Casio EX-100 vs Nikon P500: A Thorough Comparison of Two Small-Sensor Superzooms

When it comes to superzoom cameras packed into compact bodies, the Casio EX-100 and Nikon Coolpix P500 are both intriguing options from the early-to-mid 2010s. Each attempts to combine versatility and portability with features appealing to photography enthusiasts who demand more than just casual snapshots. Having spent extensive hours testing and comparing these two models side-by-side across multiple disciplines, I want to help you understand how their specifications translate into real-world performance - and which type of photographer each best serves.

Let's dig deeply into everything from sensor tech and image quality to autofocus capabilities, ergonomics, and video features. Along the way, I’ll reference our hands-on observations and objective metrics to provide you with a well-rounded view beyond the spec sheet.

Getting a Feel for Size and Handling

First impressions count, especially with cameras in this class, where form factor often dictates usage style.

At 119×67×50 mm and weighing just 389 grams, the Casio EX-100 sits firmly in the compact bracket. Its streamlined rectangular shape and relatively modest size make it highly pocketable. The ergonomics favor quick one-handed operation, although the lack of a dedicated grip can sometimes make extended shooting a bit less stable, especially with telephoto zooming.

On the other hand, the Nikon P500 is larger and heavier - 116×84×103 mm and 494 grams - adopting a more traditional DSLR-style bridge camera body. This larger footprint provides a substantial grip and a sense of solidity, which as anyone who has shot quite a bit will tell you, can notably improve handling, especially during long telephoto bursts typical of wildlife or sports shooting.

While the Casio’s compactness excels for travel and street scenarios demanding discretion, the Nikon’s bulk supports more stable shooting in situations where steadiness is critical.

Controls Up Top: How Intuitiveness Shapes User Experience

Ergonomics extend beyond just how a camera feels in the hand to how accessible and logically placed its controls are, which can speed up operation or cause frustrating fumbling.

Casio’s EX-100 features a simple, streamlined control panel with a mode dial and a few buttons clustered closely. The controls are easy enough to learn, but the compact layout sometimes leads to accidental presses when reaching for zoom or shutter controls. Importantly, there’s no top LCD panel, which can slow down quick status checks mid-shoot.

Conversely, Nikon’s P500 with its more substantial size has a top panel analogous to entry-level DSLRs, including a mode dial, dedicated exposure compensation dial, and buttons for ISO, white balance, and focus mode adjustments. The tactile feedback is excellent, and more direct access helps advanced users tweak settings rapidly without diving into menus - essential during fast-action photography.

If you crave immediate control and prefer tactile engagement, the P500 is a clear winner; the EX-100’s minimalist approach is more suited to casual shooters or those prioritizing compactness over speed of adjustment.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

The sensor’s size and construction significantly impact image quality, dynamic range, noise levels, and ultimately, your creative freedom.

Here, Casio’s EX-100 sports a larger 1/1.7" CMOS sensor measuring 7.44×5.58 mm (41.52 mm² sensor area) with 12 MP resolution. The Nikon P500 has a slightly smaller 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor at 6.17×4.55 mm (28.07 mm²) also 12 MP. While both sensors share the same megapixel count, the larger Casio sensor theoretically offers better light-gathering capability and signal-to-noise ratio.

In practice, this manifests as the EX-100 producing cleaner high-ISO images with less chroma noise and better color fidelity. The maximum native ISO on the Casio goes up to 12800, compared to Nikon’s 3200, which can be critical in low-light or night scenarios.

The EX-100’s 12 MP resolution strikes a good balance between detail and manageable file sizes, especially alongside its support for RAW file output - a feature the Nikon lacks. For photographers wanting to perform nuanced post-processing or capture maximum image quality, RAW support is essential.

While the P500’s sensor is competent for day-to-day shooting and good for large print sizes, its smaller sensor and lack of RAW can limit latitude in editing or noise handling.

Viewing Your Shots: LCDs and Viewfinders

Seeing your subject clearly during composition and reviewing images afterward is vital for any camera.

The Casio EX-100 features a generous 3.5-inch “Super Clear” tilting LCD screen with 922k dots resolution. Its tilt mechanism offers flexibility for shooting from low or high angles, a boon for macro or creative compositions. The LCD’s color reproduction, brightness, and anti-reflection coatings are solid, though I noticed some minor issues in very bright sunlight conditions.

In contrast, the Nikon P500 offers a smaller 3-inch TFT tilting LCD (921k dots) but includes a crucial advantage: an electronic viewfinder (EVF). While the EVF resolution in the P500 isn’t spectacular, having a dedicated eye-level viewfinder is a huge plus - especially in bright outdoor conditions where LCDs become hard to see.

For users comfortable framing with an EVF, the P500 arguably has the upper hand, particularly in situations where glare can ruin composition. The Casio’s bigger screen is better suited to casual or video shooting, but the absence of an EVF limits its appeal for some.

Autofocus Capabilities Under the Hood

Autofocus system performance can make or break your experience, especially when shooting fast-moving subjects like wildlife or sports.

The Casio EX-100 utilizes a contrast-detection AF system with 25 focus points and supports face detection, tracking, and continuous AF. That’s impressive for a superzoom compact. The system is responsive and accurate in good light. However, in low-light conditions or fast action, it occasionally hunts, causing delays.

The Nikon P500, while older, also offers contrast-detect AF with only 9 focus points but adds face detection and AF tracking. Its AF speed is generally slower compared to the Casio, and continuous autofocus during burst shooting is not supported, a limitation for sports photography.

In practical use, I found Casio’s EX-100 more reliable for quick focusing and tracking, likely due to newer processing technology. The Nikon’s slower speed and smaller AF array make it less agile, though its electronic viewfinder helps to lock focus using manual fine-tuning.

Zoom Range and Lens Characteristics

Both cameras offer superzoom versatility but differ significantly in reach and aperture.

The Casio EX-100’s fixed lens covers a 28-300 mm equivalent focal length with a fast constant aperture of f/2.8 throughout the zoom range. This bright aperture drastically improves low-light performance and creates more attractive background blur, essential for portraits and subject isolation.

In contrast, Nikon’s P500 boasts an impressive 23-810 mm equivalent range - that’s a 36× zoom, one of the longest available at that time. However, the aperture varies widely from f/3.4 at the wide end to f/5.7 at full telephoto, reducing light gathering and bokeh capabilities at longer focal lengths.

For wildlife or distant subjects, Nikon’s reach is a clear advantage, albeit at the cost of lower light efficiency and potential image softness due to diffraction at high zoom. Casio’s EX-100 favors image quality over reach, making it more versatile for portraits and landscapes where crispness and bokeh matter.

Image Stabilization Effectiveness

With these powerful zooms and small-sensor cameras, effective image stabilization is essential to avoid blurry images.

Both the Casio EX-100 and Nikon P500 feature sensor-shift image stabilization systems. After extensive field testing, I noted that Casio’s stabilization is particularly effective in still photo shooting, especially at longer focal lengths, allowing handheld shots up to several stops slower shutter speeds without blur.

The Nikon’s system is competent but feels slightly less refined - some minor noticeable shake appears at maximum telephoto, especially in jumpy bursts or less steady hands. Still, for video applications, Nikon’s stabilization smooths footage adequately.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Speeds

Burst shooting is crucial for capturing decisive moments in sports and wildlife photography.

Casio’s EX-100 impresses with a rapid continuous shooting speed of 30 frames per second (fps) - a knockout feature for a compact superzoom, though usually at reduced resolution or buffer constraints. It supports continuous AF tracking during bursts, making it more apt for fast action.

Nikon’s P500 limits burst shooting to just 1 fps, which is more of a sequence mode than a true burst. This restricts its usability for dynamic subjects.

In shutter speed, the Casio has a wide range from 15 seconds (for long exposures and night shots) up to 1/20000 second (no mechanical shutter known), supporting freezing fast action and bright conditions. Nikon’s P500 max shutter speed is 1/1500 seconds, which might not suffice to freeze very fast movement under bright daylight.

Taken together, Casio offers far more flexible and competitive shutter and burst shooting for action photography.

Video Recording Features

Today, video capabilities are often critical, even for photographers leaning more toward stills.

Both cameras record Full HD (1920×1080) video at 30 fps. Casio uses a simpler encoding format (details unspecified), while Nikon offers MPEG-4 and H.264 formats, generally producing better compression quality.

Neither camera supports external microphones or headphone jacks, limiting audio monitoring and recording flexibility.

Casio’s EX-100 includes in-camera time-lapse recording, a handy creative feature absent in the Nikon P500. However, Nikon’s longer zoom range enhances video framing versatility.

On video stabilization, the EX-100’s sensor-shift IS reduces shakiness better than Nikon’s system, making it preferable for handheld video shooting.

Battery Life and Storage

In day-to-day usage, battery endurance can be a decisive factor for travel or event photographers.

The Casio EX-100 rated battery life is approximately 390 shots per charge, a respectable number for a compact. The Nikon P500 falls short at around 220 shots, reflecting its older technology and larger body.

Both cameras use proprietary battery packs and accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards via single slots.

Longer battery life plus smaller size underscores Casio’s appeal for extended outings or travel, whereas Nikon’s shorter endurance suggests carrying spares is prudent.

Build Quality, Weather Resistance, and Durability

Neither camera offers official weather sealing, dustproofing, or rugged build specifications. Both cameras are designed primarily for casual or enthusiast use, not professional rugged environments.

Build quality is good but with plastic-dominant shells typical of their class.

Connectivity and Workflow Integration

Casio EX-100 has built-in wireless connectivity to facilitate image transfer and remote control - helpful for smartphone integration and digital workflow.

Nikon P500, being an older design, lacks wireless features entirely.

USB 2.0 and HDMI ports enable tethered transfer and external display for both cameras.

For professional workflows demanding wireless transfer or remote shooting, Casio pulls ahead.

Putting It All Together: Performance Scores and Real-World Samples

No camera review is complete without evaluating overall performance and sample image standards.

Casio EX 100 front Casio EX 100 screen back Nikon P500 front Nikon P500 screen back

In side-by-side comparisons, the Casio EX-100 delivers cleaner images with better color accuracy and less noise, especially above ISO 800. Its sharper rendering and attractive bokeh set it apart in portrait and landscape applications.

Nikon P500’s images tend to exhibit softer detail and more noise in shadows, though it excels in reach, capturing distant subjects inaccessible to the Casio.

Our expert scores reflect Casio’s superior autofocus speed, shutter range, and video stabilization, but Nikon’s zoom and EVF add practical handling advantages.

• Portrait: Casio wins with its bright lens and better skin tone rendition.
• Landscape: Both are close, but Casio’s dynamic range edges ahead.
• Wildlife: Nikon excels due to longer zoom, despite slower AF.
• Sports: Casio’s fast burst and AF tracking perform better.
• Street: Casio’s size and discreetness are assets.
• Macro: Casio offers closer focusing distance and larger screen.
• Astro: Casio handles high ISO better for night shooting.
• Video: Stabilization and time-lapse favor Casio.
• Travel: Casio’s compact size and battery life shine.
• Pro Work: Neither fully suited, but Casio's RAW output helps serious editing.

Who Should Buy the Casio EX-100?

If you value image quality, fast autofocus, low-light performance, and produce stills or video that require processing flexibility, the Casio EX-100 is the better pick. Its compact size makes it ideal for travel photographers, street shooters, and portrait enthusiasts who want a versatile zoom without lugging a DSLR.

It is also favorable for videographers needing stabilization and ease of use. Plus, if wireless transfer convenience matters, Casio’s built-in connectivity is a bonus.

Who Is the Nikon P500 For?

The Nikon P500 is a tool for photographers whose chief priority is super-long zoom reach for subjects like wildlife or distant action, and who prefer an EVF for composition in challenging lighting. Its SLR-like handling might also appeal to users transitioning from DSLRs.

Its drawbacks in image quality and slow burst rate make it less suitable for demanding fast-action or low-light work, but at budget-friendly pricing, it remains a solid option for casual shooters wanting reachable telephoto capability.

Final Verdict: Balancing Strengths and Limitations

Both cameras occupy a niche that balances portability and telephoto reach, but they adopt different trade-offs.

In my tests, the Casio EX-100 consistently outperforms the Nikon P500 in image quality, autofocus speed, burst shooting, video features, and usability for modern hybrid photography workflows.

Meanwhile, Nikon’s P500 impresses with its extraordinary zoom reach and dedicated viewfinder, qualities that fulfill specific needs in wildlife or action photography where framing precision at extreme focal lengths is paramount.

Ultimately, choose the Casio EX-100 if you seek a compact, wider aperture, versatile camera with better image fidelity and modern features. Opt for the Nikon P500 if ultra-long zoom reach with EVF is your highest priority and you’re willing to accept compromises in speed and low-light performance.

Appendix: Detailed Specifications Summaries

I hope this in-depth comparison helps you decode the strengths and compromises of the Casio EX-100 and Nikon P500. As always, the best camera is the one that matches your shooting style and creative ambitions. Happy shooting!