After 6 years neglecting the power APS-C action photographer, Nikon released the mostly impressive D500 dSLR, the little sister to the pro full-frame D5. With the same autofocus and metering systems as that model, a high-sensitivity 20.9-megapixel CMOS sensor, a large tilting touchscreen and 4K video, it hits most of the essential targets for a camera in its class. Only a couple of flaws knock it slightly off course.

There's tons to like about the Nikon D500, from its fast shooting and excellent image quality to its broad feature set and streamlined design. But it still falls short with its Live View autofocus and seriously subpar wireless file transfer and shooting operation.

The Nikon D500 is fast with excellent continuous-shooting and autofocus performance; its 4K video support is a welcome novelty for its dSLR price class and; of course; there's the great photo quality.

Terrible wireless file-transfer and remote-control app; and its Live View (contrast) autofocus could use a boost.

The Nikon D500 is the best APS-C sensor DSLR camera in the present camera industry. It provides very good ISO performance, colours, sharpness and is a very fast shooter. If you are bridging the gap between professional and enthusiast levels of photography, the Nikon D500 is the next big buy you...

Excellent ISO performance; Fast; accurate autofocus; Bright; vibrant colours; 10fps continuous shooting is great for professional sports photography; Wide variety of connectivity options

Somewhat bulky; Battery life keeps dropping

Auto focus for still photography

Lack of focus guidance when shooting video

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...

The wait for a modern, pro-grade, APS-C Nikon camera is over. The D500 ($1,995.95, body only) is the replacement for the ancient D300S , and as you'd expect with a seven-year increment between releases, the D500 ups the ante considerably.

Solid build; Advanced, edge-to-edge autofocus system; 10fps capture with tracking focus; Large buffer for extended shooting; Superb high ISO image quality; Clean HDMI output; Excellent control layout; Tilting touch-screen LCD; Dust- and weather-resistant design; XQD and SD card slots

Snapbridge wireless transfer needs some work; 4K video is cropped; Omits built-in flash

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

Nikon fans have been waiting years for a follow-up to the much-loved D300S , and now it's here – the Nikon D500. This camera sits at the top of the APS-C tree for Nikon, and while for some photographers full-frame is the ultimate aspiration, there are plus sides to a crop sensor.

100% optical viewfinder; Tilting screen; Enthusiast-centric controls; Dual memory card slots

APS-C format sensor; Screen not articulating

The Nikon D500 goes head-to-head with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II , and offers 10fps continuous shooting, an updated and rapid focus system with excellent frame coverage, as well as 4K video.

Excellent noise performance - best in class; Improved white balance performance; and settings; High resolution tilting touch-screen; Dual-axis electronic level; 100%; 1.0x magnification viewfinder; Quick live view shutter response; 153 focus points; 99 cross-type; 10fps continuous shooting and rapid...

Photo shooting menu bank / custom settings may not be to everyone's preference; Remote shooting app could do with some better controls; Limited touch-screen controls; Lacks built-in flash; Price

For a long time the top slot in Nikon's APS-C (DX) format DSLR line-up was occupied by the popular D300S , but that camera dates from 2009 and production ceased ages ago, leaving a vacancy that Nikon photographers have been wanting to see filled for years.

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.