Updated (February, 2012): Compare the Canon PowerShot SX120 IS vs Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P500

64

"doubles up as an effective video camera thanks to its excellent video mode."
photographyblog.com | talking about the P500's video-quality
"This feature really does seem to make a difference and could mean capturing a successful, sharp shot or missing the opportunity altogether."
photographyblog.com | talking about the P500's image-stabilization

Reasons to buy the Nikon Coolpix P500

Zoom
Great zoom
36x
Movie format
Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Wide angle
Wide angle lens
23 mm
Screen resolution
High resolution screen
920k dots
High-speed framerate
High speed movies
240 fps
Continuous shooting
Rapid fire
10 fps
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS

31

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX120 IS

Size
Really small
Mid size 111x71x45 mm
Thickness
Thin
1.8"
Weight
Light-weight
285 g

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX120 IS

Aperture Significantly wider aperture f/2.8 vs f/3.5
Help
At its widest zoom, the SX120 IS's lens captures slightly more light (0.6 f-stops)
Size Much smaller 111x71x45 mm vs 116x84x103 mm
Help
2.8x smaller
Thickness Much thinner 1.8" vs 4.1"
Help
2.3x thinner
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
Less risk of blur
Weight Significantly lighter 285 g vs 481 g
Help
More than 40% lighter
Lowest price Cheaper $225.24 vs $299.99
Help
The best price we've seen is $75 cheaper (more than 20% less)
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/2500s vs 1/2000s
Help
20% faster max shutter speed
Longest exposure Longer exposures 15s vs 8s
Help
Around 90% longer exposures
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Learn more about
the Canon SX120 IS

Advantages of the Nikon P500

Wide angle Much better wide angle 23 mm vs 36 mm
Help
Around 40% better wide angle
Zoom Much more zoom 36x vs 10x
Help
Around 13x more zoom
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 480p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots high resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 920k dots vs 230k dots
Help
4x higher resolution screen
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies 240 fps vs None
Help
Capture events too fast for the naked eye and play them back in super-slow motion
True resolution Much higher true resolution 9.7 MP vs 8.6 MP
Help
Capture more than 10% more detail in your photos
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 10 fps vs 0.9 fps
Help
More than 11x faster continuous shooting
Sensor size Larger sensor 1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm
Help
More than 10% larger sensor
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The P500's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Digital vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Nikon Coolpix P500 Learn more about
the Nikon P500
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Canon PowerShot SX120 IS
31 vs 64
Explain scores
Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix P500
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon Coolpix P500. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a travel zoom with a super zoom.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
1 cm
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Weight Heavy Help
SX120 IS:285 g
P500:481 g
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX120 IS:1.8"
P500:4.1"
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Supports 24p Records movies in 24p
Battery life Has a significantly longer battery life
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V

Super zoom

$399

Light sensitivity Much higher maximum light sensitivity
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon D3000

Nikon D3000

Entry-level DSLR

$481 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Sensor size Has a much larger sensor
Live view Doesn't let you preview your photos on the screen
Lowest price Is much more expensive
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Light sensitivity Significantly higher maximum light sensitivity
Lowest price Is much more expensive
Thickness Is thicker

Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot SX130 IS

Canon PowerShot SX130 IS

Travel zoom

$130 - $245

Wide angle Much better wide angle
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Aperture Significantly narrower aperture
Weight Slightly heavier
Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

Travel zoom

$136 - $179

Wide angle Much better wide angle
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Aperture Significantly narrower aperture
Weight Slightly heavier
Canon ELPH 100 HS

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Compact

$106 - $189

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Zoom Less zoom
Macro focus Worse macro capability
Fujifilm FinePix S1800

Fujifilm FinePix S1800

Super zoom

Wide angle Much better wide angle
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Aperture Narrower aperture
Size Larger
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Wide angle Much better wide angle
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Zoom Slightly less zoom
Macro focus Worse macro capability

Nikon Coolpix P500 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$397 - $400

Zoom Significantly more zoom
Aperture Wider aperture
Wide angle Worse wide angle
Continuous shooting Shoots slower
Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Super zoom

$438 - $500

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Battery life Much longer battery life
Zoom Significantly less zoom
Size Much larger
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Super zoom

$409

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Battery life Much longer battery life
Zoom Significantly less zoom
Wide angle Significantly worse wide angle
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS20

Super zoom

$299 - $335

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity
Zoom Significantly less zoom
Screen resolution Significantly lower resolution screen
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Super zoom

$420

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Image stabilization Better image stabilization
Screen resolution Much lower resolution screen
Movie format Lower resolution movies

appearance

Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Nikon Coolpix P500
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Nikon Coolpix P500
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Nikon Coolpix P500

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