Canon SX20 IS vs Nikon Coolpix P500: A Deep Dive into Small Sensor Superzooms from the Early 2010s

When bridging the gap between compact portability and full-fledged DSLR functionality, the superzoom bridge camera category has long been a playground for camera makers to flex technological muscle. Two standout contenders from this era - the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS (2010) and Nikon Coolpix P500 (2011) - offer compelling stories of evolutionary design in small sensor superzooms. Having spent considerable time with both models, testing their capabilities across various photographic disciplines, I find this comparison rich with lessons about sensor tech, ergonomics, and real-world handling of niche gear.

If you've found your way to this article, chances are you want more than spec sheet recitation. Let's unpack these cameras beyond numbers, blending technical scrutiny with practical field testing insights to help you decide which might better suit your photographic journey.

A Tale of Two Bridge Cameras: Size and Handling

Looking at these two cameras, both don the familiar SLR-mimicking bridge camera silhouette, designed to lend DSLR-style handling without the bulk or interchangeable lenses. However, there are meaningful differences in physical ergonomics worth examining.

The Canon SX20 IS measures roughly 128 x 88 x 87 mm and weighs about 600 grams powered by four AA batteries - a convenience for travelers who may not want to rely on proprietary batteries but a potential lengthening of hand fatigue. By contrast, Nikon's P500 is slightly smaller and lighter at 116 x 84 x 103 mm and 494 grams, running on the proprietary EN-EL5 battery pack.

While the Nikon’s lighter frame suggests better portability - which slightly eases the burden during long hikes or all-day street excursions - the Canon’s more substantial grip offers increased confidence when shooting extended telephoto shots. The SX20’s more pronounced thumb rest and robust hand grip earn points for improved control with larger lenses attached. For photographers who prefer a stable hold when tracking wildlife or sports subjects, Canon's ergonomic choices shine.

Both cameras sport an SLR-style handgrip with rubber inserts, but Canon's arrangement is more refined to keep your fingers in place securely, especially at high zoom ranges.

Control Layout and Usability: Where Tactility Meets Intuition

A camera’s buttons and dials are often overlooked on paper but become a daily joy or frustration on shoots. Let’s compare their tactile design:

Canon’s SX20 IS adopts a clean control layout with dedicated dials for exposure compensation and mode selection, which immediately please photographers who like mechanical control. With a discernible shutter dial on top, manual exposure and aperture priority are straightforward, reflective of Canon’s thoughtful bridge-camera ergonomics.

The Nikon P500 resorts to a slightly more compact button arrangement. Its tilting 3-inch screen opens opportunities to shoot from unconventional angles. The P500’s top features a mode dial and playback button access, though some buttons feel smaller and more closely packed, which sometimes demands a visual check before confirmation - a slight annoyance for fast-paced capture like street or event photography.

Both cameras lack touchscreen functionality, typical of early 2010s models, requiring menu navigation mostly via physical controls. Canon’s buttons have more pronounced depressions, which helped reduce fumbling on cold mornings or in gloves during wildlife stints.

Sensor Specs and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Though physically similar in sensor size at 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm), their underlying sensor technologies differ significantly - impacting image quality, noise performance, and dynamic range.

• Canon SX20 IS: 12 MP CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, ISO range 80-1600 (no expanded ISO).
• Nikon P500: 12 MP BSI-CMOS sensor, Expeed C2 processor, ISO 160-3200 native.

The CCD sensor in the Canon, while known for excellent color reproduction and shallow noise levels at base ISO, tends to struggle at higher ISO settings compared to modern CMOS sensors. The Nikon’s back-illuminated CMOS architecture gives it a more favorable noise profile and better low-light performance, especially with an extended ISO ceiling of 3200.

In real-world tests shooting portraits and landscapes, Nikon’s P500 produced cleaner files at ISO 800+, letting us push settings when light conditions were tight, without sacrificing too much detail. The Canon held its base ISO files well with pleasing colors, but suffered meter lows in shadow recovery and noise beyond ISO 400. Its CCD sensor also meant longer processing times between shots.

That said, the Canon’s optical low-pass filter preserves sharpness well at base ISO, crucial for landscapes where resolution counts. The Nikon’s BSI CMOS sensor edges the SX20 in both dynamic range and noise handling but sometimes produces softer images when not stopped down.

Viewing Experience: Screens and Viewfinders Under the Microscope

Small sensor superzoom cameras typically lean on electronic viewfinders (EVFs) and LCD screens for composing and reviewing shots; their quality matters immensely.

Here, the Nikon P500’s 3-inch tilting TFT LCD with 921k-dot resolution outperforms the Canon’s smaller, fully-articulated 2.5-inch screen with only 230k dots. The P500’s display offers far more tactical flexibility during shooting, especially at awkward angles (e.g., capturing timelapses on tripods or low-to-ground macro shots).

Both cameras have EVFs, but neither offers particularly high resolution or refresh rate. Canon’s EVF felt laggier and dimmer during daylight outdoor tests, making it tougher to track wildlife. Nikon’s EVF was marginally better, though neither replaces the refinement of a dedicated mirrorless EVF or DSLR optical viewfinder.

For serious outdoor use, leaning on Nikon’s screen tilting capability typically made for longer sessions without neck strain. Canon’s articulated screen found favor in self-portraits or overhead shots but sacrificed clarity and detail through fewer screen pixels.

Lens and Zoom Performance: Peering Into Longer Reach

A hallmark feature of bridge cameras like these is their immense zoom ranges. Which camera pushes this advantage beyond the headline specs?

• Canon SX20 IS: 28-560 mm equiv. (20× zoom), aperture f/2.8–5.7.
• Nikon P500: 23-810 mm equiv. (36× zoom), aperture f/3.4–5.7.

The Nikon P500 boasts an impressively longer telephoto reach, extending well into super-telephoto territory, opening up possibilities for wildlife and sports photography beyond casual snapshots. The wider 23 mm wide-angle equivalent allows more context in landscapes and architecture too.

However, the narrower maximum aperture at wide zoom for Nikon (f/3.4 vs. Canon’s f/2.8) means the Canon collects roughly 40% more light at the widest angle. The wider aperture on Canon’s lens particularly benefits low-light or indoor shooting, as well as enabling shallower depth-of-field for portraits.

Autofocus speed on either lens was best considered slow compared to modern standards, more so on the Canon. Shooting moving subjects at full zoom magnification requires patience and steady hands or the aid of a monopod/tripod.

Macro abilities also reflect each camera’s design priorities. Nikon reaches a minimum focus distance of approximately 1 cm, ideal for tight close-ups on flowers or insects; Canon’s SX20 IS, conversely, lacks a dedicated macro range and struggles at closer distances.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Tracking, Speed, and Focus Accuracy

When it comes to autofocus, especially in bridge cameras with non-interchangeable lenses, the technology employed can differ substantially.

• Canon SX20 IS’s AF uses contrast detection only, providing 9 focus points but no continuous AF or tracking. It lacks face detection.
• Nikon P500 similarly relies on contrast detection but offers face detection and AF tracking, also with 9 points.

In practical tests photographing active children at a playground, Nikon’s AF face detection and tracking made it easier to lock focus on moving subjects, albeit somewhat sluggishly at full zoom. Canon’s system required a more deliberate approach, often hunting for focus in dimmer light and when subjects moved.

Shutter speed ranges also influence image sharpness. Canon’s shutter maxes out at 1/3200s (helpful for freezing action), whereas Nikon only offers 1/1500s max shutter speed, slightly limiting performance in bright light when shooting at wide apertures.

Continuous shooting rates are modest for both - 1.0 fps maximum - reinforcing these cameras’ positioning as casual superzoom tools rather than serious sports shooters.

Battery Life and Storage: Practical Considerations on the Road

Power and storage management can make or break reliability during extended sessions.

Canon’s choice of 4 AA batteries comes with mixed blessings. On one hand, AAs are universally available, perfect for travel in remote areas. On the other, battery life is notoriously inconsistent, requiring multiple spares to cover a day of shooting comfortably.

Nikon P500’s proprietary EN-EL5 lithium-ion battery delivers approximately 220 shots per charge under CIPA standards, presumably offering a more predictable shooting experience, but demands charger access and preplanning.

Regarding storage, both models accept SD and SDHC cards (Nikon adds SDXC compatibility). Both have a single card slot, standard fare for cameras in this market segment.

Video Capabilities: Can They Capture Motion?

Though primarily photo-centric, these bridge cameras come with video modes that, by today’s standards, are limited but were relatively competitive when new.

• Canon SX20 IS records up to 720p HD (1280×720) at 30fps in H.264 format.
• Nikon P500 offers 1080p Full HD (1920×1080) at 30fps in MPEG-4/H.264 formats.

With the Nikon’s enhanced codec support and higher resolution, video shooters will find the P500 more capable for casual home videos or travel clips. Audio input options are absent in both, limiting external microphone use.

Neither camera offers advanced video features like continuous autofocus during recording or high frame rates for slow motion, reflecting their design priorities.

Environmental Resistance and Durability

Neither the Canon SX20 IS nor the Nikon P500 offer weather sealing or ruggedness certifications. Both cameras are vulnerable to moisture, dust, and rough shocks, which limits them as professional field workhorses in challenging conditions.

For casual enthusiasts or travelers mindful about camera care, this is less of a concern but important for wildlife or outdoor photographers exposed to harsher environments.

Image Samples and Real-World Photo Quality

Nothing beats looking at real sample images to assess performance nuances:

Canon SX20 IS front Canon SX20 IS screen back Nikon P500 front Nikon P500 screen back

Portraits taken with the Canon reveal smooth, warm skin tones but slightly limited background separation due to smaller sensor and zoom lens aperture constraints. Nikon’s files show cooler rendering with more neutral skin tones, aided lightly by face detection autofocus to lock focus on eyes more reliably.

Landscape shots from both cameras show good detail at base ISO, though Nikon’s files maintain more shadow detail when post-processed. The Canon’s images display slightly better sharpness but diminished dynamic range and highlight retention.

At telephoto, image stabilization played a vital role. Canon employs optical IS while Nikon features sensor-shift stabilization, with the latter more effective during handheld shots at 800-800mm equivalent.

Comprehensive Performance Ratings: Numbers Tell the Story

After testing, here’s how these cameras stack up across key criteria:

Strengths by Photography Genre: Where Each Camera Excels

In sum, small sensor superzooms tend to serve diverse photographers with niche needs. Here’s a breakdown by common use cases:

• Portrait Photography: Canon SX20 IS shines slightly due to warmer color tones and more accessible aperture at wide end but hampered by lack of face detection.
• Landscape Photography: Nikon P500 offers better dynamic range and wider wide-angle lens, plus better screen for composing, making it the better pick.
• Wildlife & Sports: Nikon’s longer zoom and AF tracking aid snapping moving subjects at distance, although neither excels for fast action.
• Street Photography: Nikon’s smaller form factor and tilting screen provide an edge for discreet shooting.
• Macro Photography: Nikon’s close focusing distance is a clear advantage over Canon’s limited macro capability.
• Night & Astro Photography: BSI-CMOS sensor and extended ISO of Nikon P500 provide improved low-light performance.
• Video: Nikon’s Full HD at 30fps with H.264 offers superior video recording.
• Travel: Nikon’s lighter weight and rechargeable battery tip the scales for travel convenience.
• Professional Work: Neither camera is optimal; limited RAW support and ruggedness restrict professional applications.

Final Verdict: Who Should Pick Which?

The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS and Nikon Coolpix P500 are products of their time - early 2010s superzoom bridge cameras targeting enthusiasts who want DSLR-like control in a fixed-lens package. They offer modest image quality, useful zoom ranges, and manual modes that encourage learning and experimentation.

Choose the Canon SX20 IS if:

• You prefer a robust grip and ergonomic camera that feels like a proper DSLR alternative.
• You shoot a lot of portraits or indoor scenes and value a wider maximum aperture lens at wide angles (f/2.8).
• You appreciate articulated screens for flexible framing.
• Having AA batteries as backup power sources is a priority.

Choose the Nikon Coolpix P500 if:

• You want the longest possible zoom range with a versatile 36× optical zoom.
• You frequently shoot landscapes, macro, or wildlife with a need for better AF tracking and face detection.
• You value a higher resolution, brighter tilting LCD screen for composing shots.
• Video capabilities with Full HD recording matter.
• You prefer a lighter and more compact camera for travel.

Closing Thoughts: The Bridge Cameras That Lived in Transition

Although eclipsed today by compact mirrorless and even smartphones with superior sensors and autofocus systems, cameras like the Canon SX20 IS and Nikon P500 still hold charm as versatile learning tools and casual superzoom options.

Our big-picture takeaway from testing both extensively: Nikon edges Canon in sensor and zoom sophistication, while Canon’s design and aperture innovations delivered usability benefits that only a photographer with hands on both can truly appreciate.

Hopefully, this detailed exploration arms you with enough insight to pick the bridge camera better matched to your shooting aspirations - whatever point on your photographic path that may be.

Happy shooting!