Nikon D50 reviews roundup
A few new reviews of Nikon's D50 digital SLR have spilled out over the past couple of days, so we figured it was high time we collected together all the links we could find for a review roundup. Let us know if there are any we've missed:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Pip @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
Nikon did a really good job with this camera. Too good in fact, as it seems to have overall better image quality than the D70 and D70S which are the "step up" from this camera. What you lose in features you gain in quality. Looking at the pictures over on dpreview is just amazing how good this camera is. It's giving the Canon 350D a run for its money. Next year I bet there wont be any 2 tier cameras in this range, they will just be full featured balls to the walls cameras. It's going to get really interesting.
grimey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
I got this camera about a week ago, i'm not really a photographer, more of an enthusiast and this has everything I want in a relatively affordable package. Very good camera. Definately pick this one over a higher mega-pixel compact camera as this has way better image quality. You'll definately need to buy an expensive carrying case to protect this puppy.
Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
"Nikon did a really good job with this camera. Too good in fact, as it seems to have overall better image quality than the D70 and D70S"
How do you figure?
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond50/page20.asp
From the blurb at the bottom:
"As you can see the D50 image contains virtually the same amount of detail as the D70s but has a slightly softer and less 'crisp' appearance."
Most of the sample images I've seen on various sites do appear soft.
Nonetheless, it's not really out of the ordinary that image quality between two cameras at different price points would be very close. Canon's Rebel XT and 20D have image quality that's even closer than the D50 and D70. (If you look at the same comparison on DPReview between the Rebel XT and 20D, there is virtually no difference.)
If you think about it, back in the film days there was *zero* difference in image quality between any two 35mm cameras. The film stock determined image quality. The whole "image quality" thing is new and unique to digital cameras. Canon, Nikon et. al are just sort of putting things back a bit to the way they were before with the latest generation of digital SLR's. Features and build quality are what you pay extra for in the next model up, though the real top-end models do still have larger and higher-resolution sensors.
oliver @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
Actually the CCD sensor in the D50 is new, and there is less noise than on the D70s even when shooting RAW. The in camera processing on the jpegs (that are compared at dpreview) does leave the D50 images a little "processed," which is what the consumer dSLR market is looking for right now.
The D2X (the top gun at Nikon) has the same sized sensor - as do the high end Canons. The sensor is roughly APS film size, meaning a crop factor of 1.5 (a 50mm lens is roughly the same as a 75mm lens on 35mm film). Several new lens designs are specific to this sensor size, and wouldn't work with a 35mm film camera.
However, #3 is partially right that higher end cameras have a higher pixel count. Attempts are being made to have capture a wider gamut too, allowing better color depth and preventing lost highlights and lost shadow detail.
oo
borg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
thats really not true, unless you are talking about cameras being nothing but a film plane.
you are right though about the d70 and d50. and maybe between the d70 and the d100, although more of a difference is apparent. they are made cheaper. whats surprising about that?
but back to film cameras: i guess between two cameras using the same lenses, quality should be identical. if you were able to lock the mirror up on one body, versus not on its almost identical twin, there would be a difference in image quality. on a digital slr the same applies.
*zero* difference is incorrect.
but i do agree that it would be dumb to run out and buy a d70s after seeing how close they are.
Lenord @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
The D50 seems to be a wonderful camera, but it is missing a few features that make the D70(s) feel more like a pro level camera, and made me chose to go ahead and find a deal on the D70 instead of buying a D50.
The deciding factor was the lack of a second command dial. In full manual mode on a D70(s) you can adjust the shutter speed with your thumb, and the aperture with my index finger. On the D50 in manual mode you have use the same dial for both, with a button pressed simultaniously for the f-stop. Not a huge deal, but I have enough trouble remembering to set both my aperature and shutter speed as it is, no reason to make it less intuitive.
The second thing that I'll probably never use but like the idea of having is the D70's 1/8000 top shutter speed, vs the D50's 1/4000 shutter speed. I've never actually used a shutter speed above 1/2000, but I've always imagined that sometime I'll come into a thousand dollars to spend on flashes and take ultra-highspeed photos of hummingbirds or something.
The Nikon's are great, but for people who like to feel like a more professional photographer, or for people who are on the verge of being professional photographers, the D70's are a bit better choice of a camera.
If you want to hear more, the dpreview nikon d70/50 forums are ideal for similar inaine banter.
borg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
good point about the command dials. i dont disagree at all. i couldn't use a d50 without some fuss.
thats why all the choice i guess. there are more differences, of course. a lot more. but the 'specs' for most are close enough.
Willy Volk @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
If you're wondering about the differences between the D50, the D70s and the Canon Rebel XT, over at Divester (http://www.divester.com/2005/04/22/i-got-a-nikon-camera-part-2/) I posted about a review performed by the Wilmington Star (http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050421/ZNYT05/504210399/1002/Business) that incorporates some of the NYT information but does a better job explaining the differences among the cameras. The D50's still the best, but it makes for an interesting read.
Jon Graves @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
Ken Rockwell's site has a good comparison of the Nikon D70 vs the Canon 20D from a photographer's perspective. Helped me decide on the D70!
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d70flash.htm#vsCanon
Snap!
gj @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
Epinions Members have rated this camera very high as well. Check out the reviews here:
http://www.epinions.com/Nikon_D50_Digital_Camera_with_18_55mm_Lens/display_~reviews
They always have the best reviews for this kinda stuff on the site. Engadget folks!! --> you should definitely include their reviews on this product and others like it.
Stuart @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
http://www.letsgodigital.org is a great site for any/all things digital. Check out:
www.letsgodigital.org/en/camera/review/44/page_1.html
for a good review on the D50. I am interested as to when the D200 will come out. googling "Nikon D200" has proved interesting recently, as apparently, Nikon has applied for a patent for the D200. Now Im wondering if i should wait to see what the spec/prices will be like on this camera, or just go ahead and get the D50!!
Geoff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
"If you think about it, back in the film days there was *zero* difference in image quality between any two 35mm cameras."
This was from a previous contributor. He must be joking. Zero difference between a Leica and a Praktica indeed! Ignore the above, image quality in film cameras varied just as much as in digital - what made the difference in the main was the lens.
Alissa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM
You all seem very knowledgable. I'm just getting into photography and am looking to buy a camera. The Nikon D50 was recommended by numerous professional photographers for me, but I wondered what you all thought. Would you recommend the Nikon over the Canon or another make? Can you recommend good sites for reviews and deals? I've also gotten contradicting advise on what lens to get. One photographer told me not to get the 18-55mm lens that comes with the D50 and to get a 2.8 lens instead. Thoughts? I'm planning to get two lenses - one for zoom and one for panoramics. Advise? Thanks a lot!!