Upgrade Guide

Nikon D300S→Nikon D500

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Nikon

D300S

£145

2009

→

Upgrade to

Nikon

D500

£484 (+£339)

2016

✅

Strong upgrade

The D500 improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most D300S owners will notice the difference.

What's new in the D500

Suitability by genre

Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.

Full spec comparison

Spec	D300S	D500
Price	£145	£484
Released	2009	2016	↑
Sensor	12.3MP APS-C CMOS	20.9MP APS-C CMOS
Resolution	12MP	21MP	↑
Video	720p/24	4K UHD/30p (1.5× crop), 1080p/60
Autofocus	51-point phase-detect (15 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF in live view (tripod mode)	153-point phase-detect (99 cross-type, 55 selectable) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view
Stabilisation	No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only)	No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only)
Burst Rate	7fps	10fps	↑
Battery Life	~950 shots (CIPA)	~1240 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	920g (with battery)	860g (with battery)	↑
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.94x	Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.0x
Screen	3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots	3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots
Mount	Nikon F-mount (DX)	Nikon F-mount (DX)
Memory Cards	Dual slots: CompactFlash + SD	Dual slots: XQD + SD

Compare side-by-side

See D300S and D500 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the D500 against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the D300S

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