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Nikon D300S vs Nikon D500

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

NikonD300SNikonD500
Overview
ReleasedAugust 2009April 2016
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRDSLR
Sensor formatAPS-CAPS-C
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Sensor dimensions23.6 × 15.8 mm23.5 × 15.7 mm
Effective resolution12.3 MP20.9 MP
Largest image4288 × 28485568 × 3712
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range200–3200100–51200
Sensor detail13.1 million total pixels; low-pass-filter vibration for dust reduction21.51 million total pixels; Japan gives 20.88 million effective pixels, rounded to 20.9 million in Nikon USA. DX and 1.3× image areas; maximum cropped image 4272 × 2848; sensor-cleaning system
Image formats12-bit or 14-bit NEF RAW, compressed, losslessly compressed or uncompressed; JPEG, TIFF RGB and RAW plus JPEG12-bit or 14-bit NEF RAW with lossless compression, compression or no compression; TIFF RGB, JPEG and RAW plus JPEG. Medium/small RAW are 12-bit losslessly compressed
ISO detailExpanded equivalents ISO 100–6400; Auto ISOExpanded equivalents ISO 50–1640000; Auto ISO
Image processorEXPEED image processing and Scene Recognition SystemEXPEED 5; dedicated autofocus processor; Advanced Scene Recognition System
Lens and shooting
Lens mountNikon F mountNikon F mount
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationOptical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst7 fps10 fps
Lens detailBody AF motor supports compatible screw-drive lenses. Supported non-CPU AI lenses permit aperture-priority and manual exposure, with colour matrix metering when lens data is entered. IX and F3AF lenses unsupportedCompatible G/E/D AF NIKKOR lenses support full functions, subject to PC lens restrictions; body AF motor for compatible screw-drive lenses. Non-CPU AI lenses support aperture-priority/manual; non-AI, IX and F3AF lenses unsupported
AutofocusMulti-CAM 3500DX; 51 points including 15 cross-type, dynamic 9/21/51-point modes and 3D tracking; AF fine-tuningMulti-CAM 20K; 153 points including 99 cross-type, with 55 manually selectable including 35 cross-type; 15 points support f/8, nine selectable. Centre detection to -4 EV; single-point, dynamic 25/72/153, 3D tracking, group and auto-area; automatic AF fine-tuning
Shutter1/8000 to 30 seconds and Bulb; standard flash sync 1/250 second, with 1/320 at reduced flash range; Quiet release mode; shutter tested to 150000 cycles1/8000 to 30 seconds, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/250 second; electronic front curtain in mirror-up mode; shutter tested to 200000 cycles
Burst detailApproximately 7 fps with EN-EL3e in the body; up to 8 fps with MB-D10 and EN-EL4a. Nikon Japan specifies approximately 7.7 fps with eight AA cells in MB-D10 and 7.6 fps with AC power. 14-bit RAW is limited to approximately 2.5 fpsUp to 10 fps with full AF/AE; up to 200 losslessly compressed 14-bit RAW images or 79 uncompressed 14-bit RAW images under Nikon's specified ISO 100 conditions with Lexar Professional 2933× XQD 2.0. Card, settings and scene affect burst depth; quiet continuous approximately 3 fps
Stabilisation detailOptical VR depends on the attached lens; no sensor-shift stabilisationOptical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation. Electronic movie VR available at Full HD, with an additional crop
FlashPop-up i-TTL flash, guide number approximately 12 at ISO 100 in metres; commander support, hot shoe and PC sync terminalNo built-in flash; hot shoe and PC sync terminal. Compatible Speedlights provide Nikon CLS; radio control of SB-5000 requires optional WR-R10/WR-A10
Exposure controlsP/S/A/M; 1005-pixel RGB 3D Colour Matrix Metering II; Active D-Lighting with bracketing and interval timerP/S/A/M; 180000-pixel RGB metering with 3D Colour Matrix Metering III, centre-weighted, spot and highlight-weighted modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting
Video
Highest video resolution1280 × 720 at 24 fps3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Video detail1280 × 720, 640 × 424 or 320 × 216 at 24 fps; Motion-JPEG AVI. Maximum clip length five minutes at 720p or twenty minutes at lower resolutions. Contrast-detection autofocus can be initiated during recording in Tripod modeH.264 MOV at 4K UHD 30p/25p/24p, Full HD up to 60p and 720p up to 60p; actual NTSC rates 29.97/23.976/59.94. Maximum clip 29 minutes 59 seconds; Flat Picture Control, power aperture, time-lapse and HDMI output. 4K uses a further approximately 1.5× crop within DX (Cameralabs). Live view and movies use contrast-detection AF-S/AF-F
AudioBuilt-in mono microphone; 3.5 mm external stereo microphone input with adjustable microphone sensitivityBuilt-in stereo microphone, 3.5 mm external microphone input and headphone output; adjustable microphone sensitivity; linear PCM
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderOpticalOptical
Screen size3″3.2″
Screen dots921,0002,359,000
Touchscreen–Yes
Tilting screenNoYes
Display detailFixed TFT with 170° viewing angle. Nikon USA specifies 921000 dots; Japan rounds this to approximately 920000. Dots count subpixelsReinforced tilting TFT with 170° viewing angle; limited touch functions for live-view AF/shutter and playback; dots count subpixels. Original Nikon US announcement gives 2359000 dots; Japan rounds approximately2360000
Viewfinder detailPentaprism, approximately 100% coverage and 0.94× magnification with 50mm at infinity; 19.5 mm eyepointPentaprism; approximately 100% DX or 98% 1.3× coverage; 1.0× magnification with 50mm at infinity; 16 mm eyepoint; viewfinder shutter and grid overlays
Connections and design
Wi-FiNoYes
Bluetooth–Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)950 photographs1240 photographs
Body weight840 g760 g
Release detailNikon's US announcement specifies late August 2009 availability; Japan records 28 August. Main retains the monthNikon's surviving Japanese product page records sale on 28 April 2016. The original US January announcement proposed March; that planned date was superseded. The same announcement explicitly calls D500 the successor to D300S
Recording mediaDual slots for CompactFlash Type I with UDMA and SD/SDHC; backup, overflow, separate RAW/JPEG and card-to-card copying. CompactFlash Type II and Microdrive unsupportedOne XQD slot and one SD/SDHC/SDXC slot with UHS-II support; overflow, backup, separate RAW/JPEG and card copying. CFexpress Type B support added to the XQD slot with firmware C 1.30
PortsHi-Speed USB, analogue NTSC/PAL output, mini HDMI Type C, ten-pin accessory/GPS terminal and PC flash syncUSB 3.0 Micro-B, mini-HDMI Type C, 3.5 mm microphone and headphone sockets, ten-pin accessory terminal and PC sync. Optional GP-1/GP-1A or MC-35 connects GPS equipment
Wireless connectionsOptional WT-4/WT-4A transmitter supports network transfer; no built-in Wi-FiWi-Fi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC; SnapBridge smartphone transfer and location sharing. Direct SnapBridge Wi-Fi connections added with C 1.20; optional WT-7 supplies wired/wireless network transfer
Battery life detailEN-EL3e; approximately 950 shots under CIPA conditions with AF-S VR 24–120mm f/3.5–5.6G ED, flash on alternate exposures and no live view. Separate Nikon continuous test claims approximately 3000 shots. MB-D10 accepts EN-EL3e, EN-EL4/EN-EL4a or eight AA cellsEN-EL15 at launch; EN-EL15a/b subsequently supported. Approximately 1240 CIPA photographs with AF-S DX NIKKOR 16–80mm f/2.8–4E ED VR and no live view; separate Nikon continuous test approximately 2740 with AF-S NIKKOR 70–200mm f/2.8G ED VR II and VR off. Optional MB-D17 grip supports one EN-EL15-series battery, EN-EL18-series with BL-5 cover, or eight AA batteries
ChargingMH-18a external charger; optional EH-5/EH-5a AC adapterExternal MH-25a charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5B power connector
DimensionsApproximately 147 × 114 × 74 mmApproximately 147 × 115 × 81 mm
Weight detailApproximately 840 g excluding battery, memory card, body cap and monitor coverApproximately 760 g body only; 860 g with battery and XQD card, excluding body cap
MaterialsMagnesium-alloy body with seals and gaskets at key pointsMagnesium-alloy top/rear and carbon-fibre-reinforced front monocoque; dust and moisture sealing; not a waterproof rating
In the box–Original EN-EL15 battery, MH-25a charger, DK-17F eyepiece, UC-E22 USB cable, USB/HDMI cable clips, AN-DC17 strap and BF-1B body cap; later Japanese supply also lists EN-EL15b

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