Nikon D500 vs Canon 7D Mark II

Introduction

A digital single-lens reflex camera also known as a DSLR camera has a very unique construction and built which combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera but with a digital imaging sensor. This was for those who didn’t know or haven’t used a DSLR camera before.

Okay, so, the guideline of this article holds two remarkable DSLR cameras which can be the perfect addition for any enthusiasts photographer, semi-professional, professional, hobbyist, etc. Both the Nikon D500 and the Canon 7D Mark II do not come at a cheap price like the most, and there’s a reason for that.

These two cameras have been around for quite some years now, and due to their ability to deliver stunning image quality results, fluid performance and an amazing built quality which delivers exceptional comfort, and an ease-of-use button layout.

I’ve had the chance to use both these cameras before, and I thought why not review and make a head-to-head comparison about them, so here we are.

Just as I said, they are both great, but I’m going to try to compare them and mention even the slightest differences between them, but take in mind, that the price doesn’t really matter, you’ll have to know which features do you need, or for what purpose do you need the camera for, for example, it can be still photography, or it can be for weddings, wildlife sports, in that case, we are going to divide them depending on what they are best for.

So, let’s not spoil any further and start with the reviews.

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Head To Head Comparison

Nikon D500

At the time of the release, Nikon D500 was the new DX Agility flagship. It packs some serious features within, while it also comes with a very versatile and portable body which can be the perfect addition for travelers. It is mainly known for its ability to deliver stunning performance in low-light conditions, and due to its powerful image processing engine, it can track fast action subjects, wildlife scenes, and much more with ease.

To start off, we will mention some interesting facts about the design first.

The Nikon D500 boasts a sleek yet beautiful construction, it has a metal chassis that is more durable than most other cameras at this price range and some of the above. It feels solid, while on the front, it also has a decent grip with a textured coating, a ridge on the back marks the thumb rest enabling the camera for more comfortability.

The camera has a convenient button layout, even if you haven’t used such a camera before, you’ll still be able to learn quickly how to use it since everything is pretty straightforward.

What about the LCD screen? Is it standard like most other DSLRs, or is it more sophisticated?

Well, for starters, the LCD screen delivers stunning image details and vibrancy. It is 3.2-inches with the 2,359,000-dot screen, and yes, it has touchscreen capabilities. If you’ve read other camera, then you probably know that the majority of the cameras in the mass market lack this feature, but in fact, it is the most useful out of all, since it delivers a satisfying user experience while allowing you to scroll through images, optimize settings and so much more with only one touch of a finger. But that’s not all since the screen also boasts a tilting design, which means that you can take shots from different viewing angles and positions with ease. If you’ve been reading my other reviews, then you probably know that I’m a huge fan of these two features, that’s why I’m all hyped up about this.

Now, let’s get more into the specifics and see how this camera truly performs.

Don’t get fooled by the size, even though this camera is small, is still quite powerful, with a 20.9 megapixel CMOS sensor, this camera can capture exquisite details, colors, and textures. But that’s not the best part, remember how we said this camera is perfect for tracking fast-moving subjects and recording wildlife or sports, well, the Nikon D500 can shoot continuously at 10 frames per second, which is more than any other camera at this price range, and some of the above.

In addition, the new 20k autofocus system provides 153 AF points including 99 cross-type points, while the combination of all of these brings out the ability to create images that match your desired vision. This particular camera is also the first in its DX line to utilize the new XQD memory card technology, which basically delivers a faster read/write and transfer speeds to fully take advantage of the D500’s speed.

As far as you’re concerned about ISO sensitivity, well, you get an ISO range of 100-51,200, while it is also expandable to ISO 1,640,000, which is also why I pointed out that this camera is great for low-light conditions. Basically, there’s nothing bad I could find about this camera, it simply delivers great value for the money.

Let’s not forget to mention that it can also record 4K UHD video at 3840×2160 at 30/25/24p, and this can be rarely found in DSLRs of this price range. In fact, only a few manufacturers have bothered to employ 4K capabilities during the time that this camera was released.

In terms of connections, this particular camera has built-in Wi-Fi with low energy Bluetooth, which is great since you can always share and transfer your images or work with compatible smartphone devices, or tablets.

Overall, I recommend you take this camera into serious consideration, it has remarkable specs, and it is perfect for those looking for a camera that can record videos in a premium way.

Nikon D500 Sample Images:

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Canon 7D Mark II

I’ve previously made a review about this product, it was when I made a comparison article about the original 7D, and the successor 7D Mark II. Well, it’s a camera with a unique design and some pretty serious features, and due to that, it has been around for years, and a top-option for semi-professionals and professional photographers worldwide.

Design-wise, the Canon 7D Mark II boasts pretty much the same design as the original 7D, however with some slight differences. It uses a magnesium alloy body, but what I like the most is that it has improved weather sealing, which means that you can take your camera out in any weather conditions, and still be good with it. It has a decent grip size, which makes the camera comfortable to hold, while I also like the textured spots on the body, they do not only deliver comfort to your hands, but also give a great look to the overall aesthetics.

However, there’s something about the design that bothers me a lot, to be more precise, the LCD screen.

The LCD screen has a common design with those of low-cost DSLRs, it doesn’t have tilting abilities, nor touchscreen capabilities, so for some users that are used to scroll through images with a swipe of a finger, or optimize their settings using a touchscreen display, you won’t have that here.

This camera has a pretty high price to miss out on implementing touchscreen abilities to the LCD screen, however, I still think that Canon 7D Mark II pays the debt in speed shooting performance, which is one of the main selling points of the camera, and the core strength that it has.

Okay, enough said about the design, let’s see now how this camera performs.

This camera has a 20.2MP sensor which is okay, but personally, I expected more. It has a native ISO range of 100-16,000, but it can also be expanded to 51,200. Yet again, the manufacturer could’ve done a better job with the ISO as well, since there are many other competitors out there with more than this.

However, what I do like about this camera is the autofocus system, but even so, it still can’t beat the Nikon D500’s 153-point AF system. This particular camera has a 65-point AF system, and even more, all of them are cross-type. But that’s not all since the camera includes EOS iTR and AL Servo AF III autofocus technologies, which basically means that you’ll get a selection of six shooting scenarios to tailor the AF system, all of this to track fast-moving subjects with sharp details and without any blur. 

What I like the most about this camera is that it has seven AF point selection modes, such as the Single Point Spot, Single Point, AF Point Expansion, AF Point Expansion, AF Zone, Large Zone AF, and 65-point automatic selection AF.

Okay, what about video quality. Well, for starters, stop hoping for 4K, there is no 4K video capture included in this camera, but there is some good stuff to cover that. It allows for Full HD video recording, while everything can be done in MOV or MP4 at up to 60p in NTSC mode or 50p in PAL. Apart from that, exposure will be aided by a new 150,000-pixel RGB and infrared sensor, while that is a lot better than most other DSLRs at this price range, but there is more to tell though. The dual-pixel AF technology, which means there are pixels available for phase detection in Live View and Video mode. As a result, all of this will enable the camera for smoother, faster focusing than contrast detection alone.

Connection-wise, there is a USB 3.0 port for faster image transfer, but there is no built-in Wi-Fi though. There is another option for that, the Wi-Fi Adapter W-E1 which enables wireless communication with smartphones, tablets, and computers for remote operation and image transfer.

It performs well for dental photography, architecture photography and many other fields, making it a very versatile camera. To conclude, this camera is great, but I think that the Nikon D500 delivers more value for money than this. Nonetheless, it’s still worth it, and it has a performance that can’t be outmatched by most other competitors at this price range. 

Canon 7D Mark II Sample Images:

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Nikon D500 vs Canon 7D Mark II Feature Comparison

	Nikon D500	Canon 7D Mark II
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Megapixels	20.9	20.2
ISO Range	100-51,200(1,640,000)	100-16000 (51200)
Flip-Out Screen	Yes	No
AF Points	153 AF points	65 AF Points
Viewfinder	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen	Yes	No
Video Recording	Yes	Yes
Sensor Size	CMOS	CMOS

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Conclusion

Okay, let’s sum up everything we said until now, and come up with a decision on which camera is the best.

If you see the specs closely, you will notice that the Nikon D500 is better than the Canon 7D Mark II in many ways, however, one is better for still photography, while the other is better for video recording and for tracking fast-moving subjects.

In this case, there’s no doubt about it, the Nikon is still better than the Canon 7D Mark II, which is why I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good camera for weddings, action videos, sports, wildlife, and for photography nonetheless.

But, I would also recommend the Canon 7D Mark II for still photography, landscape, or portrait photography. So, if you don’t really need a camera for video recording, then this camera would be your ideal choice, and thus, it would save your 300$, since it also comes at a more cheaper price than the Nikon D500.

By now, I hope you have enough arguments to support your decision, on which camera you need, and which one meets your requirements the most.

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