Nikon P500 vs Nikon L830 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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Nikon L830

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

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Nikon P500 vs Nikon L830 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing P500 and L830, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by Nikon. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon P500 has a 12.0 MP and Nikon L830 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Nikon P500 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Nikon L830 was launched in January 2014. As you can see, P500 is 3 years older than L830. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 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

Nikon L830 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-01-07

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 3200

23-765 mm F3.0-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

7 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

508g. 110 x 76 x 91 mm

Replaced Nikon Coolpix L820 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 Nikon Coolpix L830

Nikon L830 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix L840. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix L840 vs Nikon Coolpix L830
Nikon Coolpix L840 vs Nikon Coolpix P500

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P500 over Nikon Coolpix L830

Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
Weight	494 g vs 508 g	14 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	810mm vs 765mm	45 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	36× vs 34×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.34µm² vs 1.76µm²	32% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L830 over Nikon Coolpix P500

Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Continuous Shooting	7.0fps vs 1.0fps	6 fps faster
Battery Life	390 shots vs 220 shots	170 more frames with a single charge
Max Aperture - Wide	3.00 vs 3.40	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	9.0m vs 8.0m	1m longer range

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Nikon Coolpix L830

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen	Tilting vs Tilting	Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 921k dots	High resolution screens
Focal Length - Wide	23mm vs 23mm	Very good wide angle coverage
Focal Length - Tele	810mm vs 765mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Nikon Coolpix L830

External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 vs 5.90	Slow lenses at tele

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Nikon P500 vs Nikon L830: 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 Nikon L830 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). Nikon L830 has external dimensions of 110 x 76 x 91 mm (4.33 x 2.99 x 3.58″) and weighs 508 g (1.12 lb / 17.92 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Nikon L830. Nikon L830 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 6mm narrower, 8mm shorter and 12mm thinner than Nikon P500.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Nikon L830.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P500 and Nikon L830.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P500 is 14g lighter than the Nikon L830 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

P500

L830

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

P500

L830

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P500 nor Nikon Coolpix L830 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 Nikon L830's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Both cameras feature Tilting screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels.

Nikon P500 vs Nikon L830: 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, Nikon L830 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the P500 and L830 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 Cameras

Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Nikon P500 has 32% larger pixel area compared to Nikon L830, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon P500 vs Nikon L830 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Nikon L830 features a 23-765 mm F3.0-5.9 34× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 23mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.00, Nikon L830 is faster than Nikon P500 at this focal length. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 45mm longer reach than the Nikon L830. At f5.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

L830

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

L830

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

L830

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

L830

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Nikon L830 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

Nikon L830 for Portrait Photography

POOR

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
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon L830 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

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
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
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon L830 for Sports Photography

POOR

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
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
765 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon L830 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

33.3X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
508g
Body Thickness 91mm
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon L830 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

23 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P500 vs Nikon L830: 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 Nikon L830, 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 Nikon L830 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

Nikon L830

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #104 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #846 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P500 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L830 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon L830 vs Nikon P500 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix P500	Nikon Coolpix L830
Brand	Nikon	Nikon
Announced	2011-02-09	2014-01-07
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	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	160 ISO	125 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×)	23-765 mm (34×)
Max Aperture	F3.4-5.7	F3.0-5.9
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Tilting	Tilting
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1500s	1/1500s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	8.00 m	9.00 m (Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	7.0 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	n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	494g	508g
Dimensions	116 x 84 x 103mm	110 x 76 x 91mm
Battery Life	220 shots	390 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction