Nikon P500 vs Nikon S9700

The following is a extended comparison of the Nikon P500 and Nikon S9700, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras and both of them are designed by Nikon. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the P500 (12MP) and S9700 (16MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The P500 was revealed 4 years before the S9700 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Nikon P500 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Nikon S9700 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a complete comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the P500 scores versus the S9700 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon Coolpix P500 and Nikon Coolpix S9700. The full galleries are available at Nikon P500 Gallery and Nikon S9700 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera often, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Nikon P500 enjoys external measurements of 116mm x 84mm x 103mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 4.1") with a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs) and the Nikon S9700 has dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") with a weight of 232 grams (0.51 lbs).

Look at the Nikon P500 and Nikon S9700 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the P500 and the S9700.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the P500 and S9700 is 67 and 90 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's hard to envision the difference between sensor dimensions just by looking at specifications. The picture below will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the P500 and S9700.

To sum up, each of these cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should count on the Nikon S9700 to give greater detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged P500 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.