Nikon
D500
APS-C sports DSLR flagship with 10fps, 153-point AF, and pro build.
$1,999
Released Jan 2016
OM System
OM-1 II
Flagship MFT with stacked sensor, 120fps, and pro wildlife features.
$2,399
Released Feb 2024
OM-1 II is 8.1 years newer.
Wins
D500
Wins
OM-1 II
1 categories tied
TL;DR — Key differences
- BOM-1 II has higher IBIS effectiveness (8.5 stops vs 0 stops)
- BOM-1 II has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 10 fps)
- BOM-1 II has higher AF points / zones (1053 vs 153)
- AD500 has higher Battery life (CIPA) (1240 shots vs 520 shots)
- BOM-1 II has higher ISO max (native) (102,400 vs 51,200)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
D500
147 × 115 × 81 mm
760 g (1.68 lb / 26.81 oz)
OM-1 II
135 × 92 × 73 mm
599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz)
D500 is 12mm wider, 23mm taller, and 8mm thicker than OM-1 II.
D500 is 161 g heavier than OM-1 II.
Depth (front-to-back): 81mm D500 · 73mm OM-1 II
Sensor size, to scale
D500
23.5 × 15.7 mm · APS-C
369 mm² area
OM-1 II
17.4 × 13 mm · Compact / large-type
226 mm² area
1.6× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
D500
✓ more lensesNikon F
270+
native lenses available
OM-1 II
Micro Four Thirds
130+
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
D500
Codecs
Adds H.264/AVC
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 147, 115, 81
Battery life (CIPA)
1240 shots vs 520 shots — higher is better
Card slots
2 vs 1 — higher is better
Card types
Adds XQD
Headphone jack (3.5mm)
Only D500 supports it
EVF magnification
1 × vs 0.78 × — higher is better
Resolution
20.9 MP vs 20.4 MP — higher is better
Reasons to choose
OM-1 II
AF low-light limit
-8 EV vs -4 EV — lower is better
Subject recognition
Adds People, Birds, Animals…
Codecs
Adds H.264, H.265, MOV
IBIS effectiveness
8.5 stops vs 0 stops — higher is better
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 134.8, 91.6, 72.7
Burst (electronic)
120 fps vs 10 fps — higher is better
AF points / zones
1053 vs 153 — higher is better
ISO max (native)
102,400 vs 51,200 — higher is better
Both cameras share
- ✓Burst (mechanical) — Both 10 fps
- ✓Weather sealing — Both support weather sealing
- ✓Touchscreen — Both support touchscreen
- ✓Wi-Fi — Both support wi-fi
- ✓Bluetooth — Both support bluetooth
- ✓Microphone jack (3.5mm) — Both support microphone jack (3.5mm)
Pros & cons at a glance
Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.
D500
Pros
- ✓10fps APS-C
- ✓Pro sports AF
- ✓Weather sealed
- ✓Great buffer
Cons
- –DSLR
- –APS-C
- –No IBIS
OM-1 II
Pros
- ✓120fps stills
- ✓Stacked MFT
- ✓IP53 weather sealing
- ✓Computational features
Cons
- –MFT sensor size
- –Smaller ecosystem
- –Menu complexity
Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for sports, D500 or OM-1 II?
OM-1 II scores 8.5/10 versus 2.5/10 for D500 — 120fps burst — pro-level action capture.
What's the resolution difference between the D500 and OM-1 II?
D500 is 20.9 MP and OM-1 II is 20.4 MP, so the D500 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the D500 and OM-1 II have in-body image stabilization?
D500 does not have IBIS, while oM-1 II has 8.5-stop in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the D500 or the OM-1 II?
D500 reaches 10 fps electronic. OM-1 II reaches 120 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the D500 and OM-1 II?
D500 weighs 760 g and OM-1 II weighs 599 g, so the OM-1 II is 161 g lighter.
Do the D500 and OM-1 II record 4K video?
D500: 4K up to 30p. OM-1 II: 4K up to 60p.
Are the D500 and OM-1 II weather sealed?
D500: Yes. OM-1 II: Yes.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is 1,240 shots (CIPA) for the D500 and 520 shots for the OM-1 II, giving the D500 the edge.
How much does each cost?
D500 launched at $1,999 and OM-1 II at $2,399. The D500 is $400 less.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.