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Nikon D500 vs Nikon D800E

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

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NikonD500NikonD800E
Overview
ReleasedApril 2016April 2012
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRDSLR
Sensor formatAPS-CFull frame
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Sensor dimensions23.5 × 15.7 mm35.9 × 24 mm
Effective resolution20.9 MP36.3 MP
Largest image5568 × 37127360 × 4912
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range100–51200100–6400
Sensor detail21.51 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 systemFX CMOS with 36.3 million effective pixels and 36.77 million total in Japan, rounded to 36.8 million USA; Optical low-pass filter stack cancels the aliasing/moiré reduction effect rather than removing all filter glass; Nikon warns of more noticeable moiré and false colour with some subjects. IR/anti-reflection coating remains the same as D800. Image Sensor Cleaning and Image Dust Off reference data. FX 7360 × 4912; 1.2× crop 6144 × 4080; DX 4800 × 3200; 5:4 crop 6144 × 4912
Image formats12-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 compressed12-bit or 14-bit NEF RAW, uncompressed, lossless-compressed or compressed; TIFF RGB, JPEG Fine/Normal/Basic with size-priority or optimal-quality compression, simultaneous RAW/JPEG; adjustable/custom Picture Controls and in-camera RAW processing
ISO detailExpanded equivalents ISO 50–1640000; Auto ISOStandard ISO 100–6400 in one-third, half or whole stops; Lo expansion down to ISO 50 equivalent and Hi expansion up to ISO 25600 equivalent; automatic sensitivity control
Image processorEXPEED 5; dedicated autofocus processor; Advanced Scene Recognition SystemEXPEED 3
Lens and shooting
Lens mountNikon F mountNikon F mount
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationOptical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst10 fps4 fps
Lens detailCompatible 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 unsupportedF mount with body AF coupling and contacts; G/D, other AF and AI-P lenses with restrictions; non-CPU AI lenses usable in A/M with registered lens data, DX lenses use DX crop. Non-AI, IX and F3AF lenses excluded
AutofocusMulti-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-tuningAdvanced Multi-CAM3500FX phase detection with 51 points, 15 cross-type and 11 f/8-compatible points; -2 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C, fine-tuning, single-point, dynamic nine/21/51, 3D tracking and auto-area. Live view uses contrast AF-S/AF-F and face/wide/normal/tracking areas; current USA AF-A listing conflicts with Japan's AF-S/AF-C modes
Shutter1/8000 to 30 seconds, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/250 second; electronic front curtain in mirror-up mode; shutter tested to 200000 cyclesElectronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter, 1/8000 to 30 seconds and Bulb; tested to 200000 cycles. X-sync 1/250 second, up to 1/320 with reduced flash range
Burst detailUp 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 fpsApproximately 4 fps full FX or 5:4; 5 fps DX or 1.2× crop on EN-EL15. DX reaches 6 fps with optional MB-D12 using EN-EL18 or AA batteries, or an AC adapter; 1.2× remains 5 fps. Quiet single-frame, mirror-up and configurable self-timer modes
Stabilisation detailOptical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation. Electronic movie VR available at Full HD, with an additional cropVR depends on attached lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation
FlashNo built-in flash; hot shoe and PC sync terminal. Compatible Speedlights provide Nikon CLS; radio control of SB-5000 requires optional WR-R10/WR-A10Built-in i-TTL pop-up flash, guide number approximately 12 m at ISO 100, 20°C; commander for two remote groups, hot shoe, PC sync terminal and compatible Auto FP Speedlights
Exposure controlsP/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-LightingP/S/A/M; 91000-pixel RGB matrix, centre-weighted and spot metering; ±5 EV compensation, exposure/flash and white-balance bracketing; two-exposure HDR, interval timer and dual-axis virtual horizon. Japan centre-weighted default is 12 mm and spot range 2–20 EV; USA lists 8 mm and 0–20 EV
Video
Highest video resolution3840 × 2160 at 30 fps1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Video detailH.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-FFX- or DX-based 1920 × 1080 at 30p/25p/24p; 1280 × 720 at 60p/50p/30p/25p; MOV H.264/MPEG-4 AVC and linear PCM audio. High quality up to 20 minutes, normal up to 29 min 59 s; time-lapse movies and uncompressed HDMI output. Photography Blog's 1920 × 1280 movie caption conflicts with Nikon's 1920 × 1080 specification; DPReview introductory VGA listing conflicts with the own maker specification
AudioBuilt-in stereo microphone, 3.5 mm external microphone input and headphone output; adjustable microphone sensitivity; linear PCMBuilt-in mono microphone; 3.5 mm external stereo input and headphone output; adjustable microphone sensitivity
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderOpticalOptical
Screen size3.2″3.2″
Screen dots2,359,000921,000
TouchscreenYesNo
Tilting screenYesNo
Display detailReinforced 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 approximately2360000Fixed 3.2-inch TFT, approximately 921000 dots USA/global or 920000 Japan; 170° viewing angle, approximately 100% coverage and automatic brightness adjustment; top status LCD, BM-12 protective cover and live view
Viewfinder detailPentaprism; approximately 100% DX or 98% 1.3× coverage; 1.0× magnification with 50mm at infinity; 16 mm eyepoint; viewfinder shutter and grid overlaysPentaprism, approximately 100% FX coverage, 97% DX/1.2× and 100% vertical/97% horizontal 5:4 in Japan; USA gives 97% both axes for 5:4. Approximately 0.7× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity, 17 mm eyepoint, grid display and depth-of-field preview; current USA calls it a pentamirror, conflicting with the combined Japan pentaprism specification
Connections and design
Wi-FiYes–
BluetoothYes–
Battery life (maker's claim)1240 photographs900 photographs
Body weight760 g900 g
Release detailNikon'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 D300SApril 2012 release month; Nikon Japan records actual first sale on 12 April, with global announcement dated 7 February. The regional day does not establish earliest worldwide sale; this model was co-marketed with D800
Recording mediaOne 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 1.30One Type I CompactFlash slot with UDMA and one SD/SDHC/SDXC slot with UHS-I; overflow, backup, RAW/JPEG split and copying between cards
PortsUSB 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 equipmentUSB 3.0 Micro-B, mini HDMI Type C, 3.5 mm microphone and headphone sockets, PC sync and 10-pin remote/GPS terminal; optional UT-1 provides wired LAN
Wireless connectionsWi-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 transferNo built-in Wi-Fi or GPS; optional WT-4 networking or WT-5 with UT-1, GP-1 GPS and WR-R10 with WR-A10 adapter or WR-1 remote. Current Japan lists later accessory support
Battery life detailEN-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 batteriesEN-EL15, approximately 900 CIPA shots; optional MB-D12 takes EN-EL15, EN-EL18 with BL-5 cover or eight AA cells. Japan gives 1400 shots for grip EN-EL18 or 1000 with alkaline AA, without simultaneously counting the body's battery
ChargingExternal MH-25a charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5B power connectorExternal MH-25 charger; optional EH-5b AC adapter with EP-5B connector
DimensionsApproximately 147 × 115 × 81 mmApproximately 146 × 123 × 81.5 mm Japan; current USA gives 144.78 × 121.92 × 81.28 mm
Weight detailApproximately 760 g body only; 860 g with battery and XQD card, excluding body capApproximately 900 g body only; 1000 g with battery and SD card, excluding body cap
MaterialsMagnesium-alloy top/rear and carbon-fibre-reinforced front monocoque; dust and moisture sealing; not a waterproof ratingMagnesium-alloy body with dust/water-resistant sealing
Colours–Black
In the boxOriginal 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-EL15bEN-EL15, MH-25, DK-17 eyepiece, UC-E14 USB cable and clip, AN-DC6E strap, BM-12 monitor cover, BF-1B body cap, BS-1 shoe cover and ViewNX 2 CD-ROM (Japan D800E package)

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