Panasonic FT7 vs Nikon D7500

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FT7 (called Panasonic TS7 in some regions) and the Nikon D7500 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2018 and April 2017. The FT7 is a fixed lens compact, while the D7500 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (FT7) and an APS-C (D7500) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Nikon 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

Panasonic FT7		Nikon D7500
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
28-128mm f/3.3-5.9		Nikon F mount lenses
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 164,000)
Electronic viewfinder (1170k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (31m)		Weathersealed body
300 shots per battery charge		950 shots per battery charge
117 x 76 x 37 mm, 319 g		136 x 104 x 73 mm, 720 g

Check FT7 offers at
ebay.com
Check D7500 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-FT7 and the Nikon D7500? 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 Panasonic FT7 and the Nikon D7500 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The FT7 can be obtained in three different colors (black, blue, orange), while the D7500 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D7500 is considerably larger (59 percent) than the Panasonic FT7. 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. More than that, the FT7 is water-proof up to 31m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FT7 has a lens built in, whereas the D7500 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the D7500 and their specifications in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the FT7 gets 300 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BCM13 battery, while the D7500 can take 950 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15a power pack. The power pack in the FT7 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	115 mm	78 mm	51 mm	399 g	200	Y	Oct 2017	1,299	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ82	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
17.		Ricoh WG-6	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	246 g	340	Y	Feb 2019	399	amazon.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 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 FT7 was launched at a lower price than the D7500, despite having a lens built in. 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. 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic FT7 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Nikon D7500 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D7500 is 1218 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.5. The sensor in the FT7 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the D7500 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 20.7MP, the D7500 offers a higher resolution than the FT7 (20.2MP), but the D7500 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.22μm versus 1.18μm for the FT7) due to its larger sensor. However, the FT7 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year) than the D7500, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. 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 Panasonic Lumix DC-FT7 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 80-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D7500 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-164000.

In terms of underlying technology, the FT7 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the D7500 uses a CMOS imager. 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 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 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.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
2.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
3.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.2	1649	81
5.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
6.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
8.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
9.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
10.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
11.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
12.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
13.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
14.		Panasonic FZ82	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
15.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
16.		Panasonic TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
17.		Ricoh WG-6	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1104	52
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the FT7 has an electronic viewfinder (1170k 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 D7500 has a higher magnification than the one of the FT7 (0.61x vs 0.45x), 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 Panasonic FT7 and Nikon D7500 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ82	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic TZ95	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Ricoh WG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The D7500 has a touchscreen, while the FT7 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 FT7 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the FT7 and the D7500 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 Panasonic Lumix DC-FT7 and Nikon D7500 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.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ82	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Ricoh WG-6	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the D7500 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The FT7 does not feature such a mic input.

The D7500 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the FT7 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the FT7 from Panasonic. Further information on the features and operation of the FT7 and D7500 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic FT7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D7500 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Panasonic FT7 and the Nikon D7500? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-FT7:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the D7500 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (117x76mm vs 136x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the D7500).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 31m).
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year after the D7500).

Advantages of the Nikon D7500:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.61x vs 0.45x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• 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: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/1300s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (950 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2017).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D7500 is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 13 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 Panasonic FT7 and the Nikon D7500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best DSLR 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the FT7 or the D7500. 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	5/5	+	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2017	1,299	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ82	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
17.		Ricoh WG-6	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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