Musings after 1 year with the D500

[Retief]

It seems in the past that after I had a camera for a while I always found something that I felt was "lacking", and the forums seemed to find the same. My 1 year anniversary with my pair of D500's was last Saturday, the 22nd of April, 2017. I realized that I have nothing "real" to complain about. Looking around this seems to be the case for the last bunch of cameras that Nikon has produced. Sure, some folks want a tilt-screen on the D810 successor, some may still complain about non pop-up flash on the D500, but dang, as far as function goes I can't find any place to really complain.

When I get right down to it, "gets out of my way" would be a good way to look at things. Perhaps the downside of this is that it truly does point out my own failings, leaving me with only myself to blame. Wait! THAT's what Nikon screwed up! How DARE they make ME the bad guy.

That's it, off to Canon-Land, where I can blame EVERYTHING on the camera again

 

[Randy]

No reason to upgrade any of mine, I even kept the d7200

The D4 and D800 are the end of the line for me as is the d500

 

[Allan]

I like my D500 too but I still like the feel and use of a pro body. Never gonna happen but I would like a D500 in a D5 body.

 

[Randy]

The D500 is the 1st body I didn't get a grip for.

 

[Geof]

The D500 is a pretty fine camera. I've got no real complaints (lower ISO noise would be nice but now I'm getting greedy). I would love to see a D810 replacement with the same AF system and same ergonomics (card slots, buttons, and "OS", etc) as the D500.

 

[trenchmonkey]

The AF is insane. 1st butterfly of the season from ~30 yds
200-500 What a combo

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[Retief]

No good Will, I don't see a catch light in the eyes. At least you didn't clip the wings

 

[Eyaldar]

The only two complaints I have about my D500 is that the battery still seems a bit underperforming and that Snapbridge doesn't support RAW .
Other than that really awesome camera!

 

[Bohdan]

No complaints here with the D500. It allows me to do what I wanted out of this body ( though not always doing it well - my error not the camera's. ) the only upgrade/new body I'm contemplating is an upgrade to "my wife's" mirrorless Olympus E-M5 MarkII to an Olympus E-M1 Mark II to allow for more opportunities of captureing birds in flight with the micro 4/3 system

 

[Montec]

Scary problem for Nikon. They have finally got their DSLR's to a level where none of us are going to be on what was a seemingly endless upgrade path.
Like many of you the D810 and D500 will be the end for me as well.

 

[Tim Robinson]

Scary problem for Nikon. They have finally got their DSLR's to a level where none of us are going to be on what was a seemingly endless upgrade path.
Like many of you the D810 and D500 will be the end for me as well.

Now that I have a D810 I feel the same way. I'm going to focus on glass where I need it (replacing the tamron 150-600 is first up).

 

[Randy]

Scary problem for Nikon. They have finally got their DSLR's to a level where none of us are going to be on what was a seemingly endless upgrade path.
Like many of you the D810 and D500 will be the end for me as well.

This is a huge reality for nikons future revenue. For many of us the ultra ISO body search stopped on the D4

 

[Palouse]

Nikon should put their money into great glass.

 

[Richard Walliker]

I've had mine a year and I think it's the best Nikon I've ever owned and I've owned a few! I use it exclusively for wildlife, almost all birds. It is also extremely capable for other genres and the biggest selling point of this camera is that it is far more than just a sports or wildlife camera. I have used it with my Nikon 16-35mm f4 and the results are stunning. However, I have sold my D800E and moved to Fuji X, that said it is in no place to replace the D500 for fast moving photography and freezing the moment. I highly recommend the D500 and coupled with my 300mm F4 PF, 80-400mm AF-S VR11 and Sigma 150-600mm it is all the "fast" kit I could ever want.

 

[Fotabug]

It seems in the past that after I had a camera for a while I always found something that I felt was "lacking", and the forums seemed to find the same. My 1 year anniversary with my pair of D500's was last Saturday, the 22nd of April, 2017. I realized that I have nothing "real" to complain about. Looking around this seems to be the case for the last bunch of cameras that Nikon has produced. Sure, some folks want a tilt-screen on the D810 successor, some may still complain about non pop-up flash on the D500, but dang, as far as function goes I can't find any place to really complain.

When I get right down to it, "gets out of my way" would be a good way to look at things. Perhaps the downside of this is that it truly does point out my own failings, leaving me with only myself to blame. Wait! THAT's what Nikon screwed up! How DARE they make ME the bad guy.

That's it, off to Canon-Land, where I can blame EVERYTHING on the camera again

I am having the same experience as you. I have had a number of Nikon DSLR's starting with the D1x and the great D3. Of the DX models, this is the very best ever. I love it. I use it primarily for wildlife, birds especially, and get shots I have never got with the others. I have a D7100, which I also like a lot and don't plan on selling. Lots of hoopla now about mirrorless, which are fine, but give me a DSLR! I started using SLR's in 1959 with a Honeywell Pentax H3 and that type of camera has become my cholce ever since, even though I have used just about every kind. And I think that people are overlooking a tremendous camera by not trying the D500. The heft and ergonomics of a DSLR will help a person be more steady and get sharp pictures, even handheld with a long lens. Color me a happy camper.

Vern

 

[Ronald M]

Nikon should put their money into great glass.

The glass is up to Nikon standards. They are developing a mirrorless as that seems popular for some strange reason. I looked a Sony around 7 years ago. Garbage. Looked a new Leica SL mirrorless. Overly bright finder and it made me dizzy. 60 sec test is all it took for me not to lust after mirrorless.

So I have a bunch of Nikon DSLR, auto and manual focus lenses, Leica digital M`s. I did buy a new table saw, blades, saw stands, chisels, and sharpening equipment for all. Also 4 Buff Einstein , stands, umbrellas, other stuff.
With the level of cameras today, good lights will contribute more to photos than any new camera. Politicians say it is the economy stupid. Photographers say it is the light stupid.

Should add I bought a new to me 55 3.5 Ai and 105 2.8 AiS 35 2.0 AiS . I could probably do all my work with these three.

 

[andreasb]

Wills image of the butterfly is hugely impressive! I can not do that with my 7DMKII. It would loose the tracking of the butterfly for sure. That proves to me that the D5/D500 Af system is better at tracking than the 7DMKII.

As for upgrading there comes a point where we all need (= to the word want ;-) ) to upgrade. I'm getting closer to that point with my D800e, after 5 years it is slowly starting to show its age.

But I think it is a good thing that Nikon is scared of loosing revenue - it means they have to up their game to motivate us to buy = more compelling features are coming, or else we wont buy. There are a number of things they can do, look at the automated stacking function in Olympus e-m. The cameras are little computers we should be able to do so much more. I'm with Thom Hogan here Nikon needs to let third party developers extend the capabilities of the cameras, with an open API.

A side comment about Mirrorless: There are compelling (and non compelling) aspects of the current crop of mirror less cameras;
+

• "True" WYSIWIG (what you see in the viewfinder is what you get for exposure)
• Smaller lighter cameras
• You can "see" the depth of field with color showing what is in focus (or not)
• Both Olympus, Panasonic and Fuji have very compelling lens lineups for advanced use (Note to Nikon and Canon your APC lineups are sorely lacking for advanced uses)

-

• The electronic viewfinder is still not as good as the optical viewfinders
• Battery life!
• Tracking AF

 

[photogramps]

Nikon should put their money into great glass.

Having used the 300 f4 PF VR for a while now I would love a 600 f4 PF VR

 

[andreasb]

Sure a 600 PF vR would be nice, hugely expensive though probably. Canon has showed one as a prototype, I have the Canon 400 F4 DO II, with a TE14 it is an incredible light lens, i'm surprised Nikon didn't make a 400 PF instead of the 300, but then again they might still do so.

Having used the 300 f4 PF VR for a while now I would love a 600 f4 PF VR

 

[trenchmonkey]

Speaking of 300's...
Out with my mint 1988 AF 300 f2.8 ED N and the D500.
Old screw drive gets new life with this body, one of my
favorite lenses...just metal and glass. Woot!

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