Here is a series of shots I took with the new D500.
http://nikonites.com/project-365-an...ildlife-nature-other-stuff-15.html#post561791
This was fairly low light in the shade, and I wanted to keep a fast shutter speed. I had 130 pictures from which to pick the best, and it is amazing how different pictures that are only a tenth of a second or so apart can be.
I have taken the D500 out for five long sessions now, and I am very impressed with the camera overall.
Fast battery drain? Not for me. 1800 shots on one battery the first time out to shoot wildlife. Put the camera in Airplane Mode and I don't think you'll find that it eats batteries any faster than any other Nikon DSLR. I know that third party lenses might drain the battery quicker due to the weird time-out issues some users are having, though.
Focus system? The best I've seen. Fast, accurate, and handles low light well. Mistakes in focusing have almost all been due to my errors, not the camera. If you want to shoot birds in flight, quick moving sports action, or even your grandchildren running around in the backyard, this camera can get the job done.
Camera lock up? It hasn't happened to me yet.
Ergonomics? The lay out of controls is logical and set up so that everything is in reach with normal hand position. The focus control can be done with the directional control as with other Nikons, or with the thumb stick. I am still not used to the thumb stick and find that I automatically reach for the directional control to change focus points most of the time. The thumb stick really is better, I just have to get used to it.
Sharpness/resolution? I am getting very sharp results. Sharper on average than I have had with the D7100 or 7200. The slightly lower resolution of the D500 at 20.9 MP vs 24 for the D7100/7200 is not noticeable at all when I work on files in Lightroom.
Low light performance: So far I have found there to be little difference between the D500 and the D7200 as far as noise. It seems like the D500 files clean up a little better in post, but I also don't tend to be a picky as many people when it come to noise.
Computability? I have only used a Nikkor 300mm f/4 with 1.4x teleconverter, and a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 on the camera. No issues with these lenses.
What do I like about the D500 that the D7200 doesn't have?
* Focus group mode can be handy.
* Thumb stick for moving focus points.
* WAY more focus points, and some near the edge of the frame.
* Deeper hand grip.
* Built more solidly. For instance, I don't feel like the memory card door will break every time I open it like on the D7200.
* D500 permits "format card" on My Menu, whereas the D7200 wouldn't for some reason.
* Brighter and bigger viewfinder
* Touchscreen when reviewing pictures. (I still have to remember that I can do this, I usually reach for the directional control out of habit.
* I have yet to tilt the LCD screen, but I am sure there will be times when I want a very low or high angle that it will come in handy.
* XQD memory cards. These are a huge step up. They are built solidly, and are lightening fast. Sure, they are more expensive than SD cards, but they are worth it, IMO. This was something I was very unsure of before I bought the camera. I actually wish the camera had dual XQD card slots rather than an SD for the second slot.
*10 fps and a basically unlimited buffer. Will I need it all the time? No. But it will help me get shots I couldn't, or would have been less likely to, with the D7200.
What do I miss?
*VERY slightly I miss the pop-up flash to use as a quick and easy fill flash.
* Um, well, that's about it.
This is just one guy's opinion after around 4000 shots. I'll be taking pictures at the cycling velodrome tomorrow, which will be a very good test of the focusing system.
