Nikon P500 vs Fujifilm SL300 Comparison

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Nikon P500

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Fujifilm SL300

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Nikon P500 vs Fujifilm SL300 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing P500 and SL300, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Fujifilm. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon P500 has a 12.0 MP and Fujifilm SL300 has a 14.0 MP resolution. Nikon P500 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Fujifilm SL300 was launched in January 2012. There is only 11 months difference between P500 and SL300 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon P500 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-02-09

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 160 - 3200

23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

Electronic viewfinder

1 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

494g. 116 x 84 x 103 mm

Fujifilm SL300 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-01-05

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 64 - 1600 ( expands to 6400)

24-720 mm F3.1-5.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

Electronic viewfinder

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

510g. 122 x 93 x 100 mm

Nikon P500 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix P510. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix P510 vs Nikon Coolpix P500
Nikon Coolpix P510 vs Fujifilm FinePix SL300

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P500 over Fujifilm FinePix SL300

LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
Max ISO	3.200 vs 1.600	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Weight	494 g vs 510 g	16 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	23mm vs 24mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	810mm vs 720mm	90 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	36× vs 30×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	8.0m vs 7.0m	1m longer range
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Reasons to choose Fujifilm FinePix SL300 over Nikon Coolpix P500

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1500s	faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life	300 shots vs 220 shots	80 more frames with a single charge
Max Aperture - Wide	3.10 vs 3.40	faster lens at wide
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Fujifilm FinePix SL300

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	23mm vs 24mm	Very good wide angle coverage
Focal Length - Tele	810mm vs 720mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Fujifilm FinePix SL300

RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
Continuous Shooting	1.0fps vs 1.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Nikon P500 vs Fujifilm SL300: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon P500 has external dimensions of 116 x 84 x 10 mm (4.57 x 3.31 x 4.06″) and weighs 494 g (1.09 lb / 17.43 oz) (including batteries). Fujifilm SL300 has external dimensions of 122 x 93 x 100 mm (4.8 x 3.66 x 3.94″) and weighs 510 g (1.12 lb / 17.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300. Nikon P500 is 6mm narrower and 9mm shorter than Fujifilm SL300 but it is also 3mm thicker.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P500 is 16g lighter than the Fujifilm SL300 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

P500

SL300

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

P500

SL300

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P500 nor Fujifilm FinePix SL300 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Nikon P500 features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Fujifilm SL300 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to P500.

Nikon P500 vs Fujifilm SL300: Sensor Comparison

Nikon P500 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Fujifilm SL300 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the P500 and SL300 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 Cameras

Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon P500 vs Fujifilm SL300 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Fujifilm SL300 features a 24-720 mm F3.1-5.9 30× zoom lens.

Nikon P500 has 1mm wider coverage than the Fujifilm SL300. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.10, Fujifilm SL300 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 90mm longer reach than the Fujifilm SL300. At f5.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

SL300

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

SL300

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

SL300

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

SL300

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon P500 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm SL300 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm SL300 for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
23 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm SL300 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
810 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Exposure Mode
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm SL300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

35.2X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
494g
Body Thickness 103mm
Read the details

30.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
510g
Body Thickness 100mm
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Fujifilm SL300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
23 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P500 vs Fujifilm SL300: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon P500 and Fujifilm SL300 scores compare:

Nikon P500

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #50 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #556 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Fujifilm SL300

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #59 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #593 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P500 has a higher Overall Score than the Fujifilm SL300. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that P500 trails behind the SL300: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Fujifilm SL300. If not, we recommend the Nikon P500.

Fujifilm SL300 vs Nikon P500 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix P500	Fujifilm FinePix SL300
Brand	Nikon	Fujifilm
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-01-05
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CCD
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4288 x 3216
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	6400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	160 ISO	64 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	23-810 mm (36×)	24-720 mm (30×)
Max Aperture	F3.4-5.7	F3.1-5.9
Macro Focus Range	1cm	2cm
Screen
Type	Tilting	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	97%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1500s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	8.00 m	7.00 m (Wide: 40 cm–7.0 m / Tele: 2.5m–3.6 m)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	1.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1280 x 720
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	494g	510g
Dimensions	116 x 84 x 103mm	122 x 93 x 100mm
Battery Life	220 shots	300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction