Nikon D7500 vs Canon 6D

The Nikon D7500 and the Canon EOS 6D are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2017 and September 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (D7500) and a full frame (6D) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D7500		Canon 6D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
20.7 MP – APS-C sensor		20 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 164,000)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second		4.5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
950 shots per battery charge		1090 shots per battery charge
136 x 104 x 73 mm, 720 g		145 x 111 x 71 mm, 770 g

Check D7500 price at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D7500 and the Canon EOS 6D? 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 D7500 and the Canon 6D 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 Canon 6D is notably larger (14 percent) than the Nikon D7500. Moreover, the 6D is markedly heavier (7 percent) than the D7500. 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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D7500) and the Canon EF Lens Catalog (6D).

Concerning battery life, the D7500 gets 950 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15a battery, while the 6D can take 1090 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6 power pack.

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 D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
2.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
6.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	499	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199	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 D7500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 38 percent) than the 6D, which puts it into a different 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D7500 features an APS-C sensor and the Canon 6D a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 6D is 134 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Nikon D7500 offers a higher resolution of 20.7 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the Canon 6D. 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 6.57μm for the 6D). However, it should be noted that the D7500 is much more recent (by 4 years and 6 months) than the 6D, 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 D7500 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Nikon D7500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-164000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 6D are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the D7500 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the 6D (overall score 4 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.5 bits higher color depth, 1.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.7 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
2.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
4.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
6.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
7.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
8.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
9.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
10.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
11.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
12.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
13.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
14.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
15.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
16.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
17.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87

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 D7500 provides a higher video resolution than the 6D. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D7500 and the 6D 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 viewfinder in the D7500 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 6D (97%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the 6D has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.61x), 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 D7500, the Canon 6D, 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 D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
6.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/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 D7500 has one, while the 6D does not. While the built-in flash of the D7500 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D7500 has 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D7500 and the 6D write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 D7500 and Canon EOS 6D 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 D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
14.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the D7500 has a headphone jack, which is not present on the 6D This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 6D has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The D7500 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the 6D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 6D was succeeded by the Canon 6D Mark II. Further information on the features and operation of the D7500 and 6D can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D7500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 6D Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon D7500 and the Canon 6D? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D7500:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.9 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 97%).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 4.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (136x104mm vs 145x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (38 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 6D launch.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 6D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.7 stops ISO advantage).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.61x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1090 versus 950) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2012).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D7500 is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 7 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 D7500 and the Canon 6D 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the D7500 and the 6D in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
2.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
6.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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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