D500

xmh said:
I changed the White balance from Auto0 to Auto1 (Photo shooting menu) as I thought the images were on the white(ish) / cold(ish) / bright(ish) side, sorry not very scientific I know but not sure how else to describe it.

I have noticed that with the D500 it seems to be easier to blow whites than with the D810 or D7200 (I have used and owned both). Especially shooting in less than ideal conditions i.e. bright sunshine on birds with white feathers. I tried dialling in 1/6 & 1/3 permanent exp comp along with exposure adj as needed along with combinations of matrix, spot, center weighted and highlight weighted metering. I read somewhere that someone else experiencing the same issue had some success with center weighted average metering (custom settings b6). So I tried this yesterday and got the following result. No exp comp dialled in or permanently set and a rare day with full sunshine. I'm reasonably confident that the white feathers would have been a over exp or blown with matrix metering.

This is from a Jpeg imported then exported from lightroom with default settings, resized for web. Would have been nice to change to matrix metering but the bird disappeared after a few seconds.
View attachment 69203

It would also have been nice to have spotted the reed in front of the bird :)
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Thanks Jerry, I too have changed Auto WB but moved to Auto 2 and and looks better on the rear screen but will try it next time I am out ... interesting on Average Centre-weighted, I'll give that a go too :)
 
Dave Semmens said:
I would guess at a folder for storing custom settings but not sure.

I have the same thing on mine. A read of the manual may throw light on it?

Never anything in mine - so not worried :)
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Yes manual just talks about the folder structure but doesn't give any info about deleting it if you don't want it and I can't actually see any info about how to use it if you want to :thinking:
 
Changing to WB Auto 1 and Average Centre Weighted metering has made a big improvement for me, much better colour images.
Went out with the D500 + 300 f4 PF and what a great combination for sharp and detailed images, just brilliant and certainly the most consistent that I have ever had ... 100%.

I did find an issue with the battery I used, although an older EN-EL15 Li-ion 10 (showing '3') that I have used in my D810 & D7200, it went from 60% to 10% in just 115 shots!
I also experienced a complete freeze, which was only resolved by removing the battery.
I have Airplane Mode switched on as I am not using Bluetooth etc so the battery drain shouldn't be down to it searching for a connection ... any ideas anyone?
 
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gramps said:
Changing to WB Auto 1 and Average Centre Weighted metering has made a big improvement for me, much better colour images.
Went out with the D500 + 300 f4 PF and what a great combination for sharp and detailed images, just brilliant and certainly the most consistent that I have ever had ... 100%.

I did find an issue with the battery I used, although an older EN-EL15 Li-ion 10 (showing '3') that I have used in my D810 & D7200, it went from 60% to 10% in just 115 shots!
I also experienced a complete freeze, which was only resolved by removing the battery.
I have Airplane Mode switched on as I am not using Bluetooth etc so the battery drain shouldn't be down to it searching for a connection ... any ideas anyone?
Click to expand...

Wi-fi On?
 
gramps said:
Changing to WB Auto 1 and Average Centre Weighted metering has made a big improvement for me, much better colour images.
Went out with the D500 + 300 f4 PF and what a great combination for sharp and detailed images, just brilliant and certainly the most consistent that I have ever had ... 100%.

I did find an issue with the battery I used, although an older EN-EL15 Li-ion 10 (showing '3') that I have used in my D810 & D7200, it went from 60% to 10% in just 115 shots!
I also experienced a complete freeze, which was only resolved by removing the battery.
I have Airplane Mode switched on as I am not using Bluetooth etc so the battery drain shouldn't be down to it searching for a connection ... any ideas anyone?
Click to expand...


Mines the same Gramps, I got three older batteries and they all behave the same. Evidently the newer Li-ion 20 batteries are fine I have 2 of these and they are ok.
Nikon are doing a free exchange for your older batteries for the latter Li-ion 20 batteries
 
gramps said:
Changing to WB Auto 1 and Average Centre Weighted metering has made a big improvement for me, much better colour images.
Went out with the D500 + 300 f4 PF and what a great combination for sharp and detailed images, just brilliant and certainly the most consistent that I have ever had ... 100%.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear it is working for you Gramps - hoped I hadn't convinced you to buy a duffer ;)
 
Just trying the D500 with my 300 f4 PF + TC-14EII ... inside the lounge focussing on a souvenir plate and surrounding 'thing' given to us as an imitation plant!

1/250 - f5.6 - ISO 6400

SOOC
test1_zps948dmzy3.jpg



Single pass of Define2 Noise Reduction

test2_zps11yp072k.jpg



Size reduction and sharpen

test3_zps1t1ybdas.jpg



It seems to cope very well and any noise I have been concerned about I think comes as a result of large crops ... pleased to see how it pairs with the TC

:)
 
Thanks for posting these Gramps. I'm conserdering this camera but was worried about noise coming for a FX camera but seems I need not worry. No just need to decide if I really need another camera just now!
 
I've hired a D500 for this weekend. I've used it Friday and Saturday for lots of birding.

Has to go back tomorrow, so will take it out again this evening when it cools down a bit.

Compared to my D810, the focusing system is truly amazing and it seemed to lock on to everything against the sky. Bit of trouble locking on to birds where there is a background such as cliffs, etc.

But I've only used it on Dynamic 153 point so far.

Interesting stuff and will try the centre-weighted metering and auto WB 1 suggestions.

I may sell my D810 as this camera really is giving me good images at high iso's and, like I said, the AF system really is a joy!

Only been using it so far with my 300mm F4 with 1.4x tc attached, so will try my 70-200 2.8 tonight and see how it is :)
 
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Dave Semmens said:
I have been using Group area as my main setting Wez - with single point on a button press.

That seems to work really well.
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Same here with Group and works even better than on the D810 ... single point on PV is also really great :)
 
Hi Wez. Nice that you hired one to try. So with your successful trial, was it impressive enough to have as your only dslr or would you have your D810 as well for different purposes? The improved AF is enormously tempting for me!! Damn TP! [emoji4]
 
It won't replace my D810 for landscapes and I have been roped into a wedding in early August - the D810 will be #1 choice for that with the d500 as backup.

I am sure it could happily handle both scenarios well, but I already have the D810. Would love the flippy screen on the D810 as it would really help with landscapes.
 
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A think a few of us have an itch on here:D

As an all-rounder I think the D810 is best for me, but if I was doing more BIF the D500 would be the choice. Whats your thoughts Dave on my thinking, if you had the choice of only one camera? :eek:


Dave Semmens said:
It won't replace my D810 for landscapes and I have been roped into a wedding in early August - the D810 will be #1 choice for that with the d500 as backup.

I am sure it could happy handle both scenarios well, but I already have the D810. Would love the flippy screen on the D810 as it would really help with landscapes.
Click to expand...
 
Swanseajack said:
As an all-rounder I think the D810 is best for me, but if I was doing more BIF the D500 would be the choice. Whats your thoughts Dave on my thinking, if you had the choice of only one camera? :eek:
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For me - If you are doing 50/50 landscapes and wildlife then the D810 may just edge it.

The D500 will work fine for landscape and doing a few more panos would give you a big pixel count if you needed it.

If you do mainly wildlife then the D500 is a no brainer in my mind - my D810 is relegated to my landscape bag now.

Just glad I don't have to decide :)
 
After hiring it and playing with it, I can say, that in my case anyway, the D500 fits the bill.

I only ever take photos of wildlife and the odd football match. I don't do any landscape or weddings or anything, so the D500 will be sufficient. Yes, the noise in low-light won't be as good as the D810 but from the pics I've got so far, it really is quite good in low light. A helluva lot better than my old D7100 was!

The D810 really is wonderful but the AF system in the D500 knocks the socks off of it!

Would love to keep both but will sell the D810 and pick up a D500 - if they're ever in stock :)
 
Time for a picture - one from yesterday :)

Went out chasing wildlife and spent the day roaming North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and finally up to the Pennines to meet a few of the guys off TP.

From all that I managed a few snaps of a young Hare.

Again - the D810 stayed at home - only the D500 came with me. Confidence is growing daily with this camera

[url=https://flic.kr/p/K8BQ14]Whiskers by Dave Semmens, on Flickr[/URL]

Dave.
 
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Thanks guys.

I'm mostly interested in wildlife and motor racing but the landscape loveliness of the D810 makes me feel I would miss it if I swapped it for the D500 and I'm struggling to justify the cost for me to have both..but I have a well used but good condition kidney which I'm open to offers on, so you never know! :)

My last APS-C was the original D300, things have clearly moved on...a lot!

Great shot of the hare, Dave!
 
Osmo said:
Thanks guys.

I'm mostly interested in wildlife and motor racing but the landscape loveliness of the D810 makes me feel I would miss it if I swapped it for the D500 and I'm struggling to justify the cost for me to have both..but I have a well used but good condition kidney which I'm open to offers on, so you never know! :)

My last APS-C was the original D300, things have clearly moved on...a lot!

Great shot of the hare, Dave!
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I've got a D810, D7200 as well as the D500 I do a combination of Motorsport, landscapes , portraits and increasingly wildlife and If I had to choose just one camera it would be the D500 without a doubt.
Actually Im not sure whether to keep the D7200 or the D810 alongside the D500, without a doubt the 810 is a better camera with than the 7200 especially for Landscapes but unless you printing really big do you notice the difference? I know the DR is better but you can work round that.
On the plus side if I kept the D7200 I would have lighter system to hike about wth.
 
I was very sceptical of the D500, especially after the issues recorded by Thom Hogan but I kept hearing how good the AF was and was intrigued.
I saw quite a number of different images taken with the D500 and some were brilliant and others were really awful so it didn't help me too much and it seemed to be just user ability but in the end I decided to take the plunge and sold my D810 (to be clear I don't do much landscape but even so the resolution of the D810 is great for wildlife cropping).

So I've had my D500 for just 3 outings so far and after initially being disappointed with noise (I was expecting too much of 20.9MP in extreme crops) I have to say that I love it.
Any noise exhibited is quite different to the D810 or D7200 (which I have kept) being much smaller and less noticeable as well as being so easy to deal with in noise reduction software ... I am doing far less processing with the D500 than I did with the other two.
But for me the real 'brilliant' for the D500 is the AF Tracking ... I have been used to frequently losing tracking with the other two cameras but with the D500 the AF locks on and as long as I am reasonably careful it just won't let go, no frustrating inability to re-capture focus when tracking BIF.

If I was doing a lot of landscape I might have had a more difficult decision but for wildlife the D500 is a no-brainer.
With the D500 & D7200 I still feel that I will be able to do the occasional landscape ... after all I used to with 12MP :)
 
Gramps - I think the problem we both faced was coming from the D810 to the D500. We could open up D810 files and crop right into them and still come away with large files.

Do that with the D500 and it will disappoint to some extent.

What we probably forget is that the image is already so much closer than we could have got than with the D810 due to the crop factor.

Not sure if that makes sense - but it did cause me concern until I got my head round it :)
 
Dave the crop factor does make a significant difference, I was taking the D810 out less and less for wildlife in favour of the D7200 for reach ... the D500 gives me the same option but a lot more usable images thanks to the superb AF and any noise is much better. :)
 
gramps said:
Dave the crop factor does make a significant difference, I was taking the D810 out less and less for wildlife in favour of the D7200 for reach ... the D500 gives me the same option but a lot more usable images thanks to the superb AF and any noise is much better. :)
Click to expand...
Those 10 fps and large buffer also add to the appeal :)

You don't need it all the time - but nice to have it just in case.
 
gramps said:
Changing to WB Auto 1 and Average Centre Weighted metering has made a big improvement for me, much better colour images.
Went out with the D500 + 300 f4 PF and what a great combination for sharp and detailed images, just brilliant and certainly the most consistent that I have ever had ... 100%.

I did find an issue with the battery I used, although an older EN-EL15 Li-ion 10 (showing '3') that I have used in my D810 & D7200, it went from 60% to 10% in just 115 shots!
I also experienced a complete freeze, which was only resolved by removing the battery.
I have Airplane Mode switched on as I am not using Bluetooth etc so the battery drain shouldn't be down to it searching for a connection ... any ideas anyone?
Click to expand...

Center weighted average today all day some 300 shots and not a blown white to be found :). Plenty oof and messed up but that was all me :D. Had to less PP with files as well. Weather hot (at last) bright and very sunny.

I have the Li-ion 02's and found the battery usage to be generally very good, but had a couple of occasions when only managed 400 - 450 shots, all wifi, snapbridge and touch screen off and airplane mode on.
 
xmh said:
Center weighted average today all day some 300 shots and not a blown white to be found :). Plenty oof and messed up but that was all me :D. Had to less PP with files as well. Weather hot (at last) bright and very sunny.

I have the Li-ion 02's and found the battery usage to be generally very good, but had a couple of occasions when only managed 400 - 450 shots, all wifi, snapbridge and touch screen off and airplane mode on.
Click to expand...

If they are new 02's there is a suggestion that several charge cycles improves the shot capacity but I suspect it's never going to be a super-saver on power ... my 01 you can almost watch wind down but that'll be going back to Nikon for replacement.
 
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