N-Photo

here are several

big technological

advances in the D

and D500, but one

of the biggest is the

continuous shooting

performance, and not just in

terms of the maximum frame

rate. The buffer capacity is even

more impressive.

The D5 boasts the highest

frame rate of any Nikon yet,

with a maximum continuous

shooting speed of 12 frames per

second. That might sound like a

modest increase over the D4S

(11 frames per second), but at

this level every improvement is

important. That extra one frame

per second could make the

difference between an everyday

image for the sports section and

a shot that makes the front

pages of the newspapers.

The D5 can go faster still if you

shoot with the mirror locked up,

achieving an amazing 14 frames

per second. There may not be

too many situations where

mirror lockup is feasible, but

it ’s good to know it ’s there.

The D500, meanwhile, has a

maximum continuous shooting

speed of ‘ just ’ 10 frames per

second, but this is right up there

with the best speeds that could

be achieved by even the top

D-SLRs just a few years ago.

Crucially, it also puts the D50 0

on a par with the Canon EOS 7D

Mark II – for too long now, Nikon

has not had an APS-C format

camera to compete with its

opposite number from Canon.

However, the continuous

shooting speeds are only part of

the story, and not even the most

important part at that, because

the burst depth, or how many

shots you can capture in a row,

is as crucial as how fast you can

shoot. If you’re photographing

The D500 uses an

APS-C size DX-format

sensor, and will be sold

body-only or as a kit

with Nikon’s high-spec

16-80mm f/2.8-

lens, which was

introduced last year.

Like the D5, the

D500 has a large

monochrome status

LCD panel on the top

plate. The two new

pro cameras have

almost identical

control layouts.

In a bold move, Nikon

has fitted the D

with one SD/SDHC/

SDXC c a r d slot a n d

one XQD card slot,

using the high-speed

memory format first

introduced in the D4.

The D500 follows a

more conventional

design than the D5,

with a (smaller)

battery fitted in the

grip, though you can

attach an optional

MB-D17 battery grip.

The D500 does not

have the D5’s Ethernet

connection, but does

include Nikon’s new

SnapBridge

technology for

automatic transfer

to a smart device.

KEY SPECS

Sensor:

DX-format

CMOS, 20.9Mp

Crop factor: 1.5x

Memory:

1x SD, 1x XQD

Viewfinder:

Optical pentaprism,

1x magnification,

100% coverage

Video resolution:

4K (UHD) 3840x

pixels at 30/25/24fps,

Full HD 1920x1080 pixels

at 60/50/30/25/24fps

ISO range: 100-51,200,

expands to 50-1,640,

Autofocus points: 153,

including 99 cross-type; 15

points sensitive down to f/

Burst rate: 10fps

Max buffer capacity: NEF

14-bit lossless compressed

200 shots, JPEG 200 shots

LCD screen: Tilting 3.2-inch

touchscreen, 2,359k dots

Shutter speeds: 1/

sec to 30 secs, Bulb, Timer,

flash sync 1/250 sec

Weight (body only): 760g

Dimensions:

147x115x81mm

Power supply:

EN-EL15 (1240 shots)

Continuous shooting WHEN IT COMES TO SPEED, BOTH CAMERAS ARE A CLASS APART

AT A GL ANCE

D

FPS 1 23456789101112

Nikon

D7200^ 1.3x

Nikon

D^

Continuous shooting speeds

FPS 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200

Nikon

D7200 RAW (18) JPEG

Nikon

D500 RAW

Burst depth (14-bit lossless compressed RAW and JPEG)

10 March 2016 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com

SPECIAL FEATURE THE NEW NIKON D500 AND D