Nikon D7000 vs D500

The Nikon D7000 and the Nikon D500 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2010 and January 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The D7000 has a resolution of 16.1 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 D7000		Nikon D500
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor		20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/24p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 1,640,000)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1050 shots per battery charge		1240 shots per battery charge
132 x 105 x 77 mm, 780 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 D7000 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.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D7000 and the Nikon D500 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

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 (22 percent) than the Nikon D7000. Moreover, the D500 is markedly heavier (10 percent) than the D7000. 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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
6.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D300S	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	938 g	950	Y	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D300	147 mm	114 mm	74 mm	925 g	1000	Y	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D200	147 mm	113 mm	74 mm	920 g	400	Y	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The D7000 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the D500, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D500 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the D500 uses a more advanced image processing engine (EXPEED 5) than the D7000 (EXPEED 2), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the D500 offers a higher resolution of 20.7 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the D7000. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.22μm versus 4.80μm for the D7000). However, it should be noted that the D500 is much more recent (by 5 years and 3 months) than the D7000, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. 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 D500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D7000 are 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D7000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. 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.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
2.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
3.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
4.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
5.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
6.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
7.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
8.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
9.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
10.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
11.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
12.		Nikon D300S	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.5	12.2	787	70
13.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
14.		Nikon D300	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	12.0	679	67
15.		Nikon D200	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.5	583	64

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the D500 provides a better video resolution than the D7000. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the D7000 is limited to 1080/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D7000 and the D500 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the D500 has a higher magnification than the one of the D7000 (0.67x vs 0.63x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D7000, the Nikon D500, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

#		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 D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D300S	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D300	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D200	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D7000 has one, while the D500 does not. While the built-in flash of the D7000 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D7000 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 D7000 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D500 uses SDXC or XQD cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The D500 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the D7000 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 D7000 and Nikon D500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
7.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D300S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D300	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D200	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the D500 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D7000 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D500 (unlike the D7000) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the D7000 and the D500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D7000 was replaced by the Nikon D7100, while the D500 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the D7000 and D500 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D7000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D500 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon D7000 better than the Nikon D500 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D7000:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More compact: Is smaller (132x105mm vs 147x115mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2010).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D500:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.7 vs 16.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 13%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (EXPEED 5 vs EXPEED 2).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/24p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.67x vs 0.63x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 921k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1240 versus 1050) out of a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-II standard.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 3 months of technical progress since the D7000 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D500 is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D7000 and the Nikon D500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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 D7000 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
6.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D300S	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D300	..	+ +	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D200	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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 would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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