jdub82 Loc: Northern California

This response is snarky, rude and completely uncalled for. He was asking a simple question.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

To get back to the question...I believe that those of us who have a D500 and have taken the time to learn its capabilities and how to make use of it have come to recognize that it is a fully capable, all-around camera. I have written elsewhere that shooting it is essentially the same as shooting a D850, except for the sensor size and a couple of pretty nifty new functions that the D850 has that weren't around for the D500.

Its real-life ISO capability and dynamic range are essentially the same as the D850, offers Flicker Reduction, produces images with characteristics identical to those from the D850, and matches it very closely in sensor density. It is also built to professional standards and has the same outstanding user interface that the D850 does, far superior to that on consumer and even prosumer cameras, at least in my experience and judgement.

In short, there is no reason to sell it, because there is no reason to replace it with anything else for any shooting purpose. It is NOT just a sports and wildlife camera, and its 21 MP sensor turns out to be just about right a huge portion of the time. I also have and use a D810 and a D850. They are wonderful cameras also, but much of the time the smaller files are just more appropriate, since the Fine/Large JPEGs are usually between 12 and 14 MB and can be readily emailed, if necessary. Also...I've looked, and there is no mirrorless DX camera that I've seen right now that in any way would justify moving away from the D500.

My suspicion is that those that have been mentioned for sale are rarely being sold by competent photographers. If you don't take the time to learn how to use a D500, or if your camera is just a box with a hole on one side for the lens, I can see that you might become disillusioned with it. It is pretty much the same with all of the like-new ultra-wide-angle lenses available on the used market all the time. There is nothing wrong with them. The folks who bought them just weren't willing to spend the time and energy to learn to use them properly and effectively.

Of note is that I delayed moving from my D300 to the D500 partly because of the many comments that I read about it here. I was new to the forum and didn't yet know that much of what is said here is inane, inept, or just incorrect. (Still a little bit upset about that time lost with the camera.) And I've gotten a second one, just to protect against not being able to get a replacement in the future, if necessary.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Are you letting a mirror hold you back from the photographer you were meant to be?

pendennis

When I decided to upgrade from a D200, I went to the D500; although a year later I added the D750 to the stable. The D500 is an outstanding camera, and I always got great images. I only bought a couple of "kit" lenses for it, and used mostly FX/35mm Nikkors. As others have mentioned, it's a great nature camera, so not a single complaint from me. Early last year, though, I opted to go to a single format (FX), so the D500 was traded in for a D610. Yes, the D610 is not the camera the D500 is, but I needed the D610 as a second body, and a package price at the time made the D610 a good choice.

About five weeks ago, I found a D810 with <1500 clicks, so now the D610 is a tertiary camera, but one never has too many camera bodies...just in case.

The D500, at least six-year old-technology is still being produced. That should tell people about its quality and durability.

moosus

I often read your responses. I'm 71, retired so I don't have the bucks at his stage to go the mirrorless route. I've got my 7200 and several Nikon lenses, which I've invested a few thousand in and I'm not a prof., as T 905 has pointed out. So I have been watching for a reasonably priced, used D500. That's all. I watch B&H and other sites Hoggers suggest but I don't trust UPS or Fed Ex. And my brick and mortar has, like everyone else, virtually no used 500s. But, thanks to others hoggers I did get an answer to my troll, er, question.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I don't know if you were responding to me here (Use "Quote Reply" so that we can know), but I was not intentionally trying to be mean or nasty. There are a few topics that I'm probably too sensitive to, though, and most of what is said here about D500s seems to fall into that category. So my apologies for that.

Over the past 15 years (almost), I have progressed through a Fuji S3Pro (beautiful images, but as slow as Christmas to use), a D200 (for over 10 years...I loved the CCD sensor), a D300, D810, D850, and (finally) a D500. There were several reasons that my progress went in that sequence, with the full frame cameras arising from an interest in night sky photography. I would have actually gotten a D500 quite a bit earlier, but it was badly misrepresented here as just a "sports and wildlife camera." I don't shoot either of those, so didn't think I needed a D500 until I gradually learned from other sources (and my own experience) how flagrantly bogus the "common knowledge" was. Even NikonUSA's materials were misleading on this topic, by the way.

The truth is that like the D200, D300, and D300s, the D500 is a fine all-around camera. Yes...it does a great job at sports and wildlife, but it also does a great job at anything else you ask it to do. The user interface provides quick and easy access to all of the important shooting controls, meaning that you rarely have to access the menus at all while shooting. If you shoot manually, you will be able to adjust everything you need to adjust directly, and the controls are where they need to be to allow you to do so with minimal delay and interruption. The rear monitor tilts, but is not fully articulated. That means you can adjust it for high and low level shots, but it doesn't have an arm with a flimsy multi-directional joint to break. The body is magnesium alloy and carbon fiber, not plastic. And if you don't like the control layout, it is possible to significantly reconfigure it however you would like it.

So that is why there are not a lot of them for sale. Most of us that have them love them. I cannot envision a circumstance under which I would sell mine. I do know of a few folks who have sold theirs, though. Several were almost unused. One was probably approaching getting worn out, with 350,000 shutter activations. So you do need to be a little bit careful when buying. But they remain sought after, so the price probably won't be changing much. Remember that it hasn't been too long since Nikon dropped the price for new ones to about $1500.

So I wish you well in your search. Wish I had better understood why you were asking your question. As mentioned, several folks have been poking and prodding on us recently, and it's pretty much ceased to be fun.

flip1948 Loc: Hamden, CT

I love the slap of a mirror in the morning. It sounds like... victory.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their mirrorless camera.

pendennis

The D500 will probably do you nicely, and you're likely never to use all of its features. The used market has many available, even on eBay. Caveat emptor, as always.

moosus

No, Not you. Only Thomas 905.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Leitz Loc: Solms

I realise that this will likely go over many UHH heads, but it could be that one reason there are more second hand D750s and D850s than second hand D500s being offered for sale is that there are more folks wanting to sell their second hand D750s and D850s than there are those who want to sell their second hand D500s.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Think back to when you knew nothing mirrorless cameras. Would you still want to be that person?

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

SX2002 Loc: Adelaide, South Australia

If the only way you can be a better photographer is to use a mirrorless camera then you go for it...