Any rumors on a possible D500 replacement ??

iceman55

Senior Member
I'm pretty sure the D500 was released in Jan 2016 and most models have a shelf life of around 2yrs. Just curious if anyone has heard anything about a replacement and what changes would be made. Thanks...
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
If it takes as long as the D300 forget it :D.

I have a feeling it may never be replaced as such,strong rumors abound that Canon are jumping in the mirrorless section with possibly 3 cameras next year,Nikon cant afford not to take notice.you may see some insignificant tweaks that add a few hundred to the price but not sure about a proper replacement.
It would be interesting to know what part of it you want updating.
 

iceman55

Senior Member
Not sure...maybe a flash...more resolution....better Wi-Fi connectivity....more speed possibly...These are just guesses now...
I had my D500 for close to 1yr before I got bored taking pics and sold it...It did serve me very well though especially photographing birds in flight...I'm def getting the itch again :)
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
The D500 was announced in Jan 2016, so coming up to it's second anniversary in a few months - what is the shelf life of a model release? I suspect the minor upgrades come along when needed like the D610 to fix issues, but I have not heard any issues with the D500 warranting such an corrective upgrade. Maybe a D510 will come along in a bit with minor tweaks. I would not expect a flash as that was one of the selling points of a camera. Wifi improvements maybe but that might be more of a software upgrade to their not so snappy-bridge, but improved wifi and a bluetooth.

I'm still enjoying my D500 and don't really see the need for an upgrade . . .

But that D850 ... maybe I just need to get one of those now . . . opps pardon the gas.
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
I don't see wifi improvements on the horizon. I'm not sure that Nikon has even noticed that wifi doesn't mean what they think it does. :)

The more pro bodies tend to go longer between updates unless there is a major flaw to be fixed. I think it's still at least 2 years before the D500 gets upstaged by a replacement.
 

jc32750

Senior Member
Not sure...maybe a flash...more resolution....better Wi-Fi connectivity....more speed possibly...These are just guesses now...
I had my D500 for close to 1yr before I got bored taking pics and sold it...It did serve me very well though especially photographing birds in flight...I'm def getting the itch again :)

What did you replace it with?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Nero

Senior Member
I think Nikon might be focused on releasing a mirrorless camera soon, they finally realized how much demand there is. Especially after the Nikon 1 system wasn't much of a success.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I think Nikon might be focused on releasing a mirrorless camera soon, they finally realized how much demand there is. Especially after the Nikon 1 system wasn't much of a success.

I still think the 1 series failed due to Nikons head up their ar$e attitude,the sensor size was not the problem,development of the 1 inch sensor has moved on now and its successful in loads of cameras but Nikon let the 1 series stagnate,and then produced a camera that was aimed at the serious user the V3 and sold it with out a EVF.
They knew users wanted to put long lenses on it so waited until it was nearly too late and added the 70-300, we all know about the expected replacement for it the DL range, that 24-500 body with a CX mount and some long lenses would have sold,you only have to read bird watching forums to know how many put size and reach of gear before IQ.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
I can't think of a major change needed in the D500 because it is class leading by a wide margin and has no real competition. The lack of popup flash was a great move and will be, or should be, the case with every camera considered pro. The lack of popup flash allowed the larger VF that is the best in the crop camera industry. No one with need of a pro level camera would use pop up flash as a light source but would use it as a trigger for the optical CLS. But CLS is pretty obsolete, and limited for any but very casual use when low cost reliable RF controllers are available. Nikon should replace optical CLS with a new standard RF protocol. Adding a 2.4ghz RF module is very cheap now, about $1 in off the shelf quantity buys.
A D510 could be expected as a refresh, with better Snap Bridge, maybe 1-2 more fps, but there is no real demand for missing features. Maybe more use of camera control from the touch screen but that is firmware and not needing hardware changes. They have much more important uses of R&D funds, like the mirrorless.
After shooting with a friend's Sony high end model I am not impressed with the lack of accessible controls and very bad ergonomics.I could not imaging trying to make changes fast enough in event shooting or BIF to make it worth the bother. IF and WHEN Nikon adds mirrorless, I sure hope they retain the feel in hand and access to settings without menu diving like is required with Sony. Canon is not much better than Sony in the number of menu levels required for some basic often used settings. Almost all the mirrorless options out there ignore ergonomics and concentrate on small size assuming the market wants a pocket pro camera instead of a usable pro camera that just happens to be mirror-less. If Nikon makes it any smaller than a D500 or D850 they might turn off the pro shooters. Reducing weight surely would be welcome but it has to fit a normal hand, be suitable for grip addition, and have a large number of direct controls that reduce menu diving during any session.
What is needed for lighter mirrorless cameras are lighter lenses. By using modern optical theory, and composite material lighter, smaller glass is possible. For example a 70-200 with 23 heavy elements is a good candidate for more modern lighter materials and fewer elements. They would sell a lot of lenses if lighter versions were introduced when they introduce the lighter mirrorless. My smallest bag, with 1 D800, a 70-200, 24-70, and 14-24 or wide prime, plus a SB900 or two is over the weight limit for carry on luggage. Lugging it around town walking for miles is a pain but for events, what else get the results?
I really do not need a new camera but they added enough excitement to the D850 without raising the price that I see I will probably get one, and mirrorless will probably be announced the next day. About the only feature of mirrorless I would really benefit from is silent shooting. The pro Nikon's are loud and restricts their use in theater venues. My D7000 is so much quieter that the administration of the main ballet theater here, the famous Mariinsky Theater, gave me a certificate saying it was quiet enough to be used from specified positions while my D800 could not without mounting in a sound absorbing container.
 

ISOhappy

Senior Member
The camera is so new, I doubt there's anything in store soon. The only things I could ask for are better ISO performance (not that it's bad now, though), and a smaller, lighter body. Other than that, the camera seems to be a wildlife photog's dream.
 

sonicbuffalo_RIP

Senior Member
The camera is so new, I doubt there's anything in store soon. The only things I could ask for are better ISO performance (not that it's bad now, though), and a smaller, lighter body. Other than that, the camera seems to be a wildlife photog's dream.
It would be a dream if it was silent.
 

egosbar

Senior Member
focus stacking would be great , taking stacked sets not using the mechanical shutter would be great and much better for resale value
 

Bullet

Senior Member
I just bought my D500. The only real improvement would be resolution in my opinion; provided the noise stays down. I just took up birding but have a friend who only shoots wildlife. Cropping is king in his world, so more resolution would be a plus. Other than that, I do not see much room for improvement and have taken to mine like a fish to water. I have for sure got to pick up my culling game!
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
The D500 sensor is pretty close to the theoretical limit for DX for the Dynamic range so it is going to be either more noise reduction in raw done in the image processor or tolerate more noise with smaller pixel sizes to have higher resolution. If you are shooting in good light and not constrained by shadow noise, then smaller pixels and more of them would allow more cropping and still have manageable noise.

This is the dilemma all BIF and WF shooters face...how to get closer or which kidney to sell for long big glass. Getting closer is the ideal solution but that is not always possible because of terrain, field craft or safety. The goal is to get the subject covered by the maximum number of pixels defining the subject. What are you shooting and how close can you get? How much of the frame can you fill with your subject now? With noise to pixel, density ratios are pretty good now on the D500 so the camera is where the least improvement can be gained. Getting closer is the real challenge that often requires knowing the subject behavior, feeding habits, habitat, and range so well that you can be in the right place at the right time. Using a 300mm 2.8 instead of a 600 f/4 will save a ton of money by getting closer will also usually yield more interesting shots.
 

Chris@sabor

Senior Member
For me the D500 is nearly perfect. One wish would be a silent shutter. I work very hard to get as close as possible, I've had a bobcat within 12 feet and not know I was there until....I pushed the shutter! Sometimes it actually helps the subject turn my direction other times the become frightened or hesitant to come closer. Nikon, please give us wildlife photographers a D510 with silent shutter!
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
For me the D500 is nearly perfect. One wish would be a silent shutter. I work very hard to get as close as possible, I've had a bobcat within 12 feet and not know I was there until....I pushed the shutter! Sometimes it actually helps the subject turn my direction other times the become frightened or hesitant to come closer. Nikon, please give us wildlife photographers a D510 with silent shutter!

I wish Nikon would offer a quieter shutter on all their bodies! :encouragement: When I take photos during Worship, I stand in the back with either my D750 or D7200 tripod mounted. It's very quiet in there, and no doubt they can hear the click all the way up in the front. :sorrow: Have you ever used the Quiet Mode? That delays the shutter actuation and spreads out the timing between the mirror lifting and the actual shutter actuation. So it's a series of click-clacks. When I've used it, quite often I miss the shot I want because of the slight delay with the actuation. And it isn't all that quiet either. :beguiled:
 

Chris@sabor

Senior Member
I wish Nikon would offer a quieter shutter on all their bodies! :encouragement: When I take photos during Worship, I stand in the back with either my D750 or D7200 tripod mounted. It's very quiet in there, and no doubt they can hear the click all the way up in the front. :sorrow: Have you ever used the Quiet Mode? That delays the shutter actuation and spreads out the timing between the mirror lifting and the actual shutter actuation. So it's a series of click-clacks. When I've used it, quite often I miss the shot I want because of the slight delay with the actuation. And it isn't all that quiet either. :beguiled:

Exactly why I don't use Quiet Mode either!
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I wish Nikon would offer a quieter shutter on all their bodies! :encouragement: When I take photos during Worship, I stand in the back with either my D750 or D7200 tripod mounted. It's very quiet in there, and no doubt they can hear the click all the way up in the front. :sorrow: Have you ever used the Quiet Mode? That delays the shutter actuation and spreads out the timing between the mirror lifting and the actual shutter actuation. So it's a series of click-clacks. When I've used it, quite often I miss the shot I want because of the slight delay with the actuation. And it isn't all that quiet either. :beguiled:

If you are ever tempted to buy a camera with an electronic shutter do some checks first, they can give banding in certain artificial light types.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
If you are ever tempted to buy a camera with an electronic shutter do some checks first, they can give banding in certain artificial light types.

Hmm...I am not familiar with an electronic shutter but will read up on it. Thanks, Mike. :encouragement:
 
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