Nikon B500 vs Olympus E-M10 III

The Nikon Coolpix B500 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in January 2016 and August 2017. The B500 is a fixed lens compact, while the E-M10 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (B500) and a Four Thirds (E-M10 III) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.9 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon B500		Olympus E-M10 III
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
22.5-900mm f/3.0-6.5		Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP, 1/2.3" Sensor		15.9 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
1080/60i Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 80-6,400		ISO 200-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0 LCD, 921k dots		3.0 LCD, 1040k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting touchscreen
7.4 shutter flaps per second		8.6 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilization		In-body stabilization
600 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
114 x 78 x 95 mm, 541 g		122 x 84 x 50 mm, 410 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix B500 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon B500 and the Olympus E-M10 III. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

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

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-M10 III is notably larger (15 percent) than the Nikon B500. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the B500 nor the E-M10 III are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the B500 has a lens built in, whereas the E-M10 III 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 E-M10 III and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
	Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299
	Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	649
	Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	1,299
	Fujifilm X70	113 mm	64 mm	44 mm	340 g	330	n	Jan 2016	799
	Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349
	Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699
	Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499
	Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599
	Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299
	Olympus E-M10 IV	122 mm	84 mm	49 mm	383 g	360	n	Aug 2020	699
	Olympus E-PL9	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Feb 2018	599
	Olympus E-PL8	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Sep 2016	549
	Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	649
	Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	699
	Panasonic FZ82	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399
	Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349
	Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 E-M10 III, despite having a lens built in. 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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 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 Olympus E-M10 III a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M10 III is 704 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.0. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Even though the E-M10 III has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This implies that the E-M10 III has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 1.33μm for the B500), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the E-M10 III is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 7 months) than the B500, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time. 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 Nikon Coolpix B500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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 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
	Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	..	..	..	..
	Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Fujifilm X70	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	..	..	..	..
	Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
	Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	..	..	..	..
	Olympus E-M10 IV	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Olympus E-PL9	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Olympus E-PL8	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	..	..	..	..
	Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
	Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
	Panasonic FZ82	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	..	..	..	..

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the E-M10 III provides a better video resolution than the B500. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M10 III has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the B500 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon B500 and Olympus E-M10 III along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

	Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
	Nikon B500	none	n	3.0	921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4	Y	Y
	Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6	Y	Y
	Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0	1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0	Y	n
	Fujifilm X70	optional	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	Y	n
	Nikon B600	none	n	3.0	921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4	Y	Y
	Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2	1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
	Nikon B700	921	n	3.0	921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0	Y	Y
	Nikon P900	921	n	3.0	921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0	Y	Y
	Nikon L840	none	n	3.0	921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4	Y	Y
	Olympus E-M10 IV	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	15.0	Y	Y
	Olympus E-PL9	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6	Y	Y
	Olympus E-PL8	optional	n	3.0	1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	n	Y
	Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	Y	Y
	Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0	1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	Y	Y
	Panasonic FZ82	1166	n	3.0	1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0	Y	Y
	Sony HX80	638	n	3.0	922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0	Y	Y
	Sony H200	none	n	3.0	460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8	Y	Y

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

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 E-M10 III 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).

The Olympus E-M10 III 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 B500 and the E-M10 III write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M10 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 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 Nikon Coolpix B500 and Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III 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 Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
	Nikon B500	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
	Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Fujifilm X70	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Nikon B600	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
	Nikon D5600	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
	Nikon B700	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
	Nikon P900	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Nikon L840	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Olympus E-M10 IV	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
	Olympus E-PL9	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
	Olympus E-PL8	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Panasonic FZ82	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Sony HX80	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Sony H200	-	mono	mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the E-M10 III has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The B500 does not feature such an accessory-socket.

Both the B500 and the E-M10 III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The B500 was replaced by the Nikon B600, while the E-M10 III was followed by the Olympus E-M10 IV. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon and Olympus websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon B500 and the Olympus E-M10 III? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Nikon Coolpix B500:

• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the E-M10 III requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (114x78mm vs 122x84mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (600 versus 330) on a single battery charge.
• 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 on the market for longer (launched in January 2016).

Arguments in favor of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III:

• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced 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.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8.6 vs 7.4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• 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-II standard.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 7 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-M10 III is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 7 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Olympus E-M10 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the B500 and the E-M10 III in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). 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.

Review Scores

	Camera Model	camera   labs	dp review	ephoto   zine	imaging resource	photography   blog	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
	Nikon B500	+	..	4/5	..	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299
	Olympus E-M10 III	+	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	649
	Fujifilm X100F	+	83/100	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,299
	Fujifilm X70	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	799
	Nikon B600	+	..	3.5/5	..	3/5	Jan 2019	349
	Nikon D5600	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699
	Nikon B700	+	..	4/5	..	4/5	Feb 2016	499
	Nikon P900	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599
	Nikon L840	+ +	..	3.5/5	..	4/5	Feb 2015	299
	Olympus E-M10 IV	..	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	Aug 2020	699
	Olympus E-PL9	+	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2018	599
	Olympus E-PL8	..	..	4.5/5	..	4/5	Sep 2016	549
	Olympus E-M10 II	+ +	80/100	5/5	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649
	Olympus E-M10	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	699
	Panasonic FZ82	+ +	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399
	Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349
	Sony H200	..	..	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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.

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 make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Specifications: Nikon B500 vs Olympus E-M10 III

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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