Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

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Your 1st paragraph requires establishing the threshold of “acceptable noise” with reasonable am consistency or accuracy. That is tilting at windmills.

Your 2nd paragraph expects me to read about someone else’s test methodology. I have no need of that to state what I’ve already stated about such stuff.

Perfecting a pointless pursuit does not impress me. I’m beyond that.

mundy-F2 Loc: Chicago suburban area

I found your questions informative. I will purchase my first DSLR later this year and low light photography is one of my intetests. I shoot film. My 35mm are Nikon and 120 film is shoot on my 500C/M. I hope to decide between either the Nikon Z or the 850, so the information provided by users to answer your questions was of interest to me.
Thanks for asking your questions.
Mundy

Kelly Cherry

Sir. You have several great Nikon cameras including the D500 Nikon's sports model designs to deliver with incredible speed.

My suggestion is that you go to Nikon's website and do a side by side comparison of the performances of your cameras against each other. You will find the D500 hard to beat for overall performance because it was built to deliver. I know many professional photographers who shoot with it daily and love it. What you want to key on is the information about the sensor in relationship to low light.

I sold cameras for the last five years and you have some of our top selling Tamron lenses as well. The Tamron 24-70 2.8 was one of our biggest sellers. Of course Tokina has many fine lenses made to mount on a Nikon camera as well.

You probably already know this, but it's not all up to the camera that gives the end results of sharpness in a photo. I truly believe that it a combination of the camera set correctly to respond in a given situation, the lenses and last but not least the use of tripods and what photoshop programs your using once the photos have been captured.

You can also send your camera and lenses to Nikon and have them calibrated to work together for the best optical performance.
Good luck sir!

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Gave up Blads (and such) ages ago and now use a Z (and such).

But I’d expect if you are still happy with toting a 500C around then you’re likely to love the 850. The 850 has a huuuuugely devoted following. It is a great machine with only two possible flaws for some users:
It’s big, and it’s an SLR. But the same could be said of the 500C.

For those to whom those two things are NOT flaws, the 850 is the Mighty Ruler of the Known Universe. I suspect there are even some 850 users who really do wish it were smaller and quieter, but find its virtues far outweigh such concerns.

Also, excluding pre-Ai versions, your current Nikkors will be fully usable on the 850. An FTZ adapter on a Z has no auto iris action for your film camera lenses.

Regardless, Hogster lore has it that you need all new lenses for the 850 due to its 45MP. I suspect you’re probably immune to that sorta herd mind stuff ... which if true could mean that you get a Z anywho.

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That was funny. Way beyond just passing your audition. You are gonna be a rising star here. Hope you can keep your edge !

mundy-F2 Loc: Chicago suburban area

Thank you for the feedback. The 500C/M may be a little big, but it is light in weight with the standard 80mm. My neighbor has a NIKON 810, I think that's the model numbet, and with his larger zoom tele, his camera is heavy. I do a quite of few hand held with the 500 on the street. A have an old Minolta meter, but it does the job.

Since I have a full set of Nikkor lenses, and F2 bodies, (F2, F2-S, F2-AS) and a Nikkormat ELW. so I want to stay in the Nikon family.
Thanks again for your feedback.
Mundy

baron_silverton Loc: Los Angeles, CA

The Z6II is better in low light all things being equal - but not if you are going to put an f/4 lens on it and compare it to the others with 2.8 glass.

If you can use the Z6II with the 2.8 glass that is your best bet. Fast lenses are the most important thing for low light when used with any camera made in the last 5 years or so - if your camera is older than that then issues of the sensor become more and more relevant the older the camera gets.

Kelly Cherry

If the Nikon 850 is the Holly ruler of the universe "your words," how does it compare to the Nikon D5 Nikon's flagship of DSLR cameras? Just curious if there's any merit to your statement?

Kelly Cherry

Kelly Cherry

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You’re asking the wrong person. It’s not my statement.

You do have an impressive writing style. Your reading is apparently not the equal of your writing. A curious person must needs read accurately. Otherwise their curiosity is not productive.

Reread that post and then redirect your curiosity toward the appropriate parties. Or just read the forum. Those parties have written endlessly. You’ll surely find the material you need. It’s out there !

rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH

Concert lighting overall is generally low light BUT you need to remember the performers on the stage are illuminated by spot lighting which is generally fairly high intensity. If this is the case, remember to use spot metering to get proper exposure of the act which is likely not to be in low light levels.