Recording Features
Playback, Editing And Printing Functions
Connections
Battery Information
Downloadable Software

Recording Features

Overview: The Nikon D500 is the new flagship model in the Nikon DX-format DSLR lineup. The camera includes an EN-EL15 rechargeable Lithium Ion battery pack and a battery charger. No lenses are included in the "body only" kit.

Compatible Lenses: The D500 has the standard Nikon F mount, which includes AF coupling and AF contacts. It is compatible with AF NIKKOR lenses, including type G, E, D, and DX lenses. Because the camera has a DX-format image sensor, it provides an angle of view equivalent to that of a lens with approximately 1.5x longer focal length. The DX system delivers some specific benefits for telephoto shooting compared to full-frame cameras, by using smaller and lighter lenses to reach longer focal lengths.

LCD Monitor: The D500 has a 3.2" TFT LCD touchscreen monitor featuring approximately 2,359,000 dots, a 170-degree viewing angle, 100% frame coverage, and adjustable brightness (-5 to +5). The touch-sensitive monitor lets you maneuver through the menus using touch, slide, stretch, and pinch motions. During Live View, you can take photos by touching the screen (Touch Shutter).

Live View: The camera features Live View, which allows you to frame your photographs and movies in the monitor instead of the viewfinder. When the Live View button is pressed, the mirror is raised and the view through the lens will be displayed in the monitor. The subject will no longer be visible in the viewfinder. The Live View display will show such items as auto focus mode, AF-area mode, focus point, and exposure indicator. You can opt to hide many of the indicators, or overlay a framing grid in the monitor.

Optical Viewfinder: The D500 uses a fixed eye-level penta-mirror single-lens reflex viewfinder with a built-in diopter adjustment to set the viewfinder to your personal eyesight (with or without glasses). The viewfinder's coverage area is approximately 100% horizontal and vertical in DX mode; 98% in 1.3x mode. During self-timer or remote control operation when your eye does not cover the viewfinder eyepiece, stray light may enter the eyepiece and affect the exposure when the image is captured. To prevent this, you should close the viewfinder shutter to cover the eyepiece. Optional corrective diopter-adjustment viewfinder lenses are available from Nikon to replace the supplied DK-17F viewfinder eyepiece.

Image Sensor: The D500 features a Nikon DX-format 23.5mm x 15.7mm CMOS image sensor with a total pixel count of approximately 21.51 million pixels and an effective pixel count of approximately 20.9 million. The camera is equipped with the EXPEED 5 processor which gives you superior image quality, 4K movie recording, continuous shooting up to 10 fps, and very high sensitivity (up to ISO 51200, expandable to ISO 1640000 equivalent).

Dust Reduction System: The image sensor is equipped with a low-pass filter to remove dust or dirt on the sensor. You can set the camera to clean the image sensor automatically at startup, or at shut down, or both. It can also be set to turn the auto cleaning function off. The Dust Reduction System also includes Image Dust Off, which allows the camera to acquire reference data to be used with the Image Dust Off application in the optional Capture NX-D software.

Recording Media: The camera records images on high-capacity XQD memory cards and SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards, including SDHC/SDXC cards compliant with UHS-II. SD cards rated Class 3 or better are recommended for movie recording. No memory cards are included with the camera.

Dual Media Slots: The D500 has two slots, one for SD media, and the other for XQD cards. When both types of memory cards are inserted in the camera, you can choose one as the primary card in the photo shooting menu. The roles for the primary and secondary card slots can also be chosen in the menu, such as Overflow, Backup, and Raw primary/JPEG secondary.

SnapBridge: SnapBridge is a new wireless connection innovation from Nikon that lets you transfer photos, even while shooting, upload photos to the Nikon Image Space cloud service, and remotely control the camera from your smartphone. SnapBridge utilizes a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection between the camera and the smart device. Devices with Near-Field Communication (NFC) can launch the SnapBridge app by touching the device to the camera's N-mark (on the right side). A one-time setup is required to register the camera with the app, and thereafter, an automatic connection is made between the two devices. SnapBridge will let you imprint up to two pieces of credit information, such as copyright, comments, text, or logos, onto your pictures. You can receive firmware updates for your camera, and update the camera's date, time, and location info through your smart device. The SnapBridge app is currently available for Android (5.0 and up) on Google Play, and for iOS (6.0.1 or later) on the iTunes App Store.

Built-in Wi-Fi: In addition to SnapBridge, the D500 has built-in Wi-Fi, which allows you to connect the camera with your smartphone or tablet. Through the wireless connection (IEEE 802.11b/g), you can upload photos and videos from your camera to your device. It is recommended that a Wi-Fi connection is used for large volume uploads. Once you have loaded the images to your smartphone, you can share them via email, texts, or social networking sites.

Still Image Formats: The D500 records JPEG still images in three sizes: Large, Medium, and Small. Image Quality can be set to Fine (1:4 compression), Normal (1:8), or Basic (1:16). You can record still images in the following resolutions:

NEF (RAW) Shooting: The camera captures raw image data from the image sensor and stores them in NEF (RAW) format. You can "process" the RAW images into JPEG images in the Retouch Menu, and adjust the image size, quality, white balance, color space, D-Lighting, and other parameters. You can also create JPEG copies of NEF (RAW) images using optional Capture NX-D software. If desired, you can save a JPEG copy of the image in Fine, Normal, or Basic image quality, along with the RAW image. You can choose the type of compression for NEF (RAW) images:

• 14-bit NEF (RAW) Images: Images are recorded at a bit-depth of 14 bits, producing large files with increased color data.
• 12-bit NEF (RAW) Images: Images are recorded at a bit-depth of 12 bits. You can choose from the following options:
  • Lossless Compressed: Images are compressed using a reversible algorithm, reducing the file size by about 20-40% with no effect on image quality.
  • Compressed: Images are compressed using a non-reversible algorithm, reducing the file size by about 35-55% with almost no effect on image quality.
  • Uncompressed: Images are not compressed.

Movie Recording: The D500 records 4K UHD and Full High Definition movies in 16:9 aspect ratio. Movies are recorded in MOV file format, with H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, and Linear PCM audio, recorded by the built-in or an external stereo microphone. Movies can be recorded in the following frame sizes and rates:

Time Lapse Movies: You can record a series of still images at set intervals and create beautiful 4K UHD or Full HD time-lapse movies. Exposure smoothing  reduces unwanted flicker effects by automatically decreasing the slight exposure variance between the current and preceding frame when shooting with an auto exposure mode such as aperture-priority. You can choose the interval between frames, and the total shooting times (up to 7 hours 59 minutes). Up to 9,999 total shots can be recorded. The maximum duration of 4K UHD time-lapse photography is 3 minutes.

Multi-CAM 20K Autofocus System: The Nikon D500's new Multi-CAM 20K autofocus system provides 153 AF points, including 99 cross-type points, and 15 sensors that support f/8. This is 3 times the number of autofocus points found in the D300S and D7200. There are 55 AF points (35 cross-type, and 9 f/8 sensors) are available for selection.

Focus Modes: The D500 lets you choose from the following autofocus and manual focus modes: Single-servo (AF-S), Continuous-servo (AF-C), Full-time Servo (AF-F) (Live View only), Face Priority AF (Live View and D-Movie only), and Manual (M) with electronic rangefinder.

AF-Area Modes: The D500 offers a choice of focus areas that together cover a wide area of the frame. The AF-area mode determines how the focus area is selected and what happens if the subject moves out of the selected focus area while the camera is still focusing. You can choose one of the following AF-area modes:

• Single Point: You select the focus area manually and the camera focuses on the subject in the selected focus area only. The selection can be made from any one of the eleven AF spot sensors.
• Dynamic Area: In AF-A and AF-C modes, user selects focus point manually but camera will focus based on information from surrounding focus points if subject briefly leaves the selected point. In AF-S focus mode, you select the focus point manually. The number of focus points varies with the mode selected: 25, 72, or 153-point dynamic area AF.
• 3D-Tracking: In AF-C focus mode, you select the focus point using the multi-selector. If subject moves after camera has focused, the camera selects new focus points and keep focus locked on original subject while shutter release pressed halfway. If subject leaves viewfinder, you will need to remove finger from shutter release button and recompose photo with subject in the selected focus point.
• Group-Area AF: The camera focuses using a group of user-selected focus points. This reduces the risk of the camera focusing on the background, instead of on the main subject.
• Auto-Area AF: The camera automatically detects the subject and selects the focus point.

AF Assist Illuminator: The built-in AF assist illuminator enables the camera to focus even when the subject is poorly lit. This feature will light automatically to assist the autofocus operation when the shutter release button is pressed halfway. It has an operating range of 1'-8" to 9'-10".

Focus Lock: Focus Lock can be used to change the composition after focusing, making it possible to focus on a subject that will not be in one of the focus points in the final composition.

Release Modes: The camera can take pictures one at a time, or continuously as long as the shutter release button is pressed. You can also take photos using the self-timer or with an optional remote control. Using the Release-Mode Dial on the top left of the camera, you can choose from the following Release Modes:

• Single Frame: The camera takes one photograph each time the shutter release button is pressed
• Continuous Low Speed: The camera records photographs up to 1-9 fps while the shutter release button is held down.
• Continuous High Speed: While the shutter release button is held down, the camera records up to 10 fps. This includes up to 200 shots in 14-bit lossless compressed RAW.
• Quiet Shutter Release: The camera takes a single photograph, as in Single Frame mode, except that the mirror does not click back into place while the shutter-release button is fully pressed. In addition, the beep does not sound during focusing.
• Quiet Continuous Shutter Release: Camera records up to 3 frames per second with reduced noise while shutter release is held down.
• Self-timer: This mode can be used to reduce camera shake or for self-portraits. You can set the delay time to 20, 10, 5, or 2 seconds. Self-timer continuous lets you take 1-9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 seconds.
• Mirror Up: This mode helps minimize camera shake by raising the mirror prior to the shot being taken. Use of a tripod is recommended.

Metering: The D500 uses TTL exposure metering using a 180,000-pixel RGB sensor with three methods: Center-weighted, Matrix, Spot, and Highlight-weighted metering. You can choose from the following Metering Modes to determine how the camera sets exposure:

• Matrix: Produces natural results in most situations. Camera uses 180K-pixel RGB sensor to meter a wide area of the frame and set exposure according to tone distribution, color, composition, and with type G or D lenses, range information. (See 3D Color Matrix Metering II above). With other CPU lenses, the camera uses color matrix metering II, which does not include 3D range information.
• Center-weighted: The camera meters the entire frame but assigns greatest weight to center area. The diameter of the circle can be set to 6, 8, 10, or 13mm.
• Spot: The camera meters exposure in active focus point only inside a 3.5mm circle. This ensures that the subject will be correctly exposed, even when background is much brighter or darker.
• Highlight-weighted: The camera assigns the greatest weight to highlights to reduce loss of detail in the highlights, such as photographing performers in the spotlight on stage.

Exposure Modes: The Nikon D500 offers a choice of exposure modes:

• Programmed Auto: Choose from one of the automatically selected shutter speed/aperture combinations and allows control over exposure compensation, metering and other features.
• Shutter-Priority Auto: You determine the shutter speed to freeze or blur motion, while the camera decides the ideal aperture.
• Aperture-Priority Auto: Simply select the aperture to control the depth-of-field and the camera determines the ideal shutter speed.
• Manual: Choose both the shutter speed and the aperture on your own. You can refer to the electronic analog exposure display of the camera for help with appropriate exposures.

Exposure Compensation: You can alter the exposure from the value suggested by the camera, making pictures brighter or darker. You can adjust the exposure from -5.0 to +5.0 EV in 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV steps.

White Balance: White balance is used to preserve natural colors under different types of lighting. There are three Auto WB settings: "Keep White" reduces warm colors so the whites appear white, even under a reddish light source, "Normal" reproduces the original colors of the subject, or "Keep Warm Lighting Colors" preserves the warm tint that is found under incandescent lighting. Other available white balance presets include: Incandescent, Fluorescent (7 settings), Direct Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Color Temperature, and Preset Manual. You can fine-tune the white balance along the amber-blue axis in steps of 0.5 EV, and the green-magenta axis in steps of 0.25 EV.

Bracketing: Bracketing automatically varies exposure, flash level, Active D-Lighting (ADL), or white balance slightly with each shot, "bracketing" the current value. You can choose the number of shots (2, 3, 5, 7, or 9), and the increment (1/3, 2/3, 1, 2, or 3 EV). The order of the bracketing is predetermined. For exposure increments of 2 EV or more, the maximum number of shots is 5.

ISO Sensitivity: When lighting is poor, the Auto ISO Sensitivity will automatically increase sensitivity, permitting faster exposures, and minimizing blur caused by inadvertent camera movement, up to a maximum equivalent of ISO 51200. Auto ISO Sensitivity Control will automatically be adjusted if optimal exposure cannot be achieved at the value selected by the user. The sensitivity is also adjusted when the flash is used. A maximum value for Auto ISO can be selected. You can also manually select from ISO settings 100 to 51200, with incremental steps of 1/3 EV. For special low light situations, you can choose Hi 0.3 through Hi 5, which correspond to ISO sensitivity equivalents 0.3 to 5 EV over ISO 51200 (ISO 64000 to ISO 1640000 equivalents). For special bright lighting, you can select Lo 0.3 through Lo 1, equivalent to ISO 80 to ISO 50.

Active D-Lighting: Nikon's Active D-Lighting can correct exposure issues due to difficult lighting conditions instantly and automatically while you shoot. Active D-Lighting preserves details in highlights and shadows, creating photographs with natural contrast.

Flash: The D500 has no built-in flash. The camera has an accessory shoe for mounting optional SB-series Speedlights. The camera supports the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) and can be used with CLS-compatible flash units, such as SB-5000, SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-500, SB-400, and SB-300. Supported flash modes include: Front-curtain Sync, Red-eye reduction, Red-eye reduction with slow sync, Slow sync, Rear-curtain Sync, and Off.

Remote Flash Photography: The D500 can control remotely-mounted flash units for off-camera lighting (Advanced Wireless Lighting). There are two types of flash control: Optical AWL uses optical signals (low-intensity flash pulses) from the master flash to remote flash units; With Radio AWL, remote flash units are controlled by radio signals emitted by a WR-R10 wireless remote controller or a compatible flash unit.

Flash Exposure Compensation: Flash exposure compensation can be used to increase or reduce flash output from the level chosen by the camera's flash control system. The flash exposure compensation can be set to values between -3 EV (darker) and +1 EV (brighter) in increments of 1/3 EV.

Virtual Horizon: The camera can display a virtual horizon based on information from the camera tilt sensor. This can be displayed in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor in Live View.

Picture Controls: You can choose from the following image enhancement options:

• Standard: Standard processing for balanced results--recommended for most situations.
• Neutral: Minimal processing for natural results. Choose for photos that will later be extensively processed or retouched.
• Vivid: Pictures are enhanced for a vivid photoprint effect. Choose for photographs that emphasize primary colors.
• Monochrome: takes photos in black and white
• Portrait: lowers contrast while lending natural texture and rounded feel
• Landscape: produces vibrant landscapes and cityscapes
• Flat: details preserved over a wide tone range, from highlights to shadows

Optional GPS: The optional GP-1 and GP-1a GPS units (sold separately) can be connected to the camera's accessory terminal to allow information on the camera's current position to be recorded when photographs are taken.

Multi-Language Menu: You can choose from one of 36 languages for display of the camera menus and messages including English, French and Spanish.

Streaming Webcam: Using Nikon's Webcam Utility software, you can use the camera to live stream high quality video on many of the popular video conferencing software platforms. You will need to connect the camera to your computer via the included USB cable. The camera's microphone will not capture sound, so a separate microphone is needed, plugged into the computer's microphone port. Optional accessories include a tripod or other mount, and a constant light source. The software works with many of your favorite streaming apps, including Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, Facebook Messenger, and Microsoft Teams. Nikon's Webcam Utility is compatible with Windows 10 Home, Pro, or Enterprise (64-bit only) and macOS Big Sur (Version 11), macOS Catalina (Version 10.15), macOS Mojave (Version 10.14), and macOS High Sierra (Version 10.13).

Playback, Editing And Printing Functions

Auto Image Rotation: Photographs taken while this feature is set to "On" allow the image to be played back automatically in the orientation it was taken, including Landscape, Portrait (rotated clockwise) or Portrait (rotated counter-clockwise).

Rotate Tall: Portrait photos are displayed in tall orientation during playback. This feature can be turned off in the menu, if desired.

Image Review: When this setting is enabled, the camera displays the image on the LCD monitor after the picture is taken. You can choose how long photographs are displayed in the monitor after shooting. If Image Review is turned off, pictures can only be displayed by pressing the playback button.

Single-Image Playback: During single-image playback, you can view all the pictures stored on the memory card one at a time.

Thumbnail Playback: This feature allows you to view 4, 9, or 72 images at once on the LCD monitor so that you can search for an image quickly. You can also choose a calendar playback, sorted by date.

Slide Show: This features plays photographs back in an automatic slide show manner. You can set the frame interval at 2, 3, 5, or 10 seconds

Playback Zoom: During single-image and thumbnail playback, you can zoom in on the selected image using buttons on the rear panel or with touch controls (stretch and pinch gestures). You can zoom in up to 21x for large images, up to 16x for medium images, and up to 10x for small images (based on 24 x 16 DX format setting). Once the image is enlarged, you can pan around the image on the LCD monitor using the multi selector.

Retouch Menu: These options can be used to create, trimmed, resized, or retouch existing copies of the photographs in the memory card. You can choose from the following options:

• NEF (RAW) Processing: Create JPEG-format copies of NEF (RAW) photographs.
• Trim: Create cropped copies of existing photos. You can change the aspect ratio from 3:2 to 4:3, 5:4, 1:1, or 16:9. Each copy is saved as a separate file.
• Resize: You can create a small copy of a recorded image. The copy will be stored as a JPEG file.
• D-Lighting: D-Lighting can be used to brighten dark or backlit subjects.
• Red-eye Correction: Correct "red-eye" caused by flash.
• Straighten: You can create a straightened copy of an image. You can rotate the image clockwise or counterclockwise up to 5 degrees in increments of 0.25 degrees.
• Distortion Control: Create copies with reduced peripheral distortion (barrel distortion or pin-cushion distortion).
• Perspective Control: Copies can be created that reduce the effects of perspective taken from the base of a tall object.
• Filter Effects: Create copies with color filter effects. You can choose from one of the following:
  • Skylight: Creates the effect of a skylight filter, giving the copy a "cold" blue cast.
  • Warm Filter: Creates a copy with warm tone filter effects, giving the copy "warm" red cast.
• Monochrome: Copy pictures in the Black and White, Sepia and Cyanotype colors.
• Image Overlay: Combine two RAW photographs to create a single picture
• Edit Movie: You can trim footage to create edited copies of movies or save selected frames as JPEG stills.
• Side-by-Side Comparison: You can compare retouched copies to the original photographs.

Protecting Images: The protect feature allows you to protect important images from accidental erasure.

PictBridge Printing Capability: You can connect this camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer and make prints, regardless of brand.

Connections

SuperSpeed USB Connection: The Nikon D500 utilizes a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connection for interfacing with your computer, using the supplied UC-E22 USB cable.

HDMI: For playing back High Definition movies and high resolution still images on an HDTV, you can connect the camera via an optional HDMI cable. A Type C mini-HDMI cable is required.

Cable Clips: Plastic clips are provided for the USB 3.0 and HDMI terminals to hold the cables in place. The clips snap into place on the side of the camera, and hold the cables at an angle to prevent the USB or HDMI cables from accidentally becoming disconnected.

Microphone Input: The camera features a 3.5mm minijack for connecting an external microphone, such as the Nikon ME-1 stereo microphone. Using an external mic improves the recorded audio for movies, and reduces noise caused by lens vibration being recorded during autofocus. You can adjust the sensitivity of the microphone (built-in or external) in the menu.

Headphone Output: A dedicated 3.5mm minijack is provided for connecting a pair of headphones to monitor the audio during recording or playback. You can adjust the headphone volume in the menu.

Flash Sync Terminal: A standard flash sync terminal is provided for connecting a flash unit that is not attached to the camera's accessory shoe.

10-pin Remote Terminal: The D500 has a proprietary 10-pin input for connecting optional accessories, such as the GP-1a GPS unit, various Nikon Remote Release Cords, or the WR-A10 Wireless Remote Controllers.

Battery Information

Li-ion Battery Pack: The D500 comes with a long lasting rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (EN-EL15), with the capacity of approximately 1240 shots per charge (based on the CIPA standard).

Battery Charger: The camera comes with the MH-25a Battery Charger for charging the supplied Li-ion battery pack. The MH-25a will charge the EN-EL15 battery pack in approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes. The MH-25a comes with an AC wall adapter which can plug into the charger.

Multi-power Battery Pack: The optional MB-D17 multi-power battery pack (sold separately) can hold one EN-EL15 (or EN-EL18a) Li-Ion battery or 8 AA alkaline, NiMH, or lithium batteries. It is also equipped with a shutter release button and Fn button for easier operation when taking pictures in the portrait (tall) orientation.

Optional AC Adapter: The optional EH-5B AC adapter and optional EP-5B power connector are recommended for extended playback.

Downloadable Software

NX Studio: No software is included in the box with the camera. NX Studio is a new all-in-one software for viewing, processing, and editing your still images and videos. The software integrates all the benefits and functions of Nikon's ViewNX-i and Capture NX-D into a highly functional single software solution. With NX Studio, you can edit your photos using picture controls, white balance settings, and exposure compensation for RAW data. New features include color control points to adjust a specific area of a photo, and a retouch brush feature for advanced color correction. NX Studio works with JPEG, TIFF, and NEF (RAW) files. NX Studio is available as a free download, and works with the following Operating Systems: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and macOS Big Sur (ver.11), Catalina (ver.10.15), and Mojave (ver.10.14)