Nikon D3400 vs D500

The Nikon D3400 and the Nikon D500 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2016 and January 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The D3400 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the D500 provides 20.7 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

	VS
Nikon D3400		Nikon D500
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor		20.7 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25600		ISO 100-51200 (50-1640000)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD, 921k dots		3.2" LCD, 2359k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
1200 shots per battery charge		1240 shots per battery charge
124 x 98 x 76 mm, 445 g		147 x 115 x 81 mm, 860 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D3400 and the Nikon D500? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Nikon D3400 and the Nikon D500 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The D3400 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the D500 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D500 is notably larger (39 percent) than the Nikon D3400. Moreover, the D500 is substantially heavier (93 percent) than the D3400. It is noteworthy in this context that the D500 is splash and dust-proof, while the D3400 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the D3400 gets 1200 shots out of its EN-EL14a battery, while the D500 can take 1240 images on a single charge of its EN-EL15 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Nikon D3400»	4.9 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	15.7 oz	1200	n	Aug 2016	499		Nikon D3400
	Nikon D500«	5.8 in	4.5 in	3.2 in	30.3 oz	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999		Nikon D500
	Canon SL2« »	4.8 in	3.7 in	2.8 in	16.0 oz	650	n	Jun 2017	549		Canon SL2
	Nikon D3500« »	4.9 in	3.8 in	2.8 in	12.9 oz	1550	n	Aug 2018	429		Nikon D3500
	Nikon D7500« »	5.4 in	4.1 in	2.9 in	25.4 oz	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299		Nikon D7500
	Nikon D5600« »	4.9 in	3.8 in	2.8 in	16.4 oz	970	n	Nov 2016	699		Nikon D5600
	Nikon D5500« »	4.9 in	3.8 in	2.8 in	14.8 oz	820	n	Jan 2015	899		Nikon D5500
	Nikon D7200« »	5.4 in	4.2 in	3.0 in	27.0 oz	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199		Nikon D7200
	Nikon D3300« »	4.9 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	15.2 oz	700	n	Jan 2014	499		Nikon D3300
	Nikon D5300« »	4.9 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	16.9 oz	600	n	Oct 2013	799		Nikon D5300
	Nikon D3200« »	4.9 in	3.8 in	3.0 in	17.8 oz	540	n	Apr 2012	599		Nikon D3200
	Nikon D5200« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	19.6 oz	500	n	Nov 2012	749		Nikon D5200
	Nikon D300S« »	5.8 in	4.5 in	3.2 in	33.1 oz	950	Y	Jul 2009	1,799		Nikon D300S
Convert to Metric
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D3400 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 75 percent) than the D500, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D500 is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the D500 uses a more advanced image processing engine (EXPEED 5) than the D3400 (EXPEED 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Nikon D3400 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 20.7 MP of the Nikon D500. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.22μm for the D500). However, it should be noted that the D3400 is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the D500, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D3400 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D3400 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inch or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inch or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inch or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D500 are 27.8 x 18.6 inch or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inch or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inch or 47.1 x 31.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D3400 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D500 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-1640000.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the D500 provides a better video resolution than the D3400. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the D3400 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The D3400 and the D500 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the D500 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D3400 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the D500 has a higher magnification (0.67x vs 0.57x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D3400, the Nikon D500, and comparable cameras.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D3400 has one, while the D500 does not. While the built-in flash of the D3400 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D500 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The D3400 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D500 uses SDHC or XQD cards. The D500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D3400 only has one slot. The D500 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the D3400 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D3400 and Nikon D500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

It is notable that the D500 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D3400 does not offer wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D500 (unlike the D3400) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The D500 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the D3400 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D3400 was succeeded by the Nikon D3500. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon website.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon D3400 better than the Nikon D500 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D3400:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20.7MP) with a 8% higher linear resolution.
• More compact: Is smaller (124x98mm vs 147x115mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 415g or 48 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (75 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 7 months after the D500).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D500:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (EXPEED 5 vs EXPEED 4).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.67x vs 0.57x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 921k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2016).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D500 is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D3400 and the Nikon D500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D3400 or the D500. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Review Scores

	Camera Model	cam era   labs	dp re   view	e photo   zine	ima ging resource	photo graphy   blog	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Nikon D3400	+	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499		Nikon D3400
	Nikon D500	+ +	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999		Nikon D500
	Canon SL2	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549		Canon SL2
	Nikon D3500	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	429		Nikon D3500
	Nikon D7500	+ +	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299		Nikon D7500
	Nikon D5600	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699		Nikon D5600
	Nikon D5500	+	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899		Nikon D5500
	Nikon D7200	+ +	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199		Nikon D7200
	Nikon D3300	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499		Nikon D3300
	Nikon D5300	+ +	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799		Nikon D5300
	Nikon D3200	+ +	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	599		Nikon D3200
	Nikon D5200	+ +	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	749		Nikon D5200
	Nikon D300S	+ +	82/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	1,799		Nikon D300S
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

Specifications: Nikon D3400 vs Nikon D500

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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