D500 General Discussion Thread

donaldejose

I have often used the pop-up as a commander at -2 or more stop exposure compensation to make it disappear in the final image. I have also used it at less than -2 exposure compensation to act as fill. If I could make a suggestion to Nikon it would be to offer a small flash about the size and height of the old SB400 with built in commander radio control to serve essentially as we have used the pop-up. Make it cheap, low height and low power because it will not be used as the main flash on a D5 or D500. Owners of those bodies will be using off camera flash but could benefit from the option of adding some fill now and then without having a huge flash sitting on top of the camera. I would like to have the option of a radio controlled commander flash the size of a SB400 because it balances nicely on a camera with motor drive whereas the taller flashes seem to always be "hanging out" rather than being a "part of the camera and lens package." I think I would (hopefully will!) continue to use my old SB400 on top of a D5 or D400 in iTTL mode to supply fill outside. Nikon could also supply a dome type plastic attachment piece to this small flash to allow the light to be directed up, sideways and back in order to bounce light all over the room like a Gary Fong lightsphere. It could be less than one forth the size of Fong's unit, basically just a normal clip on attachment like those that Nikon supplies with all its flashes but this one would have a mirror a dome on the top and you could tilt the front of the flash tube up to send the light into the dome. It would probably cost Nikon less than $2.00 to make such an attachment.

pictureted

I believe the camera can control off camera wireless flashes (Advanced Wireless Lighting) using it's own touch screen. Just need to buy multiple SB-5000's.

tcole1983

I guess I'm not understanding the flash discussion. Camera doesn't have a pop-up flash, but has commander modes from what I can tell. Could you use an sb400 on the shoe?
Nikon website has it listed as:
Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)
CLS Supported

Flash Sync Terminal
Yes

nukuEX2

5) Its probably the last non-mirrorless Highend DSLR. Do I want to own the last dinosaur?

Did you even see the Nikon's D5 / D500 presentation at CES? They were highlighting all the bad things about mirorless system and if mirrorless is so good than whatever the heck has happened to much touted Samsung or shall I say, Samsh*t NX1 and entire camera division's whereabout at CES 2016

donaldejose

Seems to me the D5 and D500 will support Nikon CLS with either the old flash system or with the new radio flash system BUT it cannot by itself communicate with either the old or new flashes since it has no radio transmitter or pop-up flash. You have to mount a wireless transmitter or the new radio flash to communicate or you can mount any of the old non-radio CLS flashes. That is my best guess as to what you have to do. I think most people will buy the radio transmitter to mount on the camera and buy the new radio controlled flashes.

spraynpray

If you have the commander (which it seems you have to for off-camera flash), then why would you even want to delegate command to an off-camera flash body (if you could)? I don't get it hearty.

heartyfisher

If you have the commander (which it seems you have to for off-camera flash), then why would you even want to delegate command to an off-camera flash body (if you could)? I don't get it hearty.

I thought the wireless attachments for the D500 cant command an SB800.. am I wrong?

So basically if i have a d500 my SB800 is useless as an off camera flash

framer

OK... I don't understand the problem. Every pro body never had a built in flash. So Nikon not putting a flash in the D500 is no big deal. It will still use a SB800-900?

If this makes a better finder I'm all for it.

No joke, the 1st camera I ever owned that had a built in flash was my D810. In rare cases it was handy but not total necessary. I prefer an external flash unit.

framer

WestEndFoto

OK... I don't understand the problem. Every pro body never had a built in flash. So Nikon not putting a flash in the D500 is no big deal. It will still use a SB800-900?

If this makes a better finder I'm all for it.

No joke, the 1st camera I ever owned that had a built in flash was my D810. In rare cases it was handy but not total necessary. I prefer an external flash unit.

framer

The only time I use the internal flash is with the CLS, but that is rare as I usually use a pocketwizard. I would prefer my D800 without a flash and save the hundred bucks and bulk. If you want a tiny flash on your camera buy Nikon's cheapest.

Sports

Damn, couldn't wait to get "something", so this discussion triggered me to order a tiny Metz 26 flash for my future D500 :-) as a supplement to my current Nissin and Godox flashes.

PB_PM

I would prefer my D800 without a flash and save the hundred bucks and bulk.

Of course that wouldn't actually happen. Nikon would just remove the flash, charge the same amount and pocket the extra cash to make stockholders happy.

WestEndFoto

At least I get rid of the useless bulk.

pictureted

I hope it allows for more clearance for lenses. I have a tilt-shift lens that hits the underside of the flash on a D90, not a D810. Perhaps the lack of a flash on the D500 provides more than just a bigger finder.

retread

I rarely use any flash at all. I like to have it on the rare occasion I need it. My Metz is far to big to carry unless I know I will need it. It is as nearly as big as the camera. It woks great as an outdoor fill flash.

Guess I may have to look for something small. Just one more thing to carry and will forget it at home when I need it with my luck. Something more to carry and worry about. For me it will be more bulk.

esquilo

Good idea to shrink the Nikon 200-500 to DX size. Also, shrink the 70-200 f2.8, the 24-70 f2.8 and the 300mm f2.8 (or maybe just use the 300 f3 PF lens).

No lens longer than 60-65 mm will have any benefit from being made for DX only. (That said, I wonder why the hell the 85 mm macro is not a FX lens)

Not sure where you got this information from, but it's not true. Regardless of focal length, it's worth about a stop.

For example, if you take a 50mm f/2.8 FX lens, you could produce a 50mm f/2 DX lens that would be the same size and weight, given the 1.5x crop factor. This would give you a stop greater light, but would have the same DoF as the f/2.8 also due to the crop factor.

Put another way, you could design a 50mm f/2.8 DX lens that would be the same size and weight as a 50mm f/4 FX lens (see the 1-stop equivalency?)

You are saying that it is not true. Nevertheless all your examples are 50 mm or shorter.

The 85 mm macro is a good example of a lens longer than 65 mm that does NOT benefit from being throtled down to DX. The Tokina 90 mm macro for comparison is a FX-lens, it's a half stop faster and is almost exactly the same size.

nukuEX2

I rarely use any flash at all. I like to have it on the rare occasion

Same here too. I rarely use Flash on my D7200. Build in flash is like an unnecessary insurance policy. you use it but once in a while.

heartyfisher

Damn, couldn't wait to get "something", so this discussion triggered me to order a tiny Metz 26 flash for my future D500 :-) as a supplement to my current Nissin and Godox flashes.

:-) nice cute flash.. could be an alternative to the non-existant popup flash ..
However, it does not have a few features..
1) no commander mode.
2) no af assist.
The METZ – MECABLITZ 24AF-1 seems like another nice option. still no commander mode but it has a slave mode and AF assist :-) if only it had commander mode it would be perfect.

I have been researching the options that meet the functionality of a builtin pop up flash(due to the no flash) since the Df. The options I have found so far are as follows.
1) SU-800 - provides the Commander mode and the AF asists- There is a third party option called the Dabou Su-800.
2) the YN-622N iTTL - provides AF assist light. can remote trigger with 2 of them in transceiver mode. Can use the remote Flash as the commander (I think..)

The lack of a pop up flash (and the features it provides) adds the need for other alternatives and costs money, weight, and inconvenience. for the same functionality i estimate you need to add $400-$700 and 3-4 other objects..

esquilo

"The size of the viewfinder is limited by the size of the mirror." Not quite.

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-dk-17m-magnifying-eyepiece

I would think this magnification could be engineered into the pentaprism system to make a D500 image more the size of an FX image. Brightness is likely limited by the f stop of the lens attached to the body.

Magnification can be built in, but magnification will trade brightness for size.

pictureted

I'm glad I still have my SB-400. Better than a pop-up and not much room in the bag, plus AAs are the easiest to find.

tcole1983

I'm glad I still have my SB-400. Better than a pop-up and not much room in the bag, plus AAs are the easiest to find.

+1

framer

Because I do a lot of product photography, I own and use the Nikon R1C1 flash. That has the commander unit. I believe SB800 or SB900 also has a commander mode. What other flash units have a commander mode?

On another note the buttons that light up are a big deal for me. Many times working in the dark I've wished for it. It nice to see that in a proconsumer body.

framer

FreezeAction

The SB-700 has a commander mode. Bought one not long ago but have not used it as I still need a stand for a pair of them plus one on the body. Still undecided on the D500.

heartyfisher

Because I do a lot of product photography, I own and use the Nikon R1C1 flash. That has the commander unit. I believe SB800 or SB900 also has a commander mode. What other flash units have a commander mode?

On another note the buttons that light up are a big deal for me. Many times working in the dark I've wished for it. It nice to see that in a proconsumer body.

framer

The R1C1 package can include the SU-800 commander unit.

autofocus

Seems to me that if you don't need the FPS and rugged build then the D500 not having an onboard flash is a mute point. Why even consider it? On the other hand, if you want the FPS and rugged build then not having the flash is no big deal. I'm not sure I get this whole "I'm not buying it because..." stuff. This thread turned into a discussion of flash equipment rather than the camera itself. Stick with what ya got if you need the flash. You probably don't need the other abilities of this camera. It's that simple.

donaldejose

I don't think the missing pop-up flash on the D500 will be of any significance. You can get an SB400 for fill flash or a radio transmitter for less than $200.