Nikon D500 vs Pentax K-1

Lets take a more detailed look at the Nikon D500 and Pentax K-1, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by competitors Nikon and Pentax. There is a substantial difference between the sensor resolutions of the D500 (21MP) and K-1 (36MP) and the D500 (APS-C) and K-1 (Full frame) posses totally different sensor size.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The D500 was introduced within a month of the K-1 so they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the D500 scores versus the K-1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon D500 & Pentax K-1. The whole galleries are viewable at Nikon D500 Gallery & Pentax K-1 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Nikon D500 offers exterior measurements of 147mm x 115mm x 81mm (5.8" x 4.5" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 860 grams (1.90 lbs) and the Pentax K-1 has proportions of 137mm x 110mm x 86mm (5.4" x 4.3" x 3.4") accompanied by a weight of 1010 grams (2.23 lbs).

Take a look at the Nikon D500 and Pentax K-1 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the D500 against the K-1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the D500 and K-1 is 56 and 55 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to see the difference between sensor sizing merely by looking at specs. The visual here may give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the D500 and K-1.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The D500 using its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Pentax K-1 will give greater detail using its extra 15 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively.