D500 General Discussion Thread

manhattanboy

Nikon NPS D500 tips page is here:
http://nps.nikonimaging.com/technical_solutions/d500_tips/useful/

Michael

According to the manual and the TIPs pages (e.g., http://nps.nikonimaging.com/technical_solutions/d500_tips/af/focus_points/ ), which focus points are cross-type sensors and which are line sensors varies depending on the lens used. I obviously don't understand something here, since I though the focus point type (cross or line) is hardware in the camera. Can anyone explain to me why it would vary by lens? My only speculation is that some lenses have soft areas, and Nikon is mapping out the use of cross sensors in the soft areas to avoid complaints.

rmp

Anyone having battery problems?

Michael

Before too many people post battery problems, remember that amount of charge, and amount of charge being reported, are two different things. Modern smart batteries often need to be calibrated, which happens automatically but can take a few discharge-recharge cycles. So I recommend those that are worried run their batteries down to zero or so, under "normal use", then do a full recharge, and repeat, before being worried.

Also keep in mind that like the estimated number frames that can be written to the memory card, Nikon may be being very conservative in estimated remaining battery. When I reformat a card in my D7100 it says I can take 597 frames, but I know I can take at least 1000 on one card. Nikon may be basing the reported battery value on a worst-case analysis of what you might do with the camera from now until zero battery.

So let the system calibrate itself, then see how long it really lasts (and what it reports along the way).

PB_PM

Michael said:

According to the manual and the TIPs pages (e.g., http://nps.nikonimaging.com/technical_solutions/d500_tips/af/focus_points/ ), which focus points are cross-type sensors and which are line sensors varies depending on the lens used. I obviously don't understand something here, since I though the focus point type (cross or line) is hardware in the camera. Can anyone explain to me why it would vary by lens? My only speculation is that some lenses have soft areas, and Nikon is mapping out the use of cross sensors in the soft areas to avoid complaints.

It's all about light. Lenses with wider apertures likely enable cross type on more sensors. When using smaller aperture lenses (F4-5.6 maybe?) it likely switches due to light loss closer to the edge of the frame.

manhattanboy

PB_PM said:

Michael said:

According to the manual and the TIPs pages (e.g., http://nps.nikonimaging.com/technical_solutions/d500_tips/af/focus_points/ ), which focus points are cross-type sensors and which are line sensors varies depending on the lens used. I obviously don't understand something here, since I though the focus point type (cross or line) is hardware in the camera. Can anyone explain to me why it would vary by lens? My only speculation is that some lenses have soft areas, and Nikon is mapping out the use of cross sensors in the soft areas to avoid complaints.

It's all about light. Lenses with wider apertures likely enable cross type on more sensors. When using smaller aperture lenses (F4-5.6 maybe?) it likely switches due to light loss closer to the edge of the frame.

Its possible that Nikon programmed these restrictions into the camera based off of testing of AF efficiency of given lenses, otherwise they may still "work" just not great given the high angle of light required. If I had to purely speculate, perhaps leaving them "active" with such lenses lead to errors in the AF tracking module, thus per a given lens the camera is programmed to only use certain AF sensors. This may also explain why certain lenses may seem arbitrarily worse on the D500 versus older cameras that may not have AF restrictions (e.g. the 7200 with the supertele Sigmas).

Msmoto

Having seen and handled DonaldJose's D500....think I may need to get one. Lots of nice things about this body which appeals to the elderly.....LOL

spraynpray

'Msmoto: Yeah, a new body would be nice for the elderly!

rmp

My D500 focuses so fast, it never seems unfocused. Maybe my eyes are just elderly.

Msmoto

Rmp....how is the noise at high ISO....or is this what we are going to check out sometime soon?....

NSXTypeR

Michael said:

Also keep in mind that like the estimated number frames that can be written to the memory card, Nikon may be being very conservative in estimated remaining battery. When I reformat a card in my D7100 it says I can take 597 frames, but I know I can take at least 1000 on one card. Nikon may be basing the reported battery value on a worst-case analysis of what you might do with the camera from now until zero battery.

So let the system calibrate itself, then see how long it really lasts (and what it reports along the way).

Any sort of frame count for the battery is an estimate. The camera can't tell if you're planning to shoot sports or 4K video for the next hour. Or leave the back LCD on for the next day.

rmp

So far, I have not played with the high ISO. My sample shots so far have been focused in how much of an enlargement I could make, and a 4 ft. by 6 ft. is doable with ISO of 800.

fiziks

Regarding the battery, apparently in-camera the clock battery is rechargeable and is charged from the removable en-el15 battery the first time you put it in. Members on dpreview are reporting that after the first couple of battery charges, they are getting a decent number of shots.

Some 3rd party batteries do appear to have issues, however, Thom Hogan has a blog on battery issues. Thom is also covering an issue with certain Lexar SD cards on the D500.

My D500 is on backorder, which I expected. Hopefully the next batch arrives soon.

heartyfisher

I put my D610 in to Nikon Sydney for a sensor clean .. while I was there, I asked about the D500 expected arrival in Australia. He said they are expecting it in a month ...

Golf007sd

I can say with great confidence, that the D500 is an outstanding body. Thanks DonaldJose for lets me play with it. If I was looking for a new body, the D500 would be it...period.

donaldejose

I would say the D500 makes a nice DX companion to a D4 or D5 primary body. I saw the new Sigma 50-100 f1.8 art lens at the St. Augustine Foto Fest. Looks really nice. I am going to look for some lenses to complement a D500 body.

Sports

heartyfisher said:

... I asked about the D500 expected arrival in Australia. He said they are expecting it in a month ...

Got a mail last week from Nikon that the D500 was now in the shops in Denmark. Cool, except that ... it wasn't. Shops are still unable to tell me, when they'll get them. Some still don't even take orders, only pre-orders. With a body only price tag of $2800, I need to save up a few more months anyway, so no harm done, really ....

Msmoto

I am thinking the D500 at present does not offer to me any real advantage over my D4, other than it is smaller, lighter, and when combined with a small lens could be very nice.

At the Birding and Foto Fest in St Augustine I looked at the Sigma lenses, also at the Panasonic DMC-LX7. Very nicer, but exceptionally slow to focus (relative to my D4 or D800E), and in researching it has lots of noise at high ISO.

Thus, I will shoot the D4 this season, along with the D800E, and see what Nikon has to offer later in the year in a mirrorless which accepts my Nikkors....

DaveyJ

How can a mirror less be pointed in the right direction and the photo composed well enough when it has an LCD which you can barely see in bright light? Of all people Msmoto who is exceptional at race photos might wonder about this. But focus speed of the rig is truly one of the keys to good cinema photography. Few of have a whole team to task to things like focus pulling, etc., so maybe mirrorless has distinct advantages SOME day. For now I am guessing that the D500 will have a productive home here at our farm!

rmp

I agree with MSmoto, a D500 is not a replacement for a D4 or a D800. But, as a travel camera, small and light is good. Besides, a man (boy?) cannot have too many toys.

Ironheart

@DaveyJ A serious mirrorless has an EVF eyepiece and will work just fine in bright light.

donaldejose

The D500 "when combined with a small lens could be very nice." Agreed. If you are going to put a 24-70 f2.8 or a 70-200 f2.8 on a D500 body you do lose one of the advantages of DX. Thus, in Florida I was mostly shooting with a much lighter and still very sharp 70-200 f4 mounted on my D500. I would also suggest the 85mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 40mm f2.8 DX macro (sharper than the 35mm f1.8 DX lens), and 16-80. The 16-80 (which I do not have) along with the 70-200 f4 may make a good two lens travel kit (you have coverage from an FX equivalent of 24mm to 300mm. Heavier choices would include the Sigma Art 18-35 f1.8 and 50-100 f1.8 (I just question if you really need f1.8 when the D500 has good high ISO ability). However, if you are shooting weddings and other events in low light interiors perhaps f1.4 and f1.8 are needed.

Ironheart

The 16-80 paired with the D500 is a well-balanced tool. Other than for creative purposes, f1.4 is dead to me, and f1.8 is dying. The ISO capability, and the near ISO-invariant properties of the D5/D500 mean that there is almost no difference between shooting at ISO 100 and ISO 6400. Good riddance to that shallow DOF anyway

My perfect pair is the 16-80 and the 70-300. I'm waiting to see the MTF on the new 70-300 before deciding between that and the 70-200 f/4. However I'm extremely happy with the combo I have currently.

manhattanboy

Ironheart said:

The 16-80 paired with the D500 is a well-balanced tool. Other than for creative purposes, f1.4 is dead to me, and f1.8 is dying. The ISO capability, and the near ISO-invariant properties of the D5/D500 mean that there is almost no difference between shooting at ISO 100 and ISO 6400. Good riddance to that shallow DOF anyway

My perfect pair is the 16-80 and the 70-300. I'm waiting to see the MTF on the new 70-300 before deciding between that and the 70-200 f/4. However I'm extremely happy with the combo I have currently.

Remember that the D500 requires f4 for all cross types to work. The variable zoom is going to be limited to the center columns only for cross types at a distance. This is probably one of the main reasons I will shoot the 70-200f4 and use the prime 300f4 if I need reach.

Msmoto said:

I am thinking the D500 at present does not offer to me any real advantage over my D4, other than it is smaller, lighter, and when combined with a small lens could be very nice.

Thus, I will shoot the D4 this season, along with the D800E, and see what Nikon has to offer later in the year in a mirrorless which accepts my Nikkors....

Fingers crossed Nikon does not do something stupid like introduce a new mount for their mirrorless camera. Nikon has done some stupid things recently so I am genuinely concerned.
If you have superteles at f4 or brighter, the D500 may be worth the switch to get cross type AF coverage across the whole frame. If not, then keep enjoying the D4.

Paperman

Ironheart said:

........ that there is almost no difference between shooting at ISO 100 and ISO 6400........

C'mon Ironheart ....Seriously