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Nikon D3S vs Nikon D500

6.28 in
6.18 in
Nikon D3S Digital Camera
Nikon D3S
5.79 in
4.53 in
Nikon D500 Digital Camera
Nikon D500
Available colors
Editiorial reviews
29
4.4 out of 5
10 user ratings
5 stars
70 %
4 stars
20 %
3 stars
10 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
79
4.3 out of 5
35 user ratings
5 stars
65 %
4 stars
28 %
3 stars
0 %
2 stars
5 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
User rating
41
4.0 out of 5
41 user ratings
5 stars
34 %
4 stars
39 %
3 stars
24 %
2 stars
2 %
1 stars
0 %
57
3.9 out of 5
57 user ratings
5 stars
22 %
4 stars
49 %
3 stars
21 %
2 stars
5 %
1 stars
1 %

Full Comparison

Sensor

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Image sensor formatFull frameDX
Sensor size1.42 in0.93 in
Sensor photo detectors13.0 Mpx22.0 Mpx
Effective pixels12.0 Mpx21.0 Mpx
Image ratio w:h
  • 5:4
  • 3:2
3:2
Max resolution4256 x 2832 px5568 x 3712 px
Other resolutions
  • 3552x2832
  • 3552x2368
  • 3184x2128
  • 2784x1848
  • 2656x1776
  • 2128x1416
  • 2080x1384
  • 1776x1416
  • 1776x1184
  • 1392x920
  • 4176x2784
  • 2784x1856
ProcessorExpeedExpeed 5

Image

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
ISO
  • 200
  • 12800
  • 100
  • 51200
ISO minimum200100
ISO maximum1280051200
Boosted ISO minimum10050
Boosted ISO maximum1024001640000
Maximum image resolution4256 x 2832 px5568 x 3712 px
White balance presets1212
White balance modes
  • Auto
  • Cloudy
  • Flash
  • Fluorescent
  • Incandescent
  • Manual
  • Shade
  • Sunny
  • Auto
  • Manual
Custom white balanceyesyes
Supported image file formats
  • JPG
  • RAW
  • TIF
  • JPG
  • NEF
  • RAW
  • TIF
Photo effects
  • Black&White
  • Neutral
  • Vivid
  • Black&White
  • Neutral
  • Vivid
Image stabilizeryesyes
Image stabilization typeNoNo
Supported aspect ratios16:94:3
Uncompressed formatRAW + TIFFRAW + TIFF
HDRnoyes
AEB/HDR supportyesyes

Optics and focus

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Lens mountNikon FNikon F
Magnification (Crop factor)1.0 x1.5 x
AF assist (auto-focus assist light)noLamp
Focus adjustmentAutoAuto/Manual
Contrast autofocusyesyes
Autofocus in recording modenoyes
Focal length multiplier1x1.5x
Autofocus
  • Servo Auto Focus
  • Single Auto Focus
Center
Auto Focus (AF) lockyesyes
Manual focusyesyes
Auto Focus (AF) assist beamyesyes
Number of focus points51153
Max number of AF points (incl. assistant)51153
Image stabiliserLens based onlyLens based only
Phase detection autofocusyesyes

Screen and viewfinder

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Screen size3.0 in3.2 in
Articulated LCDnoyes
Screen technologyLCDLCD
Screen dots9210002359000
Touch screennoyes
Field of view100.0 %100.0 %
Live viewyesyes
ViewfinderOpticalOptical
Viewfinder coverage100.0 %100.0 %
Viewfinder magnification0.7 x1.0 x
Separate info displayyesyes

Photography features

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Camera shutter typeElectronicElectronic
Minimum shutter speed30.0 s30.0 s
Maximum shutter speed1.0 s1.0 s
Shutter priorityyesyes
Aperture priorityyesyes
Manual exposure modeyesyes
Number of exposures22
Exposure compensation plus55
Exposure compensation minus-5-5
Expousure compensation steps
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 1
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
Auto exposure lockyesyes
AE EV steps
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 2/3
  • 1
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 2/3
  • 1
  • 2
Continuous shootingyesyes
Self-timer delay
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
AE frames
  • 2
  • 3
  • 5
  • 7
  • 2
  • 3
  • 5
  • 7
WB Bracketing
Yes
Yes
Subject / scene modesnono
Flash sync speed1/250s1/250s
Built-in flashyesyes
Flash modes
  • Redeye Reduction
  • Slow Sync
  • Auto
  • Flash OFF
  • Redeye Reduction
External flash connection
  • Hot shoe
  • PC terminal
Hot shoe
External flashyesyes
Continuous drive11.0 fps10.0 fps
Scene modes
  • Backlight
  • Beach
  • Dawn
  • Dusk
  • Fireworks
  • Museum
  • Night
  • Night portrait
  • Panorama
  • Party
  • Portrait
  • Self-portrait
  • Snow
  • Sports
  • Spotlight
  • Beach
  • Candlelight
  • Close-up
  • Night landscape
  • Night portrait
  • party
  • Portrait
  • Sunset
  • Landscape
Self-timeryesyes
Metering modes
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Highlight-weighted
  • Spot
Manual settingsyesyes
Self-timer optionscustom
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
Speed (JPEG)9.0 fps10.0 fps
Speed (RAW)9.0 fps10.0 fps
Exposure bracketing0.3 - 1.0±EV0.3 - 1.0±EV

Videography features

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Maximum resolution1280 x 720 px3840 x 2160 px
Video recordingyesyes
Recording resolutions
  • 320 x 240
  • 640 x 480
  • 1280 x 720
  • 1280 x 720
  • 1920 x 1080
  • 3840 x 2160
HD typeNot supported4K Ultra HD
Supported video file formatsAVIMOV
Analog signal format system
  • NTSC
  • PAL
NTSC
Camera playback
  • Highlights
  • Movie
  • Single image
  • Slide show
  • Thumbnails
  • Highlights
  • Movie
  • Single image
  • Slide show
Max frame rate (highest resolution)24.0 fps30.0 fps
Motion JPEG frame rate24.0 fps10.0 fps

Audio features

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Built-in microphoneyesyes
Microphone typeStereoStereo
Audio systemMonoStereo

Design

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Body typeSLRSLR
Body materialAluminum-magnesiumPlastic
Colour of productBlackBlack
Anti-dust systemyesyes
Environmentally sealedyesyes

Dimensions

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Weight43.74 oz26.81 oz
Width6.28 in5.79 in
Height6.18 in4.53 in
Depth3.44 in3.19 in

Storage

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Compatible memory cards
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • MMC
  • SD
Memory slots22
Storage types
  • Compact Flash Type I/II
  • UDMA
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
  • XQD
Camera file system
  • DCF 2.0
  • DPOF
  • Exif 2.21
  • DCF 2.0
  • Exif 2.3
  • RAW

Power

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Power source typeBatteryBattery
Battery life (CIPA)42001240
Battery technology
Lithium-Ion
Lithium-Ion
Number of batteries supported11
AC adapter includedyesY

Connectivity

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
HDMIyesyes
HDMI ports quantity11
USB version2.03.1
WirelessOptionalBuilt-In
DC-in jackyesyes
Remote controlyesyes
PictBridgeyesyes
NFCnoyes
Wireless network (Wi-Fi)noyes
Bluetoothyesyes
Firewirenono

Other features

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D500Nikon D500
Timelapse recordingyesyes
GPSnono
Orientation sensoryesno
Tripod mounting supportedyesyes
Image editing modes
  • Crop
  • Resizing
Trimming

Pros & Cons

Pros
      Cons

          Often compared with Nikon D3S

          Often compared with Nikon D500