Nikon P500 vs Sony RX10

The following is a extended assessment of the Nikon P500 vs Sony RX10, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by competitors Nikon and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the image resolutions of the P500 (12MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the P500 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The P500 was revealed 4 years earlier than the RX10 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have the same body design (SLR-like (bridge)).

Before going into a full comparison, here is a simple overview of how the P500 grades versus the RX10 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix P500 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The full galleries are available at Nikon P500 Gallery & Sony RX10 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera often, you're going to have to factor its weight and size. The Nikon P500 has external dimensions of 116mm x 84mm x 103mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 4.1") and a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs) while the Sony RX10 has specifications of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") along with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Look at the Nikon P500 vs Sony RX10 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. The following is a front view size comparison of the P500 against the RX10.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the P500 and RX10 is 67 and 58 respectively.

Sometimes, its difficult to see the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by going through a spec sheet. The image below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the P500 and RX10.

As you can see, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The P500 having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony RX10 will provide greater detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged P500 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.