Nikon Introduces the new Flagship D5 and D500 Cameras at CES

Nikon had a big day earlier this week at CES 2016 in Las Vegas. In addition to launching a totally-new 360 camera, Nikon also launched a new flagship D5 FX camera, as well as a D500 DX camera.

D5

The D5 has a long list of impressive specs:

• 20.83mp CMOS full-frame sensor
• Unprecedented native ISO range, from 100 to 102,400 [expandable from 50 (Lo-1) to a staggering ISO 3,280,000 (Hi-5)]
• 4K UHD video (3840×2160 at 30p)
• only 3 minutes record time at high quality
• uncompressed 4k HDMI output
• capability to record 4K UHD video to the card and output to HDMI simultaneously
• 153 AF points, 99-point cross sensor (3x more than D4S)
• Continuous shooting up to 200 frames in 14bit uncompressed RAW/NEF
• 12fps continuous shooting
• 14fps continuous shooting with AE / AF lock
• EXPEED 5 image processor (25% more efficient with up to 3780 shots per charge)
• 3.2” Touchscreen LCD
• Shutter rated to 400k actuations
• Dual CF or Dual XQD versions of the camera

Shipping starts in March, 2016 for a suggested price of $6,499.95

Note the top button changes between D4s and D5.

Nikon D500

Nikon also followed the announcement with a new D500 camera, set to replace the venerable D300s. Here are the specs:

• 20.9mp CMOS cropped (DX) sensor
• 153 AF points, 99-point cross sensor (same as D5)
• EXPEED 5 image processor (same as D5)
• ISO range of 100-51,200, expandable to 50-1,640,000
• Continuous shooting up to 79 shots in 14-bit, uncompressed RAW/NEF
• 10fps continuous shooting (very impressive for sports and wildlife)
• 4K UHD video (3840×2160 at 30p)
  • only 3 minutes record time at high quality
  • uncompressed 4k HDMI output
  • capability to record 4K UHD video to the card and output to HDMI simultaneously
• 3.2” Touchscreen tilting LCD
• Shutter rated to 200k actuations
• No popup flash
• One XQD slot and one SD card slot (I really wish Nikon would just put two of either)
• Near Field Connection for wireless image transfer with Nikon SnapBridge
• Built-in Wifi

Shipping starts in March, 2016 for a suggested price of $1,999.95

The D500 has a few really interesting specs, like 10fps continuous shooting and the ability to capture 4K video footage. For the longest time, we’ve been asking Nikon to increase the area of the autofocus points and they actually snuck it into the D500. The AF array fills the frame from side to side, letting you track things like wildlife in and out of the frame. I’m really excited to give that a try when the camera starts to ship in March.

What is Nikon SnapBridge?

SnapBridge allows for Bluetooth-supported connection between your camera and compatible smart device, thus making automatic upload of your images possible. Once enabled, the camera stays connected to the smart device and transfers photos, eliminating the need to re-connect devices. Those looking to share images from their travels or from the field can also tag images for transfer in camera and can password protect their connection for added security.

Only 3 Minutes of 4K UHD

I’m pretty excited with these new cameras announced from Nikon, but one thing that bugs me is the 3 minute time limit when recording 4K UHD video. While these are primarily still cameras, they can’t be used to shoot a 4K UHD video interview. Sure 3 minutes might be great to capture a few quick action shots or wildlife in the field, but it really limits its use. However, we can get around the time frame with additional equipment, like the Atomos Shogun or Ninja Assassin external HDMI recorder.

Nikon also announced a new WT-6A wireless transmitter compatible with the new D5 for $749.95, as well as a new SB-5000 radio-controlled speedlight (similar to Canon’s 600 EX-RT) for $599.95. Both will be shipping in March.

---

Nick Minore is a video professional and avid photographer based in Florida. Be sure to follow Nick for more photo and video updates by clicking on the links below!
www.facebook.com/nickminore
www.twitter.com/nickminore

---

Filed under: Cinematography, Gear, Gear, News, Photography Tagged: 2016, 4K, announcement, camera, ces, ces 2016, d5, d500, flagship, Nikon, nikon d5, nikon d500, uhd