Do you miss a built in flash on the D500?

Camera Fun

Senior Member
Do you miss not having a built in flash on the D500? Just wondering if the 500 might be a future option for replacing my D7000. I don't use the flash a lot but I like having it in some situations. I'm a one camera person so I would pass my D7000 along to either my son or daughter.
 

cwgrizz

Senior Member
Challenge Team
I don't have the 500, but I think I could work around not having the built in flash. I do use it on my other cameras once in awhile, but really very rarely. I think it would be like anything else. I would learn to live without it because it wasn't there. Ha!
 

cwgrizz

Senior Member
Challenge Team
I might add that in the film days, all flash on my camera was done with an external flash. Well except for the instamatic that took flash cubes. Ha!
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I don't shoot with a D500 either but I don't think I've ever used the pop-up flash on my D750.

I suppose it would be nice to have but as long as it has a 'shoe, I'm good to go.
...
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
I might add that in the film days, all flash on my camera was done with an external flash. Well except for the instamatic that took flash cubes. Ha!

Flash cubes were a fun gimmick! My dad found a reusable base that you could insert regular flash bulbs in, and that saved a little money. Boy, those suckers were sure hot right after they fired.

I don't miss the built in flash on the D500. I have a D7200 that would normally be used in the rare cases that I would want the built in flash, though. Hot shoe flash is so much better that I guess it isn't much of an issue for me anyway.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
I just got the D500, and I am used to having a pop-up flash. However, I think I used it many times when I shouldn't have. Too lazy to pull out the big flash, and usually regretting that decision.

So, yeah, at first I was a bit confused looking down at the camera that does not have a pop-up flash and wondered if I made a mistake. (Of course, my personality doesn't let a decision be.) However, I planned on getting a small flash like an SB-400 or similar that would function better than a pop-up. I don't think I am going to miss the pop-up now that I am getting used to the idea of not having it, and I am hoping that I have better results because I won't be relying on it.

I analyzed this purchase for several months. In the end, I liked the tilt screen, the back-lit buttons and the layout of the camera. It looks similar to my D300, but it has many more convenient buttons. I wanted the capability to shoot birds and other fast things now and then, and I wanted the quick focus. I was willing to give up the pop-up, and instead, purchase a small flash for fill so I could take advantage all of the features of the D500.

I have an SB-800 if I need to use flash until I get a small one to chuck into the bag.

Hope that helps. You can only decide if you will miss it, but there is so much more to the D500 than lack of a pop-up.
 
Last edited:
I rarely use the one on my D750. The few times that I have used it have been outdoors in the shade when I needed to fill in a few shadows. So no, I don't think I would miss it.
 

LouCioccio

Senior Member
LDC_4211.jpgISO 200 at the Phipps noon time 30 May 2017 no flash just hand held; nope do not miss on board flash; take the flash off and place it anywhere but on the camera. I did have a flash in the backpack but did not felt the need. I think these were all done with 35mm F/1.8G.
Who needs a ND I did blur the falling water and those whom take images of butterflies my hat is off to you at least I got one to stop and let take her image.
Lou Cioccio
LDC_4178w.jpg LDC_4176w.jpg LDC_4187w.jpg
LDC_4224.jpg
 
Last edited:

carguy

Senior Member
I don't shoot with a D500 either but I don't think I've ever used the pop-up flash on my D750.

I suppose it would be nice to have but as long as it has a 'shoe, I'm good to go.
...
Same here. I've never fired the flash on my D7100. I suppose I should have before the warranty lapsed :)
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
Once I got my first speedlight with the D7100, I stopped using the pop up flash. I have one speedlight in the bag with me any time I have the camera, so using the on camera pop-up isn't needed.

My favorite light modifiers (Westcott Apollo soft box) has the speedlight located inside the box, so I've been using radio triggers for awhile. I switched to the Phottix Mitros speedlight a because of the integrated rf trigger, plus they work with my old Nikon battery packs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Griso

Senior Member
Sorry, another one that doesn't have a D500, but I have to say I do use my pop-up flash on occasion on sunny days to balance things out. I rarely go out with anything other than camera (maybe stuck on the end of a monopod or tripod, sung over the shoulder) and spare battery in pocket.

Having said all that, I could work around it if I had the chance to have a D500 :)
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I am another member who doesn't own a D500, but if I did, I wouldn't miss the pop-up flash. On only a couple of occasions since I switched to DSLR (fall of 2011) have I ever intentionally used a pop-up flash (and once unintentionally when I was shooting drama photos in the dark...when I rotated the lens, I accidentally popped it up causing it to fire). Pop-up flashes really don't give off a lot of light compared to a separate flash unit, and it sits too close to the lens for my taste. When I take photos at church, I use a flash bracket with a separate flash. Just today I ordered some triggers so definitely have no need for a pop-up flash.

The only exception I can think of is someone like Scott Murray who built his own diffuser to use for macro. It fastens onto the camera and sits between the subject and the pop-up flash. The pop-up flash gives off the light. Of course, there are separate macro flashes (some are under $50) so even that wouldn't be a problem.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
Another vote for "don't want one" since I have never fired the popup flash on my D800. I used it a few times on my D7000 but only as a CLS flash controller. I use flash a lot, even on sunny days...especially in sunny days to fill harsh shadows and the popup is not powerful enough to balance a backlit scene unless very close which creates its own hard shadows
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
I have not yet.



It certainly was not a deal breaker. I seldom us the pop up on my other bodies.

I have a controller for my Godox system of off camera flashes so I would not use the pop up as a trigger.
 
Top