Nikon D500 vs Pentax K-5 II

Its time to look much closer at the Nikon D500 and Pentax K-5 II, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by rivals Nikon and Pentax. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the D500 (21MP) and K-5 II (16MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor sizing (APS-C).

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The D500 was announced 2 years later than the K-5 II and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before diving into a complete comparison, here is a short summation of how the D500 grades against the K-5 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon D500 and Pentax K-5 II. The whole galleries are available at Nikon D500 Gallery and Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and volume. The Nikon D500 provides outer dimensions of 147mm x 115mm x 81mm (5.8" x 4.5" x 3.2") with a weight of 860 grams (1.90 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 II has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Examine the Nikon D500 and Pentax K-5 II in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the D500 versus the K-5 II.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the D500 and K-5 II is 56 and 60 respectively.

Normally, it's difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements merely by reviewing a spec sheet. The visual below will give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the D500 and K-5 II.

As you can see, the two cameras feature the identical sensor size but not the same MP. You should expect to see the Nikon D500 to offer more detail with its extra 5 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images way more aggressively. The younger D500 will have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.