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Nikon Z6 vs D500

The Nikon Z6 and the Nikon D500 are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2018 and January 2016. The Z6 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D500 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a full frame (Z6) and an APS-C (D500) sensor. The Z6 has a resolution of 24.3 megapixels, whereas the D500 provides 20.7 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Nikon Z6
versus
Nikon D500
Nikon Z6   Nikon D500
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Nikon Z mount lenses Nikon F mount lenses
24.3 MP – Full Frame sensor 20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800) ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 1,640,000)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots 3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
310 shots per battery charge1240 shots per battery charge
134 x 101 x 67 mm, 675 g 147 x 115 x 81 mm, 860 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z6 and the Nikon D500? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z6 and the Nikon D500. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Nikon Z6 vs Nikon D500
Compare Z6 versus D500 top
Comparison Z6 or D500 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D500 is notably larger (25 percent) than the Nikon Z6. Moreover, the D500 is markedly heavier (27 percent) than the Z6. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the Z6 gets 310 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15b battery, while the D500 can take 1240 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15 power pack. The power pack in the Z6 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon Z6 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 310 Y Aug 2018 1,999ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 Y Jan 2016 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D300S 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 938 g 950 Y Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D750 141 mm 113 mm 78 mm 750 g 1230 Y Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D3400 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 445 g 1200 n Aug 2016 499ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D5500 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 470 g 820 n Jan 2015 899ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D7500 136 mm 104 mm 73 mm 720 g 950 Y Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
9.
 
Nikon Z5 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 470 Y Jul 2020 1,399 amazon.com
10.
 
Nikon Z6 II 134 mm 101 mm 70 mm 705 g 410 Y Oct 2020 1,999 amazon.com
11.
 
Nikon Z7 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 330 Y Aug 2018 3,399ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon Zf 144 mm 103 mm 49 mm 710 g 380 Y Sep 2023 1,999 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic S5 133 mm 98 mm 82 mm 714 g 440 Y Sep 2020 1,999 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A9 II 129 mm 96 mm 76 mm 678 g 690 Y Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon Z6 features a full frame sensor and the Nikon D500 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D500 is 57 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the Z6 uses a more advanced image processing engine (EXPEED 6) than the D500 (EXPEED 5), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Nikon Z6 and Nikon D500 sensor measures

With 24.3MP, the Z6 offers a higher resolution than the D500 (20.7MP), but the Z6 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 4.22μm for the D500) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the Z6 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 7 months) than the D500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D500 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon Z6 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Z6 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.2 x 20.1 inches or 76.8 x 51.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 40.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D500 are 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Z6 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon Z6 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D500 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-1640000.

In terms of underlying technology, the Z6 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the D500 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Z6 versus D500 MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the Z6 provides substantially higher image quality than the D500, with an overall score that is 12 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.3 bits higher color depth, 0.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon Z6 Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/30p25.314.3329995
2.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
3.
 
Nikon D300S APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.512.278770
4.
 
Nikon D750 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/60p24.814.5295693
5.
 
Nikon D3400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.813.9119286
6.
 
Nikon D5500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0143884
7.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
8.
 
Nikon D7500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.314.0148386
9.
 
Nikon Z5 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40164K/30p25.314.3292995
10.
 
Nikon Z6 II Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/60p25.014.4330394
11.
 
Nikon Z7 Full Frame 45.4 8256 55044K/30p26.314.6266899
12.
 
Nikon Zf Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/60p25.414.7324396
13.
 
Panasonic S5 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/60p25.114.5269794
14.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
15.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
16.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
17.
 
Sony A9 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.0343493
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the Z6 has an electronic viewfinder (3690k dots), while the D500 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the Z6 has a higher magnification than the one of the D500 (0.80x vs 0.67x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon Z6 and Nikon D500 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon Z63690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
2.
 
Nikon D500optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
3.
 
Nikon D300Soptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D750optical Y3.2 / 1229 tilting n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D3400optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Nikon D5500optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D7500optical Y3.2 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
9.
 
Nikon Z53690 n3.2 / 1040 tilting Y 1/8000s 4.5/s n Y
10.
 
Nikon Z6 II3690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
11.
 
Nikon Z73690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
12.
 
Nikon Zf3690 n3.2 / 2100 swivel Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
13.
 
Panasonic S52360 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A9 II3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the Z6 and the D500 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The Z6 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the D500 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the Z6 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z6 and the Nikon D500 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The Z6 writes its imaging data to XQD cards, while the D500 uses SDXC or XQD cards. The D500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Z6 only has one slot.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Z6 and Nikon D500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon Z6Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
2.
 
Nikon D500Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
3.
 
Nikon D300SYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
4.
 
Nikon D750Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
5.
 
Nikon D3400Ymono / mono--mini2.0--Y
6.
 
Nikon D5500Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
7.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
8.
 
Nikon D7500Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y-Y
9.
 
Nikon Z5Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
10.
 
Nikon Z6 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
11.
 
Nikon Z7Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
12.
 
Nikon ZfYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
13.
 
Panasonic S5Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
14.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
16.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
17.
 
Sony A9 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D500 (unlike the Z6) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the Z6 and the D500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Z6 was replaced by the Nikon Z6 II, while the D500 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Z6 and D500 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon Z6 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D500 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon Z6 or the Nikon D500 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


Advantages of the Nikon Z6:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (24.3 vs 20.7MP) with a 9% higher linear resolution.
  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (12 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
  • Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.3 bits more color depth).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.3 stops ISO advantage).
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (EXPEED 6 vs EXPEED 5).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.67x).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (134x101mm vs 147x115mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 185g or 22 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years and 7 months of technical progress since the D500 launch.


Reasons to prefer the Nikon D500:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 2100k dots).
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1240 versus 310) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2016).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z6 is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

Z6 17:08 D500

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon Z6 and the Nikon D500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the Z6 or the D500. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon Z65/5..5/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 1,999ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D300S5/5+ +..82/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D7505/5+ +4/590/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D34004/5+4/576/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2016 499ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D55005/5+..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2015 899ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D75004.5/5+ +4.5/586/1005/54.5/5 Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
9.
 
Nikon Z54/5..4/589/1004.5/54/5 Jul 2020 1,399 amazon.com
10.
 
Nikon Z6 II4.5/5..4/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2020 1,999 amazon.com
11.
 
Nikon Z75/5+4.8/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 3,399ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon Zf4.5/5..4.5/590/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2023 1,999 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic S54.5/5+ +4.5/588/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2020 1,999 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A9 II....5/590/1005/55/5 Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Nikon Z6 vs Nikon D500

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Nikon Z6 Nikon D500
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Nikon Z mount lenses Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2018 January 2016
    Launch Price USD 1,999 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Nikon Z6 Nikon D500
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.9 x 23.9 mm 23.5 x 15.7 mm
    Sensor Area 858.01 mm2 368.95 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.1 mm 28.3 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24.3 Megapixels 20.7 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6048 x 4024 pixels 5568 x 3712 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.94 μm 4.22 μm
    Pixel Density 2.84 MP/cm2 5.60 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 51,200 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 204,800 ISO 50 - 1,640,000 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED 6 EXPEED 5
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 95 83
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 25.3 24.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.3 14.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 3299 1324
    Screen Specs Nikon Z6 Nikon D500
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.80x 0.67x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3690k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.2inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 2100k dots 2359k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Nikon Z6 Nikon D500
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 12 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations200 000 actuations
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/8000sno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium XQD cards SDXC or XQD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs Nikon Z6 Nikon D500
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 3.1 USB 3.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Nikon Z6 Nikon D500
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL15b Nikon EN-EL15
    Battery Life (CIPA)310 shots per charge1240 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 134 x 101 x 67 mm
    (5.3 x 4.0 x 2.6 in)
    147 x 115 x 81 mm
    (5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 675 g (23.8 oz) 860 g (30.3 oz)
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    Check Z6 offers at
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    Check D500 offers at
    ebay.com

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