Nikon P500 vs Olympus TG-630 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 TG-630 iHS

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

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Nikon P500 vs Olympus TG-630 iHS Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two 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 Olympus TG-630 iHS, which was introduced in January 2013 is a Waterproof camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. There is 23 months difference between P500 and TG-630 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 TG-630 iHS, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 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 TG-630 iHS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-01-08

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

28-140 mm F3.9-5.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

5 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

167g. 98 x 66 x 22 mm

Weather Sealed Body

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 TG-630 iHS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 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 TG-630 iHS

LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	23mm vs 28mm	5 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	810mm vs 140mm	670 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	36× vs 5�	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.40 vs 3.90	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Olympus TG-630 iHS over Nikon Coolpix P500

Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1500s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	5.0fps vs 1.0fps	4 fps faster
Weight	167 g vs 494 g	327 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Olympus TG-630 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

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS

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

Nikon P500 vs Olympus TG-630 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 TG-630 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 TG-630 iHS has external dimensions of 98 x 66 x 22 mm (3.86 x 2.6 x 0.87″) and weighs 167 g (0.37 lb / 5.89 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS. Olympus TG-630 iHS is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 18mm narrower, 18mm shorter and 81mm thinner than Nikon P500.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS.

Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus TG-630 iHS is significantly lighter (327g ) than the Nikon P500 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

P500

TG-630 iHS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

P500

TG-630 iHS

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 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 TG-630 iHS has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to P500.

Nikon P500 vs Olympus TG-630 iHS: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS 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 TG-630 iHS sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS Cameras

Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 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.

Nikon P500 vs Olympus TG-630 iHS Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Olympus TG-630 iHS features a 28-140 mm F3.9-5.9 5� zoom lens.

Nikon P500 has 5mm wider coverage than the Olympus TG-630 iHS. At f3.40, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 670mm longer reach than the Olympus TG-630 iHS. At f5.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500

TG-630 iHS

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P500

TG-630 iHS

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P500

TG-630 iHS

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P500

TG-630 iHS

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 iHS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Olympus TG-630 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 TG-630 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: 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
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus TG-630 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
28 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
Slow Lens at Wide: f3.90
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-630 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
Environmental Sealings
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
140 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
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-630 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
167g
Body Thickness 22mm
Environmental Sealings
5.0X 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

Olympus TG-630 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

Environmental Sealings
28 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 Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Nikon P500 vs Olympus TG-630 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 TG-630 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 TG-630 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 TG-630 iHS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #117 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #601 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P500 has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus TG-630 iHS and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus TG-630 iHS vs Nikon P500 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix P500	Olympus TG-630 iHS
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2011-02-09	2013-01-08
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)	Compact
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	3968 x 2976
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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	23-810 mm (36×)	28-140 mm (5�)
Max Aperture	F3.4-5.7	F3.9-5.9
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Tilting	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k dots	460k 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	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	8.00 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	5.0 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	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	494g	167g
Dimensions	116 x 84 x 103mm	98 x 66 x 22mm
Battery Life	220 shots	220 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction