t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o m a g a z i n e

6-12 oc t ober

i s s ue 211

inspir at ion ide a s in-dep t h re v iews

canon
7d mk ii

vs
nikon
who needs a full
frame anyway?

t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o m a g a z i n e
6-12 oc t ober

i s s ue 211

t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o m a g a z i n e
29 S ep t ember - 5 oc t ober

22-28 S ep t ember

i S S ue 20 9

t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o M a g a z i n e

canon

t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o m a g a z i n e
15-21 s ep t ember

i S S ue 210

inspir at ion ide a s in-dep t h re v iews

i s s ue 20 8

8-14 s ep t ember

i s s ue 207

inspir at ion ide a s in-dep t h re v iews

7d mk ii

inspir at ion ide a s in-dep t h re v iews

vs

monochrome

masters

nikon

marital bliSS

shoot gritty black & white portraits

perfect wedding photos in 10 classic shots

inspir
read
our at ion
hands-on
review

itS not
too
late!
41 photo ideas for
the end of summer

ide a s in-dep th re v iews

ed iv
Markatness
gre
te
upda
eos 5d er?
nons hang
is Caa gaMe-C

who needs a full

frame anyway?

JOIN THE CLUB...

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CONTENTS
Find out whats inside this issue
NEwS

F E aT U r E

NIkON gOES PRO

New action cams and more

unveiled at photokina 2016
F E aT U r E

zOO SHOOT-OUT

Two photographers take aim

inour wildlife challenge
pHOTOS

gallERY

The very best reader images

from around the world
I N S p I r aT I O N
GallEry

I N S p I r aT I O N

CRYSTalS amazE

Macro timelapse captures

thebeauty of crystallization
CraSH COUrSE

fall fOR aUTUmN

Shoot the changing colours of

the new season in all their glory
pHOTOSHOp

makE mONO magIC

Create striking black and white

images in adobe Camera raw

SKIllS

r aw
GEar

HEad-TO-HEad: CaNON 7d maRk II vS NIkON d500

We compare the top-end APS-C format DSLRs from the big two

JUS T
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PER ISSUE!
WHEN YOU SUBSCR IBE
SEE T HE SUBS C R I P T ION

PagEtofOR
E I NfO
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ourmOR
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w H AT s H O T
Our pick Of the camera news frOm
phOtOkina 2016 in germany

NikoN goes pro wi th i t s

secoNd 4k ac t ioN c amer a
Theres also a new lifelogging camera from the company

ikon made its debut in the

action camera world with the

camera electronic Vibration Reduction.

Its designed to withstand a few

nikon has also introduced its first

lifelogging camera in the shape of the

of dings and survive in inhospitable

KeyMission 80. There have been a few

Japanese camera company is doubling

environments, including water up to

standout lifelogging cameras, like the

down with a direct GoPro competitor.

33 feet (10m) deep, falls from 6.6 feet

narrative Clip 2, sony Xperia eye and

KeyMission 360 and now the

(2m) and chilly temperature as low as

HTC Re, but this is a bit of a surprise

capture a 170-degree angle of view

14-degrees Fahrenheit (-10-degrees

from a nikon as its unlike anything the

with an ultra-wide 2.4mm f/2.8 lens and

Centigrade). An optional waterproof

camera company has made before.

8MP 1/2.3-inch CMOs sensor. Rather

housing will also allow users to take the

than recording an all-encompassing

KeyMission as deep as 131 feet (40m).

two cameras. On the front is a 12MP

Although the KeyMission 170 has a

1/2.3inch sensor with a 4.5mm lens,

Meet the KeyMission 170, which can

360-degree video, the KeyMission 170 is

Its also one of the first to feature

designed to capture the users point of

1.5-inch (3.7cm) 345,000-dot monitor,

which effectively captures a 80-degree

view in 4K 30p or Full HD 60p.

youll more than likely be controlling the

angle of view and 25mm field of view

action cam through the snapBridge app

in an equivalent 35mm format. The

high-speed capture, we got a chance to

on your wi-Fi tethered smartphone. The

rear setup is a 1.8mm lens and a 5MP

see some 4K footage and it looks very

nikon KeyMission will arrive later this

1/5-inch sensor, which translates to a

sharp and smooth thanks to nikons in-

October for $399 (about 305, AU$530).

22mm field of view in terms of 35mm

Although there arent any options for

equivalency and a 90-degree angle of

view perspective for selfies.
Timelapse and video features
Users can set up the camera to take a
timelapse or to snap a frame after a set
interval. Alternatively, the KeyMission
80 is able to record 1080p (30p) video.
On the front face of the KeyMission
is a 1.75-inch (4.4cm) 230,000-dot
touchscreen, but youll be more likely
to control the camera through the
snapBridge app. It can take a bit of
punishment including being dropped
from six feet, frozen at 14-degrees
Fahrenheit and taken for a dip in water
3.2-feet (0.97m) deep. Also arriving this
October, the NikonKeyMission 80 is
priced at $279 (about 210).

Our pick Of the camera news frOm phOtOkina 2016 in germany

paNa soNic t e a ses

New gh5 ahe ad of
2017 l auNch

sigma aNNouNces tr io of
New high-eNd leNses
The Sigma lens range just keeps getting better

anasonic has taken the

wraps of the long-awaited
GH5 well, almost, teasing

us with a shot of the new camera and

a few specs at its Photokina press
conference.
The GH5 is the follow-up to the
brands premium mirrorless GH4
camera, but details are limited for
now, with the camera expected to be

igma has used Photokina to

in minimizing distortion, spherical

launched early next year. what we do

launch three mouth-watering

aberration and coma flare.

know is that the GH5 will be capable

lenses: a fast prime portrait

Designed for both full-frame and

of shooting 4K video at a (for now at

lens, an ultra wide-angle zoom and a

APs-C DsLRs, it offers a constant

least) world first of 60p/50p, as well

long range telephoto.

maximum aperture of f/4, sLD elements

as 4:2:2 10-bit 4K video at 30p.

The 85mm f/1.4 DG HsM | Art, which

and a FLD (F low dispersion) elements

Much has been made of the

has been engineered to make the most

to deliver what sigma promises will

ability to extract 8MP still images

of full-frame sensors with resolutions

be a lens with excellent edge-to-edge

from 4K footage in the past, but the

above 50MP, so is perfect for the likes

sharpness, minimized distortion and a

GH5 appears to take this idea even

of the Canon eOs 5Ds. This is thanks

minimum focusing distance of 24cm.

further, with the GH5 featuring what

to the re-designed lens construction

sigma has recently given us a couple

Panasonic are terming 6K Photo.

compared to the older model, with 14

of great super telephoto zooms, but

elements in 12 groups.

the new 500mm f/4 DG Os HsM |

to extract 18MP still images from

sport sees sigma turn its attention to a

ultra high quality video footage at

large prime telephoto optic. The new

aresolution nine times higher than

sigma reckons the bokeh is so precise

that you can focus on the subjects eye
while blurring the eyelashes.
The 12-24mm f/4 DG HsM | Art is now
in its third generation, with the latest
version featuring a 80mm diameter

This means that it will be possible

lens features sigmas Optical stabilizer

that of Full HD. The GH5 will also

system and the companys latest-

allow 4K Photo extraction, but this

generation Hyper sonic Motor.

will now be possible from footage

The 85mm f/1.4 is priced at

captured at 60fps.

molded aspherical lens - the largest

1,199/$1,199, the 12-24mm f/4 will cost

element found in this class of lens

1,649/$1,599 and the 500mm f/4 will

GH5 for now as soon as we get

and designed to be highly effective

set you back 5,999/$5,999.

more info, well let you know.

And thats all we know about the

Derek
Dav i s

DEREK spends much of

his spare time behind
his camera. He offers
a service shooting
weddings, portraits and
corporate headshots, but
says he enjoys turning his
lens to any subject in his
spare time from pets
to architecture. Derek
owns Nikon equipment,
using a D3 alongside his
D800. Forthe zoo shoot,
he relied on his Sigma
150-500mm zoom, but
also had Nikon 85mm, 28300mm and 16-28 lenses
on hand.

shoot
out!

WilDlife challenGe
For this Shootout, Claire Gillo invited
two keen photogaphers to take
on a couple of wildlife shooting
challenges at Marwell Zoo in
Hampshire, England

G are th
Morr i s

Teacher Gareth has

agrowing interest in
photography. Like Derek,
hes a Nikon shooter, with
the D7100 as his main
body, which he pairs
withNikon 18-105mm,
Sigma 105mm and Tokina
11-16mm lenses, along
with his first-choice lens
for this project, aSigma
170-500mm. Gareth
shoots a wide range
of subjects, especially
nature and landscape,
and hes looking at ways
photography can inspire
the children heteaches.

Challenge 1 Find a Frame toshoot through

Derek Dav i s
MARWELL Zoo has plenty of room to
move, even during the busy school
holidays when we visited but ahot,
steamy day meant that many
of the animals were holed up
indoors or sheltering under trees.
To warm up, photographically
speaking, we started with some
of the larger, less camera-shy
creatures: white rhino, zebra, ostriches

and giraffes. Derek was drawn to the

wooden posts inside the rhino house,
finding an angle that enabled him to
hide much of the metalwork inside
the building. Due to the crowds,
we had to bide our time to get to
the best shooting position, then
work quickly we didnt want to
give photographers a bad name by
hogging the best spots!

e xper t opinion

Derek has captured the rhino inwhat feels like an almostcontemplative mood.
The darker edges do a great job of pulling us into the picture, although the bright
horizontal bar draws the eye. Not only does the frame keep attention focused in
the right place, it enhances the feeling of peaking into the animals world.

Challenge 1 Find a Frame toshoot through

G are th Morr i s

MARWELLS giraffes provided a

literal high point of the day, with a
pair of inquisitive animals peering
over their paddock fence
and providing clean framing
opportunities against the sky.
Although shooting angles were
limited, getting close-up portraits
wasnt a problem. I struggled to get an
interesting shot, says Gareth. It was

an incredibly bright day, and the only

foreground available was a high fence,
which I didnt want to include in
my shots. I ended up with alot
of giraffe heads against white
backgrounds. Fortunately the
animals were keen to visit the
area we were shooting from, so
there were plenty of opportunities to
look for something a bit different.

e xper t opinion

Gareths image, cropped in this way, conveys the size of agiraffe: too big to
fit into asingle frame! The exposure is a little hot on the clouds, but theyre
mostly concealed by the animals. Would the image have worked even better if
the sharp giraffe was lower and slightly to the right?

Challenge 2 take a portrait in a walkthough enclosure

Derek Dav i s

AFTER a quick refuel we headed to

the walkthrough wallaby enclosure,
where you can get shots of the
animals without having to shoot
through wire or glass although
you still have to exclude fences,
paths and other visitors. Bythis
point in the day the temperature
had cooled a little, and there
was plenty of cloud cover to diffuse
the sunlight. As aresult, the animals
had perkedup which made it a little

trickier to capture a sharp shot.

The challenge with photographing
the wallabies was that the animals
were constantly on the move,
and they were in enclosures
that prevented a clear photo
opportunity, says Derek. This
meant having to be patient while
still being ready to take a photo
when the shot presented itself. This
wallaby presented itself in just the right
way to offer a nice shot, albeit briefly.

e xper t opinion

Derek has framed the wallaby well, with a leading line drawing us from the
bottom-left corner of the frame to its head. Derek has also kept an eye on the
detail, making sure the animals paws are visible above the branches. The pale
path competes for attention, but it does help the wallaby stand out.

Challenge 2 take a portrait in a walkthough enclosure

G are th Morr i s
MARWELLs leafy aviary tempted us
with the chance of close-up photos
of colourful subjects, with natural
backdrops to frame them against.
We didnt have it all our own
way: thicker cloud and extensive
foliage meant that light levels
were relatively low, making it
more challenging to get sharp
shots at the relatively slow maximum
apertures of Gareths and Dereks
lenses. The speed of the small birds

compounded the problem. I had to

increase my shutter speed and ISO
considerably to capture this image of a
weaver bird, explains Gareth. The
image ended up noisier than I
would have preferred, but I really
like this shot. The bright yellow
plumage of the bird contrasts
well against the green foliage,
andits bright red eye stands out. I also
like the way that Ive captured it just
before it takes flight.

e xper t opinion

Gareths done well to catch the moment the bird looks alert and ready for
action! The shots nicely framed, if alittle tightat the bottom. The image was
underexposed: brightening it at the processing stage has exacerbated the noise.

e
res t e a s y

A busy zoo isnt the best place to set up a tripod,

so take advantage of fences, walls and furniture to
stabilise a long lens; this means, though, that your
shooting position is restricted to where the best
support is, which may not offer the best backdrop or
lighting. To shoot without support, a stabilised lens
plus an ISO boost should be enough to improve your
chances of getting sharp hand-held results.

check the backGrounD

Zoos have lots of signs and fences, and other people

in the background, and these will draw the eye in a
photograph. You can turn this to your advantage and
take a documentary approach, purposely framing
a creature within its unnatural surroundings, but for
strong portraits look for clear backgrounds. Darker
backdrops tend to work better than bright ones, but
watch out forpatches of bright sky through trees.

shoot inG throuGh Gl a s s

Windows are preferable to chain-link fences for

viewing animals, but finding a section thats not
smeared or marked can be tricky. Get as close as
possible to minimise reflections use a folding
rubber lens hood which you can press against the
glass and choose a wide aperture to render marks
on the window out of focus.

try s oMe thinG Different

Always explore different angles to keep things

fresh. While the obvious view of the giraffes was a
head shot looking over the high fence, the narrow
gaps in the fence provided a framing device that
emphasised the animals height. The monochrome
shot, meanwhile, brings out texture.

SubScr ibe today and enjoy

Photogr aPhy week For
juS t 39 c /39 P an iSSue
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t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o m a g a z i n e
29 S ep t ember - 5 oc t ober

i S S ue 210

t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o m a g a z i n e
15-21 s ep t ember
22-28 S ep t ember

we find the best lenses

for shooting portraits

i s s ue 20 8

i S S ue 20 9

inspir at ion ide a s in-dep t h re v iews

t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o M a g a z i n e
8-14 s ep t ember

i s s ue 207

t h e w o r l d s b e s t-s e l l i n g d i g i t a l p h o t o m a g a z i n e
1-7 s ep t ember

i s s ue 20 6

inspir at ion ide a s in-dep th re v iewsread

inspir
our at ion
hands-on
review

ide a s in-dep th re v iews

inspir at ion ide a s in-dep t h re v iews

sea changes
c apture stunning coastal
l andsc apes at dawn and dusk

marital bliSS

itS not
too
late!
41 photo ideas for

perfect wedding photos in 10 classic shots

monochrome

ed isvs
k
r
a
M atne
gre
at
d upd
eos 5 er?
nons hang
is C aa gaMe-C

the end of summer

masters

shoot gritty black & white portraits

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XPOSURE
The weeks mosT inspiring reader phoTos

Caerfanell river

Jeff Morgan
This is a false colour infrared image of the Caerfanell river in abercynafon, Wales,
captured using an infrared-modified Panasonic lumix GX7. i would highly recommend
this valley to anyone interested in landscape photography, as apart from the stunning
landscape there are also two fantastic reservoirs and some awesome waterfalls.
http://tiny.cc/ywt8ey

The weeks mosT inspiring reader phoTos

Parallel lines

DaviD Hopley
Davids image takes on both a sense of drama and
anabstract quality thanks to the compostion and the
perspective enabled by the drone-mounted camera.
http://tiny.cc/u038ey

selsey lifeboaT sTaTion

yuriy Marutyak
yuriys long exposure has blurred the
sky and sea into a single mist-like
entity, leaving the lifeboat station
seemingly marooned in nothingness.
http://tiny.cc/a538ey

The weeks mosT inspiring reader phoTos

Color in moTion

Jeff Harris
i shot this at the lewiston Peach festival in upstate
new york. it was a test to see if i could hand-hold the
camera for a long exposure instead of using a tripod.
http://tiny.cc/oo48ey

brume

george JoHnson
This was taken in bushey Park, surrey, close to Hampton
Court. The outlying london royal parks are a landscapers
dream during the autumn months, and i spend most of my
free time shooting there in the lead-up to winter.
http://tiny.cc/ay48ey

The weeks mosT inspiring reader phoTos

Green Heron fleDGlinG

Don WHite
Dons image is nicely framed, and
captures the innocence and vulnerability
of the young bird.
http://tiny.cc/riqbfy

foG Days

Joo Dias
This was taken from the mosteiro da
serra do Pilar viewing point in the vila
nova de Gaia district of Porto. in the
background is a fog-shrouded bridge
over the river Douro, a common sight
here at the end of the summer.
http://tiny.cc/pa58ey

The weeks mosT inspiring reader phoTos

Canary WHarf aPProaCH

tiMotHy parry
This shot was taken on a grey september
morning in east london, from the front of
a Docklands light railway train heading
towards Canary Wharf station.
http://tiny.cc/dx58ey

PHoToGraPHy Week WanTs your PHoTos!

facebook
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Taken a portrait youre particularly proud of? shot a sensational sunset youd like to
show off? Then join the Photography Week facebook community and share your best
photos today! youll get feedback from fellow readers and the Photography Week
team, plus the chance to appear in Xposure, or even on our cover!

I T S C O O L , T H AT
Image Yan Liang

The besT Thing we ve seen This week

Macro tiMelapse Makes

cheMistry crystal clear
Captivating video shows nature working its magic within droplets of water
f youre looking for ways to
inspire students and the
widerpublic to get interested
inchemistry, you couldnt do much
better than this stunning macro
timelapse video, which shows the
chemical process of crystallization in
allits microscopic beauty.
The video was created by Yan Liang,
the man behind the Beauty of Science
project, which aims to produce engaging
science content for educational use. The
timelapse shows droplets of aqueous

solutions containing various inorganic salts,

including table salt and sodium sulfate;
asthe water evaporates the salts begin
tocrystallize, creating elaborate patterns
which were captured using a Sony A7R II
fitted with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L
macro lens. As Liang says: A single droplet
contains the wonders of nature.
Click the link to watch the video, and
visit PetaPixel (http://tiny.cc/mifafy) to
read more about how the video was made.
You can learn more about Beauty of
Science at (http://tiny.cc/pmfafy).

w at ch t he v ideo
h t t p: // t iny. cc /e t j 8 ey

ON SALE NOW

162
PAGE
GUIDE

Essential seasonal advice on shooting landscapes and

wildlife from the experts at Digital Camera magazine.
www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/photography/outdoor-photo

crash course
ESSENTIAL PHOTO SKILLS MADE EASY

Fall For
autumn
Claire Gillo and James
Paterson show you how
to capture autumn in all
its multicoloured glory
autumn is one of the best
times of year to get outdoors
with your camera. The way
a day
the leaves change colour
alters the scenery day by day, providing
you with plenty of opportunities to get
out and capture some terrific images.
autumn really is nature at its best
particularly on a sunny day when
the light is warm and the colours are
enhanced even more.
shooting autumn isnt all about
getting the classic wide-angle shot,
however. You can also take a creative
approach to your subjects and
capture more original images that still
manage to encapsulate the season.
From getting in close and isolating a
single leaf to shooting fun portraits
by throwing leaves into the air, we
have it all covered here. By the end of
this tutorial youll be fully inspired to
capture autumn from every angle!

1/2

Kit considerations
You dont even need any special kit to
get great results on your autumn shoot
you can try out most of these ideas
using just your DsLr or csc and kit
lens, although a macro lens will come
in handy, as will a reflector for bouncing
light back onto subjects.
For our autumn shoot we headed
to Westonbirt arboretum in Wiltshire,
england, as it has a fantastic range of
trees to admire any location with lots
of colourful trees will serve just as well.

STEP bY STEP SIx SEASONAL SENSATIONS

Singled out

You dont always have to capture a

whole forest of trees, or even a whole
tree. You can get equally spectacular
results by getting in close and isolating
a single leaf. Look for plain backgrounds
or very dark shadows behind your leaf to
frame it. If the weather is windy you may
struggle to capture anything decent on
location due to the branches darting
back and forth if this is the case, take
some fallen leaves home and capture a
creative still-life setup.

Backlit Beauty

as autumn kicks in and the daylight

hours get shorter, youll find the midday
sun is softer, and better for photography,
than the summer sun. Backlighting is
pretty much as it sounds: stand behind
your subject and shoot into the sun, or
with it to the side, so it illuminates your
subject (safety note: never look at the
sun through your viewfinder). autumn
leaves make ideal subjects to backlight
to get the best results, spent some
time searching for the most colourful
leaves that are in good condition, and
try to avoid any unwanted clutter in the
frame. use a wide aperture to capture a
soft, dappled effect in the background.

Selective colour

Many cameras have a selective colour

filter. To use this, activate it in the menu
(its in the effects menu on the Nikon
DsLr were using here), switch on
Live View, then select a colour from
the scene. The image will then turn
black-and-white, leaving just that range
of colours you can pick up to three
colours. Note that when you use this
feature youll have less control over the
camera settings, so its best to try it out
in good light.

STEP bY STEP SIx SEASONAL SENSATIONS

magical macro

autumn is the perfect time of year to

perfect your macro skills with shots
of fungi. a macro lens is useful in this
respect, though not essential. use a
narrow aperture (such as f/11) to keep as
much detail as possible sharp.
If your shutter speed is too slow to
shoot handheld, lay your camera on the
ground and your camera bag or a rolledup jacket to support it.

Portrait Fun

For a fun seasonal portrait, get your

subject to throw a handful of leaves into
the air just before you shoot. Youll need
to think about your shutter speed here,
as there will be movement in the frame;
if you want to capture some motion
blur in the leaves as they fall, set it to
around 1/80 sec. To add more light and
a touch of warmth, use the gold side of a
reflector to illuminate your subject.

autumn aBStract

To get a zoom burst effect youll need

to use a lens with a variable focal length.
select shutter-priority mode, and set a
shutter speed of around 1/15 sec. Point
your camera towards the top branches
and, as you press the shutter release,
twist the barrel of the lens from the
widest focal length to the shortest. It
helps if you have a clear blue sky to
frame the colourful leaves.

r aw i n p h oto s h o p
LEARN ESSENTIAL EDITING SKILLS FAST!
before

W at cH t He v iDeo
h t t p : // t i n y. c c /u x4 2e y

HoW to...

create stunning mono conversions

Produce contrast-packed images using Camera Raws Grayscale Mix sliders
efore the days of digital
cameras and software editing,
photographers would attach
different-coloured filters to their lens
when shooting with black-and-white
film to lighten or darken the greyscale
tones corresponding to particular
colours in the scene. For example, a red
filter would darken the blue tones in
skies, enhancing contrast by causing

white clouds to stand out more clearly.

You can create a black-and-white
version of a scene in Camera raw by
simply dragging the Basic panels
saturation slider down to 0. however,
while this will remove all of the colour
information, youll probably end up with
an indistinct wash of greyscale tones.
adobe Camera raws Convert to
grayscale panel enables you to mimic

the traditional colour filter technique by

lightening or darkening specific colours.
in this video lesson well show you how
to remove a shots distracting colour
information, and then adjust thecolour
sliders to create contrast by lightening
or darkening specific elements, so
thatyou can produce custom mono
conversions that highlight specific
shapes and textures in a scene.

WANT To LeArN hoW To use rAW iN phoToshop fAsTer? GeT The WhoLe course NoW!
if you dont want to wait a whole year to learn how to use raw in Photoshop, you can download our whole
course from the Photography Week app for just $9.99/7.99. Well be including one part of the course every
week until the end of the year in the magazine, so the choice is yours: wait and take the course for free, or
buyit now and learn faster, with all the videos in one place!
http://tiny.cc/1e4hox

h e ad to h e ad
ExpErt opinion on thE l atEst kit

C anon 7D Mk II
vs nIkon D500
We compare the top-end APS-C DSLRs from the big two manufacturers
or absolutely ages, Canon was
the only company to offer a
really high-end aPS-C format
dSLR that was designed to appeal to
dedicated enthusiast photographers,
or to pros who wanted a lighter body
with a smaller sensor to give their
lenses extra reach. thats changed
recently, however, with the introduction
of the Nikon d500, which means that
the Canon 7d Mark II now has a direct

competitor. our mission here is to see

how the two cameras measure up
Features
although the 7d Mark II dates from
September 2014, it has a very similar
pixel count to the recently launched
d500; were talking 20.2 million versus
20.9 million respectively. the d500
doesnt have an optical low-pass filter,
which could give it a slight edge for

detail resolution, albeit at the cost of

agreater risk of moire patterning.
Sports and action photography
is important to the 7d Mark II and
d500s target market. accordingly,
both cameras have high-spec
autofocus systems with lots of aF
points. Nikon has been especially
generous in giving the D500 a153-point
system, although only 55 ofthose are
individually selectable; the other 98

CaNoN 7d Mk II VS NIkoN d500

whIle The 7D Mark II

has More seleCTable
AFpoints, the D500 hAs
a More sensITIve
foCusIng sysTeM
are support points. Of the 153 points,
99 are the more sensitive cross-type,
and 15 of them function with lens
and teleconverter combinations with
maximum apertures as small asf/8.
Ofthe 55 selectable points, 35 are
cross-type, with nine sensitive down
tof/8. Nikon claims the focusing system
is sensitive down to -4EV.
Meanwhile, the Canon 7d Mark II
has65 AF points, which are all userselectable and cross-type. the centre
point is a more accurate dual-cross
type when its used with a lens that has
a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or larger.
With smaller aperture lenses from f/2.8
to f/8, it reverts to a cross-type sensor.
the system is claimed to be sensitive
down to -3EV.
all this indicates that while the 7d
Mark II has more selectable points, the
d500 has a more sensitive focusing
system, with more aF points that
function when teleconverters are used.
When continuous autofocus mode

The screen is one area where the Canon 7D Mark II loses out to the 500D. The 7D Mark IIs screen
is a little smaller and less sharp, and unlike the 500Ds it doesnt tilt, and isnt a touchscreen

is selected, both cameras offer options

that allow you to set a starting aF point
and use the surrounding points to track
the subject if it strays away from the
initial point. on paper, Canon would
seem to give more precision here, with
the option to restrict the alternative
AF points tojust the four immediately

the D500s screen is mounted ona tilting bracket, which enables it to betipped up or down for
easierviewing when shooting landscape-format images from below or above head height

adjacent totheselected point (giving

a cross arrangement of five points);
but Nikons 25-point dynamic option
actually only adds the four diagonally
adjacent selectable points to create a
3x3 square ofpoints, along with 16-nonselectable points that fall between.
there are also Zone focusing options
that give broad coverage when you only
have a rough idea of where the subject
will be in the frame, and an automatic
selection option.
burst rates compared
a high shooting rate is also useful when
youre shooting sport. despite its more
advanced age, the 7d Mark II matches
the d500 here, with both cameras able
to shoot at up to 10 frames per second
with full autofocus and metering
functions. the d500 can shoot at
this rate for up to 200 14-bit lossless
compressed raw files, however, while
the 7D II can only shoot 31 raw files. If
youre willing to forgo raw files on the
7D II, you can shoot up to 1,090 JPEGs in
a single burst. Swings and roundabouts
spring to mind.
Low-light performance is a key area
for the Nikon d500: it has a standard
sensitivity range of ISO 100-51,200.
there are also five expansion settings
that give a maximum equivalent setting

CaNoN 7d Mk II VS NIkoN d500

of ISO 1,640,000 an incredibly high
figure that beats all other aPS-C format
SLRs. In comparison, the 7d Mark IIs
native sensitivity range is ISO 100 to
16,000. The two expansion settings give
a maximum value of ISO 51,200 the
d500s top native setting.
Its possible to shoot Full hd video
with both cameras, although only
the D500 has 4K capability. Thats a
major plus forthe Nikon camera but
focusing in Video or Live View modes
relies solely oncontrast detection,
whereas the Canoncamera has faster
Dual-Pixel AFtechnology, which
incorporates phase-detection focusing.
one disappointment with the 7d
MarkII is that it doesnt have Wi-Fi
connectivity built-in. (There is a GPS
unit, though.) Nikon, however, used
the d500 to introduce SnapBridge,
a Wi-Fi system that uses low-power

its possible to
shootFull hD viDeo
wITh boTh CaMeras,
alThough only The D500
hAs 4K CApAbility

IMage Tes T
Canon

nIkon

Autofocus While the Canon 7D Mark iis autofocus system is extremely capable, the D500s is a little
faster, and does a really superb job of tracking fast-moving subjects.

Canon

nIkon

ExposurE neither camera struggled with the exposure of this bright, colourful scene, but thenikon
D500 has reproduced the reds more accurately at its default settings.

Canon

nIkon

Bluetooth communication to maintain

a connection between a paired camera
and a smart device at all times. It can
also be set to allow 2MP images to be
transferred automatically to the photo
or tablet even if the camera is turned
off. the SnapBridge app is available for
both android and ioS.
build and handling
the two cameras arent a million miles
apart in terms of size and shape; the
d500 is just a shade beefier-looking,
although aglance at the spec sheets
confirms that its 150g lighter. This
weight difference doesnt reflect in the
feel of the camera: it seems every bit
as tough as the 7d Mark II. Both models
have weatherproof and dustproof seals.
the control layouts follow the familiar
Canon and Nikon patterns. the 7d Mark
II has a dedicated mode dial on the left
of the top-plate, and the d500 has a
button that must be used in conjunction
with the rear Command dial to set the
exposure mode. the d500 has a dial for

NoisE noise isnt really an issue for either camera at settings such as iso 6,400: these images have
good detail, with only a faint texture visible, at 100%.

Canon

nIkon

MoNochroME if you turn the contrast up to maximum you can get some nice black-and-white images
in-camera from both the 7D Mark ii and the D500. the detail in these shots is also impressive.

CaNoN 7d Mk II VS NIkoN d500

setting the drive mode on the left of the
top-plate while the 7d Mark II uses a
button along with the Quick Control dial
to set the same feature.
a key difference between the two
cameras is that while the 7d IIs screen
isfixed, the D500s screen is mounted
ona tilting bracket, which enables it
to betipped up or down for easier
viewing when shooting landscapeformat images from below or above
head-height. Its especially useful to
videographers, who need to use the
screen for composing scenes. the
bracket is nice and solid, and seems set
to work well for a long time.
At 3.2 inches, the D500s screen
is also 0.2 inches bigger across the
diagonal than the 7d Mark IIs. Perhaps
more significant to the handling,
however, is the fact that the d500s
screen is touch-sensitive. Unfortunately
its not possible to select settings or
navigate the menu by tapping on the
screen, but it is very useful for setting
the aF point when youre shooting in

The Canon 7D Mark II has a dedicated mode

dial on the left of the top-plate

the control layouts follow

the familiar Canon and
nikon patterns. The D500
has a dial for setting the
drive mode on the left of
the top-plate

Live View or Video mode. You can also

scroll through imageswith a swipe, and
zoom in withadouble-tap to check the
sharpness of your shots.
Sticking with the screen, with
2,359,000 dots rather than 1,040,000
dots, the Nikon monitor provides a
sharper, more detailed view than
the Canon screen. this is especially
noticeable when you zoom in to check
focus and sharpness.
as you might expect, the viewfinders
provide a similar view;
both are large and
bright. When youre
shooting, youll spot
that the Nikon
cameras aF
points extend
slightly further
towards the
edges of the
frame. Its most
noticeable
in the vertical
distribution.
Both cameras have
a dedicated control for
setting the aF point. on the 7d Mark II
you have to press a button before the
focus point can be changed viathe

joystick-like controller, but theres an

option in the menu that enables you
todo it directly. There are a couple of
frustrations with the Canons control,
however. You need to half-press the
shutter release to wake the aF system
and enable the point to be moved;
you then have to nudge and release
repeatedly to move from point to point
you cant just push and hold the stick to
jump through several points. Nikon has
got these two issues cracked, on the
otherhand.
perFormance
In our resolution tests we found that,
lthough the two cameras have a similar
pixel count, the d500 is able to resolve
just a little more detail throughout
much of the sensitivity range. It doesnt
consistently beat the 7d Mark II, but it
has a slight edge that we can attribute
to the lack of an optical low-pass filter.
examining images taken throughout
the sensitivity range reveals that noise
levels from the two cameras are very
similar, even at the Canon 7d Mark
IIs top expansion setting (ISO 51,200).
this suggests to us that, rather than
making a major breakthrough with
noise control, Nikon has pushed the

CaNoN 7d Mk II VS NIkoN d500

boundaries to allow photographers to
make their owndecisions about what
isacceptableimage quality in any
givenshooting situation. Indeed, the
d500s uppermost settings produce
terrible results: in low light youll
struggle to recognise the subject
atHi05(ISO 1,640,000).
the Canon 7d Mark IIs autofocus
system is very good: it gets moving
subjects sharp quickly and can keep
them in focus in many situations. the
d500s is just a shade nippier, though,
and needs very little contrast to
operate. It also latches onto subjects
quicker, and I found that I got a slightly
higher hit rate with it.
Switch to Live View or Video mode,
however, and the Canon 7d Mark IIs

The Canon 7D Mark IIs

auTofoCus sysTeM Is
very gooD; The D500s
Is jusT a shaDe
nippier, though
dual Pixel aF technology comes into
play, resulting in much smoother,
faster aF adjustment than the d500s
contrast-detection system can manage.
While experienced videographers will
still want to focus manually, you can get
away with autofocusing while shooting
video with the 7D II but you really
cant with the d500.
When using the general-purpose
Evaluative (Canon) and Matrix (Nikon)
metering systems during this test, we
found that there were a few occasions
when a little exposure compensation
was required, sometimes by one
camera, sometimes byboth. It was
never excessive with either camera,
although the d500 copes especially
well with bright subjects.
the d500s auto white balance
system tends to produce neutral to
cold results, while the 7d Mark IIs errs
more on the side of warmth. Neither is
objectionable, and theres little in it, but
when images from both cameras asre
viewed alongside each other, I suspect
that most people may slightly prefer the
results from the Canon.
angela nicholson

verDIC T
he Canon 7d Mark II is an
excellent camera that has
stood the test of time well,
and its image quality is close to that
of the Nikon d500. however, the d500
benefits from a little finessing that
has been brought about by recent
developments. the autofocusing
system is superb, and the whole
camera just feels a little more

responsive than the Canon, while

thenew SnapBridge technology is
a boon to anyone who likes to share
images on a frequent basis.
Its a shame Nikon hasnt put more
effort into improving the Live View
and Video autofocus system in the
d500, as the tilting touch-sensitive
screen is a great partner for the 4K
video recording capability.

Canon 7D Mk II
1,179/$1,599

nikon D500
1,729/$1,997

www.canon.co.uk

www.nikon.co.uk

iMAgE sENsor 20.2Mp CMos sENsor

sizE 22.5 x 15.0MM Aps-C (1.6x) MAx
iMAgE sizE 5,472 x 3,648 iMAgE
procEssor DigiC 6 Low-pAss fiLtEr
yes LENs MouNt CAnon eF-s iso
rANgE (ExpANdEd) iso 100-16,000
(51,200) Autofocus poiNts 65 (All
Cross-type) MAx burst rAtE 10Fps
iMAgE stAbiLisAtioN vIa lens VidEo
MAx rEsoLutioN 1080p, 30/25/24Fps
Lcd scrEEN 3-inCh, 1,040K-Dot, FixeD
Clear vIew II TfT lCD MEMory Cf
(uDMA 7) AnD sD/sDhC/sDxC uhs-i
iNtErfAcE usb 3.0, hDMi, MiC,
heADphone body (w x h x d) 149 x
112 x 78MM wEight 910g (boDy only)
bAttEry LifE (cipA) 670 shots

iMAgE sENsor 20.9Mp CMos sENsor

sizE 23.5 x 15.7MM Aps-C (1.5x) MAx
iMAgE sizE 5,568 x 3,712 iMAgE
procEssor expeeD 5 Low-pAss
fiLtEr no LENs MouNt nIkon f DX
iso rANgE (ExpANdEd) iso 100-51,200
(1,640,000) Autofocus poiNts 153 (99
Cross-type) MAx burst rAtE 10Fps
iMAgE stAbiLisAtioN vIa lens VidEo
MAx rEsoLutioN 4K uhD (3,840 x
2,160), 25/24Fps Lcd scrEEN 3.2 inCh,
2359 K-Dot touCh-sensitive tFt
lCD MEMory xQD AnD sD/sDhC/sDxC
uhs-ii iNtErfAcE usb 3.0, hDMi, MiC,
heADphone body (w x h x d) 147 x
115 x 81MM wEight 760g (boDy only)
bAttEry LifE (cipA) 1,240 shots

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