Hi ALL,
I am new to this forum, done much reading although have made a few posts – thank you for the wealth of information, the gift of sharing your combined knowledge, experiences and passions!

Being an ‘amateur re-tread’ – someone who’s been in and out of this hobby (livelyhood for others) now retired and willing to start again.
My first camera was an Army PX purchased - Mamiya-Sekor 1000DTL, today I am looking at two cameras, Nikon D-500 and Canon 7D – MKII.
To this end I look to this forum – not to decide for me, but to add to/ provide a ‘tipping point’ for my final decision.
Not a professional and not able to spend $5K+ to snap (in order of priority) wildlife, action and land/cityscaping photos, my choices have been narrowed down to these two, non FF cameras and lens families.

Here’s what I know (or think I do):
•Both cameras are ‘closely’ matched in specs, with Nikon D500 newer and having slightly better resolution capable of providing a sharper image (?), and Nikon has a higher ISO range (more noise)??!!

•Lenses for consideration are 18-200mm and 200-500mm. Tests and user’s results garnished from this forum and various links indicate both manufacturers produce comparable quality lenses at comparable prices- I hope to obtain the widest overlapping focal ranges with the least amount of equipment to carry around.

•Both have Wi-Fi ability: Nikon’s is built in, Canon requires a card slot and external adapter. I want to remotely see and snap the subject appearing in the viewfinder

•Nikon has an articulating, touch screen - Canon does not…. I feel both features are assets

•Regardless of choice, I must “RTFM” to gain command of the multitude of features as well as the confidence to know how to use & apply them. I am in awe of so many high quality photos that I see so often on this forum!

I am leaning toward Nikon D-500 for a few reasons, but my tipping point is – of all things – the wi-fi feature as I want to shoot in raw and jpeg, but NOT at the expense of an SD slot for wi-fi.
However, I’m uncertain if wi-fi feature of both cameras performs as I believe - Ability to 1) transfer/share photos to phone and beyond, 2) remotely view and snap the subject.
Wi-fi is a key consideration.... but, not at the expense of the 'end product'.... hence conundrum.

So, I’m turning my research/ beliefs/ assumptions and subsequent questions over to you all:
Am I in the ball park – have I correctly dissected the technical information properly?
Based on my beliefs that both cameras are somewhat/closely match optically and feature-wise, what have I failed to consider?

At the end of the day, I’m not looking for, nor desire a Nikon-Canon bashing contest – I realize both manufacturers have dedicated ‘camps’…. I’m looking for that ‘tipping point’ – if it exists.

Sorry for the long post.
Paul Winter

Hi ALL,
I am new to this forum, done much reading although have made a few posts – thank you for the wealth of information, the gift of sharing your combined knowledge, experiences and passions!

Being an ‘amateur re-tread’ – someone who’s been in and out of this hobby (livelyhood for others) now retired and willing to start again.
My first camera was an Army PX purchased - Mamiya-Sekor 1000DTL, today I am looking at two cameras, Nikon D-500 and Canon 7D – MKII.
To this end I look to this forum – not to decide for me, but to add to/ provide a ‘tipping point’ for my final decision.
Not a professional and not able to spend $5K+ to snap (in order of priority) wildlife, action and land/cityscaping photos, my choices have been narrowed down to these two, non FF cameras and lens families.

Here’s what I know (or think I do):
•Both cameras are ‘closely’ matched in specs, with Nikon D500 newer and having slightly better resolution capable of providing a sharper image (?), and Nikon has a higher ISO range (more noise)??!!

•Lenses for consideration are 18-200mm and 200-500mm. Tests and user’s results garnished from this forum and various links indicate both manufacturers produce comparable quality lenses at comparable prices- I hope to obtain the widest overlapping focal ranges with the least amount of equipment to carry around.

•Both have Wi-Fi ability: Nikon’s is built in, Canon requires a card slot and external adapter. I want to remotely see and snap the subject appearing in the viewfinder

•Nikon has an articulating, touch screen - Canon does not…. I feel both features are assets

•Regardless of choice, I must “RTFM” to gain command of the multitude of features as well as the confidence to know how to use & apply them. I am in awe of so many high quality photos that I see so often on this forum!

I am leaning toward Nikon D-500 for a few reasons, but my tipping point is – of all things – the wi-fi feature as I want to shoot in raw and jpeg, but NOT at the expense of an SD slot for wi-fi.
However, I’m uncertain if wi-fi feature of both cameras performs as I believe - Ability to 1) transfer/share photos to phone and beyond, 2) remotely view and snap the subject.
Wi-fi is a key consideration.... but, not at the expense of the 'end product'.... hence conundrum.

So, I’m turning my research/ beliefs/ assumptions and subsequent questions over to you all:
Am I in the ball park – have I correctly dissected the technical information properly?
Based on my beliefs that both cameras are somewhat/closely match optically and feature-wise, what have I failed to consider?

At the end of the day, I’m not looking for, nor desire a Nikon-Canon bashing contest – I realize both manufacturers have dedicated ‘camps’…. I’m looking for that ‘tipping point’ – if it exists.

Sorry for the long post.
Paul Winter

Canons wifi ecosystem is much better, lens selection and value also better (not by much and somewhat debateable)....if these are differentiators. Nikon for just about everything else. Between the 2 choices you are looking at D500 would be my choice if restarting (and I am a Canon shooter).

Do take a look at the Canon 80D. Lower end camera and much cheaper but still has decent fps at 7and good wifi...plus good video (if that ever becomes a careabout).

I would still say to sell your 1st born and get a D850 and use high quality and inexpensive DX lenses until you can afford the high end lenses.
(...not my money, I know....)

No matter what you decide, all these cameras will give you the abilitiy and control to take great images...

Welcome to our forum!

Take your time, and don't aim too low. Consider a refurbished camera - basically a new camera at a lower price.

Camera comparison sites.
Read comparisons and specs, and decide what features are important to you.
(Reviews) https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCameraStoreTV/videos
http://www.cameradecision.com/
http://cameras.reviewed.com/
http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu

I’ve been shooting Nikons since 1968 by suspect you cannot go far wrong with any of the cameras in the Canon or Nikon systems. I upgraded from. D300 to a D500 earlier this year and went back to my camera store a week later to get a D500 to replace my wife’s D300S. The quality of the D500’s images is spectacular and the ability to track a moving subject while shooting at 9 frames a second is amazing. The 18-200mm lens is a great all purpose lense and had been my choice for hiking for years. It isn’t as sharp as some lenses with less versatility, but it comes as close to doing it all as any lens I’ve used. It’s sharp enough, light enough, and very reasonably priced. It’s only serious weakness is it isn’t a fast lens so low light is not its strong point, but the high ISO capability of the D500 and the 18-200’s vibration reduction capabilities go a long way to making up for this.