DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Forget About the D400, Nikon Just Announced the D500 DX Flagship DSLR And It’s a Killer

Jan 6, 2016 by Liron Samuels 9 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

D500

The D300s was released back in 2009 and ever since then people have been anxiously looking forward to a real upgrade from the dated D300. It took so long that many people gave up and announced Nikon’s DX line is dead, but six and a half years later it finally happened – Nikon just announced a new DX flagship DSLR, the D500.

The wait was long, but judging by the specs it might have been worth it. As was the case with the D3 and the D300 back in 2007, the D500 looks like a mini D5 – and that’s awesome!

D500-5Boasting a 20.9 megapixel (DX-format) sensor, EXPEED 5 image processing engine, 4K video and the same Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, this little monster has a lot in common with its bigger brother.

Add to that an ISO range of 100-51,200 (expandable to 50-1,640,000!) and 10 frames per second (with full AF and AE) and you’ve got yourself one hell of a camera. Buffer wise the camera can capture up to 79 shots (14-bit, uncompressed RAW/NEF) or 200 shots (14-bit lossless compressed RAW). Nikon calls the D500 “DX: Supercharged”, and I can’t disagree. Offering the small body and crop factor of a DX camera, owners will still enjoy many of the high-end features found in Nikon’s most expensive model.

Here’s the D500’s 10fps in action:

Further proof that Nikon takes the D500 seriously can be found in the circular viewfinder, which was reserved for full-frame FX cameras up until the recent release of the cheaper FX models.

D500-D5

Additional features include:

  • Dedicated processor for AF function
  • Side-to-side AF points coverage
  • 180K RGB Metering system
  • Advanced Scene Recognition System
  • Identical weather sealing as the D810
  • Body top and rear made of magnesium alloy, front is reinforced with carbon fiber
  • Shutter mechanism tested for 200,000 actuations
  • 2-inch 2359k-dot touchscreen LCD
  • Tilting LCD, similar to that of the D750
  • Dual memory card slots: XQD and SD (That’s right, no more CF!)
  • SnapBridge for sharing images
  • Built-in Bluetooth, NFC and Wi-Fi
  • 4K UHD video at up to 30p (3840×2160)
  • 4K time lapse movies in-camera
  • Full HD 1080p at up to 60p
  • Uncompressed HDMI output
  • Picture Controls
  • Auto ISO smoothing during video recording
  • New 3-axis electronic VR feature for 1080p Full HD video (regardless of which lens is used!)
  • Active D-Lighting in Full HD video recording

D500-Screen“Nikon has answered the call from photographers to once again re-invent this camera category and offer an unmatched combination of performance and value that is hard for any photographer to resist,” said Masahiro Horie, Nikon’s Director of Marketing and Planning.

I usually don’t pay too much attention to the marketing fluff including in press releases, but this time it seems pretty accurate.

Side-to-side AF coverage

Side-to-side AF coverage

Off the bat this seems like an incredibly awesome camera, especially for wildlife and sport photographers, and will no doubt sell plenty more of Nikon’s 200-500mm lenses.

Despite the many features the D5 and the D500 have in common, luckily the price differs greatly. While the D5 will set you back a whopping $6,500, the D500 can be pre-ordered for $1999.95. It’s not cheap, but you get plenty of bang for the buck.

The camera will also be sold in a kit with the AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR lens for $3,069.95. Accessories include the MB-D17 grip for $450 and the WT-7A Wireless Transmitter for $935.

The D500 will be available in March 2016, as will the D5 and the other newly announced accessories.

More information can be found on Nikon’s dedicated website.

D500-4 D500-3 D500-2 D500-1

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Introducing Nikon’s full frame DSLR Killer – The Nikon F6 Pentax is not dead, as Ricoh announced development of new flagship APS-C DSLR Nikon Confirms Flagship D5 DSLR Is On The Way Nikon Released Sample 4K UHD Video From the D500

Filed Under: Gear Tagged With: 4k, Crop Factor, D300s, D400, dx, Nikon, Nikon D500

Liron Samuels: from diyphotography.net

About Liron Samuels

Liron Samuels is a wildlife and commercial photographer based in Israel.

When he isn't waking up at 4am to take photos of nature, he stays awake until 4am taking photos of the night skies or time lapses.

You can see more of his work on his website or follow him on Facebook.

« Sony looks to take on GoPro’s HERO+ with its new entry-level action cam
First 360° VR Videos Recorded With Nikon’s KeyMission 360 Action Camera »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Here’s a bullet time video booth you can build yourself
  • Ricoh has discontinued the HD PENTAX-DA 21mm F3.2AL Limited silver lens
  • This “stellar flower” unravels the twilight’s evolution in 360 degrees
  • Strobes vs Continuous LEDs – Which is right for you?
  • Wave goodbye to Apple’s My Photo Stream next month

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy