Nikon D500 vs Canon EOS 50D

This is a full comparison between the cameras Nikon D500 and Canon EOS 50D. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Nikon D500 is manufacturered by Nikon but Canon EOS 50D is from Canon. Both Nikon and Canon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Nikon D500 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor while Canon EOS 50D has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Nikon D500 has a 21 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 50D has 15,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Nikon D500 has a 37 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 50D. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Nikon D500 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 50D. Nikon D500 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Canon EOS 50D has 100 to 12800.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D500
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 50D

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Nikon D500 can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 50D can shoot up to 6,3 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Nikon D500. Unfortunately Canon EOS 50D does not support recording movies and movie clips.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Nikon D500 weighs 860 gr (equal to 1.9 lb) which is 5% heavier than Canon EOS 50D and its 822 gr (or 1.81 lb).

Nikon D500 vs Canon EOS 50D Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Nikon D500 and Canon EOS 50D, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Name	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Manufacturer	Nikon	Canon
Release Date and Price	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Release Year	2016	2008
Release Date	2016-01-05	2008-08-26
MSRP	1999 USD	1399 USD
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Camera Type	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX"	APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	5568 x 3712 pixels	4752 x 3168 pixels
Megapixels	21 MP	15,1 MP
Image Processor	EXPEED 5	DIGIC 4
Image	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
ISO Range	100 - 51200	100 - 12800
White Balance Presets	12	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW + TIFF	RAW
Optics & Focus	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	153	9
Lens Mount	Nikon F See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF Canon EF-S See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	DX / APS-C (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm	APS-C Sensor 1.6x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 38 mm 50 mm becomes 80 mm 100 mm becomes 160 mm 200 mm becomes 320 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	3.2”	3”
Screen dots	2359000	920000
Touch screen	Yes	No
Screen type	TFT LCD	TFT liquid-crystal color LCD
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	1× (0.67× 35mm equiv.)	0.95× (0.59× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	0	N/A
Photography features	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Frames per second	10 fps	6,3 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	13 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	Yes	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	MPEG4 H.264	N/A
Video resolution	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Memory Card	SD/SDHC XQD	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	Yes	No
Wireless	Yes Built-in (Wi-Fi with low energy Bluetooth)	No
Remote Control	Yes (Optional, wired or wireless)	Yes (N3 connector)
GPS	Yes Optional with GP-1	No
Body & Dimensions	Nikon D500	Canon EOS 50D
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion EN-EL15 rechargeable battery & charger	Lithium-Ion BP-511A rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	1240 shots	800 shots
Width	147 mm	146 mm
Height	115 mm	108 mm
Depth	81 mm	74 mm
Weight	860 gram	822 gram