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Nikon P500 vs Sony RX1 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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Sony RX1

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1
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Nikon P500 vs Sony RX1 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 Sony RX1, which was introduced in February 2013 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor. As you can see, P500 is 2 years older than RX1. 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 Sony RX1 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

Sony RX1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-02-19
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 482g. 113 x 65 x 70 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P500 and Sony RX1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P500 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Focal Length - Wide
23mm vs 35mm 12 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
810mm vs 35mm 775 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
36× vs 1x more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage
8.0m vs 6.0m 2m longer range


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 over Nikon Coolpix P500
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 12 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 3.200 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 9 16 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 921k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 1.0fps 4 fps faster
Battery Life
270 shots vs 220 shots 50 more frames with a single charge
Weight
482 g vs 494 g 12 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide
2.00 vs 3.40 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.00 vs 5.70 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
35.50µm2 vs 2.34µm2 1417% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P500 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
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 1.229k 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon P500 vs Sony RX1: 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 Sony RX1 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). Sony RX1 has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 70 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.76″) and weighs 482 g (1.06 lb / 17.00 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P500 and Sony RX1. Sony RX1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 3mm narrower, 19mm shorter and 33mm thinner than Nikon P500.

Nikon P500 vs Sony RX1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Sony RX1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P500 and Sony RX1.
Nikon P500 vs Sony RX1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Sony RX1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony RX1 is 12g lighter than the Nikon P500 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500
RX1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P500
RX1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P500 nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 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 Sony RX1'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 Sony RX1 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to P500.
Nikon P500 vs Sony RX1: 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, Sony RX1 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Sony RX1's sensor provides 12MP more than Nikon P500's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the P500 and RX1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon P500 vs Sony RX1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Sony RX1 Cameras


As seen above, Sony RX1 has a 30.4x 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 Sony RX1 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens whereas Sony RX1 features a 35 mm F2.0-22.0 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 Sony RX1's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, RX1'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 775mm longer reach than the Sony RX1. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Sony RX1 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

P500
RX1
Widest - Samsung WB2200F
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

P500
RX1
Longest - Nikon P1000
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

P500
RX1
Fastest - Olympus 1
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

P500
RX1
Fastest - Sony RX10 III
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon P500 and Sony RX1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P500 and Sony RX1 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

Sony RX1 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1 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
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Nikon P500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony RX1 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
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
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon P500 vs Sony RX1: 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 Sony RX1, 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 Sony RX1 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
Sony RX1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #9 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #173 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony RX1 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon P500 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon P500
Nikon P500
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Sony RX1
Sony RX1
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Sony RX1 vs Nikon P500 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix P500 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Brand Nikon Sony
Announced 2011-02-09 2013-02-19
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch Full frame
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 35.8 x 23.8 mm
Area 28.07mm2 852.04mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 25,600 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×) 35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture F3.4-5.7 F2.0-22.0
Macro Focus Range 1cm n/a
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic and Optical (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/1500s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 8.00 m 6.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/4000s
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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 494g 482g
Dimensions 116 x 84 x 103mm 113 x 65 x 70mm
Battery Life 220 shots 270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 93
DxO Color Depth not tested 25.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 14.3
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2534
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