Nikon D500 vs Canon 80D

Introduction

Nikon and Canon are well-known camera company’s that have been providing customers and enthusiast photographers across the world with quality and high-performing products. Mostly, I’ve been using more Nikon cameras than Canon, and I must say, I’m a true fan, however, you also can’t ignore the remarkable Canon’s line of DSLR cameras.

For this article, I will make a comparison review for such cameras, the Nikon D500 and the Canon 80D, while one of them comes with a relatively higher price than the other, but they mostly share the same specifications and performance, while features are the major difference between them, and I’m going to point out everything and explain even their slightest differences between them.

Every time someone asks me what camera should I purchase, the first thing that goes through my mind is to ask what kind of photography are you in, simply because depending on what you need the camera for, that’s how you know what features to look out for, and which camera suits your requirements the most. So, the guideline is, depending on what kind of photography you’re in, that’s how you’re going to know what you should consider before purchasing a camera, now of course, that only applies to you if you’re someone who is just starting out, while for those that have already used premium cameras before, it will be easier to decide which one has the upper-hand.

So, let’s dive in and see why one of these cameras can be the perfect addition for your photography, while I assure you that one of these cameras will be your upgrade, the photography tool which will elevate your shooting experience to a whole new level.

Head To Head Comparison

Nikon D500

Going back in time, when this camera was released the whole photography industry and camera market were hyped, as it is a high-end camera which comes with fluid fast performance, and some serious features which can only be found in high-end cameras, which is why this camera is ranked as such. I think it’ll be pretty easy to review this camera due to the fact that I’m currently using it, and it has served to be well over the years, so let’s start, shall we?

Firstly, in terms of the design, the Nikon D500 comes boasts a metal chassis construction which makes the camera very durable, however, it’s a bit heavier than most other DSLRs. It brings out a pretty modern look, while it comes with a fairly deeper grip that offers exceptional comfort, and the button layout is quite standard just like in other Nikon DSLRs where everything can be easily reached, and you have a button to directly access the ISO, Mode dial, Menu, and so on.

However, what’s really impressive is the 3.2-inches 2,359,000-dots LCD screen. Just by these numbers, you already get the idea of what quality image previews, vibrancy, and details you’re going to get from the display. But that’s not the best part, since the LCD also is touch-sensitive enabled, while it is a flip-out designed screen which means that for those serious videographers, you’re going to be able to tilt the screen to your desired position to shoot from different angles and viewing positions. As for the touchscreen, for me personally, it’s one of the most essential features to have since it really makes everything easier from navigating through the menu, to scrolling images and using features.

That’s about everything, to sum up about the design, now let’s jump to performance and what specs does this camera have.

The Nikon D500 features a 20.9-megapixel sensor that combines with the EXPEED 5 image processor for fast performance, and enhanced image quality with stunning detail, and sharpness for more crystal-clear shots. Thus, you get a continuous shooting speed of 10-fps, while this is really good news because it enables the camera to be great for sports, action, wildlife, commercial applications, and so on.

To continue, the Nikon D500 has an incredible autofocus system of 153-points, with 99 of them being cross-type, while if you combine this with the native ISO sensitivity of 100-51,200, you’re not only going to get incredible and quick track to maintain focus on your subjects, but the camera with also perform great in low-light situations.

Furthermore, since I mentioned videographers a lot in the beginning, I really like this camera because besides recording at full HD 1080p, you can also record in 4K UHD video at 30/25/24p – 3840×2160. It’s for those serious videographers who want to upgrade their work, while also assuring themselves a quality and feature-rich camera that is going to last for many years to come.

Moreover, in terms of connections, the D500 has a built-in Wi-Fi, along with Bluetooth which allows for instant photo sharing and transferring with a smartphone device or tablet. So as you can see, you will indeed be well equipped with everything, and not only that but all of these features don’t sacrifice performance at all.

In the end, I highly recommend the Nikon D500 to everyone who is looking for a quality camera no matter if photography is your orientation or videography, you’re still going to get stunning results, nonetheless, it’s most suitable for wildlife, sports, action, events, and weddings, mostly due to the exceptionally good autofocus system, and the ability to record at 4K.

Nikon D500 Sample Images:

Similar Comparison: Nikon D500 vs Nikon D750

Canon 80D

Now as for the Canon 80D, it comes with a relatively lower price than the Nikon D500, while it also packs similar specs and performance, but their key difference is in features for which we’ll talk about later in this review. It’s a fast performer which delivers a stunning image quality with plenty of detail and sharpness, but before jumping into specs, let’s first talk about the design.

The Canon 80D boasts a polycarbonate construction combined with a magnesium alloy chassis, while it has dust and moisture-resistant body that elongates the camera’s durability. It has a decent handgrip which makes the camera comfortable to hold, no matter if you have large hands or smaller ones, but that’s not the only part which satisfies me, the textured sides also add extra points to the comfort situation, and they implement a more modern look to the overall appearance of the camera as well.

Moving on, the Canon 80D same as Nikon D500 features a 3-inch 1.04m-dot articulating touchscreen which is pretty impressive since this camera comes at a cheaper price if you compare it to the D500. Thus, this is a feature of great value since it allows you to change settings with only one touch of a finger, navigate through the menu as well as scroll through images and use features, there’s simply a lot of advantages of having it. But for the most part, I also like that the LCD screen has a flip-out design which means that you can tilt it to shoot from tough angles, while this is really good news for those serious videographers.

Now as we move on to the performance, first of all, the Canon 80D has a 24-megapixel sensor which poses an advantage over the 20-megapixel sensor of the D500, while this particular model also runs the DIGIC 6 image processor which enhances the camera’s speed and data allocating, while if you see these as a whole, you will get an impressive continuous shooting speed of 6.5-frames per second, which isn’t even near the 10-frames per second continuous shooting speed of the D500.

Apart from that, the autofocus system is quite complex, to be more precise, the Canon 80D has a 45-AF point system which is one of the best AF’s found in this price range, but that’s not all, since, in total, you get two autofocus systems while one is for using the camera conventionally and composing images in the viewfinder, and one is for Live View and Video mode. Accordingly, all the AF points are cross-type.

Furthermore, you’re also going to get impressive low-light performance and quality, considering the fact that the 80D has a native ISO range of 100-16,000, while it can also be expanded to 25,600.

Moreover, in terms of video recording, same as the Nikon D500, the 80D can also shoot at 1080p Full HD, however, it’s not the best videography camera that you can find, since it lacks one of the most essential features, 4K recording. I’m not really disappointed to be honest since this particular camera is more oriented towards still photographers, landscape shooters, and portrait photographers, but nonetheless, for a relatively higher-price, the manufacturer could have done better with implementing 4K.

Before we end, let’s also mention that the 80D is Wi-Fi and NFC enabled so that you can instantly share or transfer your images to compatible smartphones.

As simple as it is, the Canon 80D is a reliable DSLR which packs the most high-end features in the camera industry, and puts them all into one mid-priced package, while it’s also one of the most highly-rated cameras for still photography, landscape, and portrait photography, so if you find yourself into this category, then this would be your answer.

Canon 80D Sample Images:

Similar Comparison: Nikon D500 vs Canon 7D Mark II

Nikon D500 vs Canon 80D Feature Comparison

	Nikon D500	Canon 80D
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Megapixels	20.9	24.2
ISO Range	100-51,200(1,640,000)	100-16,000(25,600)
Flip-Out Screen	Yes	Yes
AF Points	153 AF Points	45 AF Points
Viewfinder	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes
Video Recording	Yes	Yes
Sensor Size	CMOS	APS-C

Similar Comparison: Nikon D7500 vs Canon 80D

Conclusion

It’s not really the price that bends and creates an advantage over another product, but it’s the features as seen in this article. Even though these two cameras have their differences in price, they mainly share almost the same performance, with a few notable differences of course, but in the end, one of them is better at some specific type of photography, and the other is better for another photography type.

To be more clear, I would highly recommend the Nikon D500 to videographers who really want to upgrade to a better camera, with 4K capabilities, and with an impressive autofocus system of 153-points. It can track and maintain focus fast, which is perfectly suitable for sports, action, events, wildlife, and other videography aspects.

Nonetheless, that doesn’t make the Canon 80D a bad camera, in fact, the 80D is a lot better for still photography, for portrait photography, landscapes, commercial appliances, and so on. It has an incredible 24.2-megapixel sensor followed by a DIGIC 6 image processor, so you can do your math yourself to figure it out.

Similar Comparison: Canon 80D vs Nikon D7500