The star of this camera, of course, is its dual-stabilized 36X-optical-zoom lens, which starts at a superwide 22.5mm and extends to an impressive 810mm. With a maximum aperture of F3.5 at wide-angle and F5.7 at full telephoto, the lens isn't all that bright, but its focal range covers more than a few thousand dollars' worth of DSLR lenses, making the P500 somewhat of a bargain.
The Coolpix P500 offers Nikon's hybrid (mechanical and electronic) Vibration Reduction system to stabilize the lens; but at full telephoto, even dual VR isn't always enough to grab a sharply focused shot. Common among megazooms like the P500 is the fact that when the lens is fully extended, keeping the subject centered in the frame is difficult, if not impossible. Any micro-movement will throw the lens off. However, a second zoom lever is available on the lens barrel to help you manually stabilize the lens with your left hand while zooming.
Physically, the P500 is well built, but far from pocketable. The camera measures 4.1 inches deep, 3.3 inches tall, and 4.6 inches wide, and it weighs about 17.5 ounces fully loaded--just a bit smaller than your average entry-level DSLR. Nicely balanced even when the lens is extended, the camera is suitable for shooting one-handed, due in part to the textured rubber grip.
Visually attractive in either high-gloss red or black, the P500 is equipped with a gorgeous 3-inch, tiltable high-resolution LCD and an eye-level electronic viewfinder. The EVF is a little grainy, particularly in low-light situations, but it's bright enough to work effectively when direct sunlight proves too reflective for you to use the LCD.
Charging the camera's battery isn't always convenient, as you need to charge it inside the camera by way of a wall outlet or a USB connection. An optional stand-alone charger is available to charge the battery independently, but it would have been nice if Nikon had included that in the box. What's more, the battery lasts for only about 220 shots, so you will be charging up the P500 fairly frequently.