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Nikon D500 vs Pentax K-1 II

The Nikon D500 and the Pentax K-1 II are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2016 and February 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (D500) and a full frame (K-1 II) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 36.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Nikon D500
versus
Pentax K-1 II
Nikon D500   Pentax K-1 II
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses Pentax K mount lenses
20.7 MP – APS-C sensor 36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video 1080/60i Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 1,640,000) ISO 100-819,200
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 2359k dots 3.2" LCD – 1037k dots
Tilting touchscreen Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
10 shutter flaps per second 4.4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
1240 shots per battery charge670 shots per battery charge
147 x 115 x 81 mm, 860 g 137 x 110 x 86 mm, 1010 g
logo
Check D500 offers at
ebay.com
logo
Check K-1 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D500 and the Pentax K-1 II? 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D500 and the Pentax K-1 II is provided 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-1 II can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D500 is only available in black.

Size Nikon D500 vs Pentax K-1 II
Compare D500 versus K-1 II top
Comparison D500 or K-1 II rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-1 II is notably smaller (11 percent) than the Nikon D500. However, the K-1 II is markedly heavier (17 percent) than the D500. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the D500 gets 1240 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15 battery, while the K-1 II can take 670 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI90 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 i Jan 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
2.
 
Pentax K-1 II 137 mm 110 mm 86 mm 1010 g 670 i Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon D300S 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 938 g 950 i Jul 2009 US$ 1 799ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D600 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 i Sep 2012 US$ 2 099ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D610 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 i Oct 2013 US$ 1 999ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D750 141 mm 113 mm 78 mm 750 g 1230 i Sep 2014 US$ 2 299ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D3400 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 445 g 1200 i Aug 2016 US$ 499ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D5500 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 470 g 820 i Jan 2015 US$ 899ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D5600 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 465 g 970 i Nov 2016 US$ 699ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D7100 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 950 i Feb 2013 US$ 1 199ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 i Mar 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D7500 136 mm 104 mm 73 mm 720 g 950 i Apr 2017 US$ 1 299 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic S1R 149 mm 110 mm 97 mm 1016 g 380 i Feb 2019 US$ 3 699ebay.com
14.
 
Pentax K-1 137 mm 110 mm 86 mm 1010 g 760 i Feb 2016 US$ 1 799ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 i Oct 2017 US$ 3 199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A99 II 143 mm 104 mm 76 mm 849 g 490 i Sep 2016 US$ 3 199ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A850 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 i Aug 2009 US$ 1 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
  empty Camera
Model

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D500 features an APS-C sensor and the Pentax K-1 II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the K-1 II is 134 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Nikon D500 and Pentax K-1 II sensor measures

With 36.2MP, the K-1 II offers a higher resolution than the D500 (20.7MP), but the K-1 II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 4.22μm for the D500) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the K-1 II is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 1 month) than the D500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. 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 Pentax K-1 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-1 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D500 are 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the D500, the K-1 II has the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Nikon D500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-1640000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-1 II are ISO 100 to ISO 819200 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

D500 versus K-1 II MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
2.
 
Pentax K-1 II Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60i25.114.0269893
3.
 
Nikon D300S APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.512.278770
4.
 
Nikon D600 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.2298094
5.
 
Nikon D610 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.4292594
6.
 
Nikon D750 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/60p24.814.5295693
7.
 
Nikon D3400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.813.9119286
8.
 
Nikon D5500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0143884
9.
 
Nikon D5600 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0130684
10.
 
Nikon D7100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.213.7125683
11.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
12.
 
Nikon D7500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.314.0148386
13.
 
Panasonic S1R Full Frame 46.7 8368 55844K/60p26.414.13525100
14.
 
Pentax K-1 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60i25.414.6328096
15.
 
Sony A7R III Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
16.
 
Sony A99 II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p25.413.4231792
17.
 
Sony A850 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032i23.812.2141579
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
  empty Camera
Model

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the D500 provides a higher video resolution than the K-1 II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D500 and the K-1 II 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the K-1 II has a higher magnification than the one of the D500 (0.70x vs 0.67x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D500 and Pentax K-1 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon D500optical i3.2 / 2359 tilting i 1/8000s 10.0/s i i
2.
 
Pentax K-1 IIoptical i3.2 / 1037 full-flex i 1/8000s 4.4/s i i
3.
 
Nikon D300Soptical i3.0 / 920 fixed i 1/8000s 7.0/s i i
4.
 
Nikon D600optical i3.0 / 921 fixed i 1/4000s 5.5/s i i
5.
 
Nikon D610optical i3.2 / 921 fixed i 1/4000s 6.0/s i i
6.
 
Nikon D750optical i3.2 / 1229 tilting i 1/4000s 6.0/s i i
7.
 
Nikon D3400optical i3.0 / 921 fixed i 1/4000s 5.0/s i i
8.
 
Nikon D5500optical i3.2 / 1037 swivel i 1/4000s 5.0/s i i
9.
 
Nikon D5600optical i3.2 / 1037 swivel i 1/4000s 5.0/s i i
10.
 
Nikon D7100optical i3.2 / 1229 fixed i 1/8000s 6.0/s i i
11.
 
Nikon D7200optical i3.2 / 1229 fixed i 1/8000s 6.0/s i i
12.
 
Nikon D7500optical i3.2 / 922 tilting i 1/8000s 8.0/s i i
13.
 
Panasonic S1R5760 i3.2 / 2100 full-flex i 1/8000s 9.0/s i i
14.
 
Pentax K-1optical i3.2 / 1037 full-flex i 1/8000s 4.4/s i i
15.
 
Sony A7R III3686 i3.0 / 1440 tilting i 1/8000s 10.0/s i i
16.
 
Sony A99 II2400 i3.0 / 1229 full-flex i 1/8000s 12.0/s i i
17.
 
Sony A850optical i3.0 / 922 fixed i 1/8000s 3.0/s i i
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
  empty Camera
Model

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The D500 has a touchscreen, while the K-1 II has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Nikon D500 and the Pentax K-1 II both have 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 D500 writes its imaging data to SDXC or XQD cards, while the K-1 II uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The D500 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the K-1 II 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 D500 and Pentax K-1 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon D500istereo / monoiimini3.0iii
2.
 
Pentax K-1 IIistereo / monoiimicro2.0iii
3.
 
Nikon D300Sistereo / monoiimini2.0iii
4.
 
Nikon D600imono / monoiimini2.0iii
5.
 
Nikon D610imono / monoiimini2.0iii
6.
 
Nikon D750istereo / monoiimini2.0iii
7.
 
Nikon D3400imono / monoiimini2.0iii
8.
 
Nikon D5500istereo / monoiimini2.0iii
9.
 
Nikon D5600istereo / monoiimini2.0iii
10.
 
Nikon D7100istereo / monoiimini2.0iii
11.
 
Nikon D7200istereo / monoiimini2.0iii
12.
 
Nikon D7500istereo / monoiimini2.0iii
13.
 
Panasonic S1Ristereo / monoiifull3.1iii
14.
 
Pentax K-1istereo / monoiimicro2.0iii
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIistereo / monoiimicro3.1iii
16.
 
Sony A99 IIistereo / monoiimicro2.0iii
17.
 
Sony A850ii / iiimini2.0iii
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
  empty Camera
Model

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the K-1 II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The K-1 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Pentax. In contrast, the D500 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the D500 from Nikon. Further information on the features and operation of the D500 and K-1 II can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-1 II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon D500 and the Pentax K-1 II? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Reasons to prefer the Nikon D500:

  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 1037k dots).
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 4.4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 150g or 15 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1240 versus 670) on a single battery charge.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2016).

ilogo

Advantages of the Pentax K-1 II:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (36.2 vs 20.7MP), which boosts linear resolution by 32%.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
  • Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.67x).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More compact: Is smaller (137x110mm vs 147x115mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the D500 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-1 II comes out slightly ahead of the D500 (12 : 11 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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.

D500 11:12 K-1 II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D500 and the Pentax K-1 II 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D500 or the K-1 II. 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 hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
2.
 
Pentax K-1 II....4.5/579/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon D300S5/5+ +..82/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 US$ 1 799ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D6004/5+ +..87/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 2 099ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D6104/5+ +..87/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 US$ 1 999ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D7505/5+ +4/590/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2014 US$ 2 299ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D34004/5+4/576/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2016 US$ 499ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D55005/5+..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2015 US$ 899ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D56004/5..4/579/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2016 US$ 699ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D71005/5+ +..85/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 US$ 1 199ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D75004.5/5+ +4.5/586/1005/54.5/5 Apr 2017 US$ 1 299 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic S1R4.5/5..4.6/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2019 US$ 3 699ebay.com
14.
 
Pentax K-15/5....84/1005/55/5 Feb 2016 US$ 1 799ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R III..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2017 US$ 3 199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A99 II....4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 US$ 3 199ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A8503/5....75/100..4.5/5 Aug 2009 US$ 1 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
  empty  Camera 
 Model 

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Check D500 offers at
ebay.com
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Check K-1 II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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  • Pentax 645D
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Specifications: Nikon D500 vs Pentax K-1 II

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.

Camera Specifications
Camera Model Nikon D500 Pentax K-1 II
Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Camera Lens Nikon F mount lenses Pentax K mount lenses
Launch Date January 2016 February 2018
Launch Price USD 1,999 USD 1,999
Sensor Specs Nikon D500 Pentax K-1 II
Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
Sensor Format APS-C Sensor Full Frame Sensor
Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.7 mm 35.9 x 24.0 mm
Sensor Area 368.95 mm2 861.6 mm2
Sensor Diagonal 28.3 mm 43.2 mm
Crop Factor 1.5x 1.0x
Sensor Resolution 20.7 Megapixels 36.2 Megapixels
Image Resolution 5568 x 3712 pixels 7360 x 4912 pixels
Pixel Pitch 4.22 μm 4.88 μm
Pixel Density 5.60 MP/cm2 4.20 MP/cm2
Moiré control no AA filter no AA filter
Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 1080/60i Video
ISO Setting 100 - 51,200 ISO 100 - 819,200 ISO
ISO Boost 50 - 1,640,000 ISO no Enhancement
Image Processor EXPEED 5 PRIME IV
DXO Sensor Quality (score) 83 ..
DXO Color Depth (bits) 24.0 ..
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.0 ..
DXO Low Light (ISO) 1324 ..
Screen Specs Nikon D500 Pentax K-1 II
Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.67x 0.70x
Top-Level Screen Control Panel Control Panel
LCD Framing Live View Live View
Rear LCD Size 3.2inch 3.2inch
LCD Resolution 2359k dots 1037k dots
LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fully flexible screen
Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
Shooting Specs Nikon D500 Pentax K-1 II
Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/8000s
Continuous Shooting 10 shutter flaps/s 4.4 shutter flaps/s
Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations300 000 actuations
Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
Storage Medium SDXC or XQD cards SDXC cards
Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Dual card slots
UHS card support UHS-II UHS-I
Connectivity Specs Nikon D500 Pentax K-1 II
External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
Studio Flash PC Sync socket PC Sync socket
USB Connector USB 3.0 USB 2.0
HDMI Port mini HDMI micro HDMI
Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
Headphone Socket Headphone port Headphone port
Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
Near-Field Communication NFC built-in no NFC
Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in no Bluetooth
Geotagging no internal GPS GPS built-in
Body Specs Nikon D500 Pentax K-1 II
Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
Battery Type Nikon EN-EL15 Pentax D-LI90
Battery Life (CIPA)1240 shots per charge670 shots per charge
Body Dimensions 147 x 115 x 81 mm
(5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2 in)
137 x 110 x 86 mm
(5.4 x 4.3 x 3.4 in)
Camera Weight 860 g (30.3 oz) 1010 g (35.6 oz)
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