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Nikon D3500 vs Nikon D500

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

NikonD3500NikonD500
Overview
ReleasedSeptember 2018April 2016
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRDSLR
Sensor formatAPS-CAPS-C
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Sensor dimensions23.5 × 15.6 mm23.5 × 15.7 mm
Effective resolution24.2 MP20.9 MP
Largest image6000 × 40005568 × 3712
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range100–25600100–51200
Sensor detailNikon DX CMOS with 24.16 million effective and 24.78 million total pixels; no optical low-pass filter; approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent. Image Dust Off reference data uses Capture NX-D; no automatic vibrating sensor-cleaning system21.51 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 compressed NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; maximum 6000 × 4000 pixels; Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape and Flat Picture Controls12-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 detailISO 100–25600 in one-stop steps; Auto ISOExpanded equivalents ISO 50–1640000; Auto ISO
Image processor–EXPEED 5; dedicated autofocus processor; Advanced Scene Recognition System
Lens and shooting
Lens mountNikon F mountNikon F mount
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationOptical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst5 fps10 fps
Lens detailAutofocus supported with AF-P lenses and type E/G AF-S lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lensesCompatible 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 1000; 11 phase-detection points including one cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A, single-point, dynamic, auto-area and 11-point 3D tracking. Contrast-detection live view supports face, wide, normal and subject-tracking areasMulti-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
ShutterElectronically controlled focal-plane shutter; 1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third stops, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/200 second1/8000 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 5 fps with manual focus, S/M exposure, 1/250 second or faster and other settings at defaultsUp 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 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
FlashBuilt-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 7 m at ISO 100, 20°C, or 8 at manual full output; accessory shoeNo 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, Auto, flash-off Auto, scene and special-effects modes; beginner Guide mode; 420-pixel RGB metering with matrix, centre-weighted and spot modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting on/offP/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 resolution1920 × 1080 at 60 fps3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Video detailH.264 MOV at Full HD 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p or 720p 60p/50p; actual NTSC rates 59.94/29.97/23.976. Maximum 29 minutes 59 seconds, reduced to 20 or ten minutes depending on frame-rate/quality settings, or three minutes with Miniature EffectH.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 with adjustable sensitivity and linear PCM recording; no external microphone input. Photography Blog describes stereo sound, differing from Nikon’s technical specificationBuilt-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 screen–Yes
Display detailFixed 3-inch TFT; approximately 921000 dots in the US, rounded to 920000 in Japan; 170° viewing angle and approximately 100% coverage; 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 detailPentamirror; approximately 95% coverage, 0.85× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 18 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-Fi–Yes
Bluetooth–Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)1550 photographs1240 photographs
Body weight365 g760 g
Release detailNikon Japan records first sale on 28 September 2018; global announcement on 30 August 2018Nikon'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 mediaOne SD/SDHC/SDXC slot; UHS-I support for SDHC/SDXCOne 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 Micro-USB and HDMI Type C; no wired accessory terminal, external microphone socket or infrared remote receiverUSB 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 connectionsBluetooth 4.1 with SnapBridge; automatic transfer of two-megapixel JPEGs and smartphone time/location synchronisation. Nikon’s updated announcement supports Bluetooth remote still capture using SnapBridge 2.5, manual original-JPEG transfer, and excludes RAW/movie transfer; no 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-EL14a rechargeable lithium-ion battery; approximately 1550 photographs per charge under CIPA testing with Bluetooth disabledEN-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
ChargingExternal MH-24 charger; optional EH-5c/EH-5b AC adapter with EP-5A power connectorExternal MH-25a charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5B power connector
DimensionsApproximately 124 × 97 × 69.5 mmApproximately 147 × 115 × 81 mm
Weight detailApproximately 365 g body only or 415 g including battery and SD card, excluding body capApproximately 760 g body only; 860 g with battery and XQD card, excluding body cap
MaterialsSlim monocoque body structure with a deeper grip and most operational buttons grouped on the right of the rear panelMagnesium-alloy top/rear and carbon-fibre-reinforced front monocoque; dust and moisture sealing; not a waterproof rating
ColoursBlack–
In the boxEN-EL14a battery, MH-24 charger, AN-DC3 strap, BF-1B body cap and DK-25 eyecupOriginal 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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