If you want to recommend a FF, please don't.

I'm coming from a D5200. which has done very well for me over the last 4 years but is now getting in my way more often than not. Let me explain.

I've had an SLR of some kind since the early 70s, Nikon or Minolta. (Strange combo, don't ask.) My two favorite films were Kodachrome and Panatomic-F. I also used a lot of Tri-X when I needed film speed. I did a lot of B&W because I developed my own film and printed my own pictures. I would know the exposure needed for the film I used just by looking around and could set the camera accordingly very quickly and then refine the exposure in the viewfinder. All second nature, easy peasy. In time, and with work, family and changing interests, there came a series of P&S cameras to record the kids and the use of Kodacolor and photo stores for development and printing. The camera was always ready and available for pictures at a moment's notice and my wife could use it easily. Enter digital photography and at first it was a Coolpix then a D60 followed by a D5200. I acquired many lenses during that time.

I am much more into composition when possible. Examples of that is when I go walking somewhere with picture taking in mind. This is when I start fumbling with my D5200 trying to set the exposure to what I would like. The viewfinder is small so reading the shutter speed and aperture is an issue. Trying to change them is even more so. This camera is really oriented towards automatic exposure and providing set scenes is a good thing. Trying to exercise more control over the exposure is more difficult.

However, unlike most people here (or certainly the ones who state a preference,) I do make use of full auto and I like the scenes settings because it is brain dead and it works quite well the majority of the time. It also enables my wife and others to easily take decent pictures with my camera.

I was all ready to select a D500 as my next camera but I'm discovering that it does not seem to have a full auto setting and certainly it does not have the scenes setting, whereas the D7500 has all that as well as much better control over manual settings. Does that mean I could not have other people (who know nothing about photography) use the D500 or not even a have it for quick spur-of-the-moment pictures?

I am reading the huge owner's manual, but it's pretty dry when you don't have the camera in hand.

Earlier this morning, I took a walk with my Black Mouth Cur and my D5200 with my favorite lens the DX 18-140. I was wearing my prescription sunglasses, which are Polarized, of course.

The biggest problem I have with the D5200 when it's off AUTO (scenes), is that I can't easily see the information in the viewfinder. During this little test, I noticed that I can't see ANY of the information in the viewfinder with my sunglasses on. I know I can get that info from the panel, but that eats battery life.

I believe the control panel on the D500 is readily visible outside, with or without glasses? In the days of SLR, I could glance at the camera and know exactly how it was setup, I'm hoping the control panel would allow me that once again, without dining on the battery.

If you want to recommend a FF, please don't.

I'm coming from a D5200. which has done very well for me over the last 4 years but is now getting in my way more often than not. Let me explain.

I've had an SLR of some kind since the early 70s, Nikon or Minolta. (Strange combo, don't ask.) My two favorite films were Kodachrome and Panatomic-F. I also used a lot of Tri-X when I needed film speed. I did a lot of B&W because I developed my own film and printed my own pictures. I would know the exposure needed for the film I used just by looking around and could set the camera accordingly very quickly and then refine the exposure in the viewfinder. All second nature, easy peasy. In time, and with work, family and changing interests, there came a series of P&S cameras to record the kids and the use of Kodacolor and photo stores for development and printing. The camera was always ready and available for pictures at a moment's notice and my wife could use it easily. Enter digital photography and at first it was a Coolpix then a D60 followed by a D5200. I acquired many lenses during that time.

I am much more into composition when possible. Examples of that is when I go walking somewhere with picture taking in mind. This is when I start fumbling with my D5200 trying to set the exposure to what I would like. The viewfinder is small so reading the shutter speed and aperture is an issue. Trying to change them is even more so. This camera is really oriented towards automatic exposure and providing set scenes is a good thing. Trying to exercise more control over the exposure is more difficult.


I am not trying to insult your intelligence here my friend, because your background is a whole lot like mine. Started with B/W, then slides, and eventually into the D70. I took to digital like a duck to water from my slide film days. I would rent both cameras for a week and give them a try. I had a D7100, which I traded for a D500 and have never looked back. I would never return to the D7000-series of cameras because they don't hold a candle to the capabilities of the D500. It is a "mini-D5". The shooting and focus response times, low-light response, and noise levels are far and away better than the D7000-series. With all of your experience, I am surprised that you would be asking this question and even would not want a D500. My wife is from the P&S era and after I set up the D500 for her, she loves it (P, d-72, matrix mode, and auto-ISO) and she is a whiz. Man, this shouldn't be even a question that you are asking........

However, unlike most people here (or certainly the ones who state a preference,) I do make use of full auto and I like the scenes settings because it is brain dead and it works quite well the majority of the time. It also enables my wife and others to easily take decent pictures with my camera.

I was all ready to select a D500 as my next camera but I'm discovering that it does not seem to have a full auto setting and certainly it does not have the scenes setting, whereas the D7500 has all that as well as much better control over manual settings. Does that mean I could not have other people (who know nothing about photography) use the D500 or not even a have it for quick spur-of-the-moment pictures?

I am reading the huge owner's manual, but it's pretty dry when you don't have the camera in hand.

Earlier this morning, I took a walk with my Black Mouth Cur and my D5200 with my favorite lens the DX 18-140. I was wearing my prescription sunglasses, which are Polarized, of course.

The biggest problem I have with the D5200 when it's off AUTO (scenes), is that I can't easily see the information in the viewfinder. During this little test, I noticed that I can't see ANY of the information in the viewfinder with my sunglasses on. I know I can get that info from the panel, but that eats battery life.

I believe the control panel on the D500 is readily visible outside, with or without glasses? In the days of SLR, I could glance at the camera and know exactly how it was setup, I'm hoping the control panel would allow me that once again, without dining on the battery.