When I was researching the D850, for about two years, one of the things you find out is that it is advertised with regards to FPS (Frames Per Second) in two ways. Either you will find 7 FPS or 9 FPS. Both values come with an asterisk.
Out of the box, the camera will do 7 FPS. One may say that 7 FPS is not a lot by today's standards. I would counter that the internals are pushing a 46 mg file across its innards. That is approximately double what most other cameras push. That's OK - it has its purposes. If you need a higher FPS rate, step up to the D5 or D6. Or in my case, pull out the D500. But if you want to step up to 9 FPS on the D850, you need to add a bigger battery.
Without getting into battery electronic terms, the number of shots per charge is what matters most. And in the murky mist that is numbers of shots per charge testing I found there are plenty of parameters involved, none of which I experience. And looking in the back of the OEM (Original Manufacturer Equipment) User's Manual the information can be mind boggling as well. But wait, there's more! There are a double set of numbers based on shooting habits. OK - in the end your mileage may vary. But what you can tell is using the EN-EL18 battery, you get almost double the number of shots than you can with the EN-EL15 standard battery. But wait, there's more! Using the EN-EL18 battery will get you the boost from 7 FPS to 9 FPS. Battery life is one thing, after-burner performance when needed is another.
According to some Nikon users on the web, the AF is also faster with the EN-EL18 battery. Will it wash my truck as well?
I don't get it. Is Nikon saying that for a few extra bucks you can 'legally' boost the camera performance? I guess so. Once you start down this road, in for a penny - in for a pound. The few extra bucks is actually more than a few. And this is where we get into 3rd party offerings. To house the battery upgrade, the appropriate Nikon battery grip is required. As a personal preference, I like Nikon's battery grip. Feels better in the hand. But Nikon's accessories are over expensive. Their business model. Necessary evil to deal with. I tried a 3rd party grip on the D90. I wasn't overly impressed. So, it was OEM battery grips after that. Just added to the total price. The EN-EL18 batteries aren't cheap either. They are designed for the D5 and D6 models, flagship level. If you think if it that way, I get it.
But all this is nothing compared to the biggest insult by Nikon to it's users. To charge the EN-EL18 is extremely expensive. It is a deal breaker. I'm usually reluctantly on board with Nikon's pricing. I'm sure it is close to the other DSLR lines at the professional and flagship level. But the battery charger for the EN-EL18 battery was $450 when I first started looking. It is a normal battery charger - you get them for $20 at the hardware store. OK, so the batteries may be more technical that the Energizer Bunny's brand, but $450? Thus began the 3rd party conundrum.
I'm not going to put 3rd party accessory or lens on my camera. That's just me. But I won't lose sleep using a 3rd party charger. So I did reviews on the 3rd party charger. What did we do before YouTube?
One of the nice things about matching up the D850 and the D500 is they are from the same generation. I think the announcement dates for both models are about six months apart. The design is the same in both units, the feel is the same, the menu is virtual identical. The USB and the #1 data slots are the same. Fortunately the battery grip design for both is pretty much the same. And so the D500 will take the EN-EL18 battery as well. As to performance differences, according to Nikon the EN-EL18 battery will more than double the number of shots per charge over the EN-EL-15. Doesn't up the D500's 10 FPS.
So the two new batteries are here - and they are charging. Fingers are crossed that the house doesn't burn down due to the battery charger. (It will not be left charging unattended.)
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