Nikon P500 vs Olympus SZ-16 iHS

The following is a comprehensive review of the Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-16 iHS, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by companies Nikon and Olympus. There is a substantial difference among the sensor resolutions of the P500 (12MP) and SZ-16 iHS (16MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The P500 was manufactured 23 months before the SZ-16 iHS making them a generation away from each other. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Nikon P500 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a complete comparison, here is a short summation of how the P500 scores versus the SZ-16 iHS in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon Coolpix P500 & Olympus SZ-16 iHS. The entire galleries are available at Nikon P500 Gallery & Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera, you need to consider its weight and size. The Nikon P500 enjoys outer dimensions 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 Olympus SZ-16 iHS has specifications of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Examine the Nikon P500 and Olympus SZ-16 iHS in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the P500 versus the SZ-16 iHS.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the P500 and SZ-16 iHS is 67 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's tough to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by seeing specs. The image underneath should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the P500 and SZ-16 iHS.

All in all, both the cameras have the same sensor dimensions but different megapixels. You can anticipate the Olympus SZ-16 iHS to produce greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged P500 will be behind in sensor tech.