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Sony A7 vs Nikon D500

The Sony Alpha A7 and the Nikon D500 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in October 2013 and January 2016. The A7 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D500 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a full frame (A7) and an APS-C (D500) sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 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
Sony A7
versus
Nikon D500
Sony A7   Nikon D500
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Sony E mount lenses Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor 20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200) ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 1,640,000)
Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1230k dots 3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen) Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
340 shots per battery charge1240 shots per battery charge
127 x 94 x 48 mm, 474 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 Sony Alpha A7 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Sony A7 and the Nikon D500 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Sony A7 vs Nikon D500
Compare A7 versus D500 top
Comparison A7 or D500 rear

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 (42 percent) than the Sony A7. Moreover, the D500 is substantially heavier (81 percent) than the A7. 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 Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D500). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Sony A7, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the A7 gets 340 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the D500 can take 1240 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15 power pack. The power pack in the A7 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A7 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 474 g 340 Y Oct 2013 1,699ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 Y Jan 2016 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D7500 136 mm 104 mm 73 mm 720 g 950 Y Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
4.
 
Nikon D3400 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 445 g 1200 n Aug 2016 499ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D5500 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 470 g 820 n Jan 2015 899ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D610 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 Y Oct 2013 1,999ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D300S 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 938 g 950 Y Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GH4 133 mm 93 mm 84 mm 560 g 500 Y Feb 2014 1,499ebay.com
10.
 
Samsung NX1 139 mm 102 mm 66 mm 550 g 500 Y Sep 2014 1,499ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A7C 124 mm 71 mm 60 mm 509 g 740 Y Sep 2020 1,799 amazon.com
12.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7S 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 489 g 380 Y Apr 2014 2,499ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 465 g 340 Y Oct 2013 2,299ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX1R 113 mm 65 mm 70 mm 482 g 270 n Jun 2013 2,799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX1 113 mm 65 mm 70 mm 482 g 270 n Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 A7 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 15 percent) than the D500, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. 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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A7 features a full frame sensor and the Nikon D500 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D500 is 57 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Sony A7 and Nikon D500 sensor measures

With 24MP, the A7 offers a higher resolution than the D500 (20.7MP), but the A7 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.97μm versus 4.22μm for the D500) due to its larger sensor. However, the D500 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 2 months) than the A7, and its sensor will 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 D500 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7 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 D500 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 A7 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Alpha A7 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-51200. 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.

A7 versus D500 MP

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"). Of the two cameras under review, the A7 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the D500 (overall score 7 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, 0.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.8 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A7 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.814.2224890
2.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
3.
 
Nikon D7500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.314.0148386
4.
 
Nikon D3400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.813.9119286
5.
 
Nikon D5500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0143884
6.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
7.
 
Nikon D610 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.4292594
8.
 
Nikon D300S APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.512.278770
9.
 
Panasonic GH4 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.212.879174
10.
 
Samsung NX1 APS-C 28.0 6480 43204K/30p24.213.2136383
11.
 
Sony A7C Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7340795
12.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
13.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
14.
 
Sony A7S Full Frame 12.0 4240 28321080/60p23.913.2370287
15.
 
Sony A7R Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60p25.614.1274695
16.
 
Sony RX1R Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.013.6253791
17.
 
Sony RX1 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.114.3253493
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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, but the D500 provides a better video resolution than the A7. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A7 has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the D500 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 A7 has a higher magnification than the one of the D500 (0.71x vs 0.67x), 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 Sony A7 and Nikon D500 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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.
 
Sony A72400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
2.
 
Nikon D500optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
3.
 
Nikon D7500optical Y3.2 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D3400optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D5500optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D610optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D300Soptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
9.
 
Panasonic GH42359 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s Y n
10.
 
Samsung NX12360 Y3.0 / 1036 tilting Y 1/8000s 15.0/s Y n
11.
 
Sony A7C2360 n3.0 / 922 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n Y
12.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
13.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7S2400 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
15.
 
Sony A7R2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 4.0/s n n
16.
 
Sony RX1Roptional n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
17.
 
Sony RX1optional n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The D500 has a touchscreen, while the A7 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Nikon D500 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 A7 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the D500 uses SDXC or XQD cards. The D500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A7 only has one slot. The D500 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A7 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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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 Sony Alpha A7 and Nikon D500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony A7Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
2.
 
Nikon D500Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
3.
 
Nikon D7500Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Nikon D3400Ymono / mono--mini2.0--Y
5.
 
Nikon D5500Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
6.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
7.
 
Nikon D610Ymono / monoYYmini2.0---
8.
 
Nikon D300SYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Panasonic GH4Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
10.
 
Samsung NX1Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.0YYY
11.
 
Sony A7CYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
12.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
13.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony A7SYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony A7RYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony RX1RYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
17.
 
Sony RX1Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
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Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D500 (unlike the A7) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the A7 and the D500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A7 was replaced by the Sony A7 II, while the D500 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A7 and D500 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D500 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A7 and the Nikon D500? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20.7MP) with a 8% higher linear resolution.
  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (7 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.8 stops ISO advantage).
  • 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 (0.71x vs 0.67x).
  • More compact: Is smaller (127x94mm vs 147x115mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 386g or 45 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (15 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in October 2013).

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Reasons to prefer the Nikon D500:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • 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 detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 1230k dots).
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1240 versus 340) out of a single battery charge.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
  • 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.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years and 2 months of technical progress since the A7 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D500 emerges as the winner of the match-up (16 : 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 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.

A7 13:16 D500

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A7 and the Nikon D500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A7 or the D500 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A75/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 1,699ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D75004.5/5+ +4.5/586/1005/54.5/5 Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
4.
 
Nikon D34004/5+4/576/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2016 499ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D55005/5+..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2015 899ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D6104/5+ +..87/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 1,999ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D300S5/5+ +..82/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GH45/5+ +..85/1005/55/5 Feb 2014 1,499ebay.com
10.
 
Samsung NX15/5....87/1005/55/5 Sep 2014 1,499ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A7C3.5/5..3.5/586/1004/54/5 Sep 2020 1,799 amazon.com
12.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7S4/5....86/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2014 2,499ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2013 2,299ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX1R5/5......4/54.5/5 Jun 2013 2,799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX15/5....79/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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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.

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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 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.

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    Specifications: Sony A7 vs Nikon D500

    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 Specifications
    Camera Model Sony A7 Nikon D500
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date October 2013 January 2016
    Launch Price USD 1,699 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Sony A7 Nikon D500
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.8 x 23.9 mm 23.5 x 15.7 mm
    Sensor Area 855.62 mm2 368.95 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43 mm 28.3 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels 20.7 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 5568 x 3712 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.97 μm 4.22 μm
    Pixel Density 2.80 MP/cm2 5.60 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 51,200 ISO 50 - 1,640,000 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X EXPEED 5
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 90 83
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 24.8 24.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.2 14.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 2248 1324
    Screen Specs Sony A7 Nikon D500
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x 0.67x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2400k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 1230k dots 2359k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Sony A7 Nikon D500
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards SDXC or XQD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Sony A7 Nikon D500
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Sony A7 Nikon D500
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Sony NP-FW50 Nikon EN-EL15
    Battery Life (CIPA)340 shots per charge1240 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 127 x 94 x 48 mm
    (5.0 x 3.7 x 1.9 in)
    147 x 115 x 81 mm
    (5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 474 g (16.7 oz) 860 g (30.3 oz)
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    Check D500 offers at
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