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Canon

EOS 90D

High-res APS-C DSLR with 32.5MP, 10fps, and excellent Dual Pixel AF for wildlife.

$1,199

Released Aug 2019

vs

Nikon

D500

APS-C sports DSLR flagship with 10fps, 153-point AF, and pro build.

$1,999

Released Jan 2016

EOS 90D is 3.7 years newer.

Wins

3categories

EOS 90D

TravelWildlife

Wins

5categories

D500

5 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

EOS 90D wins 2 categories·D500 wins 3 categories
  • AEOS 90D has higher IBIS effectiveness (6 stops vs 0 stops)
  • BD500 has higher AF points / zones (153 vs 45)
  • BD500 has higher ISO max (native) (51,200 vs 25,600)
  • BD500 has higher Battery life (CIPA) (1240 shots vs 640 shots)
  • AEOS 90D has higher Resolution (32.5 MP vs 20.9 MP)

Key specs at a glance

EOS 90DD500
Resolution32.5 MP20.9 MP
Sensor22.3 × 14.8 mmAPS-C
ISO max25,60051,200
Burst10 fps10 fps
4K30 fps30 fps
IBIS6-stopNo
Weight520 g760 g
Battery640 shots1240 shots

Size and weight, to scale

EOS 90D

138 × 98 × 88 mm

520 g (1.15 lb / 18.34 oz)

D500

147 × 115 × 81 mm

760 g (1.68 lb / 26.81 oz)

EOS 90D is 9mm narrower and 17mm shorter than D500 but it is also 7mm thicker.

EOS 90D is 240 g lighter than D500.

Depth (front-to-back): 88mm EOS 90D · 81mm D500

Sensor size, to scale

EOS 90D

22.3 × 14.8 mm · APS-C

330 mm² area

D500

23.5 × 15.7 mm · APS-C

369 mm² area

1.1× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

EOS 90D

✓ more lenses

Canon EF

300+

native lenses available

100 first-party200 third-party

D500

Nikon F

270+

native lenses available

90 first-party180 third-party

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseEOS 90DD500
Portrait
5.5Fair✓ wins
2.5Limited
Sports & Action
5.0Fair✓ wins
2.5Limited
Video & Hybrid
5.0Fair✓ wins
3.0Limited
Landscape
5.5Fair✓ wins
2.5Limited
Travel
8.5Excellent✓ wins
4.5Fair
Wildlife
8.0Excellent✓ wins
5.0Fair
Vlogging
6.0Good✓ wins
1.5Limited

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

EOS 90D

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Human, Animal, Bird…

  • Codecs

    Adds H.264

  • IBIS effectiveness

    6 stops vs 0 stops — higher is better

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 138, 98, 88

  • AA filter

    Only EOS 90D supports it

  • Eye AF

    Only EOS 90D supports it

  • Pre-Capture / Pre-Release

    Only EOS 90D supports it

  • In-body stabilization

    Only EOS 90D supports it

Reasons to choose

D500

  • AF low-light limit

    -4 EV vs -3 EV — lower is better

  • Codecs

    Adds H.264/AVC

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 147, 115, 81

  • AF points / zones

    153 vs 45 — higher is better

  • ISO max (native)

    51,200 vs 25,600 — higher is better

  • Card types

    Adds XQD

  • Battery life (CIPA)

    1240 shots vs 640 shots — higher is better

  • EVF magnification

    1 × vs 0.78 × — higher is better

Both cameras share

  • ISO min (native)Both 100
  • Burst (mechanical)Both 10 fps
  • Burst (electronic)Both 10 fps
  • 4K max frame rateBoth 30 fps
  • Weather sealingBoth support weather sealing
  • Card slotsBoth 2

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

EOS 90D

Pros

  • 32.5MP APS-C
  • 10fps burst
  • Optical viewfinder
  • Long battery life

Cons

  • DSLR declining
  • No IBIS
  • Crop sensor

D500

Pros

  • 10fps APS-C
  • Pro sports AF
  • Weather sealed
  • Great buffer

Cons

  • DSLR
  • APS-C
  • No IBIS

Full specifications

= category winner

EOS 90D
D500
Resolution
32.5 MP+56%
20.9 MP
Sensor type
APS-C CMOS
DX-format CMOS
Sensor size
22.3 × 14.8 mm
23.5 × 15.7 mm
AA filter
Yes
No
EOS 90D
D500
AF system
45-point all cross-type AF / Dual Pixel CMOS AF
Multi-CAM 20K phase-detect AF
AF points / zones
45
1533.4× more
AF frame coverage
100 %
AF low-light limit
-3 EV
-4 EV
Eye AF
Yes
No
Animal / bird AF
No
No
Subject recognition
Human, Animal, Bird, Vehicle
EOS 90D
D500
Burst (mechanical)
10 fps
10 fps
Burst (electronic)
10 fps
10 fps
Pre-Capture / Pre-Release
Yes
No
RAW buffer depth
60 frames
EOS 90D
D500
Max resolution
4K UHD
4K UHD
4K max frame rate
30 fps
30 fps
Max video bit rate
150 Mbps
Internal RAW video
No
No
Log profile
Standard profiles
Codecs
H.264
H.264/AVC
EOS 90D
D500
Weight
520 g−240 g less
760 g
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
138 × 98 × 88 mm
147 × 115 × 81 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for vlogging, EOS 90D or D500?

EOS 90D scores 6.0/10 versus 1.5/10 for D500 — IBIS reduces handheld shake.

What's the resolution difference between the EOS 90D and D500?

EOS 90D is 32.5 MP and D500 is 20.9 MP, so the EOS 90D captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the EOS 90D and D500 have in-body image stabilization?

EOS 90D has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while d500 does not have IBIS.

Which shoots faster bursts — the EOS 90D or the D500?

EOS 90D reaches 10 fps electronic. D500 reaches 10 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the EOS 90D and D500?

EOS 90D weighs 520 g and D500 weighs 760 g, so the EOS 90D is 240 g lighter.

Do the EOS 90D and D500 record 4K video?

EOS 90D: 4K up to 30p. D500: 4K up to 30p.

Are the EOS 90D and D500 weather sealed?

EOS 90D: Yes. D500: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the EOS 90D and 1,240 shots for the D500, giving the D500 the edge.

How much does each cost?

EOS 90D launched at $1,199 and D500 at $1,999. The EOS 90D is $800 less.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.