Nikon D3S vs Nikon D500

On this page, we are matching up the Nikon D3S and Nikon D500, former being a Pro DSLR while the other is a Advanced DSLR and both of them are produced by Nikon. There is a noticeable difference between the resolutions of the D3S (12MP) and D500 (21MP) and the D3S (Full frame) and D500 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The D3S was manufactured 6 years before the D500 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Nikon D3S being a Large SLR camera and the Nikon D500 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a full comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the D3S matches up versus the D500 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon D3S & Nikon D500. The entire galleries are viewable at Nikon D3S Gallery & Nikon D500 Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and size. The Nikon D3S provides outside dimensions of 160mm x 157mm x 88mm (6.3" x 6.2" x 3.5") with a weight of 1240 grams (2.73 lbs) whilst the Nikon D500 has specifications of 147mm x 115mm x 81mm (5.8" x 4.5" x 3.2") having a weight of 860 grams (1.90 lbs).

See the Nikon D3S and Nikon D500 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the D3S compared to the D500.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the D3S and D500 is 51 and 56 respectively.

Generally, its tough to see the contrast between sensor sizing just by looking at a spec sheet. The visual below should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the D3S and D500.

Clearly, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The D3S featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Nikon D500 will give extra detail due to its extra 9 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The older D3S is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.