Canon
EOS R1
Flagship 24.2MP full-frame BSI stacked RF body with 40fps burst, Dual Pixel Intelligent AF, 6K RAW, and 9.44M-dot EVF.
$6,299
Released Jul 2024
Nikon
D500
APS-C sports DSLR flagship with 10fps, 153-point AF, and pro build.
$1,999
Released Jan 2016
EOS R1 is 8.5 years newer.
Wins
EOS R1
Wins
D500
2 categories tied
TL;DR — Key differences
- AEOS R1 has higher IBIS effectiveness (8.5 stops vs 0 stops)
- AEOS R1 has higher AF points / zones (1053 vs 153)
- AEOS R1 has higher Burst (electronic) (40 fps vs 10 fps)
- AEOS R1 has higher 4K max frame rate (120 fps vs 30 fps)
- AEOS R1 has higher ISO max (native) (102,400 vs 51,200)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
EOS R1
158 × 150 × 87 mm
1115 g (2.46 lb / 39.33 oz)
D500
147 × 115 × 81 mm
760 g (1.68 lb / 26.81 oz)
EOS R1 is 11mm wider, 35mm taller, and 6mm thicker than D500.
EOS R1 is 355 g heavier than D500.
Depth (front-to-back): 87mm EOS R1 · 81mm D500
Back view, to scale
Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.
EOS R1
158 × 150 mm
D500
147 × 115 mm
Top view, to scale
Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.
EOS R1
158 × 87 mm
D500
147 × 81 mm
Sensor size, to scale
EOS R1
36 × 24 mm · Full Frame
864 mm² area
D500
23.5 × 15.7 mm · APS-C
369 mm² area
2.3× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
EOS R1
Canon RF
105+
native lenses available
D500
✓ more lensesNikon F
270+
native lenses available
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
Why pick one over the other
Reasons to choose
EOS R1
AF low-light limit
-7.5 EV vs -4 EV — lower is better
Subject recognition
Adds People, Dogs, Cats…
Codecs
Adds RAW, XF-HEVC S, XF-AVC S…
IBIS effectiveness
8.5 stops vs 0 stops — higher is better
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 157.6, 149.5, 87.3
Card types
Adds CFexpress Type B, CFexpress Type B
AF points / zones
1053 vs 153 — higher is better
Burst (electronic)
40 fps vs 10 fps — higher is better
Reasons to choose
D500
Codecs
Adds H.264/AVC
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 147, 115, 81
Card types
Adds XQD, SD UHS-II
Weight
760 g vs 1115 g — lower is better
EVF magnification
1 × vs 0.9 × — higher is better
Both cameras share
- ✓ISO min (native) — Both 100
- ✓Weather sealing — Both support weather sealing
- ✓Card slots — Both 2
- ✓Touchscreen — Both support touchscreen
- ✓Wi-Fi — Both support wi-fi
- ✓Bluetooth — Both support bluetooth
Pros & cons at a glance
Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.
EOS R1
Pros
- ✓40fps electronic burst
- ✓24.2MP BSI stacked full-frame sensor
- ✓Dual Pixel Intelligent AF
- ✓6K RAW and 4K 120p video
- ✓Dual CFexpress Type B slots
Cons
- –24MP resolution
- –Very expensive
- –Large integrated-grip body
D500
Pros
- ✓10fps APS-C
- ✓Pro sports AF
- ✓Weather sealed
- ✓Great buffer
Cons
- –DSLR
- –APS-C
- –No IBIS
Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for sports, EOS R1 or D500?
EOS R1 scores 8.5/10 versus 2.5/10 for D500 — 40fps burst — pro-level action capture.
What's the resolution difference between the EOS R1 and D500?
EOS R1 is 24.2 MP and D500 is 20.9 MP, so the EOS R1 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the EOS R1 and D500 have in-body image stabilization?
EOS R1 has 8.5-stop in-body image stabilization, while d500 does not have IBIS.
Which shoots faster bursts — the EOS R1 or the D500?
EOS R1 reaches 40 fps electronic. D500 reaches 10 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the EOS R1 and D500?
EOS R1 weighs 1115 g and D500 weighs 760 g, so the D500 is 355 g lighter.
Do the EOS R1 and D500 record 4K video?
EOS R1: 6K RAW (max), 4K up to 120p. D500: 4K up to 30p.
Are the EOS R1 and D500 weather sealed?
EOS R1: Yes. D500: Yes.
How much does each cost?
EOS R1 launched at $6,299 and D500 at $1,999. The D500 is $4,300 less.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.
Product images courtesy of Canon and Nikon press materials.