ wins
Landscape
0.0Limited
7.5Good✓ wins
Travel
1.0Limited
7.0Good✓ wins
Wildlife
4.0Fair
8.0Excellent✓ wins
Vlogging
0.5Limited
8.0Excellent✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

COOLPIX P950

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Face priority, Subject tracking, Target Finding AF

  • Codecs

    Adds H.264/AVC

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 140.2, 109.6, 149.8

  • Card types

    Adds SD / SDHC / SDXC

  • Burst (electronic)

    120 fps vs 10 fps — higher is better

  • Pre-Capture / Pre-Release

    Only COOLPIX P950 supports it

Reasons to choose

Alpha 7 IV

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Human, Animal, Bird…

  • Codecs

    Adds XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I…

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 131.3, 96.4, 79.8

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type A, SD UHS-II

  • ISO max (native)

    51,200 vs 1,600 — higher is better

  • Resolution

    33 MP vs 16 MP — higher is better

  • Eye AF

    Only Alpha 7 IV supports it

  • Animal / bird AF

    Only Alpha 7 IV supports it

Both cameras share

  • AA filterBoth support aa filter
  • ISO min (native)Both 100
  • Wi-FiBoth support wi-fi
  • BluetoothBoth support bluetooth

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

COOLPIX P950

Pros

  • 83x 24-2000mm optical zoom
  • 4K UHD video
  • RAW still support
  • OLED EVF

Cons

  • Small 1/2.3-inch sensor
  • Bulky bridge body
  • Contrast-detect AF only

Alpha 7 IV

Pros

  • 33MP — more detail for cropping and print
  • 10-bit 4K 60p (Super35 crop) / 4K 30p full-frame
  • Full-size HDMI port
  • 759 phase-detect AF points

Cons

  • 4K 60p requires Super35 crop
  • 10fps burst lags behind R6 II at 40fps
  • Complex menu system

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the COOLPIX P950 and Alpha 7 IV at major authorized retailers.

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Full specifications

= category winner

COOLPIX P950
Alpha 7 IV
Resolution
16 MP
33 MP2.1× more
Sensor type
1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS
Full Frame Exmor R CMOS
Sensor size
1/2.3 in.
35.9 × 23.9 mm
AA filter
Yes
Yes
COOLPIX P950
Alpha 7 IV
Aperture
f/2.8-6.5
COOLPIX P950
Alpha 7 IV
Processor
EXPEED image processor
BIONZ XR
COOLPIX P950
Alpha 7 IV
ISO min (native)
100
100
ISO max (native)
1,600
51,200+5 stops
ISO max (expanded)
6,400
204,800
COOLPIX P950
Alpha 7 IV
Shutter type
Mechanical + CMOS electronic
Mechanical + Electronic
Max mechanical speed
1/4000 sec
1/8000 sec
Max electronic speed
1/8000 sec
1/8000 sec

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for portraits, COOLPIX P950 or Alpha 7 IV?

Alpha 7 IV scores 9.0/10 versus 1.0/10 for COOLPIX P950 — 33MP — ample resolution for portraits.

What's the resolution difference between the COOLPIX P950 and Alpha 7 IV?

COOLPIX P950 is 16 MP and Alpha 7 IV is 33 MP, so the Alpha 7 IV captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the COOLPIX P950 and Alpha 7 IV have in-body image stabilization?

COOLPIX P950 uses Lens-shift VR; lens-shift + electronic VR for movies (electronic), while Alpha 7 IV has 5.5-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the COOLPIX P950 or the Alpha 7 IV?

COOLPIX P950 reaches 120 fps electronic. Alpha 7 IV reaches 10 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the COOLPIX P950 and Alpha 7 IV?

COOLPIX P950 weighs 1005 g and Alpha 7 IV weighs 658 g, so the Alpha 7 IV is 347 g lighter.

Do the COOLPIX P950 and Alpha 7 IV record 4K video?

COOLPIX P950: 4K up to 30p. Alpha 7 IV: 4K up to 60p.

Are the COOLPIX P950 and Alpha 7 IV weather sealed?

COOLPIX P950: No. Alpha 7 IV: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 290 shots (CIPA) for the COOLPIX P950 and 580 shots for the Alpha 7 IV, giving the Alpha 7 IV the edge.

How much does each cost?

COOLPIX P950 launched at $799 and Alpha 7 IV at $2,499. The COOLPIX P950 is $1,700 less.

Can't decide between two? Compare a third camera.

Add any camera to get a three-way COOLPIX P950 vs Alpha 7 IV vs X comparison.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed July 2026.

Product images courtesy of Nikon and Sony press materials.