Nikon D50 - anyone else got one?

[ianjohnson67]

I have just got my first DSLR a Nikon D50.
Great camera and as yet no complaints. I chose the 'Kit' which has a 18-55mm Nikkor lens as standard but decided not to get the Nikkor 55-200mm lens in favour of a Sigma APO 70-300mm Telephoto Macro lens, and glad I did!

When choosing the D50 I looked at many other models from the competition, Canon EOS 350D, Pentax *ist DL2, Konica Minolta Dynax etc.
It came down to a two horse race between the Nikon and the Canon as the Pentax felt off balance and not so well made and the KM Dynax, although a nice camera may prove difficult to own as the company had just sold out to Sony!
The Canon I have to admit is a very nice camera but it just did not feel right in my hand(too small), my finger nails kept catching the base of the lens barrel. in comparison the D50 fitted like a glove. A friend of mine made the same decision but in reverse as the Canon fitted her smaller hands better.

I have some shots on digitalphotogroup that you are more than welcome to look at.

And the future? The D200 looks fantastic but at three times the price of a D50 it will have to be too! Dream on.

Ian.

[Lambechop]

Hi, Ian

Seems like a lonely place on these forums...Good to see another Nikon owner posting something! I've had a D70 for a couple of years now, great camera, if the D50 is anything like it you won't be disappointed, let us know how you get on with it.

Regards

Lambechop

[Mess]

I bought my Nikon D50 for the same reasons as you mentioned in comparison to other models. I used to have KM Z2 for year and half. I hope that my new Nikon D50 won't get old too soon.

[hedward]

Well, I have come to the right place.

Proud D50 owner, regular user and fan! I have done macro work, a dog show and landscapes in the Lake District with this camera and it is just the best!

Can't complain, especially at the price. I didn't go for the kit but got myself a Sigma 17-70mm Macro F2.8 lens which together with my Tokina 200mm F2.8 (which now turns into a 300mm with the C sensor) makes for a stunning combination.

I love it!

[Isedarken]

Hi

I'm in the market for a new camera (my old 1 being a basic olympus mju 300 compact - which to be fair isnt that good a camera had no manual features but did the job I needed of it at the time). and I'm toying with the idea of either a high end compact, or stepping out onto a good learning dslr.

I know little about different manual settings and want to learn with a camera that has manual functions that I can experiment with, however it would be good to use auto modes for those occasions I dont have time to experiment with whilst I'm learning. I would also like a camera with a very good zoom x10 or similar and at least 6M so I can make good A4 prints or larger.

from your comments the D50 is looking like a good choice for a beginner DSLR, If anyone has any advice I'm happy to take it on board! Please be nice we all have to start somewhere...

[ianjohnson67]

Its going fine and to date not disappointed either.

If anyone is interested I have some images on Digital Photo Group
The new gallery there will be Coppermine when testing is finished but viewable now, although this link may change when put fully live.
There are some other pics in my thread in my members area of the forum.

Hi, Ian

Seems like a lonely place on these forums...Good to see another Nikon owner posting something! I've had a D70 for a couple of years now, great camera, if the D50 is anything like it you won't be disappointed, let us know how you get on with it.

Regards

Lambechop

[ianjohnson67]

I don't expect my D50 to "get old too soon" as I can purchase different lenses as time goes on. Also I think it will be a while before I master it!

I bought my Nikon D50 for the same reasons as you mentioned in comparison to other models. I used to have KM Z2 for year and half. I hope that my new Nikon D50 won't get old too soon.

[ianjohnson67]

Had a look at your site and you have some nice pictures on it.

There are some pics in my members area of the Digital Photo Group forum.

Sigma have some nice looking lenses, would not mind a nice wide angle one!

Well, I have come to the right place.

Proud D50 owner, regular user and fan! I have done macro work, a dog show and landscapes in the Lake District with this camera and it is just the best!

Can't complain, especially at the price. I didn't go for the kit but got myself a Sigma 17-70mm Macro F2.8 lens which together with my Tokina 200mm F2.8 (which now turns into a 300mm with the C sensor) makes for a stunning combination.

I love it!

[ianjohnson67]

Yeah been at this decision myself.

Went DSLR. A D50 body is available for about £400 about the same as a high end compact, say Fuji S9500. A Sony R1 is more to buy than the D50 kit with 18-55mm lens. Don't forget to times the mm by 1.5, sensor multiplication. 18-55mm becomes 27-82.5mm and 70-300mm becomes 105-450mm etc.
The real cost of a DSLR is the lenses not the body. But the body should last you well because there are some really serious lenses out there for the Nikon, Canon etc. to keep your interest up.
Imagine in three years time something electric goes in your camera body.
With a DSLR you buy the newest equivalent to fit your precious collection of lenses. With a compact you start all over again, wide angle lens adapter, teleconverter etc.

For quality, manual control and performance the DSLR will win hands dow.

Don't get cought up in the pixel race either. You will need a monitor screen the size of your local cinema to see a 9 or 10 Mp picture.

Hi

I'm in the market for a new camera (my old 1 being a basic olympus mju 300 compact - which to be fair isnt that good a camera had no manual features but did the job I needed of it at the time). and I'm toying with the idea of either a high end compact, or stepping out onto a good learning dslr.

I know little about different manual settings and want to learn with a camera that has manual functions that I can experiment with, however it would be good to use auto modes for those occasions I dont have time to experiment with whilst I'm learning. I would also like a camera with a very good zoom x10 or similar and at least 6M so I can make good A4 prints or larger.

from your comments the D50 is looking like a good choice for a beginner DSLR, If anyone has any advice I'm happy to take it on board! Please be nice we all have to start somewhere... :D

[Isedarken]

ianjohnson67 Thanks for the reply,

Since my last post I took the plunge and got a D50 with its kit nikon dx 18-55 lens and a tamron 70 - 300mm lens (which was half price in the deal) So far I've took it away and taken loads of photos on all the different automatic settings, night, landscape, portrait etc and started playing with the manual settings too, although I am a beginner with this I have had some successful results, I'm not entirely sure how to work the M,A,S,P modes successfully but I'll master it eventually, (guess I have to read up exactly what these do alittle more) still, Its a steep learning curve and I'm enjoying it!

The other night was my steepest curve yet, I was on the ferry from the Isle of wight to portsmouth at night and the lightning storms were amazing, i took well over a hundred shots but only 3 turned out reasonable, I had to turn off all the auto settings as I was getting nowhere fast. I started playing with manual settings that I was only just starting to learn (hence so many wasted shots, no idea what f stop shutter speed aperture etc to set, or even entirely what each of these do exactly!).

So far I am impressed with the camera though and regard it as a good buy, even though I have an awful lot to learn the auto function saved the day when I needed to capture an important photo without messing it up!

[ianjohnson67]

Isedarken,

Funny I did exactly the same with the lightning, good old auto LOL.

Still playing with the settings and getting it wrong!

Have fun,

[digitaldiggers]

Ian,

I think the D50 is a great camera. Oddly, I came at it from a different angle. I didn't want to have to keep changing lenses and get dust on my sensor. For me it was always a toss up between a 350D and a D50. What swayed it was the introduction of the Nikon 18-200 DX VR which is miles better than anything else Canon has on offer. Not cheap but a brilliant lens which I can't recommend enough. Vibration reduction is really, really makes a difference.

If you want to get your head round PASM quickly, I can't recommend Brian Peterson's "Understanding Exposure: How to shoot great pictures with film or digital" enough. You may have to wait a while if you get it from Amazon but everyone I have recommended it to has agreed it is a great book. It gave me the confidence to pretty much never use the automatic settings again.

Enjoy!

Digby

[Mess]

Hey anyone noticed chromatic aberration with NikonD50 kit lens 18-55 ?

When Zoom is at widest and there is strong overcast skylight.. bang green and magenta.

Have you noticed if there's more frequently C.A. in wide zoom position with this lens ?

Maybe filter and hood could tone this bad effect down ?

[ianjohnson67]

Mess,

I noticed some lens Distortion, Vignetting & Chromatic Aberration with the kit lens.

http://www.epaperpress.com/ptlens/

This has cured all my issues to date.

[Mess]

Thanks this looks like it might work.