Photography

Nikon D7500 vs. Nikon D500

Nikon D7500 vs. Nikon D500
We compare the key specifications of the Nikon D7500 and the Nikon D500 DSLRs
We compare the key specifications of the Nikon D7500 and the Nikon D500 DSLRs
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The weight of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The weight of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The build of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The build of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The sensor size of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The sensor size of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The megapixel count of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The megapixel count of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The image processors of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The image processors of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The lens mounts of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The lens mounts of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The autofocus systems of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The autofocus systems of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The burst shooting speed of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The burst shooting speed of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The ISO ranges of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The ISO ranges of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The 4K video frame rates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The 4K video frame rates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The Full HD frame rates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The Full HD frame rates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The viewfinders of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The viewfinders of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The photo file types of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The photo file types of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The storage media of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The storage media of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The wireless connectivity of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The wireless connectivity of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The battery life of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The battery life of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The flash of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The flash of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The price of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The price of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The rear monitors of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The rear monitors of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
We compare the key specifications of the Nikon D7500 and the Nikon D500 DSLRs
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We compare the key specifications of the Nikon D7500 and the Nikon D500 DSLRs
The release dates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The release dates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The dimensions of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
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The dimensions of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
View gallery - 22 images

When Nikon announced the D7500, we were struck by how much the firm had plundered the specification sheet of the flagship D500 for the new enthusiast shooter. But exactly how do the two high-end APS-C DSLRs stack up against each other? Here we compare the key features and specs of the two cameras.

Size

The dimensions of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The dimensions of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

The new DSLR is a bit smaller than the flagship D500 in all dimensions. While a 10 mm difference might not look like much on a spec sheet, it can drastically alter how a camera feels in the hands, and you might simply find you prefer one size over the other.

Weight

The weight of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The weight of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

The D7500 is 140 g (4.9 oz) lighter than its stablemate, which is good news for your neck. However, once you factor in lenses and any other accessories you're going to be carrying, the weight advantage might seem negligible.

Build

The build of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The build of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

The D7500 uses a monocoque design compared to the the structure of the D500 which features some mag-alloy parts. This means the D500 still has the edge when it comes to ruggedness. That said, both cameras offer weather sealing and should survive the odd knock or drop.

Sensor size

The sensor size of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The sensor size of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

Both of these cameras use APS-C image sensors which measure 23.5 x 15.6 mm. As you can see in our guide to sensor size, this is often seen as the middle-ground for interchangeable lens cameras, fitting in between Micro Four Thirds sensors and full frame offerings.

Megapixel count

The megapixel count of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The megapixel count of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

Another draw, with both cameras packing 20.9-megapixels. This should be more than enough for most users, though it is less than the 24.2-megapixel sensor offered by the older D7200 DSLR.

Processor

The image processors of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The image processors of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

Nikon's EXPEED 5 image processor, which is used in the top-end D5 flagship DSLR, is also deployed in both of these cameras, this allows them to deliver high quality images and high resolution video quickly.

Lens mount

The lens mounts of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The lens mounts of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

As expected, the two DSLRs use the Nikon F lens mount. This makes both cameras compatible with a wide range of lenses. However, the D7500 lacks an Ai (aperture indexing) tab, which means you won't benefit from metering information on some older lenses.

Autofocus

The autofocus systems of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The autofocus systems of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

While the D7500 gained a lot of features from the D500, autofocus is unfortunately not one of them. It's 51 point AF (with 15 cross-type) is somewhat lacking compared to the excellent 153 point system (including 99 cross-type sensors) of the D500.

Burst rate

The burst shooting speed of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The burst shooting speed of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

With burst rates of up to 8 fps (frames per second) the D7500 is certainly no slouch, but the D500 still has an advantage with its 10 fps shooting. This extra 2 fps could make all the difference if you regularly shoot fast moving subjects.

ISO range

The ISO ranges of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The ISO ranges of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

A wide native ISO range of 100-51200 is available on both of these DSLRs, promising high quality images irrespective of the lighting conditions. They can both also be extended all the way up to a crazy ISO 1,640,000, should you happen to be shooting in a cave, at night.

4K video

The 4K video frame rates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The 4K video frame rates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

Unlike some of their rivals, both of these DSLRs offer movie recording in 4K resolutions (at 30/25/24 fps).

Full HD video

The Full HD frame rates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The Full HD frame rates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

Once you drop the resolution, frame rate options increase, with both cameras able to shoot Full HD video at up to 60 fps.

Viewfinder

The viewfinders of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The viewfinders of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

Being fully-fledged DSLRs, both cameras use optical viewfinders which cover 100 percent of the APS-C DX frame. This means you can compose shots accurately and know exactly what you are shooting.

Monitor

The rear monitors of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The rear monitors of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

While both cameras feature 3.2-inch rear monitors, the one of the D7500 has a considerably lower resolution, which means it won't be as good for composing shots or reviewing them. However, both monitors are touch-screens, and can be tilted for easier use in otherwise awkward shooting positions.

Photo file type

The photo file types of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The photo file types of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

As expected, you can shoot JPEG or RAW images with both of these DSLRs. However, the D500 has the advantage of being able to shoot different sizes of RAW image (large, medium or small) and can also shoot TIFF files.

Storage media

The storage media of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The storage media of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

In a move which has irked a number of potential buyers, Nikon chose to only put one memory card slot in the D7500, compared to the two in the D500 (and the D7200). This means users can't use a second slot as a backup, to separate different types of files, or to simply have more storage.

Wireless

The wireless connectivity of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The wireless connectivity of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

Wireless connectivity is built-in on both of these DSLRs, making it easy to share images quickly, or control them remotely. While both feature Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1, and work with Nikon's SnapBridge app, only the D500 has NFC for easy pairing with compatible devices.

Battery life

The battery life of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The battery life of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

The 950 shots you should be able to get from a full battery on the D7500 is impressive, but the D500 still has the advantage with its 1,240 shots.

Flash

The flash of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The flash of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

Though both cameras obviously feature a hot shoe for mounting a flash, only the D7500 features its own built-in flash, too. This could be useful if you just need a bit of extra light, or want to use it to trigger external flash units.

Release

The release dates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The release dates of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

The D500 launched just over a year ago, while the newly-announced D7500 is due to land in stores later this (northern) summer.

Price

The price of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared
The price of the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D500 compared

When purchased body-only, the D500 will set you back US$750 more than the new D7500. The D7500 can also be purchased for $1,750 bundled with an 18-140mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR kit lens.

Wrap-up

The D7500 looks to be a very capable camera, and has inherited a number of key features from Nikon's APS-C flagship, the D500. However, looking at these key specifications it's clear Nikon is aiming the new camera squarely at enthusiasts, rather than the professionals who would also be interested in the D500.

While image quality will be comparable between the two cameras, there are issues such as autofocus, ruggedness, and burst shooting speed which will still make the D500 a better bet for professionals who need those features. There's also the limitation of only having one SD card slot, and the fact there isn't an battery grip accessory for the D7500.

That said, the lower cost of the D7500 will make it appeal to a much wider audience than the D500. For $1,250 buyers are getting what looks to be an impressive APS-C DSLR, and one that we can't wait to get our hands on to try in the real world.

View gallery - 22 images
1 comment
1 comment
Knut
Take a look at a Nikon "secret" - The Coolpix B and P line. I use a B700 and it beat the D7500 flat, and is fitted with most of the lenses and filters I ever nee - including a 1500mm telephoto. It fals short on macro-photo, where the L-120 beats it. But you save a lot of complexity the moment you drop interchangeable lense. Then they can make a lense, and fit a camera at the end of it, and this can do a ton of tricks - like there is no bent corners on the zoom - it is all straight. They are not cheap, but a kit that is better for most. Larger than 50x zoom needs a surface or tripod.