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Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500

Portability
91
Imaging
35
Features
43
Overall
38
Canon PowerShot SX230 HS front
 
Nikon Coolpix B500 front
Portability
68
Imaging
41
Features
50
Overall
44

Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 Key Specs

Canon SX230 HS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-392mm (F3.1-5.9) lens
  • 223g - 106 x 62 x 33mm
  • Introduced July 2011
  • Replaced the Canon SX210 IS
  • Newer Model is Canon SX240 HS
Nikon B500
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 23-900mm (F3.0-6.5) lens
  • 541g - 114 x 78 x 95mm
  • Announced February 2016
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Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 Overview

Here, we will be looking at the Canon SX230 HS and Nikon B500, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by competitors Canon and Nikon. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the SX230 HS (12MP) and B500 (16MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SX230 HS was launched 5 years earlier than the B500 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX230 HS being a Compact camera and the Nikon B500 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the SX230 HS matches up vs the B500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Canon SX230 HS over the Nikon B500

 SX230 HS B500 
Manually focus More accurate focusing

Reasons to pick Nikon B500 over the Canon SX230 HS

 B500 SX230 HS 
AnnouncedFebruary 2016July 2011More recent by 56 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution921k461kClearer screen (+460k dot)

Common features in the Canon SX230 HS and Nikon B500

 SX230 HS B500 
Screen size3"3"Same screen dimensions
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen
Touch screen Neither features Touch screen

Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 Physical Comparison

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera often, you'll have to consider its weight and measurements. The Canon SX230 HS enjoys outside measurements of 106mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 223 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Nikon B500 has proportions of 114mm x 78mm x 95mm (4.5" x 3.1" x 3.7") and a weight of 541 grams (1.19 lbs).

Analyze the Canon SX230 HS and Nikon B500 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the SX230 HS versus the B500.

Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX230 HS and B500 is 91 and 68 respectively.

Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 top view buttons comparison

Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it's tough to see the contrast between sensor measurements purely by looking at technical specs. The graphic here will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the SX230 HS and B500.

As you can tell, each of these cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Nikon B500 to give greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots way more aggressively. The older SX230 HS is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.

Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 sensor size comparison

Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon SX230 HS Portrait photography advice
Nikon B500 Portrait photography advice
34
manual focus
includes face detection focus
can't use external flash
low MP (12MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
37
decent MP (16 megapixels)
features face detect focus
manual focus not available
no external flash support
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
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Street Comparison

Canon SX230 HS as a Street photography camera
Nikon B500 as a Street photography camera
60
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors (223g)
fixed screen
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
52
screen tilts
built in image stabilization (Optical)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
more heavy than competition (541g)
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Sports Comparison

Canon SX230 HS Sports photography details
Nikon B500 Sports photography details
36
long zoom range (28-392mm 14.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes tracking autofocus
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames per second)
low MP (12 megapixels)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
bad battery pack (210 shots)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
51
excellent zoom range (23-900mm 39.1 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (16MP)
features tracking focus
good battery power (600 shots)
no shutter priority
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Canon SX230 HS as a Travel photography camera
Nikon B500 as a Travel photography camera
61
lighter than competitors (223g)
flash built-in
really wide (28mm)
long zoom (392mm)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
bad battery pack (210 CIPA)
low MP (12MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f3.1)
59
good battery power (600 CIPA)
connects via bluetooth
decent MP (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
reasonably wide (23mm)
great zoom (900mm)
missing Timelapse function
more heavy than competition (541 grams)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.0)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon SX230 HS as a Landscape photography camera
Nikon B500 as a Landscape photography camera
41
manual focus
really wide (28mm)
screen size is decent (3")
built in image stabilization (Optical)
cannot swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.1)
low MP (12 megapixels)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
bad battery pack (210 CIPA)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
45
reasonably wide (23mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (16 megapixels)
good battery power (600 CIPA)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
missing Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon SX230 HS Vlogging advice
Nikon B500 Vlogging advice
34
really wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competitors (223g)
slow max aperture (f3.1)
screen isn't selfie friendly
doesn't have external microphone port
27
reasonably wide (23mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
features face detect focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
missing microphone socket
more heavy than competition (541 grams)
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Canon SX230 HS vs Nikon B500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SX230 HS and Nikon B500
 Canon PowerShot SX230 HSNikon Coolpix B500
General Information
Manufacturer Canon Nikon
Model Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Nikon Coolpix B500
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Superzoom
Introduced 2011-07-19 2016-02-23
Physical type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Processor DIGIC 4 with iSAPS technology -
Sensor type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3
Maximum resolution 4000 x 3000 4608 x 3456
Maximum native ISO 3200 3200
Lowest native ISO 100 80
RAW files
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 9 -
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 28-392mm (14.0x) 23-900mm (39.1x)
Highest aperture f/3.1-5.9 f/3.0-6.5
Macro focus range 5cm 1cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.8
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Tilting
Screen diagonal 3" 3"
Screen resolution 461 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Screen tech PureColor II TG TFT LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 15s 1s
Highest shutter speed 1/3200s 1/4000s
Continuous shooting rate 3.0 frames/s 7.4 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 3.50 m 6.90 m (at Auto ISO)
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync -
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (24fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 120 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 240 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS BuiltIn None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 223g (0.49 pounds) 541g (1.19 pounds)
Physical dimensions 106 x 62 x 33mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3") 114 x 78 x 95mm (4.5" x 3.1" x 3.7")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 210 shots 600 shots
Battery type Battery Pack AA
Battery model NB-5L 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) Yes (2, 5, 10 secs)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC/MMCplus/HC MMCplus SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots Single Single
Price at launch $399 $300