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Nikon D500 vs Nikon D90

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

NikonD500NikonD90
Overview
ReleasedApril 2016September 2008
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRDSLR
Sensor formatAPS-CAPS-C
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Sensor dimensions23.5 × 15.7 mm23.6 × 15.8 mm
Effective resolution20.9 MP12.3 MP
Largest image5568 × 37124288 × 2848
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range100–51200200–3200
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 system12.9 million total pixels; sensor cleaning and Image Dust Off reference data
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 compressedNEF RAW, JPEG and RAW plus JPEG; Cameralabs confirms 12-bit compressed RAW
ISO detailExpanded equivalents ISO 50–1640000; Auto ISOExpanded equivalents ISO 100–6400; Auto ISO
Image processorEXPEED 5; dedicated autofocus processor; Advanced Scene Recognition SystemEXPEED
Lens and shooting
Lens mountNikon F mountNikon F mount
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationOptical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst10 fps4.5 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 unsupportedDX angle of view approximately 1.5× FX focal length; AF coupling supports compatible screw-drive lenses. Non-CPU lenses permit manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported
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-tuningMulti-CAM 1000 phase detection, 11 points including one cross-type; single, dynamic, auto-area and 3D tracking. Live view uses contrast detection with face-priority, wide and normal areas
Shutter1/8000 to 30 seconds, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/250 second; electronic front curtain in mirror-up mode; shutter tested to 200000 cycles1/4000 to 30 seconds and Bulb; flash sync 1/200 second; tested to 100000 releases
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 fpsHigh-speed continuous approximately 4.5 fps; low-speed 1–4 fps
Stabilisation detailOptical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation. Electronic movie VR available at Full HD, with an additional cropOptical VR depends on the 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-A10Pop-up i-TTL flash, guide number approximately 17 at ISO 200 in metres; commander for two remote groups; ISO 518 hot shoe
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, auto and scene modes; 420-pixel RGB metering; ±5 EV compensation
Video
Highest video resolution3840 × 2160 at 30 fps1280 × 720 at 24 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-FMotion-JPEG AVI at 24 fps; 720p limited to approximately five minutes, 640 × 424 and 320 × 216 to approximately 20 minutes; autofocus unavailable during recording
AudioBuilt-in stereo microphone, 3.5 mm external microphone input and headphone output; adjustable microphone sensitivity; linear PCMMonaural movie sound
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderOpticalOptical
Screen size3.2″3″
Screen dots2,359,000920,000
TouchscreenYes–
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 TFT with approximately 100% coverage and 170° viewing angle; dots count subpixels
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 96% coverage and 0.94× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity; 19.5 mm eyepoint; selectable grid
Connections and design
Wi-FiYes–
BluetoothYes–
Battery life (maker's claim)1240 photographs850 photographs
Body weight760 g620 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 D300SNikon's original US announcement specifies September 2008 availability; Nikon Japan records 19 September there. Main retains the month without assigning the Japanese day to every region
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 1.30SD and SDHC 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 equipmentHi-Speed USB, analogue AV output, HDMI mini Type C and accessory terminal for optional MC-DC2 or GP-1
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 transfer–
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-EL3e; approximately 850 CIPA photographs with the 18–105mm VR lens and flash in half the exposures; optional MB-D80 grip
ChargingExternal MH-25a charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5B power connectorExternal MH-18a charger; optional EH-5a AC adapter
DimensionsApproximately 147 × 115 × 81 mmApproximately 132 × 103 × 77 mm
Weight detailApproximately 760 g body only; 860 g with battery and XQD card, excluding body capApproximately 620 g excluding battery, card, body cap and monitor cover
MaterialsMagnesium-alloy top/rear and carbon-fibre-reinforced front monocoque; dust and moisture sealing; not a waterproof rating–
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-EL3e battery, MH-18a charger, DK-5 eyepiece cap, DK-21 eyecup, UC-E4 USB cable, EG-D2 AV cable, AN-DC1 strap, BM-10 monitor cover, body and shoe caps; regional contents may differ

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