Nikon D500 vs Pentax KP – Comparison

 

Let’s compare the Nikon D500 vs Pentax KP. Both cameras are great for wildlife, sports and action, but that big price difference between them can make your decision a lot tougher.

Our comparison table below covers all the important specifications of each camera. Below that, we specifically talk about the new improvements and which model is better suited for your needs.

	Nikon D500	Pentax KP
Megapixels	20.9	24.3
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor Format	APS-C (DX)	APS-C
Crop Factor	1.5x	1.5x
AA Filter	None	On/Off
Image Resolution	5568 x 3712	6016 x 4000
Body Image Stabilization	No	Yes
Lens Mount	Nikon FX/DX	Pentax K
ISO	100 - 51,200	100 - 819,200
Expanded ISO	50 - 1,638,400	None
AF Points	153	27
Cross-type AF Points	99	25
Continuous Mode	10fps	7fps
LCD	3.2" - Articulating	3.0" - Articulating
LCD Resolution	2,359,000 dots	921,600 dots
Touchscreen	Yes	No
Focus Peaking	No	Yes
Top LCD Display	Yes	No
Viewfinder Type	Optical	Optical
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.00x	0.95x
Video Resolution	3840x2160 (30/25/24p)	1920x1080 (60i/50i/30/25/24p)
	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p)	1280x720 (60/50p)
Microphone Jack	Yes	Yes
Headphone Jack	Yes	No
Memory Card Type	SD + XQD	SD
Dual Card Slots	Yes	No
SD UHS Support	UHS-II	UHS-I
Fastest Shutter Speed	1/8000	1/24000
Slowest Shutter Speed	30"	30"
Bulb Mode	Yes	Yes
JPEG Buffer Size	200	28
RAW Buffer Size	200	8
Time Lapse	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash	No	Yes
Max Flash Sync Speed	1/250	1/180
Startup Time	0.3s	1.0s
Built-in Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
Built-in GPS	No	No
Built- in NFC	Yes	No
Bluetooth	Yes	No
USB Type	USB 3.0	USB 2.0
Environmentally Sealed	Yes	Yes
Battery Life (CIPA)	1240 shots	390 shots
Battery Included	Yes (EN-EL15)	Yes (D-LI109)
Weight	30.2 oz (856g)	24.7 oz (699g)
Size	5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2"	5.2 x 4.0 x 3.0"
Price	Amazon	Amazon
Release Date	2016	2017

Nikon D500 Advantages:

• ISO – 1,638,400 vs 819,200. Higher maximum ISO sensitivity.

• AF Points – 153 vs 27. More means you have a lot more focus points to choose from to perfectly frame your subject.

• Cross-type AF Points – 99 vs 25. Cross-type AF Points are much more accurate and faster in low light.

• Continuous mode – 10fps vs 7fps. More is better for sports and wildlife since you have more chances of getting a tack sharp shot.

• LCD – 3.2″ vs 3.0″.

• LCD Resolution – Higher resolution.

• Touchscreen Support

• Top LCD Display – When shooting in semi-auto/manual modes, you can quickly preview all of your settings.

• Viewfinder Magnification – Higher magnification.

• Video Resolution – 4K video available.

• Headphone Jack – Useful for previewing your audio quality straight out the camera.

• Dual Card Slots – More room for extra photos, or simply for backup.

• UHS-II – Faster writing speeds than UHS-I, but you need a memory card that can handle such speeds.

• JPEG Buffer Size – 200 vs 28. Useful for long bursts.

• RAW Buffer Size – 200 vs 8.

• Max Flash Sync Speed – 1/250 vs 1/180.

• Built-in NFC

• Bluetooth Support

• USB 3.0 – Faster file transferring out the camera.

• Battery Life – 1240 shots vs 390 shots.

The D500 is so good it just doesn’t seem to stop. 153 AF points, 99 cross-type, 3.2″ LCD with touchscreen support, 4K video recording, 2 memory cards lots (one XQD) with UHS-II support, a lot bigger RAW buffer and way longer battery life. It might be expensive, but if you’re into sports/wildlife/action photography, it’s well worth it.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.

Pentax KP Advantages:

• Megapixels –  3,4 more megapixels. It’s a small difference and you won’t notice it unless printing really big.

• AA Filter – You can turn it on and off.

• Body Image Stabilization – The Pentax KP has built-in body stabilization for photos and videos, which is an excellent feature for traveling and shooting in low light.

• Focus Peaking – Very useful for seeing if your subject is in focus (both photo and video).

• Faster Max Shutter Speed – 1/24000 vs 1/8000.

• Built-in Flash

• Weight – The Pentax KP weighs 157g less.

• Size – The Pentax KP is noticeably smaller.

• Less Expensive – The KP body costs around $800 less

The new Pentax KP doesn’t look that exciting compared to a more expensive D500, but it still offers features many photographers need. Body image stabilization is great for traveling and using older lenses with no IS, it’s got a faster max shutter speed, AA filter that you can turn on or off and it’s a lot smaller too.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.