Nikon D500: First impressions

The Nikon D500 is a 20MP APS-C DSLR capable of shooting at up to 10 frames per second and featuring an autofocus system derived from the one in the D5. In other words, it’s exactly the kind of high-end DX format body that appeared to have become extinct with the D300S. The six-and-a-half years that have passed since the D300S’ launch have seen the camera market move on considerably but the D500 does much to reclaim the position as one of the pre-eminent APS-C camera on the market. As you might expect, much of the improved capability of the camera centers around sports and high-speed shooting, with significant upgrades to the shooting rate and autofocus system, but there are also major upgrades to the viewfinder, video capabilities and connectivity options which expand its utility beyond one particular niche. Key Features 20MP APS-C (DX Format) sensor 153 point AF module with 99 cross-type points 180,000 pixel RGB sensor for metering and subject recognition AF point joystick 10 fps shooting for up to 200 shots (lossless compressed 14-bit Raw to XQD card) 4K (UHD) video from 1.5x crop of sensor 100% coverage viewfinder with 1.0x magnification 2.36m dot tilt up/down touchscreen Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity with NFC for setup Mic and headphone sockets USB 3.0 connector Anti-flicker option for working under artificial lighting A good sport Much of the D500’s capability is built around the ability to focus and shoot very quickly. Its 153-point AF module offers near full-width coverage and is linked to a 180,000 pixel RGB metering sensor to further improve its AF tracking capabilities. Interestingly, and like the D5, the D500’s AF system now offers two parameters for fine-tuning the autofocus tracking behavior, letting the user specify the type of subject movement and the correct response to another object blocking the targeted subject. Existing Nikons only let you specify duration, suggesting Nikon is trying to expand the range of shooting situations for which the AF system can be optimized. Only 55 of the camera’s AF points can be directly selected and the D500 gains both a joystick and a touchscreen to make it as fast as possible to select the point you want to use. Add to this the ability to shoot up to 200 Raw frames before slowing down (if you use an XQD card), and it becomes obvious that the D500 is intended as a high-speed pro/semi-pro camera in a way the D7000 series never was. The D500 also gains an anti-flicker option designed to ensure the camera shoots in-sync with the brightest point in the flickering cycle of artificial lights. It's a feature we first saw on the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and we'd expect it to be particularly valuable for shooting indoor sports such as basketball. Another sign that this is a true high-end camera is the inclusion of a larger viewfinder. Like previous DX00 class cameras it has 100% coverage but it also offers 1.0x magnification, which is the largest optical viewfinder we can remember seeing in an APS-C camera (electronic viewfinders are a different matter, since size and brightness isn't constrained by sensor/mirror size). The D500 can also shoot 4K video and includes both an input for using an external mic and a headphone socket for audio monitoring. The camera also offers a flat picture profile to provide more post-processing flexibility, on-screen highlight warnings and power aperture control that allows you to select and change the aperture when in movie mode. There’s no focus peaking option, though, and you can’t zoom-in while you record to confirm or adjust focus as you record. Connectivity One of the other big features Nikon is touting is its Snapbridge system that uses Bluetooth LE (a low-power variant of Bluetooth also known as Bluetooth Smart), and Wi-Fi to maintain a connection between the camera and a smart device. This includes the ability to auto-transfer images from the camera, as well as initiating the Wi-Fi connection for remote shooting or manual image transfer. Context To show where the D500 sits in the lineup, here are the major feature differences between it and the less expensive D7200, along with a comparison back to the D300S – not because we expect anyone to be choosing between them, but to show how much of a step forward the camera represents. Nikon D500 Nikon D7200 Nikon D300S Sensor Resolution 20MP 24MP 12MP AF points 153 (99 cross type) 51 (15 cross-type) 51 (15 cross-type) Max frame rate 10 fps 6 fps 7 fps in 1.3x crop mode 7 fps 8 fps with battery grip Buffer depths 200 lossless compressed 14-bit Raw ~17 14-bit Raw ~28 12-bit Raw 30 lossless compressed 14-bit Raw Shutter durability rating 200,000 150,000 150,000 Viewfinder 1.0x magnification 100% coverage 0.94x mag 100% coverage 0.94x mag 100% coverage Rear screen 2.36m dots 3.2" Tilting Touch sensitive 1.23m dots 3.2" Fixed 920k dots 3.0" Fixed Video Resolution UHD/30p 1080/60p 1080/60p 720/24p Mic/Headphone? Yes/Yes Yes/Yes Yes/No Wi-Fi? Yes (and Bluetooth) Yes No Built-in flash? No Yes Yes AF-On Button? Yes No Yes Body construction Magnesium Alloy + Carbon fiber composite Carbon fibre composite Magnesium Alloy Battery Life (CIPA) 1240 shots/charge 1100 shots/charge 950 shots/charge Weight (Body Only) 760g 675g 840g Review History Review History 26 April 2016 Studio scene and Raw dynamic range published. 16 May 2016 Introduction, Body and Handling, Operation and Controls, Wi-Fi and Connectivity and Video pages published