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Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500

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Sigma Quattro H

45 MP | APS-H (26.6 x 17.9 mm) CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor

Sigma Quattro H
$1133.64

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Nikon D500

21 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D500
$1496.95

CHECK TODAY's PRICE
Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sigma Quattro H, which was introduced in February 2016 is a Semi-Pro Mirrorless camera with a 45.0MP APS-H sensor whereas Nikon D500, which was introduced in January 2016 is a Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a 21.0MP APS-C sensor. There is only 1 months difference between Quattro H and D500 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sigma Quattro H Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-02-23
  • 45MP - APS-H CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sigma SA Bayonet Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 3.8 fps continuous shooting
  • video resolution
  • g. 147 x 95 x 91 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Nikon D500 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-01-05
  • 21MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50-1640000)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.2" Tilting Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 860g. 147 x 115 x 81 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D300s Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sigma sd Quattro H over Nikon D500
Max Sensor Resolution 45 MP vs 21 MP 114% more pixels
Weight g vs 860 g 860 g lighter
Reasons to choose Nikon D500 over Sigma sd Quattro H
Wireless Connection Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Articulating Screen Yes vs No Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max ISO 51.200 vs 6.400 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points 153 vs 9 144 more focus points
LCD Screen Size 3.2" vs 3" 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution 2.359k dots vs 1.620k dots 45% higher resolution screen
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting 10.0fps vs 3.8fps 6.2 fps faster
Microphone Port Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port Yes vs No better video control
Timelapse Recording Yes vs No creative shooting
Top LCD Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing Range ±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Flash Sync Port Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
NFC Connection Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Illuminated Buttons Yes vs No Find the buttons easily in dark
Storage Slot 2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Smartphone_remote control Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Autofocus at f/8 aperture 15 points vs none Autofocus with teleconverters
Support for UHS Memory Cards UHS-II vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Common Strengths of Sigma sd Quattro H and Nikon D500
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution 45 MP vs 21 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Size 3" vs 3.2" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution 1.620k dots vs 2.359k dots Higher resolution screens
Environmental Sealing Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Sigma sd Quattro H and Nikon D500
Image Stabilization No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Built-in Flash No vs No Require external flash
Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500.

Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500 Camera Size Comparison - Front View


Here is the back view size comparison of Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500.

Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500 Camera Size Comparison - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500.
Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500 Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sigma Quattro H is 860g lighter than the Nikon D500 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Sigma Quattro H has an APS-H sized sensor and Nikon D500 has a smaller APS-C sensor, Nikon D500's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Sigma Quattro H lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Quattro H
D500
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Quattro H
D500
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both Quattro H and D500 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D500's 3.2" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sigma Quattro H's 3" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Nikon D500 LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Sigma Quattro H has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to D500.
Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500: Sensor Comparison

Sigma Quattro H has a 45.0MP APS-H (26.6 x 17.9 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor and features Dual TRUE III processor. On the other hand, Nikon D500 has a 21.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 5 processor.

Sigma Quattro H's sensor provides 24MP more than Nikon D500's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Nikon D500's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the Quattro H and D500 sensor size comparison.

Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500 Sensor Size Comparison


As seen above, Sigma Quattro H has a 1.3x Larger sensor area than Nikon D500. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sigma Quattro H for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Nikon D500 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-H (26.6 x 17.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 45.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sigma Quattro H for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D500 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large APS-H (26.6 x 17.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Sigma Quattro H for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon D500 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 3.8fps
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.8fps
9 Focus Points
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
99 Cross Type Focus sensors
153 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1240 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sigma Quattro H for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D500 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-H (26.6 x 17.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
Body Thickness 91mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
860g
Body Thickness 81mm
Read the details

Sigma Quattro H for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D500 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-H (26.6 x 17.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 45.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details


Nikon D500 vs Sigma Quattro H Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Nikon D500 has an advantage over Sigma Quattro H There are 304 lenses for Nikon D500's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 76 lenses for Sigma Quattro H's Sigma SA Bayonet lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 23 lenses for Sigma SA Bayonet mount and 101 lenses for Nikon F mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Sigma Quattro H Lenses # of Nikon D500 Lenses
Standard Zoom 9 33
Standard Prime 5 20
Wideangle Zoom 8 33
Wideangle Prime 8 47
Telephoto Zoom 18 53
Telephoto Prime 8 43
SuperZoom 9 30
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 4 8
Macro Prime 7 25
Perspective Control Prime n/a 11
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1
TOTAL 76 304
Sigma Quattro H vs Nikon D500: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sigma Quattro H and Nikon D500 scores compare:

Sigma Quattro H
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #73 out of 124 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #315 out of 1190 in all Cameras
Nikon D500
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #9 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #26 out of 1190 in all Cameras

Nikon D500 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sigma Quattro H in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Sigma Quattro H
Sigma Quattro H
$1133.64

Nikon D500
Nikon D500
$1496.95

Nikon D500 vs Sigma Quattro H Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sigma sd Quattro H Nikon D500
Brand Sigma Nikon
Announced 2016-02-23 2016-01-05
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS (Foveon X3) CMOS
Size APS-H APS-C
Dimensions 26.6 x 17.9 mm 23.5 x 15.7 mm
Area 476.14mm2 368.95mm2
Megapixels 45 megapixels 21 megapixels
Max Resolution 6200 x 4152 5568 x 3712
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 51,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 1640000 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 50 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 153
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sigma SA Bayonet Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses 76 304
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3" 3.2"
Resolution 1,620k dots 2,359k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.73 0.66
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/4000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync no built-in flash 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.8 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution n/a 3840 x 2160
Video Formats n/a MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight n/a 860g
Dimensions 147 x 95 x 91mm 147 x 115 x 81mm
Battery Life n/a 1240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 84
DxO Color Depth not tested 24.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 14.0
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 1324
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