R. Yamada
- Comment
First of all, I didnt buy this camera on Amazon. I bought it elsewhere because I knew I could get it faster there (proof of purchase in pics). Secondly, all of the negative reviews I read so far should be disregarded, or better yet, deleted. I dont care if its "just an opinion." If youre misrepresenting the strengths of this camera because it wont connect with your iOS device or because its not a FX body, than keep it to yourself. People want true reviews, not crybaby reviews over non-issues. Snapbridge is delayed on iOS. There is no false advertising. It was announced at the initial launch that a delay was happening for iOS. This is also Nikons first DX flagship in almost a decade. A lot of folks who held on to the still relevant D300S have been asking for this and now we have it. Some people rather have a DX body for their type of shooting, if youre complaining that Nikon didnt release another (ANOTHER) FX body, the D500 is obviously not for you. Speaking on the FX/DX debate, true, actual owners of the D500 should already know that the D500 really closed that difference gap. The overall imagery is great. The noise handling is surprisingly on-par with some FX bodies like the D750, and all the nerd tests from DPR show that in some settings, the D500 is beating the D5 in handling ISO and maintaining a clean, sharp image. The D500 (for those not in the know) is aimed at sports and wildlife photographers, and its impressive in that regard, but I found it equally impressive in FX-related photography like landscape (I shoot LE astrophotography), and portraits. The Auto AF Fine-Tune is invaluable, quick, and easy to use. The new tilt screen (its a new version from the D750) is rigid and tough. The touchscreen is accurate, and intuitive. The inclusion of an XQD slot makes this wicked fast. I was able to clear the 200 shot buffer without any slowdown with the Lexar Pro x2933 at 14-bit RAW, and the photos finished loading the 200 shots to the card anywhere between 7 - 10 seconds. the OVF is 100% coverage and is bright. I was able to tack-sharp focus a star with just the viewfinder. Overall, the images are nice and sharp, BUT at times, theyre not as sharp as a D7200 or my D7100. You can thank the 20mp sensor for that (compared to the 24mp sensor in the D7100/7200). EDIT (8/20): Since somebody else had to exclaim that I was wrong about IQ differences between the 71/7200 (7100 mainly) and the D500 in their review, perhaps some clarifying is in order. Yes, the D500 performs in this department well at higher ISOs than the D7100. That doesnt mean that the D500 is the end-all winner. Ive compared landscape dusk shots Ive taken with my D7100 and then with the D500. I also have a 4k monitor, which is a pixel-peepers dream. As much as I hate pixel peeping, a number of the shots Ive taken on the D7100 were overall better than the same shots I took with the D500. I guess I should say that at times and certain conditions, the D500 has better IQ but at other times, its just not.... imo. In any case, I dont care too much about that because I work with the gear that I got and I hold onto said gear for as long as I can. I make sure my fundamentals are in order, I exercise what I learned The D7100 was an anomaly purchase because some of us have been waiting for a D300S replacement for years.. I mean, I still shoot film with my old F3 and FE and push film. Fundamentals>Gear. Despite that, this whole image deal is really only an issue with people who obsessed with pixel peeping and doesnt embrace imperfections such as noise. Overall, wildlife photos are still sharp and the photos are still good enough for decent sized prints. The 4k is detailed, and the 1080p recording is combod with Electronic VR, which works pretty decent. My only two issues with this camera is the additional crop-factor you get when filming in 4K. It is doable, since its pretty much the same crop as MFT sensors, but I prefer a wide lens for 4k filming. The other issue is battery. It sucks up way more battery life than the D7100/D7200. Even with Airplane Mode on, the camera seems to suck battery life at a faster rate than my previous bodies. Also, for now, if you need an extra battery, you have to buy legit EN-EL15s because none of the 3rd party batteries work. This is a GREAT camera. Well worth the wait. Go with what kind of photography you mostly shoot with and get the gear you think works best for you. Dont play trial and error with your money and then cry and needlessly give a good camera bad reviews.