Nikon Coolpix B500 vs Nikon Coolpix P1000 — Which Is Better?

The Nikon Coolpix B500 and the Nikon Coolpix P1000 are both fixed-lens bridge cameras, so neither changes lenses. The P1000, announced in 2018, is far larger, at 146 x 119 x 181 mm and 1415 g. The 2016 B500 is a much lighter carry at 114 x 78 x 95 mm and 541 g.

That split shapes how you carry them. The B500 suits a small bag on walks and holidays, while the P1000's bulk suits planned shoots from a dedicated camera bag or tripod.

The P1000 is the stronger choice for eye-level shooting. It has an electronic viewfinder with 2,359,000 dots, while the B500 offers no viewfinder and frames only on its rear screen. An eye-level finder gives a steadier, shaded view in bright conditions, and the P1000's finder resolution keeps that view detailed.

Resolution and sensor format are shared, so prints and crops from either camera carry the same 16 MP pixel count. Both use a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor and shoot at 7 fps with stabilisation and a 1/4000 second top shutter speed. Standard ISO tops out at 6400 on each, while the P1000 extends to 12800 in expanded mode.

The P1000 is the better pick if you edit your footage, because it records up to 4K while the B500 stops at Full HD. That extra resolution gives you latitude to crop or reframe a clip before export. Each camera's top frame rate reaches 60 fps, and both include a built-in timelapse mode for condensing slow scenes like sunsets into short clips.

The P1000 is the more expandable camera for lighting, because it supports an external flash while the B500 offers only its built-in unit. A larger add-on flash reaches farther for indoor portraits or rooms the small built-in lamp cannot fill.

Their everyday controls largely match. Both have a flip-out screen for low-angle and selfie framing, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for sending photos to a phone. Both screens are LCD, with the P1000's slightly larger at 3.2 inches against 3 inches. Neither camera offers GPS, a touchscreen, or weather sealing.

The B500 is the safer choice for long days away from power, rated for 600 shots against 250 for the P1000. It runs on four AA batteries, so fresh power is available almost anywhere, while the P1000 depends on charged EN-EL20a spares.

Both cameras charge over USB and take SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in a single slot. The P1000's slot is UHS-I compatible, so it supports faster UHS-I cards for quicker writes during bursts and video.