Nikon D500 - first impressions

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Your model looks equally surprised ...

A nice demonstration of the inherent power of the D500 w/b, Frank.

[Frank Fremerey]

Plus did I mention the little beast drives my 1.4/24G at 10 fps with reliable AF tracking?

Noone thought Nikon would ever cut that! But they did. Even with the nice price offer D500.

[stenrasmussen]

Continued to be impressed with this camera (apart from the WiFi  ).
High ISO lacks the blotchy character found in other models.
Here's one at ISO 32000. Processed with ACR/Photoshop. No noise reduction applied, resize only.
(Sorry about the lack of other models than Stavanger...house project dictates and restricts).

[golunvolo]

ISO 32000?

[stenrasmussen]

ISO 32000?

Yup!

[Frank Fremerey]

ISO 32000?

It is very important to switch off the noise reduction, otherwise you get strage artefacts

[BEZ]

Yup!

I read 3200 and thought crap that's noisy  ....I need to retrain my analogue brain to see 

[stenrasmussen]

Inspired by MFloyd's efforts in the D5 thread I did a color checker shot at 25600 with the D500.
The main purpose was to see how well the AWB in camera handled the mixed lighting condition. Quite well I'd say!
First image is Camera AWB, the second is white balance eye dropper tool on the white patch in ACR.

[FredCrowBear]

Sten
I agree with you regarding the noise.  I find the high ISO noise less objectionable (and less intrusive) than previous cameras such as my D7100. 
Thus, in my mind the question morphs from is there less noise to is the noise easier to accept.  In my opinion - Yes.    This weekend I shot ambient light party portraits at 14000 that were quite serviceable. 

[Frank Fremerey]

Inspired by MFloyd's efforts in the D5 thread I did a color checker shot at 25600 with the D500.
The main purpose was to see how well the AWB in camera handled the mixed lighting condition. Quite well I'd say!
First image is Camera AWB, the second is white balance eye dropper tool on the white patch in ACR.

Throw in 40% flourescent and you will be likewise impressed

[stenrasmussen]

I am content with the high ISO (so far). As for mixed lighting nightmare the yardstick for me will be the annual dance show in early December where the stage is filled with an incredible mix of different light sources. I haven't tested the D500 for the notorious Nikon focus error in incandescent light.

[Frank Fremerey]

I am content with the high ISO (so far). As for mixed lighting nightmare the yardstick for me will be the annual dance show in early December where the stage is filled with an incredible mix of different light sources. I haven't tested the D500 for the notorious Nikon focus error in incandescent light.

you have some time to get used to the tool. I only experience inconsitencies in light metering.

[golunvolo]

Since theater will be my measure bar for any camera, what about iso 3200-6400 ability to work with the raw - I'm spoiled by the d750 forgiveness - and the actual noise of the shutter?
  Files noise, autofocus, speed and speed again and again is all there and it looks excellent for what I do.

[Frank Fremerey]

The noise is very behaved even in the fast non silent mode. But you know noise is also a matter of taste.

As told before: the files are not as resilient as the the D600 files. !BUT! If you get it right in camera you will have OOC RAW conversion .... mouth watering

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Just went out *at midnight* and tried the high ISO setting and video capabilities of the D500 under not so optimal conditions. Of course, this being the brighter season here in the Nordic countries, but I live pretty far down south and night still is very much detectable.

This is a frame dump from a video shot with the AFS 35/1.4 G at ISO 25600. W/b set to Auto and I had two opposite competing light sources: a vast expanse of deep blue sky and a yellow-orange sodium street lamp shining directly over this thicket of flowering Japanese Rose Rosa rugosa.  As this invasive species is on the National Black List, the ideal colour rendition perhaps might be all black (!), but to no avail; the D500 provided an uncannily accurate colour rendition of the flowers and foliage. This is taking automated white balance a great stride forward, in my opinion. One can rely on the functionality for once, it seems.

A pity that my favourite RAW editor, Photo Ninja, does such a lousy job with D500 NEFs, in particular for high ISO captures. I am forced to use, or rather lament, Capture NX-D, which must be the slowest conversion program ever from Nikon. The PictureCode guys do promise future support for D500 though.