Post your US D500 launch event findings here - Part Three

[Sea Hunt 2]

I can confirm that here both the D500 and D5 were in the demonstration mode. I saw a text indicating this on the back LCD. at some point.

The card compartments were open. There were no cards inside. I was told not to put any card inside. Without the cards the cameras were able to display only the most recent photo.

The max magnification of both D500 and D5 image display was 5 "steps". This did not allow zooming very deep into the picture.

The camera settings of the D500 could be changed in spite of the demo mode and they have been described in my message an hour and a half ago.

 

[Sea Hunt 2]

No idea. Probably some secret button presses only a few people at the Nikon distribution companies know.

 

[KnightPhoto2]

Hello everybody,

I attended a camera exhibition in Finland today. The D5, D500 and D810 were there for anyone to try.

First the observations regarding the sound of the shutter:

Did several comparisons in a hall which was not very noisy. Tried the D5, D500 and D810 one after the other. All were set to the single exposure mode and exposure time around 1/2000. The most silent was the very silent D810. The shutter of the D500 can be classified as silent although it was not as silent as the D810. There was a slight difference. Clearly the less silent was the D5. - The difference between the D5 and D500 was more than the difference between the D500 and D810. As said all three were in the regular single exposure mode with exposure time around 1/2000. I did three separate comparisons and the result was always the same.

As regards the noise in high-ISO images, I did the following observations:

So far, most of the comments regarding the D500 image noise in this forum are probably not correct. The reason is that the D5 and D500 are in the current camera shows in the demonstration mode. The demonstration mode involves that the image taken can be magnified in only FIVE steps, which is much less than normal. So zooming enough into the image to really see the possible noise has been disabled by Nikon. (Recording on card has not been permitted in the presentation events.)

I had my D7000 with me, and in the D7000 the image could be zoomed in in eight steps (in my D7200 the image can be magnified in ten steps).

I took several comparable images with the D500 and D7000 side by side of a colourful poster with a black wall around. The hall was well lit. Both cameras were in the neutral image mode: contrast lowest possible, sharpening +4, saturation +- 0, brightness +-0, hue +-0. Hi ISO noise reduction off. D-lighting off. Raw image mode. Focal length 16 mm. Distance about two meters. White balance A1. Automatic exposure in P. No exposure compensation.

The D500 could record and display only one image at a time (demonstration mode = no card inside).

As stated already, the images taken with the D500 could be magnified only in 5 steps. The same portion (same width of wall) of the image was displayed by the D7000 when that photo was zoomed in about 6.5 steps (i.e. the D7000 showed a wider image than D500 after zooming 6 steps and a slightly narrower image portion than the D500 when it was zoomed in 7 steps).

High ISO observations done were these: At ISO 6400 both minor monochromatic and color noise could be observed in the D500 images when zooming of 5 steps was done. If full zooming had been possible (instead of only 5 steps) I am sure both monochromatic and color noise would have been clearly visible in the images taken with the D500. I only checked that part of the image where there was black but fairly well lit wall.

After 5-step magnification of pictures at ISO 10,000, slightly more (than above) monochromatic and color noise could be observed in the images taken with the D500. But at that magnification it was still not disturbing at all. If I had been able to do a full zoom into the image, my impression is that a lot of noise would have been visible.

I took the corresponding comparison images with the Nikon D7000, and zoomed to about the same image magnification (same width of picture visible on the LCD). In this case, when the D7000 image was zoomed "moderately", it did not look too bad at ISO 6400. Also ISO 10,000 from the D7000 in minor 6-step magnification looked usable. I got the overall feeling that the D500 was better but not revolutionary better.

The final guess: Nikon does good marketing by not letting the images taken with the D500 and D5 in the demonstration mode to be magnified up to the commonly used maximum level. This creates hype and preorders as people believe that images "fully" zoomed do not show noise. Most trade show visitors do not even notice full zooming is not possible. If full zooming were possible, perhaps no hype would be created.

Certainly the D500 and D5 are magnificent cameras, but my expectations to see revolutionary high-ISO cameras with the introduction of the D5 and D500 have been lowered today. I do expect very good cameras and advances as to the noise level but nothing revolutionary.

I do not have any more observations to present. - I might still buy the D500...

Glad you had a chance to use the cameras. In my case at all 3 events, not only did we have a full zoom range available, but images were recorded to cards, as we were able to flip back and forth over many images for comparisons. I have no idea why this would be different than what you saw, and I will also be interested to see what others found here at the US events.

Thank you very much for the confirmation on the shutter noise. That was my impression as well, but I was in rather noisier conditions.

--
Bill Dewey
www.thefocusedeye.com

I've been meaning to do this ever since I saw the demo Lizard shot at ISO 51,200. Here is my D4 shot at HI-2 (ISO 51,200) with NR set as low. Shot as RAW and converted to jpg in CNX2. Noticeable horizontal and vertical banding, lots of colour noise, and the shadows are not black, as well as a magenta cast - downsized to 1500 pixels wide. I've owned the camera 4 years and had never gone above 25,600 before. I think the Lizard is better ;-)



--
Best Regards,
SteveK
'A camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.' -- Dorothea Lange
http://images.nikonians.org/galleries/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/119002

 

[n057]

No idea. Probably some secret button presses only a few people at the Nikon distribution companies know.

That is strange. Maybe some automatic setting when there is no card in the camera? I can't imagine why they would do something like that. With Coolpix, maybe, not with professional grade equipment.

Here in Montreal, the card doors were taped shut, the presenters told us there were cards inside. But I fired quite a few shots in single and CH mode, there was a studio setup and we could take photographs of a model. Others played with the camera after me, and I went back later and fired a few more shots, including some of a pile of black backpacks in a dark corner, to get of feel of focusing in very low light. The images were all available for review.

I did not count how many presses I did on the magnifier button, but the end magnification was more than 100%, I could gage that by going back to full screen after reviewing the magnified image.


JC
Some cameras, some lenses, some computers

 

[JimPearce]

Don't insert a memory card, and you're in Demo mode.

 

[Bill Dewey]

I can confirm that here both the D500 and D5 were in the demonstration mode. I saw a text indicating this on the back LCD. at some point.

The card compartments were open. There were no cards inside. I was told not to put any card inside. Without the cards the cameras were able to display only the most recent photo.

The max magnification of both D500 and D5 image display was 5 "steps". This did not allow zooming very deep into the picture.

The camera settings of the D500 could be changed in spite of the demo mode and they have been described in my message an hour and a half ago.

Not sure why there would be such differences, must have something to do with the different importers. I was at 3 events here and in all 3 cases I was moving between 50-100 images to view on the LCD.

Just tried this on my D810. The way to get to Demo is to turn off the release lock when slots are empty, this causes the image to immediately display on the LCD, the word "Demo" shows up in the upper left corner. Zoom levels are then limited to 7 on my D810 rather than the full 10.

Not sure why they did not have a card in, but nothing different than normal.

 

[Bill Dewey]

Don't insert a memory card, and you're in Demo mode.

 

[jeminijoseph]

I can confirm that here both the D500 and D5 were in the demonstration mode. I saw a text indicating this on the back LCD. at some point.

The card compartments were open. There were no cards inside. I was told not to put any card inside. Without the cards the cameras were able to display only the most recent photo.

The max magnification of both D500 and D5 image display was 5 "steps". This did not allow zooming very deep into the picture.

The camera settings of the D500 could be changed in spite of the demo mode and they have been described in my message an hour and a half ago.

So I could scroll back and check images after a huge burst (as I explained in my experience). This might explain why you could not zoom all the way in. I think I could zoom beyond 100%. But don't want to bet on it.

 

[KnightPhoto2]

BTW on my D4 ISO 51,200 shot, when I look at it on the camera rear screen I can see the banding, noise, and blotchiness when I zoom up with 5 button presses. I can even see this with two button presses.

 

[n057]

Don't insert a memory card, and you're in Demo mode.

 

[luxun54]

Hello everybody,

I attended a camera exhibition in Finland today. The D5, D500 and D810 were there for anyone to try.

...

As regards the noise in high-ISO images, I did the following observations:

So far, most of the comments regarding the D500 image noise in this forum are probably not correct. The reason is that the D5 and D500 are in the current camera shows in the demonstration mode. The demonstration mode involves that the image taken can be magnified in only FIVE steps, which is much less than normal. So zooming enough into the image to really see the possible noise has been disabled by Nikon. (Recording on card has not been permitted in the presentation events.)

"Demonstration mode" ???

How do you set that mode?

JC
Some cameras, some lenses, some computers

I am not sure this was true in all cases, and I don't think the camera I used at the launch event was in "demo" mode. There was certainly no message on the rear LCD.

The D500 I used DID have a card in the slot. The card slot was NOT taped shut, and after I shot a long burst that did not fill the buffer, I looked to see if it was an XQD or SD card. [It was a Toshiba SD, no card in XQD slot.]

Also, I zoomed in more than 5x to get to the maximum magnification, so I don't think this was in the demo mode that the OP was referring to. Maybe something different was being done in Europe, but I am not sure the OP's observations apply in all cases.

 

[Sea Hunt 2]

In one of the countries I work, a trustworthy colleague of mine had seen on computer screen a full-size ISO 80.000 image taken with the D5. He is a very experienced photo pro. Showing the image to my colleague was part of the Nikon marketing efforts. He was not allowed to copy the picture, because the firmware was said not to be the final version.

Believing or not believing in the big steps forward in the D5/500 has lots of ups and downs, it's like a bipolar mental disorder...

 

[Sea Hunt 2]

[No message]

 

[Sea Hunt 2]

The comment of my colleague as to the D5 ISO 80,000 image quality was "unbelievable". And it was a full-size image on computer screen He could compare it to the D4S images taken under the same conditions

Sorry... I forgot the main comment in my previous message written three minutes ago. Noisy conditions here and writing on my mobile phone...

 

[jeminijoseph]

The comment of my colleague as to the D5 ISO 80,000 image quality was "unbelievable". And it was a full-size image on computer screen He could compare it to the D4S images taken under the same conditions

Sorry... I forgot the main comment in my previous message written three minutes ago. Noisy conditions here and writing on my mobile phone...

because of those experts comments about the physics limits and all. I want to believe it, and I will be very happy if your colleague is right and I'm wrong . Once we see real samples from D5 by end of the month we will have all answers.. May be before that..

 

[keiththom]

Don't insert a memory card, and you're in Demo mode.

 

[Tim S]

where are all those images people normally sneak out of the events? In two weeks time the torture may be over.

 

[Brandon birder]

This was the principal lens for guys like Larry West - who died last year - who pioneered high quality wildlife photography back in the 1970s.

 

[Bill Dewey]

where are all those images people normally sneak out of the events? In two weeks time the torture may be over.

 

[wade maney]

There are really only two types of camera people: The rational sane ones and the irrational loonies - the rational - sane ones wait for the camera to be released, reviewed and commented on by actual users - and also wait to sell old equipment to finance the new purchase until the new camera is vetted by the above - the irrational loonies sell old equipment immediately once the new camera is announced, pre-order the new one a second before they list for sale their old cameras, lens, flashes and hope that the reviews and user comments and their own personal experience once they get the camera supports their hasty (rash?) decision - I don't know about you all - but I'm a bit of a loon - and I'm not talking the feathered kind (sigh).