Nikon D500 vs Nikon Z7 II: A Thorough Field-Tested Comparison for the Discerning Photographer

Choosing between two capable but fundamentally different cameras like the Nikon D500 and Nikon Z7 II can feel like picking a favorite child - each has unmistakable merits, nuanced drawbacks, and distinct personality traits. Drawing from years of extensive testing across environments ranging from alpine wildlife hides to urban nighttime streets, I’ll unpack how these two Nikons perform across major photography disciplines, balancing raw specs with practical usage notes. Let’s dive deep into the details that matter to photographers who demand excellence and reliability, whether shooting portraits for clients, chasing fast birds in the wild, or capturing long-exposure star trails.

First Impressions: Ergonomics and Handling

The Nikon D500 is a classic mid-size DSLR, refined from the venerable D300S lineage. Its body measures 147x115x81mm and weighs a hefty 860g with battery, lending a substantial feel that many photographers still prefer for extended handheld use. The robust grip, weather sealing, and tactile shutter button make it a confident companion for outdoors and action photography. In contrast, the Nikon Z7 II adopts the newer mirrorless SLR-style form, noticeably more compact at 134x101x70mm and lighter at 705g. This weight saving, coupled with a smaller footprint, is welcome for travel and street work where discretion and portability count.

Both offer tilting 3.2-inch touchscreens (2359k dots on the D500 and 2100k on the Z7 II), but the latter employs a sophisticated electronic viewfinder (3,690k dots, 100% coverage, 0.8x magnification) replacing the optical pentaprism in the D500 (100% coverage but no EVF resolution). The EVF provides a live exposure preview and focus aids, boosting confidence for tricky lighting. Importantly, Nikon’s button layout in the D500 is slightly more traditional - illuminated buttons are ideal for low-light shooting, whereas the Z7 II trades this off for a sleeker design, though sometimes at the expense of quick tactile control. Both cameras have dual storage slots but differ in compatible media types, which we’ll cover later.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of Each System

The D500 sports a 21MP APS-C CMOS sensor (23.5x15.7mm) without an optical low-pass filter, optimized for speed and responsiveness. Nikon’s Expeed 5 processor ensures fast image throughput while delivering impressive dynamic range (about 14 stops), a color depth rating of 24.1-bit, and low-light ISO performance that holds firm to ISO 1324 per DxO benchmarks.

Meanwhile, the Z7 II leaps forward with a 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor (35.9x23.9mm), also sans AA filter, placing it in the ultra-high-resolution arena. This sensor covers an enormous 858mm² area - more than double the D500's - translating into finer detail rendition and significantly better image quality potential, especially for landscapes and studio work. The base ISO of 64 and expanded low ISO of 32 allow subtle tonal shifts and reduced noise floors, advantageous for those tricky shadow regions.

Having extensively shot both in the field, the D500 is more than capable for most professional work, delivering sharp, contrast-rich images with punchy colors and excellent skin tone rendition. But the Z7 II’s sensor is a game-changer when you push for maximum detail or large print sizes - landscape photographers and commercial shooters will especially appreciate it.

Autofocus Performance: Speed, Sophistication, and Precision

Autofocus (AF) is often the decisive factor for many photographers. The Nikon D500 offers a robust 153-point AF system with 99 cross-type sensors, covering a wide area and excelling in phase-detection focusing during optical viewfinder use. Its autofocus performance for continuous AF (AF-C) and eye detection is swift and reliable, even in challenging conditions. However, it lacks dedicated animal eye AF, a minor deficit in today’s wildlife arena. The camera also supports touch AF in live view for precision.

The Nikon Z7 II ups the ante with 493 on-sensor phase-detection points providing expansive coverage and superior accuracy, especially in live view and video modes. It features enhanced eye and animal eye AF (a major advancement), tracking subjects seamlessly through complex movements. Our wild bird photography sessions confirmed that the Z7 II’s predictive tracking and autofocus consistency substantially improve keeper rates in burst shooting compared to the D500.

Both cameras allow customizable AF areas and modes, but the Z7 II’s more modern AF algorithm, alongside superior face and eye detection, makes it a stronger choice for portraits, weddings, and wildlife. The D500 maintains an edge in optical viewfinder AF confidence and speed when shooting action, given the legacy DSLR advantages.

Burst Shooting and Buffer: Action Photography Considerations

For sports and wildlife photographers, continuous shooting speed and buffer depth directly affect the ability to freeze and capture fleeting moments. The Nikon D500 delivers a stout 10fps mechanical shutter speed, supported by an efficient Expeed 5 pipeline and dual card slots (XQD/SD). The buffer comfortably handles raw bursts, making it ideal for sustained shooting.

The Nikon Z7 II matches the 10fps rate but improves via silent electronic shutter options for discreet shooting, though rolling shutter artifacts need consideration in fast action. Its buffer, aided by dual CFexpress/XQD and SD slots, offers excellent capacity but the storage media cost and availability may impose some budget considerations.

In practical testing at a motorsport event, while the D500 felt more “ready” out of the box for rapid fire shooting in bright daylight, the Z7 II’s silent shutter and tracking refinements created a niche advantage in situations requiring stealth or unusual angles.

Video Capabilities: Beyond Stills

Video requirements have become critical for hybrid professionals. The D500 supports 4K UHD recording at 30/25/24p and 1080p up to 60fps, using H.264 codec. It provides standard microphone and headphone jacks but lacks in-body stabilization (IBIS). Its crop sensor sensor size results in a 1.5x crop on 4K video, which can complicate wide-angle framing. It’s a competent B-camera for videography but not a flagship.

The Z7 II significantly upgrades this aspect with 4K UHD up to 60p without crop, delivering superior video quality with better color depth and bitrate. Crucially, it incorporates sophisticated 5-axis IBIS, hugely stabilizing handheld footage and enabling smoother pans. It also keeps mic/headphone ports and offers modern connectivity alongside advanced exposure controls and focus peaking, making it a capable tool for multimedia creators.

If video is a casual or secondary concern, the D500 is decent, particularly for run-and-gun shoots. But for serious filmmaking or hybrid photo/video journalism, the Z7 II stands out with more flexible video-centric features.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Both cameras feature robust environmental sealing. The D500 is well known for its ruggedness - it’s dust and moisture resistant with a magnesium alloy body and shutter rated to 200,000 cycles, reassuring for professional field use.

The Z7 II also sports a weather-sealed magnesium alloy chassis but has slightly less dust sealing according to Nikon’s specifications. The shutter durability is less explicitly rated but appears suited for professional use. Its lighter weight and better balance with modern lenses enhance handling under walk-and-shoot scenarios.

If you frequently shoot in demanding or inclement conditions - think mountain fog or dust storms - neither disappoints, but the D500 feels slightly tougher overall.

Lens Ecosystem and Accessories

The D500’s Nikon F mount boasts over 300 lenses, catering for everything from fast primes to large telephoto zooms - a superlative ecosystem nurtured over decades. This includes many third-party options. This gives photographers excellent choices at all budget levels, including specialized lenses for macro, sports, and architecture.

The Z7 II uses the newer Nikon Z mount, with fewer native lenses currently (~15 key models) but expanding rapidly. Z-mount primes and zooms emphasize wide apertures and sharp optical performance designed for the mirrorless system. Adapters exist to mount F-mount lenses with minimal compromises, broadening options but adding size and weight.

If lens variety and long-term compatibility motivate you, the D500’s legacy system cannot be understated; however, for cutting-edge optics and mirrorless benefits (like stabilization and quiet aperture changes), the Z7 II’s environment is forward-looking.

User Interface and Display

Both cameras provide color-accurate tilting touchscreens aiding composition and menu navigation. The D500’s screen is a bit sharper with 2359k dots versus the Z7 II’s 2100k, but the difference is subtle in daily use. The Z7 II’s electronic viewfinder excels for previewing exposure and focus in real time, a game-changer compared to the D500’s optical viewfinder with no electronic enhancements.

While the D500 has illuminated physical buttons valuable in dim settings, the Z7 II’s design feels cleaner but can rely more heavily on touchscreen controls, which varies in user preference. Both cameras allow extensive customization of controls and functionality versus older models.

Battery Life and Connectivity

The Nikon D500’s EN-EL15 battery delivers an outstanding 1240 shots per charge via optical viewfinder shooting - a crucial advantage when traversing remote locations or all-day events. The Z7 II’s battery life is considerably shorter at 420 shots, mainly due to power demands of the electronic viewfinder and IBIS. That said, USB charging is supported on the Z7 II, allowing on-the-go top-ups with power banks.

Connectivity-wise, both cameras feature built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The D500 includes NFC and optional GPS, while the Z7 II lacks NFC and GPS but offers faster USB data transfer speeds and supports CFexpress Type B cards for lightning-fast file dumps.

Sample Image Quality: Real-World Shooting

Nikon D500 screen back Nikon Z7 II front Nikon Z7 II screen back

I compared both cameras shooting identical scenes: a portrait session, a dramatic sunset landscape, fast-moving wildlife, and a skyscraper street scene at dusk. The Z7 II excelled at capturing rich detail with its higher resolution sensor in landscapes and architectural shots, translating to files that invite large prints without losing subtle texture. Portrait skin tones were smooth with excellent eye detection focus locking, producing creamy bokeh from Z lenses.

The D500 held its ground with punchy colors and excellent AF tracking on birds in flight. Action sequences had fewer dropped frames with its proven buffer. Its lower resolution files were easier to manage in post-production, lending snappier workflows without sacrificing too much detail for most applications.

How They Score Across Photography Genres

Overall Performance and Value Breakdown

If I had to summarize the battle statistically and subjectively:

• Nikon D500: A proven APS-C workhorse DSLR delivering fast, reliable AF, excellent burst rates, superb battery life, and an unrivaled lens ecosystem at a very accessible price (~$1500 body only). It shows its age in video and resolution compared to mirrorless rivals but remains a formidable tool for action and wildlife photographers who prioritize ruggedness and speed.

• Nikon Z7 II: A sophisticated mirrorless flagship with high-resolution full-frame sensor, state-of-the-art autofocus including animal eye detection, strong 5-axis IBIS, and a more compact, modern design. It commands a higher price (~$3000 body only) and shorter battery life but rewards users with versatility in video, superior image quality ideals, and future-ready system flexibility.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

• Choose the Nikon D500 if:

  • You specialize in wildlife or sports photography prioritizing optical viewfinder AF and long battery life.
  • You rely on a vast F-mount lens collection or require robust weather sealing.
  • Your budget caps around the mid-level DSLR market but you still demand pro features.
  • You want superior burst shooting performance with painless file handling.

• Opt for the Nikon Z7 II if:

  • You value maximum resolution for landscape, studio, or architectural photography.
  • Hybrid photo/video work is important, thanks to superior video options and IBIS.
  • You want to tap into modern AF technologies such as animal eye detection.
  • You prefer a lightweight body for travel or street photography with top-tier EVF usability.
  • You are prepared to invest in mirrorless lenses or use adapters wisely.

Final Thoughts: A Tale of Two Capable Cameras

Both the Nikon D500 and Z7 II shine in their respective realms. The D500 remains a remarkably capable tool that I have repeatedly recommended to photojournalists, wildlife, and sports shooters due to its proven reliability and speed. The Z7 II, with its mirrorless innovations and pixel-packed sensor, represents Nikon’s future-forward vision - ideal for those pushing creative boundaries and multimedia.

In my experience running side-by-side shoots, their cameras don’t just capture images, they shape how we approach the craft. This analysis isn’t merely pixel-peeping or spec comparison but a distillation of exhaustive real-world use, tailored to different workflows, styles, and budgets. Choosing between them ultimately depends on your priorities and the kind of stories you want your camera to tell.

Happy shooting!

This article was crafted based on hands-on testing, detailed technical analysis, and Nikon’s official specification data to inform your next camera investment with clarity and confidence.