Head to Head: Pentax X90 vs. Nikon Coolpix P100

Which type of shopper are you? Will you pay a little more for something tricked out with extra features, or spend a little less on something that covers all the basics? That's the debate you might face choosing between two 26x ultrazooms - the gets-the-job-done Pentax X90 and the feature-packed Nikon Coolpix P100.

Both cameras are equipped with big zoom lenses covering roughly the same focal range. Will the heavyweight P100 knock the X90 out of the ring with its range of video recording capabilities? Or does the X90 cover all its bases with a smaller price tag? Read on.

Sophistication and Style
In terms of style, the X90 and the P100 are incredibly similar in their DSLR-esque form factors. They've got texturized handgrips and minimally intrusive branding, excluding a big "26x Optical Zoom" badge on the side of each camera's lens. Both models are very light on style updates from their respective predecessors, the Pentax X70 and the Coolpix P90.

Taking a closer look at the back panel, you could argue that the P100's control layout aesthetic is a little bit more restrained and clean-looking. That's either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your needs. The X90's buttons are labeled in pictures and letters that are a little bit bigger and might be easier for a photography newcomer to navigate based on sight.

The Pentax X90 is also set ever-so-slightly apart by its "gunmetal blue" color. The Coolpix P100 is black.

With not much to distinguish these two cameras from each other style-wise, I give the P100 a very slight advantage. The control layout is just a little bit tighter, and the classic black look is a little more appealing.

Advantage: Nikon Coolpix P100