How to Use Nikon Coolpix B500
The Nikon Coolpix B500 is a bridge camera that gives you a lot of reach without a lot of complexity. The 40x optical zoom lens covers 22.5mm to 900mm (35mm equivalent), which means you can shoot wide landscapes and then zoom in on distant wildlife or sports action without changing lenses. The 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor produces clean images, and the 3-inch tilting LCD makes it comfortable to shoot from low and high angles.
One thing that sets the B500 apart from most cameras in this class: it runs on four AA batteries instead of a proprietary rechargeable pack. That means you can buy replacements anywhere in the world, and a set of rechargeable AAs keeps the running cost low.
This guide covers the settings and features you’ll use the most.
Getting Started
Batteries and Memory Card
Open the battery chamber on the bottom of the camera and insert four AA batteries. Alkaline batteries work fine, but lithium or rechargeable NiMH batteries last longer and handle cold weather better. A fresh set of alkaline AAs gives you about 600 shots. Rechargeables typically deliver 750 or more.
Slide an SD, SDHC, or SDXC card into the memory card slot next to the battery compartment. A card with at least 16 GB and Class 10 speed handles both photos and video without issues.
First Power-On
Press the power button and the camera walks you through setting the language, time zone, date, and daylight saving time. Take a moment to get these right because every photo is stamped with this information.
Shooting Modes
The mode dial on top of the camera controls how the B500 handles exposure and scene detection.
Auto Mode: The camera picks everything for you. Point, frame, and press the shutter. This is the simplest mode and works well for casual shooting in a variety of conditions.
Scene Auto Selector: The camera analyzes the scene (portrait, landscape, night, close-up, backlit, etc.) and automatically applies the best preset. It’s like having several scene modes that switch on their own. This works surprisingly well in most situations.
Scene Modes: Manual selection of specific scene presets. Options include Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night Portrait, Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night Landscape, Close-up, Food, Fireworks, Black and White Copy, Backlighting, Panorama, and Pet Portrait. Each one adjusts exposure, color, shutter speed, and other settings for the named situation.
Creative Mode: This gives you control over exposure compensation, white balance, and ISO while the camera handles aperture and shutter speed. It’s the closest the B500 gets to manual control. If you want to learn how exposure adjustments affect your images, start here.
Short Movie Show: Records short video clips (up to 30 seconds) and combines them into a single movie. Useful for creating quick highlight reels from events or travel days.
Using the 40x Zoom
The B500’s 40x optical zoom is its standout feature. At 22.5mm, the lens captures wide scenes. At 900mm, it pulls in distant subjects that are barely visible to the naked eye.
Use the zoom control ring around the shutter button to smoothly zoom in and out. At full zoom, camera shake becomes very noticeable because even small hand movements are amplified. The built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) system helps, but at 900mm you’ll get the sharpest results by bracing the camera against something solid or using a tripod.
Snapback Zoom
When zoomed in tight, it’s easy to lose track of your subject. Press the snapback zoom button on the side of the camera to temporarily widen the view. You’ll see a frame overlay showing your current zoom area. Reposition your subject inside that frame, release the button, and the camera zooms back to where you were. This feature is a lifesaver when tracking birds, planes, or distant wildlife.
Digital Zoom
Beyond the 40x optical zoom, the B500 offers up to 80x Dynamic Fine Zoom (digital). Image quality drops compared to optical zoom, but for web-sized images or social media posts, the results are acceptable. The camera warns you when you cross from optical to digital zoom.
Autofocus
The B500 uses contrast-detection autofocus. Half-press the shutter button and the camera locks focus. The focus area or indicator glows green when focus is confirmed.
You can choose between several AF area modes. Face Priority detects and focuses on faces in the frame, which is great for group shots and portraits. Manual selection lets you move the focus point to a specific area of the frame using the multi-selector. Target Finding lets the camera choose the subject automatically.
For macro (close-up) shooting, press the macro button on the side of the camera. The lens can focus as close as about 1 cm at the wide-angle end, which lets you capture small details like insects, flowers, and textures.
Flash
The B500 has a built-in pop-up flash. Press the flash button on the side to raise it. Use the multi-selector to cycle through flash modes: Auto (camera decides), Fill Flash (always fires), Slow Sync (balances flash with ambient light for night portraits), and Red-Eye Reduction.
The flash range is limited to about 4-5 meters at the wide end, so it works best for nearby subjects. For distant subjects, the zoom’s light-gathering ability and higher ISO settings are more effective than trying to reach them with flash.
Video Recording
The B500 records Full HD 1080p at 30 fps and 720p at 30 or 60 fps. Press the dedicated movie record button to start and stop recording. The 40x optical zoom is available during video, though zoom speed is slower to reduce motor noise in the audio.
Our macro lens for Nikon article has more practical tips for close-up work.
Wind noise reduction can be enabled in the video settings to filter out low-frequency wind sounds. For better audio quality, an external mic can be connected if needed, though the built-in stereo mic produces acceptable results in calm conditions.
SnapBridge and Wi-Fi
The B500 has Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi built in. Download the Nikon SnapBridge app on your phone and pair via Bluetooth. Once connected, the camera automatically transfers resized JPEGs to your phone in the background as you shoot. You don’t have to do anything after the initial setup.
For full-resolution transfers, remote shooting, or location data embedding, the B500 also has Wi-Fi. The SnapBridge app handles the connection, and you can browse images on the camera, download full-resolution files, and trigger the shutter remotely from your phone.
We walk through Nikon lens for landscape step by step in a separate post.
The Tilting LCD
The 3-inch, 921K-dot LCD tilts downward about 85 degrees and upward about 90 degrees. This makes it much easier to compose shots from low angles (macro, pet photography) and high angles (shooting over crowds). The screen doesn’t flip all the way around for selfies, but the tilt range covers most practical shooting positions.
Tips for Better Results
Wildlife and Birds: Use Scene Auto Selector or Sports scene mode. Zoom in to your subject, half-press to lock focus, and fire. Use the snapback zoom button to reacquire the subject if you lose it at long focal lengths. Brace the camera on a fence, railing, or beanbag for steadier shots at full zoom.
Landscapes: Zoom out to the wide end (22.5mm). Use Landscape scene mode for boosted colors and deep focus. Hold the camera steady or use a tripod. The panorama mode stitches wide shots together automatically if you want an even wider view.
Portraits: Use Portrait scene mode. Zoom to about 50-100mm for a flattering perspective. The camera opens the aperture to soften the background. If shooting indoors, pop up the flash and use Fill Flash mode.
Moon and Night Sky: Switch to Scene mode, select Night Landscape or use Creative mode with a low ISO and long exposure. A tripod is essential. At 900mm, you can get a surprisingly detailed shot of the moon.
Low Light: The B500’s small sensor struggles more in dim conditions than larger-sensor cameras. Keep ISO at 800 or below when possible, use VR, and brace the camera. The flash helps for nearby subjects.
Final Thoughts
The Nikon Coolpix B500 is built for photographers who want big zoom range without the complexity of interchangeable lenses. The 40x zoom lets you shoot everything from wide landscapes to distant wildlife with one camera. AA battery compatibility means you’re never stranded without power. And SnapBridge keeps your phone loaded with fresh photos. Spend some time with the scene modes and zoom controls, and this camera will deliver results that surprise you.