D500 General Discussion Thread

Photobug

Really good video on cropping a full frame camera to the APC crop size.


Is comparisons were the D5 against the D500 and D810 against the D500. It's well worth the time to watch the 8 minute video.

DaveyJ

Thanks Photobug! A very good video. To,our outfit....the DX cameras have the edge due to working in the field. The cost, size, weight, and other situations give the nod to DX. DSLR Nikons. My favorite camera is the F500 and the 16-80 mm lens. Obviously if I am shooting wildlife photos I switch to tele lens. Although I admit I typically leave my zoom teles on the D7200. I prefer not to switch lens in the field.

Photobug

Your welcome DaveyJ. Know what you mean. We just returned from 12 days in Grand Tetons and Yellowstone NP. The 24-70 F2.8 was on the D750 90% of the time with the 70-200 making an occasional appearance. The 70-200 was on the D7100 40% of the time and the 200-500 60% of the time. That really worked well for me.

I can't want to start reviewing the wildlife shots taken with the 200-500mm lens.

Msmoto

OK, folks, I finally have my D500, uploaded the firmware update, and am using a San Disk card plus XQD. Carrying it around with the Sigma 35/1.4. May actually use it soon.... LOL

retread

I haven't had much time to use mine since I got it back. The focus tracking is assume.

autofocus

Msmoto said:

OK, folks, I finally have my D500, uploaded the firmware update, and am using a San Disk card plus XQD. Carrying it around with the Sigma 35/1.4. May actually use it soon.... LOL

Have fun Msmoto, I didn't think I would buy another crop sensor camera after my D300s but the D500 looked appealing. So far I've had a blast shooting it. Ironic, the crop factor is what I like most. Now I have an APS-C camera that handles higher ISO and provides 10 FPS. Now I'm looking for a good deal on a 500mm f/4. 500/500 combo for critters.

donaldejose

Autofocus: look at coastalconn's work with that combo. like this one: www.flickr.com/photos/coastalconn/28287596322/in/dateposted/

jdb

When do you guys think the first price reduction for the body only will happen? What do you think the new price will be?

autofocus

donaldejose said:

Autofocus: look at coastalconn's work with that combo. like this one: www.flickr.com/photos/coastalconn/28287596322/in/dateposted/

Yes, that's fantastic. I'm keeping my eye on a few 500mm lenses. Maybe I"ll have the money soon. Thanks Donald.

Photobug

I would expect that the D500 body will drop slightly in January, probably tied to a lens price reduction. My hunch, that body price will only drop $50, $100 max. Demand is too high to drop it anymore.

Coastalconn

@Msmoto congrats on the new toy
@autofocus Keep an eye out for 20% off coupons at KEH... And yes, 500+500=happiness!
@donaldejose Thanks for the plug

donaldejose

Costalconn: glad to have you back in the Nikon fold.

Msmoto

I am off to New Orleans to do the first shoot with the D500. But, as I like primes, I thought I would hang the Sigma 35mm on it and have a "normal lens" LOL. We will see how my street shooting is....mainly during the day....

Oh, yes, I have given thought to the 400/2.8 plus 2x converter...yikes 1200mm

DaveyJ

My interest in the D500 would,be with the 16-80 kit. We have one set up,that way and it may get pretty much stuck full time in our Ikelite underwater housing with a Tokina 11-17 lens....so another D500 looks required. How soon depends on my other purchases.

Msmoto

I like to have my lenses for both DX and FX, so, I guess I am waiting for the 20 - 90 mm f/2.8 Nikkor.... unfortunately I may not ever see that. I have noted the 35mm on the D500 is just like the old days when a 50mm on full frame was considered "normal". Not very wide, but works for people shots well... mid thighs up...

Photobug

Msmoto - those were the days. When you drop a 35mm or 50mm on a full frame camera the camera balance is so different than with a zoom lens. Those were the days....

Photobug

For everyone's amusement.
Seriously, he likes the camera.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d5.htm

donaldejose

It is good to see his glowing review after all the complaints about the D5 having reduced dynamic range at low ISO. Ken correctly, in my opinion, notes the most important things about the D5 are its new autofocus system and high ISO IQ. Any small reduction in base ISO dynamic range is not important because people seeking the best dynamic range will be using a D810 or its (soon to be) replacement. Better to have correctly focused shots and a small increase in high ISO IQ and a slight reduction in low ISO IQ. Those who pan the D5 for reduced base ISO IQ are focusing on an issue not important to D5 users and ignoring two other issues of much more importance to D5 users. The D5 is a "speed" machine for sports and wildlife. It was not designed to be Nikon's best portrait or landscape camera. Ken brings up one other good point not often discussed in reviews. He is right that Nikon can eliminate the top LCD since it is easier to get that information off the black LCD screen. In its place Nikon can add a dial giving us access to U1 and U2 like in the D750 (I would add U3 and U4 since there is more than enough newly found room) and get rid of the banks in the Menu. In other words, eliminate a top LCD panel I never use anyway and replace it with more direct access to different memorized settings for different types of photography so the camera can be completely reconfigured with a simple dial twist.

Msmoto

@donaldejose
Sounds good to me... I am not a menu person. Took me ten minutes to figure out why the goofy focus point was shifting when I changed from landscape to portrait ..... oh well...

Photobug

Excellent comments donaldejose. He really did hit some good points in his reviews. Also like your comments on the U1-U4 and removal of the LCD panel.

Coastalconn

It would drive me nuts if the top LCD was removed. I use it all the time. It's too awkward with the 500 F4 attached to look at the back screen...

donaldejose

Good point Coastalconn; the lens attached makes a difference which LCD screen you use. Perhaps that is why Nikon has kept it.

PB_PM

Removing the top LCD would be a big mistake, IMO. It's much faster to change settings with that, and uses less battery, than the rear LCD. It drives me nuts that the D750 turns on the rear LCD for some settings that are easily changed via the top LCD or in the viewfinder.

Also, when shooting in low light conditions turn on the rear LCD leads to reduced night vision, something the small backlit top LCD does far less of.

spraynpray

It got my goat bad enough when they reduced the info on the top screen from the D7100 to the D750 just to make space for the different grip. No top screen at all would be disastrous IMHO.

donaldejose

If you go back to "the good old days" before digital cameras all the settings were made with dials. The retro Df uses a much smaller top LCD.



What settings do you now use by looking at the top LCD which could not be replaced by dials and a small LCD on the top of the body? Considering how slow Nikon is to make big changes and how few Df bodies are sold I don't think removing the top LCD screen is likely to ever happen.