Nikon COOLPIX P500 Camera

Zoom your world with the high-powered, mind-blowing closeness of the new P500. The 36x optical zoom breaks boundaries with incredible power to shoot closer and wider than ever before.

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Red

$399.95

Product Number: 26256

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Supplied Accessories

Zooming above and beyond

Put yourself in the center of the action with the COOLPIX P500. Its mind-blowing 36x Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens pulls you in from wide panoramas to crisp close-ups, and its 3-inch tilting vari-angle monitor makes it easy to shoot from unusual angles and tricky vantage points. Plus, its dual image processors and 12.1-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor deliver serious startup and autofocus speed and blazing continuous shooting, making the COOLPIX P500 an ideal choice for capturing fast action, low-light images, panoramas and stunning portraits.

Watch The COOLPIX P500 Promo Video View COOLPIX P500 Photo Gallery Launch 3D Demo

12.1

Effective Megapixels
CMOS Sensor

36X

Wide-Angle Optical Zoom
NIKKOR ED Glass Lens

3.0"

Vari-Angle Ultra-High
Resolution LCD

Full HD (1080p) Movie
with Stereo Sound

Get closer to the action

36x wide-angle optical zoom

You've never been closer to the action than you are with this 36x wide-angle optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens. Its optical zoom (22.5–810mm) pulls you in from wide panoramas to crisp close-ups. Plus, a side zoom control marks the end of shaky zooms—freeing you to capture great action photos with minimal blur. So whether you're shooting a mountain vista or zooming in on a snowboarder, say goodbye to missed shots. This lens catches it all. It even allows for macro shooting as close as 0.4 inches!

View 36x Zoom Sample Photo View Close-up (Macro) Sample Photo

Expand your capabilities

Serious power for serious shooting

Whether you're aiming at a midnight skyline or zooming in on a hang-glider in a sun drenched sky, the COOLPIX P500 lets you to take incredible photographs and movies. With its 12.1-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor, dual image processors and Nikon's EXPEED C2 image processing engine, it frees you to shoot highly detailed images with minimal noise and distortion. Plus, it's loaded with Nikon technologies like HDR Backlighting, Easy Panorama, Advanced Night Shooting and more to create stunning photos in not so stunning conditions.

View Backlighting HDR Sample Photo View Easy Panorama Sample Photo

Sample and detail photos taken with the COOLPIX P500

An action sequence of a bird taking flight

Never miss a shot

Fast enough for any high-speed action

You'll never miss a shot with the COOLPIX P500 because it starts right up, has a quick autofocus and shoots five shots in approximately one second—at full resolution! Multiple Continuous Modes allow for a variety of high speed shooting options up to a blazing 120 frames per second (at reduced resolution). And with ISO speeds up to 3200, a five-way Vibration Reduction (VR) Image Stabilization System and motion detection, it's the ideal camera for shooting high-speed action.

View Continuous Shooting Sample Photos

Cover all the angles

Any angle, any lighting, any shot

The COOLPIX P500 is all you need to shoot eye-catching photographs, thanks to the three-inch, tilting, vari-angle monitor. This 921,000-dot display not only makes it easy to capture, review, and share images, but it also enables you to shoot from unusual angles and tricky vantage points. The Clear Color Display has a brightness adjustment and an anti-glare coating, so it remains vivid in the most challenging lighting conditions. And for those who want even more compositional freedom, the versatile COOLPIX P500 comes with an eye-level electronic viewfinder.

Launch 3D Demo

Demonstration of the many angles the COOLPIX P500's tilting, vari-angle monitor can achieve

Tell better stories

1080p HD movies with stereo sound

When a single picture just isn t enough, the versatile COOLPIX P500 features a One-Touch record button that lets you shoot Full HD (1080p) movies at 30fps with stereo audio. It's great for sporting events because it can record in slow motion, catching action missed by the human eye. The COOLPIX P500 also has an HDMI-CEC output for simple playback on your HDTV or computer—it's as easy to watch your movies as it is to shoot them.

View Full HD (1080p) Sample Movie View Slow Motion Full HD (1080p) Sample Movie

Sample photo using the COOLPIX P500's Easy Panorama Mode

Majestic scenery at its grandest

The COOLPIX P500 includes Nikon's amazing Easy Panorama Mode, which combines multiple shots into a seamless 180- or 360-degree panoramic picture. Simply move the camera as you shoot and let the COOLPIX P500 combine the shots for you.

Example close-up (Macro) photo taken with the COOLPIX P500

Amazing close-up (macro) shots

With the COOLPIX P500's macro shooting capabilities, you'll capture stunning texture and detail rarely seen by the naked eye. From insects and flowers to textiles and food, the COOLPIX P500 allows for macro shooting as close as 0.4 inches.

Example portraits taken with the COOLPIX P500's Smart Portrait Mode

Better portraits every time

Nikon's Smart Portrait System includes Smile Timer, which automatically recognizes when a subject is smiling and releases the shutter, Face-Priority AF, which finds and focuses on up to 12 faces, Blink Warning, Red-Eye Fix, Skin Softening and more.

Sample photos taken with the COOLPIX P500

Control when you want it

Whether you're shooting a scenic overlook or a competitive speedboat race, the COOLPIX P500 captures images the way you want them. It lets you select aperture and shutter priorities, and includes a Manual Exposure Mode that puts you in complete control.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.

Specifications

Type

Compact Digital Camera
Effective Pixels

12.1 million
Image Sensor

CMOS
Sensor Size

1/2.3 in.
Total Pixels

12.75 million (approx.)
Lens

36x optical Zoom, NIKKOR ED glass lens
Lens Focal Length

4.0-144.0mm (angle of view equivalent to that of 22.5-810mm lens in 35mm [135] format)
Lens f/-number

f/3.5-5.7
Lens Construction

14 elements in 9 groups
Lens Zoom

36x
Digital Zoom

Up to 4x (angle of view equivalent to that of approx. 3240mm lens in 35mm [135] format)
Vibration Reduction

Combination of
Image-sensor shift and Electronic VR (still pictures)
Electronic VR (movies)
Autofocus (AF)

Contrast-detect AF
Autofocus (AF) Focus-area selection

Auto (9-area automatic selection)
Center
Face priority
Manual with 99 focus areas
Subject tracking
Focus Range

[W]: Approx. 1 ft. 8 in. (50 cm.) to infinity
[T]: Approx. 7 ft. 3 in. (2.2 m.) to infinity
Macro close-up mode: [W]: Approx. 4 in. (10 cm.) to infinity
Macro close-up mode: Approx. 0.4 in. (1 cm.) to infinity(at three increments from the maximum zoom position to the telephot position)
Focus Lock

Yes
Maximum Autofocus Areas/Points

9
Viewfinder

0.24 in. TFT LCD, approx. 230,000 dot with diopter adjustment
Monitor Size

3.0 in. diagonal
Monitor Type

Vari-Angle TFT-LCD with Anti-reflection coating
Monitor Resolution

921,000-dots
Monitor Frame coverage (shooting mode)

97% horizontal (Approx.)
97% vertical (Approx.)
Monitor Frame coverage (playback mode)

100% horizontal (Approx.)
100% vertical (Approx.)
Storage Media

SD memory card
SDHC memory card
SDXC memory card
Internal Memory

Approx. 102MB
Storage File System

DCF
EXIF 2.3
DPOF compliant
Storage File formats

Still pictures: JPEG
Sound files (Voice Memo): WAV
Movie

Full HD: 1920x1080p / 30fps
Voice Memo Function

Yes
Image Size (pixels)

4000 x 3000 (12M)
ISO Sensitivity

Auto (auto gain ISO 160-800)
High ISO Sensitivity auto (ISO 160-1600)
Lowest ISO Sensitivity

160
Highest ISO Sensitivity

3200
Exposure Metering

256-segment matrix, center-weighted, spot, spot AF area (with support for 99 focus areas)
Exposure Control

Programmed auto exposure with flexible program
aperture-priority auto
exposure bracketing
Exposure compensation (-2.0 to +2.0 EV in steps of 1/3 EV)
manual
motion detection
shutter priority auto
Exposure Modes

Aperture-Priority Auto (A)
Manual (M)
Programmed Auto (P)
Shutter-Priority Auto (S)
Automatic Exposure Scene Modes

Yes
Scene Modes

Back Light
Beach
Black and White Copy
Close Up
Dusk/Dawn
Fireworks Show
Food
Landscape
Museum
Night Landscape
Night Portrait
Panorama
Party/Indoor
Pet Portrait
Portrait
Scene Auto Selector
Snow
Sports
Sunset
In-Camera Image Editing

Black Border
Crop
D-Lighting
Filter Effects
Quick retouch
Skin softening
Small Picture
Exposure Compensation

± 2 EV in steps of 1/3
Exposure Lock

Yes
Exposure Bracketing

Yes
White Balance

Auto
Manual
Shutter

Mechanical and CMOS electronic shutter
Shutter Speed

1/1500-2 sec. (P, S mode)
Top Continuous Shooting Speed at full resolution

Up to 5 shots at approx. 8 frames per second
Continuous Shooting Options

Continuous H
Continuous H 60
Continuous H 120
Continuous L
Self-timer

Can be selected from 10 and 2 seconds duration
Built-in flash Range (approx.) (ISO sensitivity: Auto)

[W]: 0.5 to 8.0m (1ft. 8 in. to 26ft.)
[T]: 2.2 to 4.5m (7ft. 3in. to 14ft.)
Built-in Flash Control

TTL auto flash with monitor preflashes
Built-in Flash

Yes
Interface

Hi-speed USB
Interface Data transfer protocol

MTP
PTP
Video Output

NTSC
PAL
HDMI Output

480p
720p
1080i
I/O terminal

Audio/video (A/V) output
Digital I/O (USB)
HDMI Mini Connector (HDMI output)
Supported Languages

Arabic
Czech
Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)
Danish
Dutch
English
Finnish
French
German
Greek
Hungarian
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Norwegian
Polish
Portugese
Romanian
Russian
Spanish
Swedish
Thai
Turkish
Ukranian
Power Sources

One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL5 (supplied)
Charging Time

4 hours and 50 minutes (when using Charging AC Adapter EH-69P) (Approx.)
Battery / Batteries

Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL5
Battery Life (shots per charge)

Nikon Rechargeable: 220 shots (CIPA)
Tripod Socket

¼ (ISO 1222)
Approx. Dimensions

Height: 3.3in. (83.7mm)
Width: 4.6in. (115.5mm)
Depth: 4.1in. (102.5mm)
Excluding projections. Method of noting dimensions and weight is in accordance with CIPA DCG-005-2009 guideline.
Approx. Weight

17.5 oz. (494g)
with battery and SD memory card. Method of noting dimensions and weight is in accordance with CIPA DCG-005-2009 guideline.
Operating environment

Temperature: 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)
Supplied Accessories
- Camera Strap AN-CP21
- Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL5
- Charging AC Adapter EH-69P
- UC-E6 USB Cable
- Audio Video Cable EG-CP16
- Nikon ViewNX 2 Software CD
- Lens Cap LC-CP23
*Supplied accessories may differ depending on country or area.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

**Specifications and equipment are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.
***Refer to the product manual or the Compatible Lenses Specification for additional details.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.

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*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.

Industry Recognition

PCmag.com

May 10, 2011 | Nikon COOLPIX P500 Review | PJ Jacobowitz

PJ Jacobowitz posted his review of the Nikon COOLPIX P500 to the pcmag.com website, touting the camera's impressive zoom range. Jacobowitz said that in addition to the large zoom, the P500 offers "good image quality, speed, and a well-rounded feature set." He also liked the design and layout of the camera, especially the barrel-mounted zoom trigger and manual controls thumb wheel. The P500 "can handle low-light shooting with aplomb," Jacobowitz said. "If major zoom factor is your number one priority, the 36x Nikon COOLPIX P500 delivers," he concluded.

Digital Trends

July 21, 2011 | Nikon COOLPIX P500 Review | David Elrich

David Elrich posted his review of the Nikon COOLPIX P500 on the Digital Trends website, highlighting the “incredible” 36x optical zoom. Elrich explained that the zoom range is so large, that it allows you to “capture subjects you didn’t even know were there!” He was also impressed with the HDR and Macro modes. Elrich said the camera’s “image quality is good, digital noise is under control and overall response is quite speedy.”

Shutterbug magazine

November 10, 2011 | Nikon COOLPIX P500 Review | George Schaub

George Schaub posted his review of the Nikon COOLPIX P500 on the Shutterbug magazine website, noting the camera has "an incredible zoom range of 36x." Schaub found the camera to be small and lightweight; with barely any shutter lag. Other features that impressed him included the bright and readable LCD and electronic viewfinder with diopter adjustment. Schaub said the P500 "has all the functions one could want and allows for a variety of video options." He said the camera showed good performance in the resolution tests, and offered a good range of ISO shooting options.

Imaging Resource

May 25, 2011 | Nikon COOLPIX P500 Review | Shawn Barnett and Stephanie Boozer

Shawn Barnett and Stephanie Boozer posted their review of the Nikon COOLPIX P500 to the Imaging Resource website, touting the camera as the one to grab when you leave the DSLR at home. "Perhaps the ultimate all-in-one digital camera, the Nikon P500 is like having a digital SLR and a very large bag of lenses and adapters, all compressed into one small, light package," Barnett said. Features that impressed Barnett and Boozer included the additional zoom control on the side of the P500, extremely long zoom range, low light performance, simple to use Easy Panorama, Best Shot Selector, and Full 1080p HD movie shooting capabilities. Barnett noted that the "magic of the Nikon P500 is in the good optical quality and sheer range of the 22.5-810mm lens." He added that the COOLPIX P500 is an enthusiastic Dave's Pick.

Digital Camera Review

August 24, 2011 | Nikon COOLPIX P500 Review | Christopher Snow

Christopher Snow posted his review of the Nikon COOLPIX P500 on the Digital Camera Review website. Snow noted that the camera, “is particularly strong in low light and during fast-action moments.” He exclaimed that [the reviewers] loved Nikon’s noise reduction algorithm. Snow was impressed with the ergonomics and design of the camera, as well as menu navigation. He also found the video functionality to be impressive, noting, “The Nikon P500 is an outstanding video device.”

Digital Trends

November 21, 2011 | Best Digital Cameras of 2011

Molly McHugh posted the winners of the Digital Trends website's Best digital cameras of 2011, announcing the COOLPIX P500 as Best Camera in the Prosumer compacts category. McHugh explained that the winners are the favorite cameras that the site reviewed over the past year. Features that impressed the editors included the camera's expansive 36x zoom range, its adjustable LCD, commendable image quality and "ergonomically thought-out" design.

PCWorld

June 14, 2011 | Nikon COOLPIX P500 Review | Theano Nikitas

Theano Nikitas posted her review of the Nikon COOLPIX P500 on the PCWorld website, awarding the camera four out of five stars. She noted that the camera has a nice balance of options and is well built, in addition to its far reaching superzoom. Nikitas said the camera is a “versatile, speedy camera with features that address the needs of photo enthusiasts and snapshooters.” “Nikitas added, “Bridging the gap between snapshot cameras and advanced models, the P500 is a versatile learning tool as well as a camera that you can easily grow into.”

About.com

September 27, 2011 | Nikon COOLPIX P500 Review | Kyle Schurman

About.com’s Kyle Schurman posted his review of the Nikon COOLPIX P500 touting the camera’s extensive zoom range and high quality. Schurman was impressed with the overall quality of the camera, stating: “Colors are realistic, photos are bright, and images are sharp. The COOLPIX P500’s autofocus works extremely fast, and it is accurate throughout the camera’s zoom range.” He added, “Not only does the P500 have one of the best telephoto settings in the point and shoot market, but its wide-angle options are very good too.” Schurman also found the ergonomics of the camera easy to use, even one-handed, due to its large handgrip.

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*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.