Publications have written ad nauseam about the so-called “death of the DSLR”: the point where sleek, modern mirrorless cameras get so good that old-school, flappy-mirror technology finally bites the dust. And yet here we are, three years after Sony introduced their A7 — the first camera to really kickstart the move to mirrorless cameras — and just about every pro still uses a DSLR camera. Part of it is familiarity, but another factor is that, despite being around for like 60 years, SLR camera technology is getting better with every iteration.
The latest example of this might be the best overall camera of 2016: the Nikon D500. An incredibly capable APS-C sensored camera, the D500 borrows technology from Nikon’s flagship D5 at less than a third of the cost. This means near-instantaneous autofocus, shooting at 10 frames per second, 4K recording, extensive weather sealing and a battery that can go for 1,240 shots (compared to the Sony a7R II’s 290).
No matter how much the world wants DSLR to ride off into the sunset, the D500 shows that DSLR will be here for a long time to come.
Sensor: 20.9MP DX-format (APS-C) CMOS sensor
Autofocus: same 153-point system as found in the Nikon D5
Burst Rate: 10 fps for 200 frames
ISO Range: 100–51,200, expandable to 50-1,640,000
Battery Life: 1240 shots (CIPA standard)