Nikon P500 vs Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

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

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Nikon P500 vs Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing P500 and SZ-31MR iHS, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon P500 has a 12.0 MP and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS has a 16.0 MP resolution. Nikon P500 was introduced to market in February 2011 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS was launched in February 2012. There is 12 months difference between P500 and SZ-31MR iHS so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger SZ-31MR iHS, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-02-08

16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

7 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

226g. 106 x 69 x 40 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 Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P500 over Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
Battery Life	220 shots vs 200 shots	20 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
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
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 vs 6.90	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.34µm² vs 1.76µm²	32% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Olympus SZ-31MR iHS over Nikon Coolpix P500

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter	1/1700s vs 1/1500s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	7.0fps vs 1.0fps	6 fps faster
Weight	226 g vs 494 g	268 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	3.00 vs 3.40	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	9.3m vs 8.0m	1.3m longer range

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

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
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 920k dots	High resolution screens
Focal Length - Tele	810mm vs 600mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

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 6.90	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon P500 vs Olympus SZ-31MR iHS: 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 Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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). Olympus SZ-31MR iHS has external dimensions of 106 x 69 x 40 mm (4.17 x 2.72 x 1.57″) and weighs 226 g (0.50 lb / 7.97 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS. Olympus SZ-31MR iHS is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 15mm shorter and 63mm thinner than Nikon P500.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus SZ-31MR iHS is significantly lighter (268g ) than the Nikon P500 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500

SZ-31MR iHS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500

SZ-31MR iHS

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P500 nor Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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 Olympus SZ-31MR iHS'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 Olympus SZ-31MR iHS has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to P500.

Nikon P500 vs Olympus SZ-31MR iHS: 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, Olympus SZ-31MR iHS has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Dual TruePic V processor.

Below you can see the P500 and SZ-31MR iHS sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Cameras

Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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 Olympus SZ-31MR iHS, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon P500 vs Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Olympus SZ-31MR iHS features a 25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 24× zoom lens.

Nikon P500 has 2mm wider coverage than the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.00, Olympus SZ-31MR iHS is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 210mm longer reach than the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS. At f5.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

SZ-31MR iHS

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P500

SZ-31MR iHS

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P500

SZ-31MR iHS

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P500

SZ-31MR iHS

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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
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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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
25 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

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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
600 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1700s
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.90
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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

Compact Body
226g
24.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Body Thickness 40mm
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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

25 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 Olympus SZ-31MR iHS: 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 Olympus SZ-31MR iHS, 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 Olympus SZ-31MR iHS 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

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #159 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #685 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P500 has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Nikon P500 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix P500	Olympus SZ-31MR iHS
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2011-02-09	2012-02-08
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	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	160 ISO	80 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×)	25-600 mm (24×)
Max Aperture	F3.4-5.7	F3.0-6.9
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Tilting	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1500s	1/1700s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	8.00 m	9.30 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	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	494g	226g
Dimensions	116 x 84 x 103mm	106 x 69 x 40mm
Battery Life	220 shots	200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction