Leica M10-P vs Nikon B500

The Leica M10-P and the Nikon Coolpix B500 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2018 and January 2016. The M10-P is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless camera, while the B500 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a full frame (M10-P) and a 1/2.3-inch (B500) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 23.8 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 15.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Leica M10-P		Nikon B500
Rangefinder camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Leica M mount lenses		22.5-900mm f/3.0-6.5
23.8 MP – Full Frame sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
no Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-50,000		ISO 80-6,400
Optical viewfinder		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
5 shutter flaps per second		7.4 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
210 shots per battery charge		600 shots per battery charge
139 x 80 x 39 mm, 660 g		114 x 78 x 95 mm, 541 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica M10-P and the Nikon Coolpix B500? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Leica M10-P and the Nikon B500 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M10-P can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the B500 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, red).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon B500 is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Leica M10-P. It is worth mentioning in this context that the M10-P is splash and dust resistant, while the B500 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the B500 has a lens built in, whereas the M10-P is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the M10-P and their specifications in the Leica M Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
2.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
6.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	5,195	ebay.com
7.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
9.		Leica M10-R	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jul 2020	8,295	ebay.com
10.		Leica M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	8,995	amazon.com
11.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
14.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
15.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The B500 was launched at a lower price than the M10-P, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica M10-P features a full frame sensor and the Nikon B500 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the B500 is 97 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 5.6. The sensor in the M10-P has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the B500 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 23.8MP, the M10-P offers a higher resolution than the B500 (15.9MP), but the M10-P nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 1.33μm for the B500) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the M10-P is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 6 months) than the B500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica M10-P implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M10-P for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 29.8 x 20 inches or 75.6 x 50.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 23.8 x 16 inches or 60.5 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 19.8 x 13.3 inches or 50.4 x 33.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon B500 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica M10-P has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix B500 are ISO 80 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the M10-P is build around a CMOS sensor, while the B500 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
2.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
4.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
6.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
7.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
8.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
9.		Leica M10-R	Full Frame	40.9	7864	5200	none	25.3	14.3	2924	95
10.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
11.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
12.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
13.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
14.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
15.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
16.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
17.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The B500 indeed provides for movie recording, while the M10-P does not. The highest resolution format that the B500 can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the M10-P has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the B500 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Leica M10-P, the Nikon B500, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
2.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
4.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica M10-R	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
10.		Leica M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
11.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
13.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
14.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
15.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The M10-P has a touchscreen, while the B500 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Leica M10-P has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M10-P and the B500 write their files to SDXC cards. The M10-P supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the B500 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Leica M10-P and Nikon Coolpix B500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
2.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
9.		Leica M10-R	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
10.		Leica M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
13.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the M10-P has a hotshoe, while the B500 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the M10-P and the B500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The B500 was replaced by the Nikon B600, while the M10-P does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M10-P and B500 can be found, respectively, in the Leica M10-P Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon B500 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Leica M10-P or the Nikon B500 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Leica M10-P:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (23.8 vs 15.9MP) with a 24% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 6 months of technical progress since the B500 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix B500:

• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60i video.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7.4 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the M10-P necessitates an extra lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (114x78mm vs 139x80mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the M10-P).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (600 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2016).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the M10-P emerges as the winner of the contest (15 : 13 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the M10-P or the B500 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
2.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
6.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	5,195	ebay.com
7.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
9.		Leica M10-R	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	..	4/5	Jul 2020	8,295	ebay.com
10.		Leica M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	8,995	amazon.com
11.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
14.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
15.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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