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Nikon P500 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV 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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Ricoh GR Digital IV

10 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD Sensor

Ricoh GR Digital IV
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Nikon P500 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV, which was introduced in September 2011 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor. There is only 7 months difference between P500 and GR Digital IV 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV 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

Ricoh GR Digital IV Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-09-15
  • 10MP - 1/1.7-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 28 mm f1.90 Prime Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • continuous shooting
  • - 640 x 480 video resolution
  • 190g. 109 x 59 x 33 mm
  • Replaced Ricoh GR Digital III 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV

Ricoh GR Digital IV was replaced by Ricoh GR. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Ricoh GR vs Ricoh GR Digital IV
Ricoh GR vs Nikon Coolpix P500

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

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P500 over Ricoh GR Digital IV
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Optical (Optional) Better framing and control
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
12 MP vs 10 MP 19% more pixels
Focal Length - Wide
23mm vs 28mm 5 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
810mm vs 28mm 782 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
36× vs 1× more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage
8.0m vs 3.0m 5m longer range
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 640 x 480 Higher Resolution Video


Reasons to choose Ricoh GR Digital IV over Nikon Coolpix P500
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
LCD Screen Resolution
1.230k dots vs 921k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
390 shots vs 220 shots 170 more frames with a single charge
Weight
190 g vs 494 g 304 g lighter
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Aperture - Wide
1.90 vs 3.40 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
1.90 vs 5.70 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
4.16µm2 vs 2.34µm2 77% larger pixel area
Built-in ND Filter
Yes vs No Use larger aperture under strong light

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Ricoh GR Digital IV
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
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 1.230k 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV
Continuous Shooting
1.0fps vs fps Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Nikon P500 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV: 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV 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). Ricoh GR Digital IV has external dimensions of 109 x 59 x 33 mm (4.29 x 2.32 x 1.3″) and weighs 190 g (0.42 lb / 6.70 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Ricoh GR Digital IV. Ricoh GR Digital IV is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 25mm shorter and 70mm thinner than Nikon P500.

Nikon P500 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Ricoh GR Digital IV Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Ricoh GR Digital IV.

Nikon P500 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Ricoh GR Digital IV Size and Weight - Back View

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

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Ricoh GR Digital IV is significantly lighter (304g ) than the Nikon P500 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500
GR Digital IV
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500
GR Digital IV
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P500 nor Ricoh GR Digital IV 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV'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 Ricoh GR Digital IV has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to P500.
Nikon P500 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV: 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, Ricoh GR Digital IV has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the P500 and GR Digital IV sensor size comparison.

Nikon P500 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Ricoh GR Digital IV Cameras


As seen above, Ricoh GR Digital IV 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Ricoh GR Digital IV features a 28 mm F1.9 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Nikon P500's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Ricoh GR Digital IV's 28mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, GR Digital IV's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 782mm longer reach than the Ricoh GR Digital IV. However, with a max aperture of f1.90, Ricoh GR Digital IV is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500
GR Digital IV
Widest - Samsung WB2200F
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P500
GR Digital IV
Longest - Nikon P1000
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P500
GR Digital IV
Fastest - Olympus 1
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P500
GR Digital IV
Fastest - Sony RX10 III
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Ricoh GR Digital IV Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Ricoh GR Digital IV 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

Ricoh GR Digital IV 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
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Ricoh GR Digital IV 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
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.90
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Ricoh GR Digital IV 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
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
28 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Ricoh GR Digital IV 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
190g
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Ricoh GR Digital IV 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 Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P500 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV: 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV, 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 Ricoh GR Digital IV 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
Ricoh GR Digital IV
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #43 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #452 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Ricoh GR Digital IV scores higher than the Nikon P500 thanks to its better general imaging quality, compact size and higher value for the money. On the other hand, Nikon P500 has some extra features which may become a game changer if you have some specific requirements.
We recommend you to read our detailed Pro's and Con's section and see if any Pro of Nikon P500 is a must-have for you. If not, choose the Ricoh GR Digital IV.

Nikon P500
Nikon P500
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Ricoh GR Digital IV
Ricoh GR Digital IV
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Ricoh GR Digital IV vs Nikon P500 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P500 Ricoh GR Digital IV
Brand Nikon Ricoh
Announced 2011-02-09 2011-09-15
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CCD
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 10 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 3,200 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×) 28 mm (1×)
Max Aperture F3.4-5.7 F1.9
Macro Focus Range 1cm 1cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 1,230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (optional)
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 3.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps n/a
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 640 x 480
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 494g 190g
Dimensions 116 x 84 x 103mm 109 x 59 x 33mm
Battery Life 220 shots 390 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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