Nikon D500 vs D7500: Which One Takes the Crown? Pros, Cons and Verdict

Welcome to our in-depth comparison of the Nikon D500 vs D7500, two powerful cameras that cater to the needs of photography enthusiasts and professionals alike. If you’re in the market for a high-performance DSLR camera, you may be wondering which one is the right choice for you.

Page Contents

Introducing the Nikon D500: The Pro-Level Powerhouse

The Nikon D500 is a flagship APS-C DSLR camera that packs a punch with its impressive specs and features. It is designed for professional photographers who demand top-notch performance and reliability in a rugged body built to withstand challenging shooting conditions. With a 20.9-megapixel APS-C DX-format sensor, the D500 delivers outstanding image quality, rich colors, and excellent low-light performance.

The D500 boasts Nikon’s EXPEED 5 image processing engine, which allows for quick and efficient image processing, resulting in faster continuous shooting and extended ISO range of 100-51200 (expandable up to 1640000). This makes the D500 an ideal choice for shooting in low-light situations, sports, wildlife, and action photography.

One of the standout features of the D500 is its advanced autofocus (AF) system. With 153 AF points, including 99 cross-type sensors, the D500 offers exceptional accuracy and tracking capabilities, making it ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects with precision. The camera also features a dedicated AF processor, which further enhances the AF performance, ensuring sharp focus in various shooting scenarios.

The D500 offers a high-speed continuous shooting rate of up to 10 frames per second (fps) with full autofocus and exposure tracking, allowing you to capture fast action sequences with ease. Its large buffer capacity can handle up to 200 RAW images in a single burst, ensuring that you never miss a moment.

D500 camera also excels in the area of video capabilities, with 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) video recording at 30p, 25p, and 24p, providing sharp and detailed footage. It also offers in-camera 4K time-lapse movie creation, providing creative options for capturing stunning time-lapse sequences.

It features a durable and weather-sealed magnesium alloy body, making it resistant to dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures, making it well-suited for outdoor and adventure photography. It also comes with a large and bright optical viewfinder, a tilting touchscreen LCD, and a built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for easy sharing and remote control.

Introducing the Nikon D7500: The Enthusiast’s Dream

The Nikon D7500 is a powerful mid-range DSLR camera that inherits many of the advanced features from the D500 but comes in a more compact and affordable package. It features a 20.9-megapixel APS-C DX-format sensor, which delivers excellent image quality, vibrant colors, and impressive low-light performance.

D7500 is powered by Nikon’s EXPEED 5 image processing engine, which enables high-speed image processing, faster continuous shooting, and an extended ISO range of 100-51200 (expandable up to 1640000). This allows for exceptional image quality and versatility in various shooting conditions.

It boasts an advanced 51-point autofocus (AF) system with 15 cross-type sensors for accurate and fast subject tracking. It also features Nikon’s Group-Area AF mode, which uses a group of AF points to track subjects with enhanced accuracy. The D7500’s AF system also includes 3D Tracking, which uses color information to track moving subjects, and Auto-Area AF, which automatically selects the appropriate AF points based on the subject’s location in the frame.

D7500 camera offers a continuous shooting rate of up to 8 frames per second (fps) with full autofocus and exposure tracking, allowing you to capture fast-paced action and sports photography with ease. Its buffer capacity can handle up to 50 RAW images in a single burst, ensuring that you can capture the decisive moment.

When it comes to video capabilities, the D7500 offers 4K UHD video recording at 30p, 25p, and 24p, delivering sharp and detailed footage. It also offers in-camera 4K time-lapse movie creation, allowing you to create stunning time-lapse sequences right in the camera.

The camera also features a durable and lightweight body with a comfortable grip, making it easy to handle and carry around. It is also weather-sealed, protecting it from dust and moisture, making it suitable for outdoor and adventure photography. The camera comes with a tilting touchscreen LCD, a large optical viewfinder, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for easy sharing and remote control.

Nikon D500 vs D7500: Comparison of Specs and Features

Now that we have introduced the key features of both cameras, let’s take a closer look at how they compare in terms of specs and features.

Sensor: Both the Nikon D500 and D7500 feature a 20.9-megapixel APS-C DX-format sensor, delivering excellent image quality and low-light performance.
Image Processing Engine: Both cameras are powered by Nikon’s EXPEED 5 image processing engine, enabling high-speed image processing, faster continuous shooting, and extended ISO range.
Autofocus System: While both cameras offer advanced autofocus systems, the D500 has a more sophisticated AF system with 153 AF points, including 99 cross-type sensors, compared to the D7500’s 51 AF points with 15 cross-type sensors. The D500 also has a dedicated AF processor, which further enhances its AF performance.
Continuous Shooting Rate: The D500 has a faster continuous shooting rate of up to 10 fps, compared to the D7500’s 8 fps, making it more suitable for fast-action and sports photography.
Buffer Capacity: The D500 has a larger buffer capacity, allowing it to handle up to 200 RAW images in a single burst, compared to the D7500’s 50 RAW images.
Video Capabilities: Both cameras offer 4K UHD video recording, but the D500 has a slight advantage with its ability to shoot 4K UHD video at 30p, 25p, and 24p, compared to the D7500’s 30p, 25p, and 24p.
Weather-Sealing: Both are weather-sealed, protecting them from dust and moisture, but the D500 has a more rugged magnesium alloy body, making it more durable and suitable for extreme shooting conditions.
Weight and Size: The D7500 is more compact and lightweight compared to the D500, making it easier to handle and carry around.
LCD Screen: Both come with a tilting touchscreen LCD, allowing for flexible shooting angles and easy menu navigation.
Connectivity: Both offer built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for easy sharing and remote control.

Nikon D500: Pros and Cons

Nikon D500 Pros

Professional-grade build quality with a durable magnesium alloy body and weather sealing, making it suitable for tough shooting conditions.
Higher number of autofocus points (153) with a broader coverage area, making it ideal for fast-paced action and sports photography.
Faster continuous shooting speed of up to 10 frames per second (fps), allowing for capturing fast-moving subjects with precision.
Larger buffer capacity for RAW files, enabling longer bursts of continuous shooting without slowdown.
Excellent low-light performance with a wide ISO range of 100-51,200 (expandable to 1,640,000), producing clean and noise-free images in challenging lighting conditions.
4K UHD video recording at up to 30p, providing high-quality video output for videography enthusiasts.
High-resolution 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen LCD with 2,359k dots, offering convenient and intuitive operation for reviewing and composing images.
Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for seamless connectivity, allowing for easy transfer of images to a smartphone or tablet, remote control, and sharing on social media.
Dual memory card slots (XQD and SD) for increased storage capacity and data backup.

Nikon D500 Cons

Higher price point compared to D7500, making it less budget-friendly for some photographers.
Larger and heavier body size (860g) which may be less convenient for extended handheld shooting or travel photography.

Nikon D7500: Pros and Cons

Nikon D7500 Pros

More affordable price compared to D500, making it a budget-friendly option for photographers.
Impressive image quality with the same 20.9 MP APS-C sensor and EXPEED 5 image processor as D500, producing sharp and detailed images.
Good low-light performance with an ISO range of 100-51,200 (expandable to 1,640,000), allowing for decent performance in challenging lighting conditions.
Articulating touchscreen LCD with 922k dots, offering flexible and convenient shooting angles for vlogging or shooting from different angles.
Lighter and more compact body size (720g) compared to D500, making it more portable and suitable for travel photography.
Good battery life with up to 950 shots per charge, allowing for extended shooting sessions without frequent battery changes.

Nikon D7500 Cons

Verdict

In conclusion, both the Nikon D500 and D7500 are powerful DSLR cameras that offer advanced features and excellent image quality. The D500 is a flagship camera designed for professional photographers who demand top-notch performance and reliability, with its superior autofocus system, faster continuous shooting rate, larger buffer capacity, and more advanced video capabilities. It also has a more rugged body, making it suitable for extreme shooting conditions.

On the other hand, the D7500 is a more budget-friendly option that still offers impressive features and performance. It has a slightly smaller autofocus system, a slightly slower continuous shooting rate, and a smaller buffer capacity compared to the D500. However, it still delivers excellent image quality, has weather-sealing, and offers 4K UHD video recording, making it a great choice for enthusiasts and hobbyist photographers.