Nikon D500 - What it does it does very, very well.
2021 ж. 15 Жел.
41 924 Рет қаралды
A bit of a departure for us, but today Alastair discusses why the Nikon D500 has such a special place in the cameras he uses on a regular basis. The D500 flies under the radar and is generally not given nearly the respect it deserves. Alastair feels otherwise, though.
Spot on. “Full frame” and massive file sizes are not necessarily your friend. Usability counts for a lot. I’m still shooting a d300 for all my product photography.
I don't get this file size argument e.g. for the D810, which I use. If it was only about file size, I just switch to file size M, which I usually do. It's almost the same amount of pixels and probably file size of the D500. Down-sizing may involve some minor image manipulation(?), which honestly I have never checked so carefully. I just compared the two versions and was fully satisfied with the image of the smaller file size. But I'm just a hobbyist...
@@torstenlange2418 there’s a difference between being a hobbyist and a Product Photographer Torsten.
I still use the Nikon D300s it is great, although an upgrade is long overdue.
@@torstenlange2418 A hobbyist doesn't have to deal with thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of files every time a project has to be done, and doesn't leisurely take product photos whenever they want, because they are imposed deadlines upon.
@@thegrayyernaut Congrats for the "hundreds of thousands" files. Must be a very serious job. Thats why I wrote it has no impact on me as a hobbyist, because I can choose on the D810 the file size and (if of advantage) the crop mode. I guess "best" resolution depends also on the kind of photography.
I have had the D500 for just over a year and it’s amazing.
I have been shooting Nikon since Nikon F. Had all the cameras Nikon has produced. From the Nikon F to the Z9. My passion? BIF (Birds In Flight) photography. I have the Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/4D IF-ED. Amazing lens! So much they still produce and sell brand new. This lens with the TC-14II is another pearl combination. Not image loss or autofocus speed. Snap to the point in no time. Nikkor AF-S 500mm F/4.0 VRII another amazing pearl. Works the same way with TC-14 III, Nikkor AF-S 600mm F/4.0 FL. This is a beast! Works great with all the TCs. Nikkor AF-S 800mm F/5.6 FL is slow. I sold it. Not worth a penny for BIF. My Sigma 150-600mm is auto-focus faster than that lens. Let me tell you this: Nikon has the best autofocus system ever developed in the D500 (Same on the D5 and D850). I shoot more keepers with this camera then with the Z9. Believe it or not, the camera is faster to acquire the bird in flight at any background including the busy ones. It locks on it and does not let go, keeps tracking head on to you at speeds of 60 miles an hour or more. It is more sensitive to low light than the Z9 despite the fact that in theory the Z9 shows better sensitivity on the specs. I like the camera so much that I purchased another brand new one in January 2023. the camera is out of production in February and now B&H is selling brand new again. Noise? what is that? with Photolab 6, noise is not an issue anymore. I regret that I purchased the Z9 and the Z 800mm. The workflow is terrible. if you shoot 20, 30, 60 or 120 FPS you will have tons of photos and how long it will take you to download? I don't like to spend hours behind the computer. I could write a book about this matter. Don't sell your D500. keep it and learn all the camera does for BIF you will love it. You will not learn overnight what the camera is capable of. However, persisting in finding all the camera does relentlessly you will be great at BIF. Sure lots of "experts" will start "attacking" what I just said. Believe me. My best shots I take with my D500. A lens I don't have it and will purchase soon is the Nikkor AF-F 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR it is small and super light and snappy at autofocus. Together with the D500 it will be the KILLER!
Fantastic sage wisdom on a wonderful timeless camera! Thanks for sharing!
The D500 really is an amazing bit of kit, I shoot an a7s along side my D500 professionally, I am getting an a7iv but the D500 will not leave service. Having a crop usually means closer minimum focus, shooting in cramped parties this is a godsend, with my Sony 85 1.8 I’m always backing up because I’m too close and it won’t focus. The sigma 18-35 is my go to for events.
This camera IS underrated. I own 2 and even though I own FF Nikons, I seem to always go with this camera. You are right about megapixels. They are overrated. I also own a D700 with 12 mps and that iconic camera produces lovely colors. Great, sensible video.
I also own the D700 & Z6 but there is nothing like D700 image, thinking to add D500 for actions. which one do you often use more..? D700 or Z6..?
This was Nikon's flagship DX PRO body. 10 frames per second is all I need. It is still my go-to for sports photography in 2024. I have 2 of them and I am looking for a 3rd.Pair it with the 70-200mm 2.8 or 200-500mm 5.6 and I dare you to beat it.
Thank you, Alastair for this great discussion on the D500 I'm in the market for a slightly used model and based on your comments it's a tremendous all-around pro camera.
Great video! One of the greatest cameras ever made for sure.
Thanks for sharing...yes I agree with your comments although I am only a hobbyist I just love taking pics of whatever interests me when out shooting.....I won't be upgrading at this point in time & I am disappointed with Nikon discontinuing this model...I love Nikon gear & still use my D7100.with my various lenses. . cheers..😀
Thank you - I just picked up a used one with shutter count of 2,067!! It was a great deal. I still can’t part with my others but I look firearm to using this one.
Meine D500 ist seit gut 7 Jahren bei mir und hat inzwischen ca. 160.000 Auslösungen hinter sich. Störungsfrei!! Auch ich nutze Ihre Objektivkombination + das 80 - 400mm AF-S. Die D500 ist einfach eine fantastische Kamera mit einer ausgezeichneten Bildqualität. Schwer zu toppen in der (Alters-) Klasse. Die Fotoqualität reicht jederzeit für Drucke in hochwertigen Zeitschriften oder Büchern. Klar erwarte ich eine Z - Kamera in dieser Entsprechung. Aber die Messlatte liegt hoch. Auch wenn ich den Z-Nachfolger, wenn er denn meine Erwartungen erfüllt, kaufen werde - von meiner guten D500 trenne ich mich garantiert nicht.
Very well said, the D500 has enough resolution for 99% of anyone's photographic needs and simply does everything very well indeed. I would love to own a second D500 to save the time and inconvenience of lens swapping. I had a D7200 which I used alongside the D500 for that purpose but sold it to dip my toe into the mirrorless world with the Z50, which turned out to be a dismal camera, oh well - what is done can't be undone. The latest rumours suggest a 24mp mirrorless replacement for the D500 is coming early next year with the name Z90, so a crop sensor Z9 maybe? I'll be watching with great interest.
I like the "1 to 1" Menu maps like D850, used it as my second body for birding with 400mm f3.5 Nikkor
Its the one Nikon DSLR I bought again cause I missed it so much
I agree completely with everything you say in this video. I too own a D500 and a D810 which is capable of producing stunning images. However I have a special connection with the D500 and it is my favourite digital camera so far. I was bought up on film and worked for an advertising photography studio in the 1980s. For 35mm work we used Nikon F2 cameras and I still own 2 of them today as they remain my favourite 35mm film camera. My favourite camera of all time is the Rolleiflex SL66, I still own the one I bought in 1979 and it has probably earned me more money than any other camera I have owned.
Yes I agree with you! -Even though my trusty D500 is 5 years old, its still my best go to camera and the one I rely on, because of the excellent qualities which you've mentioned most of them especially the battery life (once the airplane mode is on). I'll hang on to my D500 longer as the file size for me is perfect! Not too large but handy for Birding and Sports shooting excellent match with the Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8 FL and the 200-500mm F5.6...
Could not agree more... Not a pro shooter by far but I regularly shoot at salsa parties paired with an Signa Art 18-35. Its focus capabilities are just wild. And you are correct, the buffer is legendary. In 2019 I took it to horse races and boy did that work out well!
I read a comment from somebody on another video who said the D500 was way behind the times when it was released. You should have seen the replies he received.
2024 and this is still my daily driver for landscape, wildlife and commercial work. The only thing I use more is my iPhone.
The D500 was my 3rd crop sensor Nikon camera and by a very wide margin the best. For how and what I shoot crop sensor cameras make sense and really works well for me. I agree with the statement made here about file size. I don’t make large photographs from my files and do all my post editing on a tablet so file size really matters to me. I don’t want large file sizes to work with or to have store. The D500 produces beautiful images from all the lenses I own. The ability to quickly get focus , hold focus and track subjects is amazing with the D500 however I admit I have not used mirrorless cameras to date so can’t compare. I am an amateur enthusiast photographer so price really counts also. I enjoy the lenses I own and for me these lenses on the D500 do all I can ask for. Right now even if I wanted to absorb the cost of moving to a different system it just would not make sense as I am still learning on my system and just cannot see a reason for change. I really would recommend the D500 for anyone who is looking for an amazing, reliable and fast camera at a reasonable cost. I know there are great deals out there on D500’s from people switching to mirrorless because it is fashionable so you can probably get a little used D500 at an amazing price.
I've had a D500 for three years and absolutely love it. It is so customisable and ergonomically perfect - I'm still finding ways to apply slight tweaks to the functions buttons with the various AF Area Modes. It's an absolute pleasure to use and to be able to track a subject such as a BIF and to be able to switch instantly from one AF Area Mode to another by pressing a function button and all without having to take your eye away from the viewfinder increases your chance of getting the shot. I wish I had two D500 bodies instead of putting an alternative lens on my D7100.
The large photo site crop sensor makes it a great low light camera and when coupled with the D5 focusing system is unbeatable in low light situations with fast reliable focus. Throw in the dual battery grip and 10 FPS and it makes event/wedding photography a breeze. The crop factor on a 70-200 f2.8 lens allows you to stand back and reach subjects at a podium or on stage like say a concert. It's built and designed for sports/wildlife photography but it does a great job doubling as a low light event/wedding camera.
I bought mine in 2018 on a discount around MYR 6000. Since then I never saw it discounted below MYR 7000. Really love how it teaches me. I've jumped from D5300, so its capabilities makes me learn new skills and step up. Now paired it with 200-500mm, super satisfied for what it's worth.
Your comment make me wanna buy D500 instead of any Nikon's current mirrorless lineup. My D7000 has some faulty buttons and whatnot, and it was a hassle to have it repaired. Carousell got 3 "like new" D500s listed around MYR 4500
Awesome video! I shoot with Olympus EM1X, Nikon D750, and the Nikon D500, all about 20+ mpix. Works fine for me. Cheers!
Also love my D500... got several great lenses for it... have no intention of selling anytime soon.
Love it too!!
I have a poster size photo I took with my Fuji xt1 which is a 16mp camera and looks fabulous. So please, go on and tell me more about the D500 🧐
It is amazing camera in every way shape or form 💪😌
I jump from Nikon to Fuji S3 and S5, back when CCD Dynamic Range was a thing that kills CMOS then I came back to THE D500........... technical stuff aside, round eyepiece really is an emotional thing to me D200 and D300 are famous for the similarities to D2 and D3, but even that does not earn the round eyepiece especially D500 is now the swansong, just shows Nikon are to send it off as the last hoorah
Great review. Thank you.
20 Mp is the best thing! Where else you can get under 24MP nowadays? I only need 6Mp with fast focus and nice JPG just out of the camera.
Is it news you cover or sport Janis?
@@adamlawonphotography5219 I take photos of car, bike,truck, tractor runs and print them on the day. I keep it stupid simple.
Agree with all of that, not so sure it's underrated though, I've always thought it's one of three Nikon 'flagship' cameras, D3 or D4 I can never remember which, D850 and the D500. I find that it does tend to blow the specular highlights when shooting wildlife for example, white birds for example but this can be corrected in post and it's 20mp can be found out in cropping again in wildlife snapping when a subject is a long way off. One things for sure, on a trivial level, it's the best sounding Nikon ever, the shutter click is heaven making my D810 sound clunky!
I agree with everything but 10 fps and the battery life, It's my go to camera for outdoor sports and wildlife.
I just revently got one of these and I love this camera. I mostly take cityscapes which it does well, but I also do a lot of action photography, railroad, fast birds, etc and it is absolutely phenomenal for that. I also love this camera's durability and waterproof. It is quite the heavy unit which is my only con about it, but this camera's pros really heavily outweigh the benefits. My old camera was a d5600 and I must say this d500 is superior to the d5600 in almost every way.
The Nikkor fx 28-300mm f5.6 is a great lens for the D500. That's 42-450mm and focuses down to a foot and a half! Bees, butterflies, and BIF do not escape this combo (at 10 fps). The lens is tack sharp and the Nikon colors are terrific. I seldom take this lens off. Anyway, been shooting the D500 since it came out and it's a classic
I have never used the 28-300, but I have heard that it's excellent! Glad you like it. Nothing like a single lens for nearly everything you might want to shoot.
Nice! :)
Question. I shoot with a D4s. I sold my D300s to get the D4s. Now that I can afford to replace my DX body, for shooting at distance with ff lenses ! Is the D500 worth the upgrade over the 300s. Or would you suggest something different still ?
Tough one. Certainly the d500 is a huge upgrade from the 300s. It feels much more like the D4s than the D300. If you want to stay with Nikon DSLR-type cameras (rather than mirrorless) then your choices are pretty slim. For a DX body the D500 can't be beat. Nikon is rumoured to be bringing out a mirrorless version of the d500 at some point, but then you're looking at a rather different setup altogether and you might be waiting for a long time. Is there any way you can rent a d500 for a weekend and try it out to make sure that it works for you? Regardless, the d500 is a worthy upgrade from the 300s.
A bit late, but a D500 will nicely compliment your D3s. I shoot motorsport (drift) and regularly swap between my D4 and D500. The versatility of having one camera set for long shots and another for closer work is a game changer. Controls are very similar. You will be impressed with the D500.
I've shot about 90% of my favourite wildlife images with this body, I've tried so many other bodies but I always end up back at the D500. I'm a little confused why people think they need CFexpress cards with the D500, I can't think of any wildlife situation where I'd need a card that has 1200mpbs read and write speeds.
My only issue with the speeds of cards is the read speed once it's in the computer. So nice to have a quick download of the data, but I'll agree that 1200x is probably not something I would ever require.
I dropped mine on a bad angle - stuffed the chip inside, got burnt, got it fixed - paid happily due still no need to upgrade to anywhere... I only know how good it is when I try another camera - haha
I have 2 D500 cameras and will not upgrade any time soon. As you say, what it does it excels at. It is a better camera than I am a photographer 🤣😂 The only thing I will be doing is getting better lenses. And getting better skills. 🤣👍
Plz make a review on 58mm 1.4G sitting on your table without rear cap Lolz, my fav lens so far I have sold it and regret it.
It usually has the cap on it, I promise! I was just switching lenses before we started rolling and hadn’t put the cap back on. Given what I paid for it, I’m keen to not have anything bad happen to it! As for a review, sure, we’ll see what we can do about that.
@@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird it's okay i just can't see that beauty naked Lolz, will wait for review for sure. Thanks.
The FPS on the D500 is 10FPS Alastair.
I know. Gotta be more careful with the facts.
Full raw lossless
Man, i miss my D500 i think i have to get myself one again, best camera i`ve ever owned. Never skips a beat. The camera actually stops after 200 shots, not because the buffer is full, but because nikon designed it to stop after 200 shots for safetyreasons :-)
Haven’t tried to go to 200 frames all at once! Glad you like it. It’s quite the camera.
I agree with everything except the part about its battery life. This camera just isn’t very good with battery life if you are out shooting for more than two hours.
Strange - I don't recall that being an issue for me at all. That said, my shoots with this camera tend to be shorter and I don't use the LCD much. Also, having 2 batteries with the grip does make things last a lot longer.
If you are still having this - try to have your D500 in 'Airplane Mode' all the time - if not already - that will MASSIVELY help with the battery life!
@@chetankhurana8 I had no idea. Thanks for the tip - I'll check that out.
Use a C model battery wow....
10 frames a second!
D500 is 10 frames per second. I use it like this for shooting football games and it's an amazing camera
Faster than I remember, obviously!
Me too!!
I love my D500. Just sent it in for repair. Error message and it is not the nubs on the lens I beat the crap out of it and not surprised after 6 years it needs repair
I sent my D500 in and they did a complete rebuild on it for not that much money. Still working like a champ.
10 frames a second
Meglio una D850 che ha un fattore 1.5 uguale alla d500 ma meno rumore alle alte sensibilità e un sistema af molto preciso, oggi non ha senso una aps-c ....
It’s 10 fps
People buying full frame 36, 40 and 50 megapixel cameras, and only posting the images online, is a very expensive kind of insanity! Buy a used D300, and nobody will ever see the difference!
Are you payed for number of words per minut ??
I have had that question several times. I know, I know, I speak far too quickly and my annunciation is often lacking. I even have a post-it note on the tripod saying, "Slow Down!" to try to remind me. Apologies for my speed of speech. It's one of the many aspects of the videos that need some improvement!