Do you want to know what's better Nikon D500 or Sony Alpha a9? SpecsPRO has compared Nikon D500 vs Sony Alpha a9: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Nikon D500 vs Sony Alpha a9

  • 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

  • SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen size: 3.2

    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

  • Main

  • Model

    Sony Alpha a9

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 24 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 6000 x 4000

    SENSOR Sensor size: Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm)

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 28 megapixels

    IMAGE ISO: Auto, ISO 100-51200 (expands to 50-204800)

    IMAGE Boosted ISO (maximum): 204800

    IMAGE Image stabilization: Sensor-shift

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 20.0 fps

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 693

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 673 g (1.48 lb / 23.74 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

    2017

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    SLR-style mirrorless

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    24 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    6000 x 4000

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm)

  • Sensor type

    BSI-CMOS

  • Processor

    BIONZ X

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2, 16:9

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

    28 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, ISO 100-51200 (expands to 50-204800)

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    204800

  • White balance presets

    10

  • Custom white balance

    Yes

  • Image stabilization

    Sensor-shift

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Extra fine, fine, standard

  • Image stabilization notes

    5-axis

  • 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 (via hot shoe or flash sync port)

  • Flash modes

    Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction, Wireless, Hi-speed sync

  • Continuous drive

    20.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 secs + continuous)

  • Metering modes

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

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

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

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (3 frames, H/L selectable)

  • Maximum shutter speed (electronic)

    1/32000 sec

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Tilting

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    1,440,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Electronic

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.78×

  • Viewfinder resolution

    3,686,400

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

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

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Number of focus points

    693

  • Lens mount

    Sony E

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    673 g (1.48 lb / 23.74 oz)

  • Dimensions

    127 x 96 x 63 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.48)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    NP-FZ100

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    650

  • Storage

  • Storage types

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

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (micro-HDMI)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Wireless notes

    802.11b/g/n + NFC + Bluetooth

  • Remote control

    Yes (Wired or wireless)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

    None

  • GPS notes

  • ————

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Alpha a9 highest resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels (24 megapixels) is better in comparison with the Nikon D500 highest resolution of 5568 x 3712 pixels (21 megapixels). The Alpha a9 is equipped with larger sensor than the Nikon D500: Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) versus APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm). This is very significant advantage of this model as big sensor lets the photographer to make pictures of the better quality. The Alpha a9 provides image stabilization which will allow the camera owner to make clearer pictures of non-moving subjects in low light when the camera owner is not using the flash. The Alpha a9 offers more focus points in compare with the Nikon D500: 693 vs 153. More focus points means more convenience when attempting to focus on objects which are not centred.

    The Nikon D500 display is better as it has more screen dots 2,359,000 in comparison to 1,440,000 dots of the Alpha a9 screen. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing photos on your camera.

    The Nikon D500 battery life is better in compare to the Alpha a9 battery life. In accordance with CIPA standards the camera owner will be able to produce 1240 photos with the D500 and only 650 with the Alpha a9. The Alpha a9 weighs 673g which is 187g less in comparison with the weight of the D500. The D500 can utilize optional accessory GPS devices. Recording GPS data can be useful if the camera owner is a traveller, to be able to go into the photo metadata and find out exactly where an image was captured.

    The Sony Alpha a9 has 10 advantages and the Nikon D500 only 5 so the Alpha a9 is the best buy. Check the list of the best offers on Amazon.