How will you rate D7500, D750, D850 and D500

How do you rate four Nikon camera for wildlife photography specially with 500mm pf lens? And why.

There's no real losers here... you've picked 4 great cameras... BUT... it's time for 'The Gary Lineup'.

#1 D500... stellar performing AF... gets my vote for #1.

#2 D850... a very close second... same fantastic 153 point AF system... just alittle heavier. It's massive file sizes are a major benefit when cropping is a must.

#3 D7500... no slouch in the APS-C format with a slightly better low-light sensor than the D500... but it can't hold a candle to 153 AF system of the #1 and #2 cameras.

#4 D750... decent AF performer... but falls short in acquiring focus rapidly like the D500 and D850. This is the best 'low light sensor' of the 4... but that's no help if your subject falls out of focus...

GarysInSoCal said:

There's no real losers here... you've picked 4 great cameras... BUT... it's time for 'The Gary Lineup'.

#1 D500... stellar performing AF... gets my vote for #1.

#2 D850... a very close second... same fantastic 153 point AF system... just alittle heavier. It's massive file sizes are a major benefit when cropping is a must.

#3 D7500... no slouch in the APS-C format with a slightly better low-light sensor than the D500... but it can't hold a candle to 153 AF system of the #1 and #2 cameras.

#4 D750... decent AF performer... but falls short in acquiring focus rapidly like the D500 and D850. This is the best 'low light sensor' of the 4... but that's no help if your subject falls out of focus...

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I essentially agree with all of this but I sold my D500 because a) the wider coverage of the D850 makes acquiring birds easier and b) I just prefer the IQ of the D850. The D500 always seemed to want to use maximum ISO even if the light was marginal. And the cropability of the D850 is tremendous for birds

#1 D500 great IQ, easier to hand hold and fill the frame without disturbing the subject.

#2 D850 great IQ but more difficult for me with birds and wildlife

No experience with the other two but based on what i've heard, #3 D7500, #4 D750

Thanks. I have D7500 and D750. I am primarily using d7500 with 300mm f4 af-s non vr. I understand af system of nikon. Due to some reason my pictures are good but not excellent. I have recently purchased 500mm f5.6 pf to upgrade my system thinking i would need vr and better af and better reach. My experience with combo of d7500 and 500mm pf with one day shooting was that i still lack faster af and quality is still not great.
Yesterday i compare images captured indoor in low light handheld with 500mm with d750 and D7500. D750 was much sharper and af was also faster.
I will take both cameras to lakeshore to photograph ducks to see which has faster af and have more details in images.
I already know d750 is a better camera in low light situation. Based on my experience i will decide to sale one of the camera and in future upgrade to d850 or d500.

I feel fx always flare better in image quality in low light and also iso is also have less noise.

I had a quick comparison between my d750 and d7500 in indoor in low light. D750 was winner with less noise , sharper images and faster af.

I will take both camera for outdoor birds photography.

What Gary said, plus how much better the D500 is to handle. Everything is more responsive and solid (ie PRO) compared to a D750/D7xxx. It lacks the portability, pop-up NLS flash controller, and User modes. It feels like an upgrade from every other Nikon mentioned (and many others) besides the D850.




The first time I had the D750 I did not like it. I bought one minty used and really like it; currently paired with a Z50, kit lenses, and stellar 85S lens (a nice 128mm on DX z-mount.) Firmware updates (as recent as 2019) have helped a bit. I could not go back to the D500 though. I'm saving up for the next Z500 replacement... Once you handle Z# body you want that size, but I also want all of the traditional Nikon buttons.

Head's up: the D750's JPG engine is horrible.

RajCanada said:

How do you rate four Nikon camera for wildlife photography specially with 500mm pf lens? And why.

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You have good responses from Gary and others here. I too would place my D500 first (as it's aps-c you probably can get a little closer to the wildlife) then my D850. Then I would place D750 next - I don't have a D7500 but the D750 autofocus can easily keep up (use mine for sport) and with better low light performance I'd take it always over a D7500 even though the D7500 has a better buffer. I've never had a D7500 because with the D500 I've never needed one. I only shoot RAW - never Jpeg.

The D850 has a huge advantage because it has the same pixel density as the D500 and you can crop anywhere, not just the center. So, it is far, far more flexible for BIF. Plus when you're not cropping you get that increase in IQ.

However, the D850 is slower and heavier, especially if you're using the battery grip to get the same FPS.

I think you could not really rank these absolutely without your field usage parameters.

Can't really comment on the other cameras. Though I have always wanted to try the D750.

RajCanada said:

How do you rate four Nikon camera for wildlife photography specially with 500mm pf lens? And why.

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An easy call in favor of the D850. As Jason says, there will be any number of animals and birds who will not fit in the frame as shown by a 500mm lens and a DX camera. The full 46MP is spectacular on the larger subjects.

I have owned the D500, D750 and a D7200 and currently own two D850 cameras that I use with the 500mm PF. Without a doubt the best camera for this lens is the D850 and second best is the D750, both of which are full frame cameras.

Problem with the DX cameras is that it is much more difficult to properly frame moving subjects and the greatly reduced angle tends to crop out a lot of the animals' environment which weakens the image.

The D850 in DX mode provides more than 19MP to work with which is not a lot less than the 20.9MP from the D500. The D750 with a DX crop becomes a 13MP camera and that can cause problems.

With small birds, like hummingbirds for example, the Group AF mode was stellar on the D500 and D850 but worthles on the D750 camera. The D500 and D850 have a upgraded autofocus system and a dedicated autofocus processor whereas the AF system in the D750 dates back to the D3 introduced in 2007.

RajCanada said:

How do you rate four Nikon camera for wildlife photography specially with 500mm pf lens? And why.

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While a seasoned photographer could produce great images with any of these tools, the top spot is really between the D850 and D500, depending on what your priorities are.

If you want the absolute highest detail from your images at long range/ ability to crop the shot, the D500 provides just a hair more information per unit of area (and the D7100/D7200 give even more, but aren't as good for wildlife for other reasons.) If you want AF points that go the whole way across the frame, the D500 does it. In terms of AF speed/accuracy, the D500 is better...it was built specifically to be an action camera. If you want what is basically an unlimited buffer (if you use an XQD card) the D500 can do it. If you want the higher FPS without a heavier body + battery grip, the D500 does it, and can mean that you have more animal poses to choose from. Picking the best pose can mean a much more appealing image. The D500's mirror slap is quieter, disturbing wildlife less easily.

Sounds like a crushing win for the D500, right? Let's see what the D850 has to offer.

If you want more detail on animals that you can at least partially fill the frame with, the D850 obliterates the D500. If you shoot in low light, the D850 will perform better, giving you either a lower ISO at a fixed shutter speed, or a faster shutter speed at the same ISO. And the BIG advantage...the one that can mean the difference between having a shot or no shot at all...it's a wider field of view, which makes acquiring and tracking your target much easier. This advantage is so huge that to me, it trumps most of the D500's advantages. I really struggle with acquiring BIF at 500mm on any DX body, and when birds hop out of frame, it's much easier to see where they went and re-acquire them with the D850. It's also easier to accidentally chop off part of your subject with the edge of the frame on a DX body...the D850 requires less precise framing.

I almost always choose the D850 with the 500mm PF because of the wider FOV. It's just much easier to get and keep the animal in the frame.

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Thanks a ton everyone. Dpr is a great place to learn and take right decision.
I am debating between D500 and D850. I tried my d750 with 500mm pf. Images were very sharp and af wasn’t bad but keeping track of bif wasn’t excellent. I am actually going toward full frame solution.
I think D850 may be little slow compare to d500 but is versatile. So i might sale my d7500 and 300mm f4 af-s non vr lens.
I will buy d850 and 300mm pf and return 500mm pf. I have limited budget. I may loose 200mm.
Do you agree?

RajCanada said:

Thanks a ton everyone. Dpr is a great place to learn and take right decision.
I am debating between D500 and D850. I tried my d750 with 500mm pf. Images were very sharp and af wasn’t bad but keeping track of bif wasn’t excellent. I am actually going toward full frame solution.
I think D850 may be little slow compare to d500 but is versatile. So i might sale my d7500 and 300mm f4 af-s non vr lens.
I will buy d850 and 300mm pf and return 500mm pf. I have limited budget. I may loose 200mm.
Do you agree?

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Not at all. I would rather have a D7200 with the 500pf compared with the D850 and the 300PF. Getting a D850 over the 500pf is an incredible mistake. Put the money into glass, not the body. True, the D850 is better for birds in flight than the D750 (or did you mean D7500?); regardless, with practice you should be able to get at least some good shots with those cameras. The 300pf is way too short unless you're in very special situations.

I think i will buy 200-500mm apart from 300mm

RajCanada said:

I will buy d850 and 300mm pf and return 500mm pf. I have limited budget.

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If budget is a problem, the 200-500mm is a better solution for most birding than the 300mm PF is. There is no substitute for reach when you need it, and at least around here, birds don't let you get close at all (unless you're sneaky and use a blind.) I need those 500mm almost always. Unless you're in an area with very tame (and/or large) birds that come right up to you, I think you'd be frustrated with any 300mm lens.

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Do you think 1.4tcii work with 200-500mm on d7500?

No, this will not be a good combination.

What do you suggest? Right now i have D7500 with 300mm afs non vr lens with 1.4 tcii for my wildlife. I bought 500mm pf to get faster af and vr. Mostly i use afc with d9 for bif. I also have d750 but hardly use for wildlife specially birds. My budget is usd 3500. What do you think i should sale ir purchase?

nicodimus22 said:

RajCanada said:

I will buy d850 and 300mm pf and return 500mm pf. I have limited budget.

Click to expand...

If budget is a problem, the 200-500mm is a better solution for most birding than the 300mm PF is. There is no substitute for reach when you need it, and at least around here, birds don't let you get close at all (unless you're sneaky and use a blind.) I need those 500mm almost always. Unless you're in an area with very tame (and/or large) birds that come right up to you, I think you'd be frustrated with any 300mm lens.

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I agree, the 200-500 is a pretty good lens for those on a budget. Even at 500mm, birds usually need heavy cropping. Yes, the 200-500 weighs 50% more than the 500pf, but the 500pf is almost 3 times as expensive.

The 200-500 has good AF, good VR, same 5.6 aperture, and reasonably sharp. Much better than the Tamron 150-600 in all these respects, btw.

I have tried 1.4TC on the 200-500. Forget it. AF is worse, aperture is worse, and is maybe only very slightly better than just cropping - assuming the the shot is actually in focus, because the hit rate goes way down.

The zoom on the 200-500 is cumbersome. But it is much better than the zoom on the 500pf