Nikon B500 vs Nikon S9700

The following is a extended review of the Nikon B500 versus Nikon S9700, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and both of them are produced by Nikon. The resolution of the B500 (16MP) and the S9700 (16MP) is fairly comparable and both cameras boast the same sensor size (1/2.3").

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The B500 was launched 2 years after the S9700 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Nikon B500 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Nikon S9700 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the B500 matches up versus the S9700 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon Coolpix B500 & Nikon Coolpix S9700. The complete galleries are provided at Nikon B500 Gallery & Nikon S9700 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera, you need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Nikon B500 comes with outer measurements of 114mm x 78mm x 95mm (4.5" x 3.1" x 3.7") having a weight of 541 grams (1.19 lbs) whilst the Nikon S9700 has measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") with a weight of 232 grams (0.51 lbs).

Take a look at the Nikon B500 versus Nikon S9700 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the B500 versus the S9700.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the B500 and S9700 is 68 and 90 respectively.

More often than not, it's hard to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions only by seeing a spec sheet. The picture here might give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the B500 and S9700.

Clearly, both of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions and the identical MP therefore you can expect comparable quality of pictures though you would want to take the age of the cameras into account. The newer B500 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.