Nikon announces special-edition metallic gray D5 and D500

Nikon is celebrating its 100-year anniversary on July 25 this year, and in the build-up to this landmark day in the world of photography we've already seen the announcement of a dedicated website and logo.

Now the company has announced a host of anniversary products – there's nothing new here in terms of gear, but if you've always wanted a Nikon D500 or Nikon D5 with a gunmetal finish and a special body cap to go with it, you're in luck.

The anniversary edition D5 features a metallic gray finish that evidently 'expresses the camera’s innovation and reliability with massive splendor', while there's a 100th anniversary logo on one side of the camera’s pentaprism, and a commemorative leather strap embossed with 100th anniversary logo.

The bottom of the camera is engraved with 'NIKON – CONTRIBUTING TO MANNED SPACE FLIGHT SINCE 1971', while the body cap is also imprinted with the anniversary logo.

The camera comes with an anniversary booklet that celebrates Nikon’s contribution to the space project, and everything's packaged in a metal case that has a base-plate engraved with the anniversary logo and the camera serial number.

It's a similar story with the D500, although this time you don't get the book or the engraved base-plate. 

Nikon has also got the metallic gray paint out for its trio of fast f/2.8 zoom lenses. The 14-24mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm are available as a special set, with each optic sporting the anniversary logo.

Pricing and availability for the special-edition kit is yet to be announced.

Phil Hall

Phil Hall is an experienced writer and editor having worked on some of the largest photography magazines in the UK, and now edit the photography channel of TechRadar, the UK's biggest tech website and one of the largest in the world. He has also worked on numerous commercial projects, including working with manufacturers like Nikon and Fujifilm on bespoke printed and online camera guides, as well as writing technique blogs and copy for the John Lewis Technology guide.