Nikon D500 vs Sony A99 II – Comparison

Let’s compare the Nikon D500 vs Sony A99 II. These are both two expensive cameras, well worth their price tag, so let’s see which one gives you more for the money.

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	A99 II
Megapixels	20.9	42.4
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor Format	APS-C (DX)	Full Frame
Crop Factor	1.5x	None
AA Filter	None	None
Image Resolution	5568 x 3712	7952 x 5304
Body Image Stabilization	No	Yes - 5-Axis
Lens Mount	Nikon FX/DX	Sony A
ISO	100 - 51,200	100 - 25,600
Expanded ISO	50 - 1,638,400	50 - 102,400
AF Points	153	399 Phase Type
Cross-type AF Points	99	79 phase
Continuous Mode	10fps	12fps
LCD	3.2" - Articulating	3.0" - Articulating
LCD Resolution	2,359,000 dots	1,228,800 dots
Touchscreen	Yes	No
Focus Peaking	No	Yes
Top LCD Display	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical	EVF
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.00x	0.78x
Video Resolution	3840x2160 (30/25/24p)	3840x2160 (30/25/24p)
	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p)	1920x1080 (120/100/60/50p)
Microphone Jack	Yes	Yes
Headphone Jack	Yes	Yes
Memory Card Type	SD + XQD	2 x SD or MS Pro
Dual Card Slots	Yes	Yes
SD UHS Support	UHS-II	UHS-I
Fastest Shutter Speed	1/8000	1/8000
Slowest Shutter Speed	30"	30"
Bulb Mode	Yes	Yes
JPEG Buffer Size	200	61
RAW Buffer Size	200	25
Time Lapse	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash	No	No
Max Flash Sync Speed	1/250	1/250
Startup Time	0.3s	1.2s
Built-in Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
Built-in GPS	No	No
Built- in NFC	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
USB Type	USB 3.0	USB 2.0
Environmentally Sealed	Yes	Yes
Battery Life (CIPA)	1240 shots	490 shots
Battery Included	Yes (EN-EL15)	Yes (NP-FM500H)
Weight	30.2 oz (856g)	29.9 oz (849g)
Size	5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2"	5.6 x 4.2 x 3.0"
Price	Amazon	Amazon
Release Date	2016	2016

Nikon D500 Advantages:

• ISO – 1,638,400 vs 102,400. Higher maximum ISO sensitivity.

• Cross-type AF Points – 99 cross-type versus 77 phase detect on the A99 II. The D500 beats it in low light accuracy

• LCD – 3.2″ vs 3.0″.

• LCD Resolution – Higher resolution.

• Touchscreen Support

• Viewfinder Magnification – Higher magnification.

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

• JPEG Buffer Size – 200 vs 61. Useful for long bursts.

• RAW Buffer Size – 200 vs 25.

• USB 3.0 – Faster file transferring out the camera.

• Battery Life – 1240 shots vs 490 shots.

• Less Expensive – The D500’s body costs around $1400 less

The D500 is newer, cheaper and has an APS-C sensor. The ISO range is much higher, but most people won’t ever go above Sony’s limit anyways. The advantages you’ll appreciate the most are the bigger buffer for JPEG and RAW, much longer battery life, bigger and better LCD with touchscreen support, XQD memory card slot and USB 3.0 for quick file transferring.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.

Sony A99 II Advantages:

• Megapixels – 21.5 more megapixels. The Sony A99 II’s high megapixel count makes it a much better choice for studio and landscape work, especially if printing extremely big.

• Sensor Format – Full Frame is bigger than APS-C, which results in slightly less noise at higher ISO levels.

• AF Points – 399 vs 153 AF points. You have more selection over where you want your focus to be.

• Body Image Stabilization – The Sony A99 II has built-in body stabilization for photos and videos, which is an excellent feature for traveling and shooting in low light.

• Continuous mode – 12fps vs 10fps. More is better for sports and wildlife since you have more chances of getting a tack sharp shot.

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

• Size – The Sony A99 II is noticeably smaller.

You should get the Sony A99 II if you need a fast camera with plenty of megapixels. It has a 36MP FF sensor with whopping 12 frames per second and built-in body stabilization. It also features 399 AF points so you’re covered for pretty much everything. It is more expensive though, so think about what’s more important to you.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.