Nikon D7500 vs Sony A6500
The Nikon D7500 and the Sony Alpha A6500 are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2017 and October 2016. The D7500 is a DSLR, while the A6500 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Check D7500 price at
amazon.com

Check A6500 offers at
ebay.com
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D7500 and the Sony Alpha A6500? 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
The physical size and weight of the Nikon D7500 and the Sony A6500 are illustrated 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 measures 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 Sony A6500 is considerably smaller (43 percent) than the Nikon D7500. Moreover, the A6500 is substantially lighter (37 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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D7500) and the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (A6500). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A6500, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.
Concerning battery life, the D7500 gets 950 shots out of its EN-EL15a battery, while the A6500 can take 350 images on a single charge of its NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A6500 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

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. | Sony A6500 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 53 mm | 453 g | 350 | Y | Oct 2016 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 80D | 139 mm | 105 mm | 79 mm | 730 g | 960 | Y | Feb 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D5600 | 124 mm | 97 mm | 70 mm | 465 g | 970 | n | Nov 2016 | 699 | amazon.com | |
5. | Nikon D5 | 160 mm | 159 mm | 92 mm | 1415 g | 3780 | Y | Jan 2016 | 6,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D500 | 147 mm | 115 mm | 81 mm | 860 g | 1240 | Y | Jan 2016 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
7. | Nikon D3400 | 124 mm | 98 mm | 76 mm | 445 g | 1200 | n | Aug 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | 136 mm | 107 mm | 76 mm | 765 g | 1110 | Y | Mar 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D750 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 78 mm | 750 g | 1230 | Y | Sep 2014 | 2,299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D7100 | 136 mm | 107 mm | 76 mm | 765 g | 950 | Y | Feb 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D610 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 82 mm | 850 g | 900 | Y | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon D7000 | 132 mm | 105 mm | 77 mm | 780 g | 1050 | Y | Sep 2010 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus PEN-F | 125 mm | 72 mm | 37 mm | 427 g | 330 | n | Jan 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic GX8 | 133 mm | 78 mm | 63 mm | 487 g | 330 | Y | Jul 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A6700 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 64 mm | 493 g | 570 | Y | Jul 2023 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A6600 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 69 mm | 503 g | 810 | Y | Aug 2019 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
17. | Sony A6300 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 49 mm | 404 g | 400 | Y | Feb 2016 | 999 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the A6500 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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 A6500 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.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the A6500 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 20.7 MP of the D7500. 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 3.91μm versus 4.22μm for the D7500). Moreover, it should be noted that the D7500 is a somewhat more recent model (by 6 months) than the A6500, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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 resolution advantage of the Sony A6500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A6500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D7500 are 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm for excellent quality prints.
The A6500 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
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 Sony Alpha A6500 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.
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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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"). 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.

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. | Sony A6500 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.5 | 13.7 | 1405 | 85 | |
3. | Canon 80D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.2 | 1135 | 79 | |
4. | Nikon D5600 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 14.0 | 1306 | 84 | |
5. | Nikon D5 | Full Frame | 20.7 | 5588 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 25.1 | 12.3 | 2343 | 88 | |
6. | Nikon D500 | APS-C | 20.7 | 5568 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 14.0 | 1324 | 83 | |
7. | Nikon D3400 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.8 | 13.9 | 1192 | 86 | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.5 | 14.6 | 1333 | 87 | |
9. | Nikon D750 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/60p | 24.8 | 14.5 | 2956 | 93 | |
10. | Nikon D7100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.2 | 13.7 | 1256 | 83 | |
11. | Nikon D610 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.4 | 2925 | 94 | |
12. | Nikon D7000 | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/24p | 23.5 | 13.9 | 1167 | 80 | |
13. | Olympus PEN-F | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.4 | 894 | 74 | |
14. | Panasonic GX8 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.5 | 12.6 | 806 | 75 | |
15. | Sony A6700 | APS-C | 25.6 | 6192 | 4128 | 4K/120p | 24.3 | 14.0 | 2329 | 86 | |
16. | Sony A6600 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 23.8 | 13.4 | 1497 | 82 | |
17. | Sony A6300 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.4 | 13.7 | 1437 | 85 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6500 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the D7500 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the A6500 has a higher magnification than the one of the D7500 (0.70x vs 0.61x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D7500 and Sony A6500 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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. | Sony A6500 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon 80D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Nikon D5600 | optical | n | 3.2 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Nikon D5 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 14.0/s | n | n | |
6. | Nikon D500 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
7. | Nikon D3400 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 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 D750 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Nikon D7100 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Nikon D610 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Nikon D7000 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Olympus PEN-F | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Panasonic GX8 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Sony A6700 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A6600 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Sony A6300 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that is present on the D7500, but is missing on the A6500 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.
The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A6500 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).
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.
The D7500 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A6500 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Sony Alpha A6500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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. | Sony A6500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
3. | Canon 80D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Nikon D5600 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
5. | Nikon D5 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
7. | Nikon D3400 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | Y | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
9. | Nikon D750 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Nikon D7100 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Nikon D610 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Nikon D7000 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Olympus PEN-F | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
14. | Panasonic GX8 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
15. | Sony A6700 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | YES | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A6600 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | YES | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony A6300 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the D7500 has a headphone jack, which is not present on the A6500 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.
The D7500 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the A6500 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the A6500 was succeeded by the Sony A6600. Further information on the features and operation of the D7500 and A6500 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D7500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A6500 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon D7500 and the Sony A6500? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Nikon D7500:
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (950 versus 350) on a single battery charge.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 6 months after the A6500).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A6500:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 20.7MP), which boosts linear resolution by 8%.
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.61x).
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 136x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 267g or 37 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in October 2016).
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A6500 is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 10 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Sony A6500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the D7500 or the A6500 perform in practice. 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 table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.

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. | Sony A6500 | 5/5 | + + | 3.5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2016 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 80D | 4/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D5600 | 4/5 | .. | 4/5 | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2016 | 699 | amazon.com | |
5. | Nikon D5 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 6,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D500 | 5/5 | + + | 4.7/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
7. | Nikon D3400 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 76/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D750 | 5/5 | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 2,299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D7100 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D610 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon D7000 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2010 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus PEN-F | .. | .. | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic GX8 | 5/5 | + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A6700 | .. | .. | .. | 88/100 | .. | .. | Jul 2023 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A6600 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2019 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
17. | Sony A6300 | 4.5/5 | + | .. | 85/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2016 | 999 | ebay.com | |
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check D7500 price at
amazon.com

Check A6500 offers at
ebay.com
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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.
- Canon 1D Mark IV vs Nikon D7500
- Canon 750D vs Nikon D7500
- Canon SX70 vs Sony A6500
- Canon T1i vs Nikon D7500
- Canon XC10 vs Sony A6500
- Fujifilm X-T200 vs Sony A6500
- Leica M-E Typ 240 vs Nikon D7500
- Leica Q Typ 116 vs Nikon D7500
- Nikon D7500 vs Panasonic LX100
- Olympus TG-4 vs Sony A6500
- Panasonic G1 vs Sony A6500
- Sony A6500 vs Sony A7S
Specifications: Nikon D7500 vs Sony A6500
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Nikon D7500 | Sony A6500 |
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | Sony E mount lenses |
Launch Date | April 2017 | October 2016 |
Launch Price | USD 1,299 | USD 1,399 |
Sensor Specs | Nikon D7500 | Sony A6500 |
---|---|---|
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 23.5 x 15.7 mm | 23.5 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 368.95 mm2 | 366.6 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.3 mm | 28.2 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 20.7 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 5568 x 3712 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.22 μm | 3.91 μm |
Pixel Density | 5.60 MP/cm2 | 6.55 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 51,200 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 50 - 164,000 ISO | 100 - 51,200 ISO |
Image Processor | EXPEED 5 | BIONZ X |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 86 | 85 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.3 | 24.5 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 14.0 | 13.7 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1483 | 1405 |
Screen Specs | Nikon D7500 | Sony A6500 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.61x | 0.70x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.2inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 922k dots | 922k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Nikon D7500 | Sony A6500 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 8 shutter flaps/s | 11 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 150 000 actuations | 200 000 actuations |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | YES |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | no Intervalometer |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | UHS-I | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Nikon D7500 | Sony A6500 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | no Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | no Bluetooth |
Body Specs | Nikon D7500 | Sony A6500 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | EN-EL15a | NP-FW50 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 950 shots per charge | 350 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
136 x 104 x 73 mm (5.4 x 4.1 x 2.9 in) |
120 x 67 x 53 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 2.1 in) |
Camera Weight | 720 g (25.4 oz) | 453 g (16.0 oz) |

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