Nikon B500 vs Panasonic LZ40: A Practical, Hands-On Comparison of Two Small-Sensor Superzoom Bridge Cameras

In the realm of affordable superzoom bridge cameras, the Nikon Coolpix B500 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40 are often regarded as capable choices for enthusiasts craving versatile focal lengths without the complexity or expense of interchangeable-lens systems. Given their similar release periods and small-sensor, long-zoom approach, they naturally invite comparisons. I've spent hours putting both through their paces - from portraits to landscapes, wildlife to travel - to unpack not just the spec sheets but how these cameras perform in real-world shooting scenarios.

Let’s delve beyond the marketing jargon and examine what both cameras bring to the table, their limitations, and who will benefit most from each. We'll highlight essential aspects such as sensor tech, handling, autofocus, image quality, and more, supported by a suite of contextual images for clarity.

Once Upon a Body: Size, Ergonomics, and Handling

Bridge cameras echo the design ethos of DSLRs but with fixed lenses and more compact internals. Handling can make or break shooting enjoyment, especially during long days in the field.

Starting with physicality, the Nikon B500 measures 114 x 78 x 95 mm and weighs 541 g powered by 4 AA batteries, while the Panasonic LZ40 is slightly larger and lighter at 126 x 87 x 94 mm and 524 g, using a proprietary battery pack. That difference in size and power source sets the tone for handling nuances.

The Nikon's smaller footprint lends itself to more comfortable single-hand grip for most users and keeps the camera relatively lightweight despite the extended 40x zoom lens. The use of AA batteries is a double-edged sword: while convenient for travelers who may not have access to charging, it typically adds bulk and weight once multiple spare cells are considered. Panasonic’s battery pack provides a sleeker profile but requires charging infrastructure.

At a glance, neither camera features an electronic viewfinder, relying solely on the LCD screen - which places more emphasis on screen visibility and comfort during shooting.

Control and Top-Plate Layout – What’s at Your Fingertips?

User interface design in bridge cameras often balances simplicity without sacrificing access to essential settings.

The Nikon B500 offers a clean top plate with dedicated controls for shooting modes, zoom rocker integrated around the shutter button, and a mode dial that is intuitive for users migrating from entry-level DSLRs. The lack of a touchscreen means reliance on physical buttons, but Nikon compensates with clearly marked controls and a tilting 3-inch screen that aids composition from awkward angles.

Conversely, the Panasonic LZ40’s top plate feels more minimalistic but is constrained by fewer ergonomic refinements. The zoom lever and shutter buttons are present, but with a fixed, non-touch 3-inch TFT LCD with half the resolution of the Nikon’s display (460 vs. 921k dots). This impacts ease of menu navigation and reviewing images in bright conditions.

While both cameras lack touchscreen functionality, in practice, the Nikon's tilting screen and more responsive physical controls offer a more pleasurable user experience during extended outings.

The Sensor Battle: Imaging Hardware and Quality Potential

A crucial determinant of image quality is the sensor, its size, type, and resolution.

Both cameras employ the same sensor size: 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm), with an identical sensor area of approximately 28 mm². But here the lineage diverges:

• Nikon B500: Utilizes a 16 MP backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor.
• Panasonic LZ40: Deploys a 20 MP conventional CCD sensor.

The CMOS implementation in the B500 offers inherent advantages, especially in low-light sensitivity, faster readout speeds, and improved dynamic range compared to the older CCD technology inside the LZ40. The BSI design, in particular, enhances light-gathering efficiency - a vital benefit when dealing with small pixel pitches at such sensor sizes.

Resolution-wise, the LZ40’s 20 MP claims more detail, but in practice, pixel density on sensors this small works against image quality - introducing more image noise and limiting high ISO usability.

In real-world shooting, the Nikon's CMOS sensor delivers cleaner images at higher ISOs (up to 3200 native vs. 1600 max on the Panasonic) with better color nuance and dynamic range, particularly apparent in shadows and highlight retention during contrasty landscape scenes.

In contrast, Panasonic’s CCD sensor may offer a slight edge in color rendering for daylight shooting due to the inherent characteristics of CCDs, with rich colors but sacrifices speed and noise performance. Moreover, the Panasonic supports higher ISO boosts (up to 6400), but image degradation is notable and best avoided.

Viewing and Composing: Screen and Interface Insights

With no electronic viewfinder on either, the rear screen must shoulder all compositional duties.

The Nikon B500 sports a 3-inch, 921k-dot tilting LCD that really shines for composing at different angles, especially when shooting low to the ground or above crowds - very handy for wildlife and event photography. The brightness and color accuracy during outdoor shooting generally surpass the Panasonic, making it easier to frame shots under direct sunlight.

The Panasonic LZ40’s 3-inch fixed TFT LCD is significantly less sharp (460k dots), impacting detail clarity in live view and playback. Outdoor visibility is hampered, meaning you’ll squint more or simpler rely on automatic framing.

Neither supports touch input, which feels a bit dated for cameras introduced so recently, but we adapted quickly to buttons and dials. The Nikon’s better screen resolution and tilting mechanism provide standout user-friendliness here.

Autofocus and Zoom: Precision Over Distance

With superzoom abilities being the headline feature on both cameras, autofocus speed and accuracy, plus zoom range and image stabilization, are paramount.

The Nikon B500 boasts a 40x zoom range equivalent to 23-900 mm (5.8x crop factor), matching closely the Panasonic LZ40’s 42x zoom covering 22-924 mm. Both lenses have a maximum aperture range of f/3.0 to f/6.5 depending on focal length, which is typical for this class.

Autofocus systems are contrast-detection only on both, but despite Panasonic’s 9 focus points vs. Nikon’s unspecified count, the Nikon’s algorithm and processing offer smoother, more reliable autofocus, especially in continuous tracking scenarios.

The B500 supports face detection autofocus and continuous AF tracking that handles moving subjects fairly well in daylight - and impressively manages eye-detection on stationary human subjects, a feature missing on the LZ40. This functionality substantially benefits portrait and event use.

Continuous burst rates further illustrate the gap: Nikon shoots at 7.4 fps compared to Panasonic’s sluggish 1 fps, making Nikon the better tool for wildlife and sports snapshot bursts.

Optical image stabilization is present in both, and though the Nikon’s stabilization is slightly more effective during hand-held telephoto shots, both help mitigate handshake, especially critical at super-telephoto lengths.

Constructed for the Field: Build Quality and Environmental Resistance

Neither camera claims weather-sealing or ruggedness. Both are designed as affordable consumer-class devices - not suited for harsh environmental abuse.

Neither are splashproof, dustproof, shockproof, crushproof, or freezeproof. However, their plastic and metal composite bodies are sturdy enough for casual travel and outdoor use with care.

Given their price points (Nikon approx. $300, Panasonic about $220), these build qualities are expected. Serious professionals or nature photographers will look elsewhere, but casual enthusiasts won’t be disappointed with the reliability during everyday fields like street photography or family holidays.

Real-World Image Quality: When Pixels Meet Practicality

Nikon B500 front Nikon B500 screen back Panasonic LZ40 front Panasonic LZ40 screen back

Looking at image galleries straight from both cameras, several conclusions emerge:

Skin Tones and Portraits: The Nikon B500 offers smoother skin tone rendition with less noise, thanks to its BSI-CMOS sensor and decent JPEG processing. Skin textures remain natural with minimal over-sharpening. The eye detection AF feature aids sharply focused portraits. Panasonic’s colors are vivid but skin can sometimes appear over-saturated or plasticky.

Landscape and Resolution: The Panasonic’s higher 20 MP resolution initially tempts for landscapes. Yet, the LZ40’s CCD sensor is less forgiving in high-contrast scenes, with limited dynamic range causing clipped highlights and crushed shadows. Nikon yields better detail preservation and color gradation, particularly in sunsets and forested scenes.

Low Light and Night: The Nikon B500 comfortably operates at ISO 1600–3200 with acceptable noise, enabling handheld night shooting or indoor events. Panasonic’s usable ISO tops out at 1600 or even less if noise is to be controlled. Night astro photography is limited on both due to sensor size, but Nikon’s BSI sensor holds a modest edge.

Video Quality: The Nikon records full HD 1080p at 60i/50i/30p/25p, supporting MPEG-4 and H.264 formats - quite serviceable for casual videography. Panasonic maxes out at HD 720p and uses Motion JPEG, which yields larger files with less efficient compression. Neither camera includes microphone/headphone jacks except Panasonic’s mic input, but both lack advanced video features like 4K, slow motion, or stabilization beyond lens-based.

Specialized Genres Under the Lens

To further hone in on strengths and weaknesses, let's breakdown usability across popular photography disciplines.

Portrait Photography

Nikon wins here on autofocus precision with face and eye detection, delivering tack-sharp subject focus with smooth, natural rendering. Panasonic’s focus system is adequate but lacks eye detection and can hunt in lower light.

Bokeh quality is limited by small sensor and lens aperture; both produce busy backgrounds, but Nikon's slightly better control due to sensor-acquired depth mapping marginally edges out Panasonic.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and resolution heavily influence this genre. Nikon’s sensor better preserves highlight and shadow detail, crucial for expansive vistas and sky gradients. Panasonic’s higher megapixels don’t translate into better prints or crops, due to more aggressive noise reduction and inferior sensor tech.

Weather protection is a non-factor. Both perform about equally in rugged terrain but care must be taken to protect the lens/parts.

Wildlife Photography

Nikon’s faster AF burst rate at 7.4 fps compared to Panasonic’s 1 fps significantly improves chances of capturing fleeting animal behaviors.

The zoom is near identical, but Nikon’s steadier autofocus and stabilization make it a better companion for backyard birding or casual wildlife.

Sports Photography

Similar to wildlife, burst speed and AF tracking are critical. Barking demands on Nikon’s contrast-detection AF can limit tracking at high speeds, but the Panasonic's sluggish response is a definitive barrier.

Street Photography

Discretion and portability play a role. Both cameras are large for street candid shots and conspicuous. Nikon’s compactness helps, but neither is particularly pocketable.

In low-light urban environments, Nikon’s better high ISO control gives it an edge.

Macro Photography

Both cameras offer a very close focus down to 1 cm, allowing decent macro shots.

The Nikon’s stabilization and superior manual control help nail focus precision better, especially hand-held.

Night and Astro Photography

Neither camera excels here due to small sensor and lens aperture limits.

Nikon’s higher ISO capability and longer shutter limit (up to 1/4000 sec, but no bulb mode) provide minor flexibility, whereas Panasonic maxes out shutter at 1/1500 sec - restrictive but manageable for basic night scenes.

Video Capabilities

Nikon’s ability to do full HD at 60i and H.264 encoding is a clear advantage for casual videographers.

Panasonic’s HD 720p at 30p and Motion JPEG format is dated; however a microphone input exists on Panasonic, rare in this category, meaning basic audio recording enhancements are possible.

Travel Photography

For travel, size, battery life, versatility, and ease of use influence.

Nikon’s AA battery system offers excellent battery longevity - rated at 600 shots versus Panasonic’s 320 shots on a rechargeable battery.

Weight difference is slight, but Nikon’s smaller size and tilting LCD are practical pluses.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in the Nikon enable easy image transfer, an absent feature on Panasonic, which can be a deciding factor for on-the-go sharing.

Professional Use

For pros, neither camera is intended as a main tool. Lacking raw capture, weather sealing, and pro-grade ergonomics limits appeal.

However, Nikon’s manual exposure modes, better AF flexibility, and wireless connectivity make it a useful third or backup camera for casual professional work or social media content creation.

Technical Rundown - The Engineering Details That Matter

Let’s take a final look from a technical standpoint:

These specs, when combined with hands-on shooting, confirm Nikon B500 as the more capable all-rounder, trading a modest price premium for markedly improved performance and modern conveniences.

Scoring the Contenders: Overall and By Genre

With a rigorous scoring approach evaluating image quality, AF, handling, features, and value:

• Nikon B500 scores consistently higher across most categories - particularly in autofocus, video, and low-light usability.
• Panasonic LZ40 remains competitive in resolution and starting price but trails due to slower performance and weaker screens.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Nikon Coolpix B500 if:

• You want a versatile all-purpose bridge camera with smooth autofocus and good low-light performance.
• You value longer battery life and wireless image sharing.
• You occasionally shoot portraits and events benefiting from face and eye detection.
• Better video quality and higher frame rates matter.
• Tilting screen for flexible composition is important.

Lean toward the Panasonic Lumix LZ40 if:

• Budget constraints are tight and you need an entry-level superzoom for occasional casual shooting.
• You prioritize the absolute highest resolution for daytime images (accepting tradeoffs).
• Internal storage and microphone input for basic video audio recordings is appealing.
• You’re comfortable dealing with slower burst rates and more limited high ISO.

Closing: The Bridge Superzoom Choice Revisited

In my experience of testing thousands of cameras across price brackets and categories, the Nikon Coolpix B500 emerges here as the more refined, user-friendly, and technically balanced option between these two. The B500 is well suited for enthusiast photographers needing a reliable, all-around performer with modest investment.

The Panasonic Lumix LZ40, while showing its age and technical compromises, still has the charm of simplicity and higher resolution for daylight shooting at an attractive price - making it a practical choice for casual users or beginners on limited budgets.

Both come with limitations inherent in the small sensor superzoom segment, notably limited low-light capabilities and lack of advanced video features. Knowing these boundaries helps set realistic expectations.

Ultimately, your decision boils down to what shooting scenarios matter most and how much you value ergonomics, autofocus responsiveness, and connectivity features. Hopefully, this hands-on comparative dive equips you to make an informed, practical choice.

Happy shooting!

This analysis reflects extensive lab and field testing experience, synthesizing technical metrics and in-the-wild performance across diverse photography uses to guide smart buying decisions.