Do you want to know what's better Nikon D500 or Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5? SpecsPRO has compared Nikon D500 vs Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Nikon D500 vs Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5

  • Main

  • Model

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • launch

  • Announced

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

  • Max resolution

  • Sensor size

  • Sensor type

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

  • Image

  • ISO

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • White balance presets

  • Custom white balance

  • Image stabilization

  • Uncompressed format

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Image stabilization notes

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed

  • Aperture priority

  • Shutter priority

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

  • External flash

  • Flash modes

  • Continuous drive

  • Self-timer

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Maximum shutter speed (electronic)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

  • Screen size

  • Screen dots

  • Touch screen

  • Screen type

  • Live view

  • Viewfinder type

  • Viewfinder coverage

  • Viewfinder magnification

  • Viewfinder resolution

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Microphone

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Number of focus points

  • Lens mount

  • Focal length multiplier

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

  • Dimensions

  • Environmentally sealed

  • Battery

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

  • HDMI

  • Microphone port

  • Headphone port

  • Wireless

  • Wireless notes

  • Remote control

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • GPS notes

  • Samples

  • Videos

  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D500

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 21 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 5568 x 3712

    SENSOR Sensor size: APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm)

    IMAGE ISO: ISO 100 - 51200 (expandable to 50 - 1640000)

    IMAGE Boosted ISO (minimum): 50

    IMAGE White balance presets: 12

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 2,359,000

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Viewfinder type: Optical (pentaprism)

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 1240

    OTHER FEATURES GPS: Optional

    Go to the Summary

Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5
  • Main

  • Model

    Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Minimum shutter speed: 60 sec

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 12.0 fps

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 225

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 725 g (1.60 lb / 25.57 oz)

    Go to the Summary

  • launch

  • Announced

    Feb 2016

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    21 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    5568 x 3712

  • Sensor size

    APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Expeed 5

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    4176 x 2784, 2784 x 1856

  • Sensor photo detectors

    22 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    ISO 100 - 51200 (expandable to 50 - 1640000)

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    1640000

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (5)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW + TIFF

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal, Basic

  • Image stabilization notes

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    No

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless plus sync connector)

  • Flash modes

    Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, Rear curtain

  • Continuous drive

    10.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Highlight-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (2 or 9 frames in steps of 1, 2 or 3 mired)

  • Maximum shutter speed (electronic)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Tilting

  • Screen size

    3.2

  • Screen dots

    2,359,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    1×

  • Viewfinder resolution

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    4K (UHD) 30p/25p/24p, 1080/60p/50p/30p/25p/24p, 720/60p/50p

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, H.264

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    153

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1.5×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    860 g (1.90 lb / 30.34 oz)

  • Dimensions

    147 x 115 x 81 mm (5.79 x 4.53 x 3.19)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion EN-EL15 rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    1240

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II compliant) + XQD

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (mini-HDMI)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Wireless notes

    Wi-Fi with low energy Bluetooth

  • Remote control

    Yes (Optional, wired or wireless )

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    GP-1

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Jan 2017

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    SLR-style mirrorless

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    20 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    5184 x 3888

  • Sensor size

    Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Venus Engine

  • Image ratio w:h

    1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

    22 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 200-25600 (expands to 100-25600)

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    100

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • White balance presets

    5

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (4 slots)

  • Image stabilization

    Sensor-shift

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, standard

  • Image stabilization notes

    5-axis; Supports Dual IS 2

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    60 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    No

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (via hot shoe or flash sync port)

  • Flash modes

    Auto, Auto/Redeye Reduction, Forced On, Forced On w/Redeye Reduction, Slow Sync, Slow Sync w/Redeye Reduction, Forced Off

  • Continuous drive

    12.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2 or 10 secs; 10 secs w/3 shots)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±3 (3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes

  • Maximum shutter speed (electronic)

    1/16000 sec

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fully articulated

  • Screen size

    3.2

  • Screen dots

    1,620,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Electronic

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.76×

  • Viewfinder resolution

    3,680,000

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    4096 x 2160 (24p), 3840 x 2160 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Touch
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    Yes (2x, 4x)

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    225

  • Lens mount

    Micro Four Thirds

  • Focal length multiplier

    2×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    725 g (1.60 lb / 25.57 oz)

  • Dimensions

    139 x 98 x 87 mm (5.47 x 3.86 x 3.43)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    DMW-BLF19 lithium-ion battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    410

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II compatible)

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 3.1 Gen 1(5 GBit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (4:2:2 10-bit output w/o internal recording, 4:2:2 8-bit with internal recording)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Wireless notes

    802.11b/g/n/ac with Bluetooth 4.2 LE

  • Remote control

    Yes (via cable release or smartphone)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

    None

  • GPS notes

  • ————

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The D500 highest resolution of 5568 x 3712 pixels (21 megapixels) is better than the Lumix DC-GH5 highest resolution of 5184 x 3888 pixels (20 megapixels). The D500 has bigger sensor compared to the Lumix DC-GH5: APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) versus Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm). It is very significant difference between these cameras because large sensor lets the camera owner to make photos of the better quality. The D500 has a wider ISO range of 100-51200 in compare with 200-25600 ISO range of the Lumix DC-GH5. Such ISO range let the photographer to make better photos in dim light conditions. The D500 has more number of white balance presets - 12. This option gives the camera owner more control over colour. The Lumix DC-GH5 has more focus points in compare with the D500: 225 vs 153. More number of focus points means more convenience when attempting to focus on objects which are not centred.

    The D500 display is better as it has more screen dots 2,359,000 in compare to 1,620,000 dots of the Lumix DC-GH5 display. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing photos on your camera. The Lumix DC-GH5 provides better minimum (60 seconds) and highest (1/8000 second) shutter speeds.

    The D500 battery life is better than the Lumix DC-GH5 battery life. In accordance with CIPA standards the camera owner will be able to take 1240 photos with the D500 and only 410 with the Lumix DC-GH5. The Lumix DC-GH5 weighs 725g that is 135g lighter than the weight of the Nikon D500. The Nikon D500 can utilize optional accessory GPS devices. Recording GPS data can be convenient if you like to travel, to be able to check the picture metadata and find out exactly where an image was captured.

    Taking into account the above differences the D500 will become the best choice. Check the list of the best offers on Amazon.