Nikon's 2011 36x superzoom bridge — 12.1MP BSI CMOS, 22.5-810mm lens, tilting LCD, 1080p video
The Coolpix P500 was Nikon's flagship superzoom bridge camera of early 2011, announced in February as the replacement for the P100. Its 36x lens was the longest zoom fitted to any Coolpix at the time, and it sold for around $399.95 in black or red before being superseded by the P510 in 2012.
It couples a 12.1-megapixel 1/2.3-inch back-illuminated CMOS sensor with a 36x Nikkor ED zoom spanning 22.5-810mm equivalent at f/3.4-5.7, stabilised by hybrid VR combining sensor-shift and electronic correction. Framing is via an electronic viewfinder or the 3-inch, 921k-dot tilting LCD. It offers full P/S/A/M control, ISO 160-3200, 8fps full-resolution bursts, 1cm macro focusing, 1080p Full HD video with stereo sound plus high-speed modes to 240fps, HDMI output, SD/SDHC/SDXC storage and the EN-EL5 battery, in a 494g body with a side zoom control.
It suits travel, wildlife and landscape shooters wanting one do-everything camera: 22.5mm is wider than almost any rival superzoom and 810mm reaches distant subjects. Handling is good thanks to the grip and side zoom rocker, but autofocus struggles to track movement at long focal lengths and the CIPA rating of roughly 220 shots means a spare battery is sensible.
Run the zoom through its full range and watch for hesitation or motor noise, check the tilting screen hinge and EVF, and look for dust blobs by shooting a plain sky at full telephoto. EN-EL5 batteries remain easy to source new. The lens cap must be removed before power-on or the camera reports an error — a quirk, not a fault.