Nikon D500 vs Olympus E-M10 II – Comparison

Let’s compare the Nikon D500 vs Olympus E-M10 II. There’s a big price difference between the two, but if you’re looking to upgrade from what you have right now and don’t know how much to spend and if it’s worth it, keep on reading.

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	E-M10 II
Megapixels	20.9	16.1
Sensor Type	CMOS	Live MOS
Sensor Format	APS-C (DX)	Micro Four Thirds
Crop Factor	1.5x	2.0x
AA Filter	None	None
Image Resolution	5568 x 3712	4608 x 3456
Body Image Stabilization	No	Yes
Lens Mount	Nikon FX/DX	Micro Four Thirds
ISO	100 - 51,200	200 - 25,600
Expanded ISO	50 - 1,638,400	None
AF Points	153	81 Contrast
Cross-type AF Points	99	0 phase
Continuous Mode	10fps	8fps
LCD	3.2" - Articulating	3.0" - Articulating
LCD Resolution	2,359,000 dots	1,037,000 dots
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes
Focus Peaking	No	Yes
Top LCD Display	Yes	No
Viewfinder Type	Optical	EVF (2.36M)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.00x	1.23x
Video Resolution	3840x2160 (30/25/24p)	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p)
	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p)	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p)
Microphone Jack	Yes	No
Headphone Jack	Yes	No
Memory Card Type	SD + XQD	SD
Dual Card Slots	Yes	No
SD UHS Support	UHS-II	UHS-II
Fastest Shutter Speed	1/8000	1/16000
Slowest Shutter Speed	30"	60"
Bulb Mode	Yes	Yes
JPEG Buffer Size	200	28
RAW Buffer Size	200	18
Time Lapse	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash	No	Yes
Max Flash Sync Speed	1/250	1/250
Startup Time	0.3s	0.8s
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	No
Battery Life (CIPA)	1240 shots	320 shots
Battery Included	Yes (EN-EL15)	Yes (BLS-50)
Weight	30.2 oz (856g)	13.8 oz (390g)
Size	5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2"	4.7 x 3.3 x 1.8"
Price	Amazon	Amazon
Release Date	2016	2015

Nikon D500 Advantages:

• Megapixels –  4.8 more megapixels. For printing big and cropping, the Nikon D500 is a much better choice.

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

• ISO – 1,638,400 vs 25.600. Higher maximum ISO sensitivity.

• AF Points – 153 vs 81. More means you have a lot more focus points to choose from to perfectly frame your subject.

• Cross-type AF Points – 99 vs 0. Cross-type AF Points are much more accurate and faster in low light.

• Continuous mode – 10fps vs 8fps. 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.

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

• Video Resolution – 4K video available.

• Microphone Jack – If you’re going to record videos where audio quality is important, a microphone jack is super helpful.

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

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

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

• RAW Buffer Size – 200 vs 18.

• Built-in NFC

• Bluetooth Support

• USB 3.0 – Faster file transferring out the camera.

• Environmentally Sealed – The Nikon D500 is much more protected for shooting outdoors in difficult terrain and bad weather conditions.

• Battery Life – 1240 shots vs 320 shots.

The more expensive D500 beats the E-M10 II almost everywhere, which shouldn’t be a surprise. Way better AF system, enormously bigger buffer, 2 memory card slots, 4K video and longer battery life. The body is also environmentally sealed so you don’t have to worry as much when shooting in bad weather.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.

Olympus E-M10 II Advantages:

• Body Image Stabilization – The Olympus E-M10 II 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).

• Viewfinder Magnification – Higher magnification.

• Faster Max Shutter Speed – 1/16000 vs 1/8000

• Built-in Flash

• Weight – The Olympus E-M10 II weighs 466g less.

• Size – The Olympus E-M10 II is noticeably smaller.

• Less Expensive – The E-M10 II body costs around $1250 less

The E-M10 II is a great budget choice if you’re looking for something small and lightweight. It’s got built-in body stabilization which makes it great for traveling, there’s focus peaking if you want to be 100% sure you’ve got your focus on your subject, and it’s really cheap.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.