D850 vs. D500

bellavie

New member
Can someone talk me out of purchasing the D850 and choosing the D500 instead? Other than the cost.

Currently using D4s and want to switch this to backup.

TIA
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
Welcome aboard. Enjoy the ride.
We look forward to seeing more posts and samples of your work.

First, if you provided more detail on lenses, etc you own plus the type of shooting you are mainly interested in we would better be able to help you.

Since you D4s is an FX camera, I think it likely you own FX lenses. This being the case, unless you are heavy into sports or wildlife photography, I would recommend staying with an FX camera, or the D850 (or even a D800 or D810 camera) over the D500.
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
I agree with Moab. Why are you currently shooting the D4s and not a D300?

Don't get me wrong, I love my D810 and the D500, and wouldn't toss out a D850 if given to me, but it's like comparing a philips head screw driver to a flat head. They're both screw drivers, but they have their purpose.
 

bandit993

Senior Member
I like your reference to screw drivers but since both of those types of drivers are garbage what would be the "Robertson" screw driver be in Nikon cameras.. haha They are the best screw driver, so would that be a D5?
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
If it was me, I'd go for the D500. For the crop sensor and incredible high iso quality. Unless you are a studio Pro that does huge enlargements, the D500 would give you a better performer for outdoor, sports and high iso shoots.
 

Chris@sabor

Senior Member
I don't own the D850...yet. I do own the D500 and love it! It seems to me that if you buy D850 and spend an extra nearly $1000 on grip, d5 battery and charger, the D850 is like 2 cameras in one. A full frame, high MP, landscape, portrait and studio beast, then switch to dx mode and basically have a D500 with around 19MP and 9FPS with the same killer autofocus. I have seen a couple reviews that thought the D500's autofocus might be a bit better though.
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
I don't own the D850...yet. I do own the D500 and love it! It seems to me that if you buy D850 and spend an extra nearly $1000 on grip, d5 battery and charger, the D850 is like 2 cameras in one. A full frame, high MP, landscape, portrait and studio beast, then switch to dx mode and basically have a D500 with around 19MP and 9FPS with the same killer autofocus. I have seen a couple reviews that thought the D500's autofocus might be a bit better though.

But the D5 having a lower mega pixel count than the D850, still gobbles up more light and therefore more dynamic range, right? I don’t see the D850 being the all-in-one, otherwise the D5 would only have the AF leap over the D810.


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Chris@sabor

Senior Member
But the D5 having a lower mega pixel count than the D850, still gobbles up more light and therefore more dynamic range, right? I don’t see the D850 being the all-in-one, otherwise the D5 would only have the AF leap over the D810.

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I think you are wrong. The D850 scores 14.8 stops of dynamic range while the D5 scores only 12.3 stops. I do think the D850 is the closest camera yet to the elusive All-in-One.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
It is hard to compare the D5 with D850. The useful DR is better at high ISO on the D5 but for highest quality, low ISO the D850 is a great deal better.
Here is a chart of Bill Claff's PDR (Photographic Dynamic Range that is a more realistic and consistent method of measuring the sensor visual impression of DR.
The D5 has build, slight AF, speed, and weather sealing advantages but the gap is narrowing with the D850.
In everything else that photographers are interested in, the D850 is the camera to beat. It may be the last DSLR Nikon makes for the pro market before moving to mirrorless. If you prefer large optical VF, it might be the last model to have it. The D500 is the best DX camera made but the D850 steals some of its thunder by being so good in crop mode. Personally, a separate mode for crop dimensions really is not needed. I use a D800 and just shoot and crop in post if I have to regardless of lens image circle. If given the choice of D500 plus the cash difference, or a D850, it would be the D850 all the way. But I am less interested in long telephotos and sports than general and studio photography.


pdr.png
 
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