Nikon P500 vs Leica V-Lux 3 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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Leica V-Lux 3

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

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Nikon P500 vs Leica V-Lux 3 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing P500 and V-Lux 3, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Leica. Both Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 cameras have 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensors. Nikon P500 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Leica V-Lux 3 was launched in December 2011. There is only 10 months difference between P500 and V-Lux 3 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 Leica V-Lux 3 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

Leica V-Lux 3 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-12-08

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fully Articulated Screen

Electronic viewfinder

12 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

220fps High-Speed Video

540g. 124 x 81 x 95 mm

Replaced Leica V-Lux 2 Compare

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 Leica V-Lux 3

Leica V-Lux 3 was replaced by Leica V-Lux 4. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica V-Lux 4 vs Leica V-Lux 3
Leica V-Lux 4 vs Nikon Coolpix P500

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P500 over Leica V-Lux 3

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 461k dots	99% higher resolution screen
Weight	494 g vs 540 g	46 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	23mm vs 25mm	2 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	810mm vs 600mm	210 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	36× vs 24×	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Leica V-Lux 3 over Nikon Coolpix P500

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 9	14 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1500s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	12.0fps vs 1.0fps	11 fps faster
Battery Life	410 shots vs 220 shots	190 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.40	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.20 vs 5.70	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	9.5m vs 8.0m	1.5m longer range
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Leica V-Lux 3

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fully Articulated	Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	810mm vs 600mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Leica V-Lux 3

Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

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Nikon P500 vs Leica V-Lux 3: 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 Leica V-Lux 3 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). Leica V-Lux 3 has external dimensions of 124 x 81 x 95 mm (4.88 x 3.19 x 3.74″) and weighs 540 g (1.19 lb / 19.05 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3. Leica V-Lux 3 is 3mm shorter and 8mm thinner than Nikon P500 but it is also 8mm wider.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P500 is 46g lighter than the Leica V-Lux 3 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

P500

V-Lux 3

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

P500

V-Lux 3

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P500 nor Leica V-Lux 3 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 Leica V-Lux 3's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Nikon P500 features a Tilting only screen which is mostly only good for shooting from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Leica V-Lux 3 sports a Fully Articulated screen which is more flexible and useful especially for taking Selfie shots and video.

Nikon P500 vs Leica V-Lux 3: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 have 1/2.3-inch sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the P500 and V-Lux 3 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 Cameras

Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 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 Leica V-Lux 3 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Leica V-Lux 3 features a 25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 24× zoom lens.

Nikon P500 has 2mm wider coverage than the Leica V-Lux 3. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Leica V-Lux 3 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 210mm longer reach than the Leica V-Lux 3. However, with a max aperture of f5.20, Leica V-Lux 3 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

V-Lux 3

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

V-Lux 3

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

V-Lux 3

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

V-Lux 3

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Leica V-Lux 3 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

Leica V-Lux 3 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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
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
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica V-Lux 3 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
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Leica V-Lux 3 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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
23 Focus Points
600 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Leica V-Lux 3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

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

RAW shooting capability
24.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
540g
Body Thickness 95mm
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 3 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 Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P500 vs Leica V-Lux 3: 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 Leica V-Lux 3, 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 Leica V-Lux 3 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

Leica V-Lux 3

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #31 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #427 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Leica V-Lux 3 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon P500 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon P500. Otherwise, Leica V-Lux 3 is the better camera overall.

Leica V-Lux 3 vs Nikon P500 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix P500	Leica V-Lux 3
Brand	Nikon	Leica
Announced	2011-02-09	2011-12-08
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CMOS
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	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	160 ISO	100 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	23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	23-810 mm (36×)	25-600 mm (24×)
Max Aperture	F3.4-5.7	F2.8-5.2
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Tilting	Fully Articulated
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1500s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	8.00 m	9.50 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	12.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	MPEG-4, AVCHD, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	494g	540g
Dimensions	116 x 84 x 103mm	124 x 81 x 95mm
Battery Life	220 shots	410 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction