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Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1 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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Pentax MX-1

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CMOS Sensor

Pentax MX-1
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Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1 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 Pentax MX-1, which was introduced in July 2013 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor. As you can see, P500 is 2 years older than MX-1. 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 Pentax MX-1 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
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 1.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • 494g. 116 x 84 x 103 mm

Pentax MX-1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-07-01
  • 12MP - 1/1.7-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • 28-112 mm F1.8-2.5 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 1.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 391g. 122 x 61 x 51 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 Pentax MX-1

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P500 over Pentax MX-1
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Focal Length - Wide
23mm vs 28mm 5 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
810mm vs 112mm 698 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
36× vs 4× more flexible focal coverage
CHECK P500 PRICE


Reasons to choose Pentax MX-1 over Nikon Coolpix P500
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max ISO
12.800 vs 3.200 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 9 16 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
290 shots vs 220 shots 70 more frames with a single charge
Weight
391 g vs 494 g 103 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs 3.40 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.50 vs 5.70 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 8.0m 4m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
3.46µm2 vs 2.34µm2 47% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
CHECK MX-1 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Pentax MX-1
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift 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 920k dots High resolution screens
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Pentax MX-1
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Continuous Shooting
1.0fps vs 1.0fps Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
New4
Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1: 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 Pentax MX-1 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). Pentax MX-1 has external dimensions of 122 x 61 x 51 mm (4.8 x 2.4 x 2.01″) and weighs 391 g (0.86 lb / 13.79 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1. Pentax MX-1 is 23mm shorter and 52mm thinner than Nikon P500 but it is also 6mm wider.

Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1.

Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1.
Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax MX-1 is significantly lighter (103g ) than the Nikon P500 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500
MX-1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500
MX-1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P500 nor Pentax MX-1 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 Pentax MX-1's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

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 Pentax MX-1: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1 have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Nikon P500's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Pentax MX-1's sensor is 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ).

Since Pentax MX-1's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Nikon P500.

Below you can see the P500 and MX-1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1 Cameras


As seen above, Pentax MX-1 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Nikon P500. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Pentax MX-1 features a 28-112 mm F1.8-2.5 4× zoom lens.

Nikon P500 has 5mm wider coverage than the Pentax MX-1. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Pentax MX-1 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 698mm longer reach than the Pentax MX-1. However, with a max aperture of f2.50, Pentax MX-1 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500
MX-1
Widest - Samsung WB2200F
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P500
MX-1
Longest - Nikon P1000
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P500
MX-1
Fastest - Olympus 1
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P500
MX-1
Fastest - Sony RX10 III
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Pentax MX-1 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

Pentax MX-1 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Pentax MX-1 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax MX-1 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
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 290 shots
112 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax MX-1 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
Compact Body
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
391g
Body Thickness 51mm
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Pentax MX-1 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
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P500 vs Pentax MX-1: 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 Pentax MX-1, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Pentax MX-1 scores compare:

Nikon P500
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #51 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #599 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Pentax MX-1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #26 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #411 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Pentax MX-1 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon P500 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Nikon P500
Nikon P500
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Pentax MX-1
Pentax MX-1
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Pentax MX-1 vs Nikon P500 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P500 Pentax MX-1
Brand Nikon Pentax
Announced 2011-02-09 2013-07-01
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/1.7-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area 28.07mm2 41.52mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 12,800 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 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 23-810 mm (36×) 28-112 mm (4×)
Max Aperture F3.4-5.7 F1.8-2.5
Macro Focus Range 1cm 1cm
Screen
Type Tilting Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 921k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/1500s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 8.00 m 12.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 1.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
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 391g
Dimensions 116 x 84 x 103mm 122 x 61 x 51mm
Battery Life 220 shots 290 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 49
DxO Color Depth not tested 20.4
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.3
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 208
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