I've had several Nikon DX bodies, this one is a game changer

Nikon's D500 which was announced in early January at the same time as the D5 , is the long-awaited successor to the D300s and the new flagship in Nikon's DX line-up. Because they share so many features, the D500 can be seen as a mini D5.

It's been almost seven years since Nikon's previous flagship DX-format camera was released, and it's fair to say an update was more than overdue. Those who have been waiting for a top-spec semi-pro DSLR will not be disappointed, as the D500 delivers on every front.

Back in 2007, Nikon unleashed a pair of DSLRs that revitalised its line-up and re-established the company as being at least on a par with its rival Canon. The professional-level D3 was its first full-frame model, with super-fast shooting and an impressive 51-point AF system.

Remarkable autofocus system; Excellent build quality and handling; Fine image quality at both low and high ISO settings

Large and heavy compared to APS-C peers; Much less capable when used in live view; SnapBridge connectivity doesn't work well (yet

When looking at the Nikon D500, you might expect it to be a much more expensive camera. It has great performance speeds, plenty of manual control dials, a high resolution tiltable LCD that has touch capabilities, and a high quality viewfinder.

Contains many features you'd expect to find on a more expensive DSLR; High ISO performance is outstanding versus others in this price range; Image quality is very good across a range of photographic conditions; Camera's performance is very fast in Viewfinder mode; Plenty of dials and buttons for...

APS-C sized image sensor can't quite match full frame sensors in image quality; D500 carries a high price tag versus other intermediate DSLRs; No built-in flash unit; Menu interface needs to be upgraded and be more graphical to take advantage of touch screen; Performance slows quite a bit in Live...

Nikon's D500 is the best enthusiast DSLR ever built.

Amazing autofocus system; Excellent stills; very good 4K quality; ISO 1,640,000 max setting; Supports fast XQD storage format; Bluetooth pairing

Video AF could use more finesse

Outstanding quality across the board, the Nikon D500 is fast, feature-packed and takes beautiful photos.

Outstanding quality across the board, the Nikon D500 is fast, feature-packed and takes beautiful photos.

The D500 marks Nikon's welcome return to the high-end APSC DSLR market. It's been a considerable six and a half years since its predecessor the D300s, leading many to believe Nikon had abandoned this category, conceding it to Canon's EOS 7D series.

Very good quality images from 20 Megapixel APSC sensor; 153-point AF system with very broad coverage and auto fine-tuning; 10fps shooting with deep buffer; especially with XQD cards; Large; bright viewfinder with LCD overlays; Tough weatherproof body; Superb controls including AF joystick and...

Poor movie autofocus; no focus peaking; no 1080 above 60p; Very basic smartphone remote control; SnapBridge bottleneck when shooting bursts or copying 20MP images; 4k video involves a tight 1.5x crop – a total field reduction of 2.25x; No truly silent shooting; Expensive if you don't need top-end...

This may be the best DSLR for all around use. There is no upgrade from this camera.