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Nikon P500 vs Nikon P300 Comparison

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Nikon P500

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

Nikon P500
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Nikon P300

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

Nikon P300
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Nikon P500 vs Nikon P300 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Nikon cameras cameras with different body types: Nikon P500, which was introduced in February 2011 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Nikon P300, which was introduced in May 2011 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. There is only 4 months difference between P500 and P300 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 Nikon P300 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 P300 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-05-31
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 3200
  • 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 7 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • 189g. 103 x 58 x 32 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 Nikon Coolpix P300

Nikon P300 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix P310. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix P310 vs Nikon Coolpix P300
Nikon Coolpix P310 vs Nikon Coolpix P500

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 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 P300
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Focal Length - Wide
23mm vs 24mm 1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
810mm vs 100mm 710 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
36× vs 4.2× more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage
8.0m vs 6.5m 1.5m longer range


Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P300 over Nikon Coolpix P500
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 1.0fps 6 fps faster
Battery Life
240 shots vs 220 shots 20 more frames with a single charge
Weight
189 g vs 494 g 305 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs 3.40 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 5.70 faster lens at tele

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Nikon Coolpix P300
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
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 922k dots High resolution screens
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
23mm vs 24mm Very good wide angle coverage
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Nikon Coolpix P300
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
Nikon P500 vs Nikon P300: 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 P300 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 P300 has external dimensions of 103 x 58 x 32 mm (4.06 x 2.28 x 1.26″) and weighs 189 g (0.42 lb / 6.67 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Nikon P300. Nikon P300 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 13mm narrower, 26mm shorter and 71mm thinner than Nikon P500.

Nikon P500 vs Nikon P300 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Nikon P300.

Nikon P500 vs Nikon P300 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P500 and Nikon P300.
Nikon P500 vs Nikon P300 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon P300 is significantly lighter (305g ) than the Nikon P500 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500
P300
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500
P300
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P500 nor Nikon Coolpix P300 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
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon P500 and Nikon P300'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 Nikon P300 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to P500.
Nikon P500 vs Nikon P300: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 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 P300 sensor size comparison.

Nikon P500 vs Nikon P300 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 Cameras


Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 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 Nikon P300 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Nikon P300 features a 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 4.2× zoom lens.

Nikon P500 has 1mm wider coverage than the Nikon P300. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Nikon P300 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 710mm longer reach than the Nikon P300. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Nikon P300 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500
P300
Widest - Samsung WB2200F
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P500
P300
Longest - Nikon P1000
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P500
P300
Fastest - Olympus 1
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P500
P300
Fastest - Sony RX10 III
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Nikon P300 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 P300 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon P300 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
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
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 P300 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P300 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
Compact Body
189g
4.2X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon P300 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: 12.0MP
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 Nikon P300: 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 P300, 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 P300 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 P300
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #177 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #732 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P500 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon P300 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon P500
Nikon P500
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Nikon P300
Nikon P300
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Nikon P300 vs Nikon P500 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix P300
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2011-02-09 2011-05-31
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS BSI-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 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 160 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 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 23-810 mm (36×) 24-100 mm (4.2×)
Max Aperture F3.4-5.7 F1.8-4.9
Macro Focus Range 1cm 3cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
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 6.50 m
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 H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 494g 189g
Dimensions 116 x 84 x 103mm 103 x 58 x 32mm
Battery Life 220 shots 240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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