Which to Buy: Nikon D7500 vs D500 Comparison

February 2019

The D7500 is 7 years old while the D500 is 8 years old. These cameras may seem similar at first glance and they are but there are some subtle differences worth noting.

The similarities between these two cameras are:

20.9 megapixel DX sensor
1.3x crop mode
Support both 12-bit and 14-bit RAW images
tilting touchscreen monitor
Dedicated Fn (function) button
4K UHD video
Slow motion video
Built-in WiFi to pair the camera with a smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth to pair the camera with a smartphone
Hotshoe
HDMI jack
External microphone jack
Headphone jack
EXPEED 5 image processor
30-1/8000th sec. shutter speeds
1/250th sec. flash sync speed
Bulb shutter
Top-side control panel
High dynamic range mode
Time-lapse movies
100% viewfinder coverage
Pentaprism Viewfinder
Highlight-weighted metering

The advantages the D7500 has over the D500 are:

Less expensive
Built-in flash w/commander mode
Weighs 5 oz. less and significantly smaller

The advantages the D500 has over the D7500 are:

Significantly longer rated battery life at 1240 shots versus 950 shots
Buffer holds more RAW images
10 frames-per-sec. stills vs 8 fps
3.2 in. 2359k-dot TFT LCD monitor vs 922k-dot
153 AF points (with 99 cross type) vs 51 AF points (with 15 cross type)
NFC to pair the camera with a smartphone
Faster startup and less shutter lag
Support for the TIFF format
Top-side control panel is much more informative
Dual card slots (one SDXC, one XQD)
Optional battery grip accessory

Neither camera has:

Compact DSLR design
IBIS
GPS built-in
Panorama Mode
Electronic viewfinder
On sensor phase detect AF for video

Additional Notes

If the D500 can be budgeted then it is very clearly the right choice. The only reason to buy the D7500 over the D500 is price.

See these comparisons: