Nikon B700 vs OM System OM-1

The Nikon Coolpix B700 and the OM System OM-1 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2016 and February 2022. The B700 is a fixed lens compact, while the OM-1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (B700) and a Four Thirds (OM-1) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20.2 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon B700		OM System OM-1
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-1440mm f/3.3-6.5		Micro Four Thirds lenses
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 80-25,600 (80 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1640k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilization		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge		520 shots per battery charge
125 x 85 x 107 mm, 565 g		135 x 92 x 73 mm, 599 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix B700 and the OM System OM-1? 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 physical size and weight of the Nikon B700 and the OM System OM-1 are illustrated 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The B700 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the OM-1 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the OM System OM-1 is notably larger (17 percent) than the Nikon B700. It is noteworthy in this context that the OM-1 is splash and dust-proof, while the B700 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the B700 has a lens built in, whereas the OM-1 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 OM-1 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the B700 gets 350 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL23 battery, while the OM-1 can take 520 images on a single charge of its OM System BLX-1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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. 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
1.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
2.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	2,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
4.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
5.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-M1 II	134 mm	91 mm	67 mm	574 g	440	Y	Sep 2016	1,999	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	134 mm	91 mm	69 mm	580 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,799	ebay.com
10.		OM System OM-1 II	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	500	Y	Jan 2024	2,399	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	1,699	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The B700 was launched at a lower price than the OM-1, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon B700 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the OM System OM-1 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the OM-1 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 OM-1 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 20.2 megapixels. This implies that the OM-1 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 1.18μm for the B700), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the OM-1 is much more recent (by 5 years and 11 months) than the B700, and its sensor will 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 OM-1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the B700, the OM-1 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Nikon Coolpix B700 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the OM System OM-1 are ISO 80 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the B700 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the OM-1 uses a Stacked 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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
2.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
3.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
4.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
5.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
6.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
7.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
8.		Olympus E-M1 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.7	12.8	1312	80
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1356	76
10.		OM System OM-1 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.6	1749	78
11.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
12.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
14.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
15.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
16.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
17.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the OM-1 provides a faster frame rate than the B700. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the OM-1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the B700 (5760k vs 921k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon B700 and OM System OM-1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
2.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-M1 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
10.		OM System OM-1 II	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The B700 has one, while the OM-1 does not. While the built-in flash of the B700 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 OM-1 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 Nikon B700 and the OM System OM-1 both have 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 B700 and the OM-1 write their files to SDXC cards. The OM-1 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the B700 only has one slot. The OM-1 supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the B700 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 B700 and OM System OM-1 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 B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Olympus E-M1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		OM System OM-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the OM-1 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The B700 does not feature such a mic input.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the OM System OM-1 (unlike the B700) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the B700 and the OM-1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The OM-1 was replaced by the OM System OM-1 II, while the B700 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the B700 and OM-1 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon B700 Manual (free pdf) or the online OM System OM-1 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon B700 and the OM System OM-1? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix B700:

• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the OM-1 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (125x85mm vs 135x92mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the OM-1).
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2016).

Advantages of the OM System OM-1:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• 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 movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 921k dots).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1640k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (520 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports Ultra High Speed (UHS-II) SDXC cards on both slots.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 11 months of technical progress since the B700 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the OM-1 is the clear winner of the contest (24 : 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 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 B700 and the OM System OM-1 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the B700 or the OM-1 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts 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 B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
2.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	2,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
4.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
5.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-M1 II	5/5	+ +	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	1,999	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	5/5	..	5/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2020	1,799	ebay.com
10.		OM System OM-1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2024	2,399	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	1,699	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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