Updated (February, 2012): Compare the Nikon Coolpix P510 vs Nikon Coolpix P5100

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 P5100

35

Reasons to buy the Nikon Coolpix P5100

Size
Really small
Mid size 98x65x41 mm
True resolution
High true resolution
12 MP
Sensor size
Large sensor
1/1.8" 7.4x5.6mm
Thickness
Thin
1.6"
Weight
Light-weight
250 g
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Tunnel

differences

Advantages of the Nikon P500

Zoom Much more zoom 36x vs 3.5x
Help
Around 105x more zoom
Wide angle Much better wide angle 23 mm vs 35 mm
Help
More than 30% better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 480p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots high resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Screen size Much larger screen 3.0" vs 2.5"
Help
More than 20% larger screen
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
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Macro focus Better macro capability 1 cm vs 4 cm
Help
Focus on subjects 4x closer to the lens
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 2,000 ISO
Help
The P500's maximum light sensitivity is 0.7 f-stops better
Lowest price Significantly cheaper $299.99 vs $503.90
Help
The best price we've seen is $204 cheaper (more than 40% less)
Nikon Coolpix P500 Learn more about
the Nikon P500

Advantages of the Nikon P5100

Aperture Significantly wider aperture f/2.7 vs f/3.5
Help
At its widest zoom, the P5100's lens captures slightly more light (0.7 f-stops)
Size Much smaller 98x65x41 mm vs 116x84x103 mm
Help
3.8x smaller
True resolution Much higher true resolution 12 MP vs 9.7 MP
Help
Capture more than 20% more detail in your photos
Sensor size Much larger sensor 1/1.8" 7.4x5.6mm vs 1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm
Help
Around 50% larger sensor
Thickness Much thinner 1.6" vs 4.1"
Help
2.5x thinner
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
Less risk of blur
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Weight Significantly lighter 250 g vs 481 g
Help
Around 50% lighter
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 3,200 ISO vs None
Help
Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Nikon Coolpix P5100 Learn more about
the Nikon P5100
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix P500
64 vs 35
Explain scores
Nikon Coolpix P5100 Nikon Coolpix P5100
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 digicam.

advice

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0
votes
by Wan-Mursyidah-Zuyyin last month
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I'm a beginner..i'm not to expert about this...i wanna take a nature or a beautiful scenery of nat...

2 people recommend the Nikon D3100:

" I am an owner of the P500 currently, and let me tell you, the battery life is a massive downside..."

"It depends on how far you want to go with photography. Do you want to have the ability to change l..."

0
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by Ali-Elhami last month
Nikon P500 vs Nikon P100

i wana use it in my travels and in parties, so i do not use it in profetional ways. i travel ...

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by Luis-Levin 6 days ago
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profesional nature, very small insects insects

0
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by Kanubhai-Soni last month
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What is the flesh range of Sony HXV100V? I want to compare flesh range of of both above cameras.

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by Ravinderpal-Singh-Bhatia 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...

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Viewfinder Viewfinders Help
P500:Digital
P5100:Tunnel
Lowest price Very expensive Help
P500:$299.99
P5100:$503.90
Light sensitivity (boost) One has boost ISO Help
P500:None
P5100:3,200 ISO
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
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$397 - $400

Zoom Has much more zoom
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Super zoom

$438 - $500

High-speed framerate Records even higher-speed movies
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Super zoom

$409

Battery life Has a much longer battery life
GPS Has a built-in GPS
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 slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$499 - $500

Panorama Creates panoramas in-camera
3D Captures 3D images
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $229

Light sensitivity (boost) Slightly higher boost light sensitivity
Lowest price Is slightly less expensive
Viewfinder Doesn't have a viewfinder
Thickness Is thicker

Nikon Coolpix P500 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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

Nikon Coolpix P5100 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Placeholder

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P150

Compact

Size Smaller
Thickness Thinner
True resolution Much lower true resolution
Screen size Much smaller screen

appearance

Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix P5100
Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix P5100
Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix P5100

discussion

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