Updated (February, 2012): Compare the Nikon Coolpix P510 vs Nikon Coolpix L20

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
Nikon Coolpix L20

26

Runner-up

Nikon Coolpix L20

Reasons to buy the Nikon Coolpix L20

Size
Really small
Compact 61x97x29 mm
Thickness
Thin
1.1"
Weight
Light-weight
135 g

differences

Advantages of the Nikon P500

Wide angle Much better wide angle 23 mm vs 38 mm
Help
Around 40% better wide angle
Zoom Much more zoom 36x vs 3.6x
Help
More than 101x 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
Image stabilization Image stabilization Sensor shift vs None
Help
Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
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
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Macro focus Significantly better macro capability 1 cm vs 5 cm
Help
Focus on subjects 5x closer to the lens
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

Advantages of the Nikon L20

Size Much smaller 61x97x29 mm vs 116x84x103 mm
Help
5.8x smaller
Aperture Wider aperture f/3.1 vs f/3.5
Help
At its widest zoom, the L20's lens captures marginally more light (0.4 f-stops)
Thickness Much thinner 1.1" vs 4.1"
Help
3.6x thinner
Weight Much lighter 135 g vs 481 g
Help
3.6x lighter
Nikon Coolpix L20 Learn more about
the Nikon L20
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix P500
64 vs 26
Explain scores
Nikon Coolpix L20 Nikon Coolpix L20
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 super zoom with a compact.

advice

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by Ali-Elhami last month
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I have a digital camera, but I want to go to higher level of Photography. First I decided for DS...

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by Magxane-Maglite last month
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To shoot some silver Jewellery, in order to settle a pro shooting for a catalogue........ I'm a ...

One person recommends the Fujifilm HS20:

" What Is the best way to work with this numeric Bridge - Is this a material easy to use without s..."

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.

Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
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

Nikon Coolpix L810

Nikon Coolpix L810

Super zoom

$250 - $265

Image stabilization Has better image stabilization
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Fujifilm FinePix S4000

Fujifilm FinePix S4000

Super zoom

$215

Panorama Creates panoramas in-camera
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost light sensitivity
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier

Nikon Coolpix P500 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Supports 24p Supports 24p
Screen resolution Much lower resolution screen
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
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

Nikon Coolpix L20 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix L22

Nikon Coolpix L22

Compact

Image stabilization Image stabilization
Wide angle Better wide angle
Weight Heavier
Sony Cybershot DSC-W510

Sony Cybershot W510

Compact

$108 - $198

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Image stabilization Image stabilization
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
Canon ELPH 100 HS

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Compact

$106 - $189

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Olympus Stylus 550WP

Olympus Stylus 550WP

Waterproof

Image stabilization Image stabilization
Waterproof Waterproof
Screen size Much smaller screen
Aperture Narrower aperture
Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

Travel zoom

$136 - $179

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Image stabilization Image stabilization
Aperture Narrower aperture
Size Larger

appearance

Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix L20
Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix L20
Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix L20

discussion

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