D7xxx(D7200) vs D500

Hiker

Also, has anyone here bought Steve Perry's guide to Nikon Auto Focus? And what are your thoughts?

Capt_Spaulding

Yes. I have Mr. Perry's autofocus book. For my skill level it's well worth the price. He's a major proponent of Back Button Focusing. After trying it, I admit I'm pretty well sold on it myself. Beyond that there a number of quirks and tips he points out that I've found helpful. If you've watched his videos, he writes like he talks. Personally, I find it engaging. You can try it for free on his site. Take look and let me know what you thiink. I also bought his wildlife photography book, but haven't had a chance to open it yet.

You mentioned Darrell Young's book and his recommendations for the auto exposure/comp. What is his take?

Photobug

Hiker said:

Also, has anyone here bought Steve Perry's guide to Nikon Auto Focus? And what are your thoughts?

I have read the first 50 pages and yes, it's worth the $$$. IMHO, no matter what your experience level is, your going to learn something. Been shooting for a long...long time and I have learned a number of points. After reading the first 50 pages started jumping around and found all sorts of good tips.

Plus he has updated it at least 3 times so far. Added the D7500 and fixed a few things and added some additional information. The section on fine tuning the AF system is really really good.

It's a good review and much more detail than the Nikon manual which I always read. Highly recommended.

Hiker

Capt_Spaulding said:

Yes. I have Mr. Perry's autofocus book. For my skill level it's well worth the price. He's a major proponent of Back Button Focusing. After trying it, I admit I'm pretty well sold on it myself. Beyond that there a number of quirks and tips he points out that I've found helpful. If you've watched his videos, he writes like he talks. Personally, I find it engaging. You can try it for free on his site. Take look and let me know what you thiink. I also bought his wildlife photography book, but haven't had a chance to open it yet.

You mentioned Darrell Young's book and his recommendations for the auto exposure/comp. What is his take?

For EV steps it's set on factory default at 1/3 step according to his recommendation. Is that what you are asking?

donaldejose

This guy states his reasons for returning his D500 for a D7500. Interesting considering how many people on the internet are complaining about the D7500. For him, it is better than the D500. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDcwB5ddazI&t=1127s

Hiker

donaldejose said:

This guy states his reasons for returning his D500 for a D7500. Interesting considering how many people on the internet are complaining about the D7500. For him, it is better than the D500. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDcwB5ddazI&t=1127s

I have yet to see anyone complaining about the 7500. Those that have one from what I've read love them. But considering that the 500 is a huge camera compared to the 7500 and even the 7200, then this persons reasoning could be a weight factor for switching.

DaveyJ

I own all of them, I would,rate the D7500 as the best for the price, and it has features the D500 could,have benefitted from.

HankB

Not a huge deal, but definitely worth consideration: the two SD slots on the D7200 but deleted from the D7500 forgoes quite a few benefits. Backup on the fly; organization between different types of files; smooth transition from a full card; batch backup; transfer of selected files without relying on the flaky wireless. (Is this Nikon chicken s**t cost savings on a serious camera?)

7pilot

New member here. I'm an enthusiast shooter and I currently use a D7100 and have been very satisfied with it. BUT. I find I'm running up against the buffer issue & don't like the banding on low light shots.
So I have been looking at an up grade & use the 7100 as a second body. I'm not a pixel peeper and so I'm not one to blow up an image by 1000% to pick nits.

Just like a majority of folks. I was lusting after the D500. Yet the more I hear about some of the issues. Like the non IOS snap-bridge, Two differing card types, The limited touch screen interface, Can't wet clean the sensor without first deactivating snap-bridge and putting it into Airplane mode. (that should be automatic when you turn on mirror lock-up for cleaning in the menu) It's clear to me that Nikon perhaps shoved the D500 out the door a bit too soon just to have it photographed next to the D5.

I also just can't help feeling like Nikon is trying to ruin the enthusiast D7XX series with the D7500 by removing the second slot and sticking with the SD card instead of the faster QXD. no option for a battery grip and no indexing tab for the old glass.(although I don't own any non-ai glass. Just not sure what their long term strategy is.

Then there is the lens issue. Nikon sure needs better DX glass if they want us to fork over $2k for a PRO DX body just to then use a consumer grade 1-1000MM do it all fuzzy slow lens. Better lenses should have been first before the pro DX body. To get a DX equivalent 70-200 F2.8 I had to go to Sigma and buy their 50-150 F2.8 and Tokina for a good rectilinear superwide 11-16 F2.8.

In the end. I'm torn between the 7200 and 7500.

BVS

7pilot said:

New member here. I'm an enthusiast shooter and I currently use a D7100 and have been very satisfied with it. BUT. I find I'm running up against the buffer issue & don't like the banding on low light shots.
So I have been looking at an up grade & use the 7100 as a second body. I'm not a pixel peeper and so I'm not one to blow up an image by 1000% to pick nits.

Just like a majority of folks. I was lusting after the D500. Yet the more I hear about some of the issues. Like the non IOS snap-bridge, Two differing card types, The limited touch screen interface, Can't wet clean the sensor without first deactivating snap-bridge and putting it into Airplane mode. (that should be automatic when you turn on mirror lock-up for cleaning in the menu) It's clear to me that Nikon perhaps shoved the D500 out the door a bit too soon just to have it photographed next to the D5.

I also just can't help feeling like Nikon is trying to ruin the enthusiast D7XX series with the D7500 by removing the second slot and sticking with the SD card instead of the faster QXD. no option for a battery grip and no indexing tab for the old glass.(although I don't own any non-ai glass. Just not sure what their long term strategy is.

Then there is the lens issue. Nikon sure needs better DX glass if they want us to fork over $2k for a PRO DX body just to then use a consumer grade 1-1000MM do it all fuzzy slow lens. Better lenses should have been first before the pro DX body. To get a DX equivalent 70-200 F2.8 I had to go to Sigma and buy their 50-150 F2.8 and Tokina for a good rectilinear superwide 11-16 F2.8.

In the end. I'm torn between the 7200 and 7500.

Some questions to think about:

1. Do you need 10fps, a top of the line AF system, and/or a pro body?
2. Do you care about the second card slot or grip? Do you use them on your D7100?
3. Do you care about a 3-4Mpix difference in resolution?
4. How many shots buffer would be enough for your needs - 18, 50, or 200?
5. Would you consider moving up to a D750, since it's a similar price now, and be able to use all the FX glass as intended?
6. Do you want better connectivity (i.e. SnapBridge)? Presumably they'll get all the bugs worked out eventually.
7. Do you need 4K video?

7pilot

Some questions to think about:

1. Do you need 10fps, a top of the line AF system, and/or a pro body?
2. Do you care about the second card slot or grip? Do you use them on your D7100?
3. Do you care about a 3-4Mpix difference in resolution?
4. How many shots buffer would be enough for your needs - 18, 50, or 200?
5. Would you consider moving up to a D750, since it's a similar price now, and be able to use all the FX glass as intended?
6. Do you want better connectivity (i.e. SnapBridge)? Presumably they'll get all the bugs worked out eventually.
7. Do you need 4K video?



Well of course like everyone else I would like to have it all and for free. But I'm a realist at heart. I just sort of scratch my head at a pro DX body (D500) that has very, very few Nikon pro DX lenses to mount to it. And that body is 233% higher in cost than a D7200. I also find it odd that Nikon removed items from the D7200 to make the new D7500 and called it an update. At best it moved sideways. For my use I would ideally like the current D7200 body/architecture with the Expeed5, better buffer and updated 24MP sensor. As it is, the 7500 with it's $500 dollar premium over the 7200 with one card slot and a smaller sensor & no grip option. Just seems an odd move for an UP-date.

Do I absolutely need a second card slot? No! As I'm a photo enthusiast not a pro that sells photos. Yet when I spend $300 in fuel to drive my old motorhome to the coast. Rent a spot to park it. I sure don't want to lose pictures because of a card failure. So far that hasn't happened. But Hey! I've never had an auto accident. But even if insurance wasn't required. I'd still buy it for peace of mind.

I imagine a 20-25 shot NEF uncompressed buffer would do fine. The 6 frame buffer of my 7100 is a bit short. I tend toward landscape photography so I don't need a huge buffer. But I do live in an area that has a major bird migration route nearby. (the Columbia river) So that's where the extra buffer would be nice.

retread

I have had a D500 for about a year now. I have gotten along fine with it. I do mostly sports and nature. The buffer is great for birds in flight and a few times in sports but seldom use all of it. I shoot 14bit lossless compressed raw to both cards as backup.

I recently inherited a D7200 and have been shooting them side by side. I have them set up the same way. There are some differences in controls when shooting but so far nothing big after the initial set up. So no trouble when setting one down and picking the other up. it is faster than changing lenses.

I have grips on both of them and love the grip so that alone rules out the D7500 for me. I think it is a good camera but not quite what I feel is for me. Seems like a bit of a "twinner" between the D7200 and the D500 with a few things missing. Some of those things are what I want but it you don't need those things it should do well.

nukuEX2

I have D7200 however I won't be getting D7500, instead I'd be getting D500. To me D7500 is a step backword.

heartyfisher

I traded in my d7200 for a d500 .. yeah it was good trade up :-) in life everything is a compromise ... I would like a D850 but I wont be getting one.. the D500 is nice enough ;-)

HankB

No doubt Nikon marketing geniuses speced out the D7200 as Nikon's top DX camera in those pre-D500 days by including some pro features. These pro features are still reserved for only the top of the DX line, but that DX top is no longer a 7000 series camera.

One shortcoming of the D500 that is rarely mentioned is its lack of built-in flash. For those of us who refuse to include a flash in our single, reasonably sized bag, a built-in flash is useful. It certainly can be an effective and effortless fill flash.

By the way, I am very very skeptical of the alibi that built-in flash compromises ruggedness and water resistance — the flash itself may be fragile, but even breaking it wouldn't compromise the camera's interior if designed with the flash's mechanical bits outside the shell. The flash was excluded to cut costs.

DaveyJ

The D7500 is far from a step backward. We have them all...from D100 through the D500. Of all of them I rate the D7500 best, D7200 second, good value, D500 fast awesome but no flash and heavier. Our D500 now lives full time in an Ikelite UW housing with a 10-17 Tokina lens. That is about $6,000 invested. It is waterproof to 200 ft. Deep, still a lot depends on the moment.....like a big Yellowfin a Tuna, or a 14 ft. Hammerhead Shark, or a Blue Marlin in super clear water! The D7500 was actually a great step FORWARD!

retread

I don't miss the lack of flash on the d500. I prefer not to use flash but even when I do it is an external one. I love the SB5000 on the D7200. It just does the job when I need it.

HankB

retread said:

I don't miss the lack of flash on the d500. I prefer not to use flash but even when I do it is an external one. I love the SB5000 on the D7200. It just does the job when I need it.

Because there isn’t a downside to a built in flash—at least not a believable downside—having a flash would constitute an additional tool available for those who would use it.

You never know while walking around without your bag, whether a weak,on camera flash may be better than no flash at all. This is a similar argument to, "the best camera is the one you have with you"

retread

HankB

You never know while walking around without your bag, whether a weak, on camera flash may be better than no flash at all. This is a similar argument to, "the best camera is the one you have with you"

No disagreement with you. I just have very little use for the built in flash. One reason I have read for not being on the D500 is to make room for the larger pentaprism.

DaveyJ

I am sure the D7500 is a good camera. The lack of a vertical grip and a second card slot just take it off my want list. Having a D500 and a D7200 I am happy shooting on both sides of it.

PB_PM

The built in flash is nice to have in a pinch, or if you have two off camera flashes that you need to control via CLS. Overall, it might not get used much though. Nikon doesn’t include it on some bodies for a few reasons, it reduces developement, production and parts supply costs (thus higher profit per unit), and secondarily for durability. It’s one less thing to break off if the camera takes a fall. I suspect the real reason is user surveys (NPS members) found that, few if any people that buy those types of camera actually use the built in flash.

Searcy

PB_PM said:

The built in flash is nice to have in a pinch, or if you have two off camera flashes that you need to control via CLS. .

I have a d7200 and I've found myself using the pop up flash more than I ever thought I would. It's just a handy option when you don't want to pack a speed light for a hike.

This was shot with my pop up flash on my d7200 and a Nikon 24-70 f2.8.