Nikon P900 vs Olympus E-M5 II

The Nikon Coolpix P900 and the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2015 and February 2015. The P900 is a fixed lens compact, while the E-M5 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (P900) and a Four Thirds (E-M5 II) 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 P900		Olympus E-M5 II
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5		Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 200-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
7 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilization		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
360 shots per battery charge		310 shots per battery charge
140 x 103 x 137 mm, 899 g		124 x 85 x 45 mm, 469 g

Check P900 offers at
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Check E-M5 II offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix P900 and the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II? 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 P900 and the Olympus E-M5 II 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 E-M5 II can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the P900 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 Olympus E-M5 II is notably smaller (27 percent) than the Nikon P900. It is noteworthy in this context that the E-M5 II is splash and dust-proof, while the P900 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the P900 has a lens built in, whereas the E-M5 II 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-M5 II and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the P900 gets 360 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL23 battery, while the E-M5 II can take 310 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLN-1 power pack. The power pack in the P900 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	1,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.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 B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P950	140 mm	110 mm	150 mm	1005 g	290	n	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
9.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
10.		Olympus E-M1	130 mm	94 mm	63 mm	497 g	350	Y	Sep 2013	1,399	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-M5	122 mm	89 mm	43 mm	425 g	360	Y	Feb 2012	1,299	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2019	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	699	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
16.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	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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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 P900 was launched at a lower price than the E-M5 II, 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 P900 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Olympus E-M5 II a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M5 II 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-M5 II has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This implies that the E-M5 II has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 1.33μm for the P900), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. The two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the P900 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

Unlike the P900, the E-M5 II has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (40MP) 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 P900 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the P900 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the E-M5 II 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 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 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 P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
2.		Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
3.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
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 B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
7.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
8.		Nikon P950	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.3	1189	52
9.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
10.		Olympus E-M1	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	757	73
11.		Olympus E-M5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	22.8	12.3	826	71
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
13.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
14.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
15.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
16.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the E-M5 II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the P900 (2360k vs 921k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon P900 and Olympus E-M5 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Olympus E-M5 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/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 B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon P950	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-M1	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Olympus E-M5	1440	n	3.0 / 610	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
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 P900 has one, while the E-M5 II does not. While the built-in flash of the P900 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 E-M5 II 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 P900 and the Olympus E-M5 II 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 P900 and the E-M5 II write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M5 II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the P900 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 P900 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II 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 P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	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 B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Nikon P950	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Olympus E-M1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus E-M5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the E-M5 II has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The P900 does not feature such a mic input.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-M5 II (unlike the P900) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the P900 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the P900 and the E-M5 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-M5 II was replaced by the Olympus E-M5 III, while the P900 was followed by the Nikon P950. Further information on the features and operation of the P900 and E-M5 II can be found, respectively, in the Nikon P900 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M5 II Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon P900 and the Olympus E-M5 II? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix P900:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the E-M5 II requires a separate lens.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (360 versus 310) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• 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.

Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 921k dots).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k 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 7 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.
• More compact: Is smaller (124x85mm vs 140x103mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• 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.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-II standard.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M5 II is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 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 P900 and the Olympus E-M5 II 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the P900 or the E-M5 II. 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 adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-M5 II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2015	1,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.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 B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P950	..	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2020	799	amazon.com
9.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
10.		Olympus E-M1	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	1,399	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-M5	4/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2012	1,299	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	5/5	+	5/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	699	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
16.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	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 were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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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