Nikon's camera naming convention

Pocono_ACE

Senior Member
Since I go so long between camera purchases (~8-10 years), I find it a little tricky navigating the product lineup when I do decide it's time for an upgrade.

The naming convention these days would seem to be:

* Single digit = FX sensor, professional model, take out a home equity loan to buy it (e.g., D5)
* 3 digits = FX sensor, serious amateur to professional, somewhat affordable (e.g., D610, D850)
* 4 digits = DX sensor, beginner to serious amateur, affordable (e.g., D5600, D7500)

But then there's the D500. Three digits in the name, but a DX sensor. What's up with that? Are there any cameras in the range that don't follow the formula?

And why did Nikon discontinue 2-digit model names? (My last camera was a D90). Maybe Marketing thought they sounded too low-rent. By that logic, the D5 must be a disposable.

I wonder about these things.
 
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