Nikon B500 vs W150

The Nikon Coolpix B500 and the Nikon Coolpix W150 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2016 and April 2019. Both the B500 and the W150 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (B500) and a 1/3.1-inch (W150) sensor. The B500 has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the W150 provides 13 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon B500		Nikon W150
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
22.5-900mm f/3.0-6.5		30-90mm f/3.3-5.9
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		13 MP – 1/3.1" sensor
1080/60i Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 80-6,400		ISO 125-1,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
7.4 shutter flaps per second		4.7 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Waterproof body (10m)
600 shots per battery charge		220 shots per battery charge
114 x 78 x 95 mm, 541 g		110 x 67 x 38 mm, 177 g

Check B500 offers at
ebay.com
Check W150 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix B500 and the Nikon Coolpix W150? 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 Nikon B500 and the Nikon W150 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The B500 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the W150 is available in five color-versions (blue, orange, white, flower, resort).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon W150 is notably smaller (17 percent) than the Nikon B500. Moreover, the W150 is substantially lighter (67 percent) than the B500. It is noteworthy in this context that the W150 is splash and dust-proof, while the B500 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W150 is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The power pack in the W150 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
2.		Nikon W150	110 mm	67 mm	38 mm	177 g	220	Y	Apr 2019	159	ebay.com
3.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
4.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
5.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
6.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
9.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
12.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
14.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
15.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	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 W150 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 47 percent) than the B500, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon B500 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Nikon W150 a 1/3.1-inch sensor. The sensor area in the W150 is 43 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 7.4. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

With 15.9MP, the B500 offers a higher resolution than the W150 (13MP), but the B500 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 1.33μm versus 1.11μm for the W150) due to its larger sensor. However, the W150 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 3 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 Nikon B500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the B500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon W150 are 20.8 x 15.6 inches or 52.8 x 39.6 cm for good quality, 16.6 x 12.5 inches or 42.3 x 31.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.9 x 10.4 inches or 35.2 x 26.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Coolpix B500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix W150 are ISO 125 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the B500 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the W150 uses a 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
2.		Nikon W150	1/3.1	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	22.1	13.8	4058	65
3.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
4.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
5.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
6.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
7.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
8.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
9.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
10.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
11.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
12.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
13.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
14.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
15.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
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 can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the B500 provides a higher frame rate than the W150. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60i, while the W150 is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The B500 and the W150 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon B500, the Nikon W150, 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.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon W150	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.7/s	Y	n
3.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
4.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
14.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the W150 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Both the B500 and the W150 have zoom lenses built in. The B500 has a 22.5-900mm f/3.0-6.5 optic and the W150 offers a 30-90mm f/3.3-5.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the B500 provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the W150. The B500 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the B500 and the W150 write their files to SDXC 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 Nikon Coolpix B500 and Nikon Coolpix W150 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.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Nikon W150	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the B500 and the W150 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The B500 was replaced by the Nikon B600, while the W150 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the B500 and W150 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon B500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon W150 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon B500 better than the Nikon W150 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix B500:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.9 vs 13MP) with a 11% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7.4 vs 4.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.0 vs f/3.3).
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (600 versus 220) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2016).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix W150:

• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x67mm vs 114x78mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 364g or 67 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 10m).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (47 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 3 months of technical progress since the B500 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the B500 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 8 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon B500 and the Nikon W150 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the B500 or the W150. 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.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
2.		Nikon W150	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Apr 2019	159	ebay.com
3.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
4.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
5.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
6.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
9.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
12.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
14.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
15.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check B500 offers at
ebay.com
Check W150 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

~

Check B500 offers at
ebay.com
Check W150 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.