As far as I know, the Nikon Camera D50 has been discontinued. It is replaced by the superior Nikon Digital Camera D40, and to be honest, I prefer my Nikon Camera D40 over my Nikon Camera D70 and even the Nikon Camera D80, anyway. You may be able to snap up a deal on the closed-out Nikon Camera D50, but I'd get the Nikon CameraD40 as I outline in my comparison. The only thing the Nikon Camera D50 has up on the Nikon CameraD40 is the ability to use older AF lenses and possibly a meter better optimized for professional use; otherwise, I find the Nikon CameraD40 superior in having a better screen, much easier to use, the ability to fine-tune preset white balances and probably a meter better optimized for non-professionals.
The Nikon Camera D50 is especially good for kids, sports and action compared to more expensive fixed-lens cameras. I prefer it over everything else from other makers because it's so easy to use, works fast, focuses fast, responds immediately to your inputs and the image quality is fantastic. The Nikon Camera D50 is a far cry better than any fixed-lens camera, even the much more expensive Sony DSC-R1. Unless you really understand abstract concepts like White Balance fine tuning you'll never find anything missing from the Nikon Camera D50. Don't let the low price fool you: it's a great camera and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between prints from a Nikon Camera D50 compared to a $5,000 D2X. I've seen 4 x 5 foot enlargements from the Nikon Camera D50 that look superb. The only limit to the Nikon Camera D50's picture quality is the photographer, not the Nikon Camera D50.
The Nikon Camera D50 is fantastic at high ISOs, giving completely smooth and clean images at ISO 800.
Personally I use the more expensive and very similar Nikon Camera D70, but only because I'm one of the very few photographers who understands some of the few extra features offered by the Nikon Camera D70, and the simple fact that there was no Nikon Camera D50 when I bought my Nikon Camera D70. Normal people won't even miss what the Nikon Camera D50 lacks compared to the Nikon Camera D70, unless things like direct white balance trims and wireless strobe control are important to you. If you ever need these you also do these with the Nikon Camera D50, just with a few more button presses or external equipment. Even the Nikon Camera D50 offers instant access to white balance presets, every possible exposure adjustment and a fantastic built-in flash.
As of December 2005 the prices have already dropped. I love digital! Today the Nikon Camera D50 body and basic 18 - 55 lens sells for about $699. You can get it as a kit with 55 - 200 and 18 - 55 mm zooms for $899. I love digital: these prices were $100 higher in November!
The Nikon Camera D50 was announced on April 20th, 2005, along with the new Nikon Camera D70s and new inexpensive 18 - 55 mm and 55 - 200 mm lenses. They became available in stores in June 2005 and sold for $750 for the body, $900 for the camera and basic lens, and $1,150 for the camera and two lenses.
The Nikon Camera D50 is also an ideal backup camera since it even takes the same battery and is smaller and lighter than any other Nikon DSLR, however it uses SD instead of CF cards.
AF Sensors: Five, just like Nikon CameraD70, D70s, D1X, F5 etc. Same CAM-900 module and -1 EV rating as D70 and D70s.
AF modes: Same as D70 and D70s and adds a new AF-A mode. The AF-A mode automatically selects between AF-S (normal AF) and AF-C (continuous AF). You still have to use the menus to select between AF-S, AF-A and AF-C; the front switch only selects between AF and MF.
Metering: 420 segment color 3D matrix, center-weighted and spot. Rated down to LV 0, same as D70 and D70s. So long as you have at least five segments you're fine, so I wouldn't worry about "only" 420 segments compared to the 1,005 of the more expensive cameras.
Exposure Modes: P, S, A, M and scene modes. Same as D70 and D70s with the one exception of replacing the night landscape mode with a child mode. It does have the night portrait and all the other scene modes of the D70 and D70s. I've never used any of the scene modes anyway.
Pentamirror finder. Same as D70s. D70 had either this or a glass prism depending on where you read it. It looks the same as my D70.
Shutter: Mechanical and electronic like the D70 and D70s. B, 30 - 1/4,000. The manual says 1/2 and 1/3 stops, I forget if the D70 can go in half stops or just thirds. No big deal. Time exposures to 30 minutes with ML-L3 wireless remote.
Frame Rate: 2.5 FPS. Just a little slower than the D70's 3 FPS. It has a buffer, however its depth is unspecified. With the right card it is specified to run for 137 frames continuously till it overflows. The illustration in the manual shows "12," which is the same as the D70 and D70s in the default normal, large JPG setting. I don't know if it's the same or not.
Flash Sync: 1/500, same as D70 and D70s and better than just about every other DSLR regardless of price. It's better than anything from Canon, better than the $5,000 D2X, better than the $3,500 D2H and better than the newest $1,700 D200.
Flash: Built-in, i-TTL, GN 15/49 (m/ft @ ISO 200; 11/36 @ ISO 100), same as D70s. Same numerous and excellent sync modes as D70 and D70s. (Note to Nikon: typo has "TTL" spelt as "TLL" on page 99 of manual, last paragraph.) No ability to use built-in flash as commander for remote control of other flashes.
CCD Sensor: Standard DX size (23.7 x 15.6 mm) and 1.5x mag factor.
ISO: 200 - 1,600, same as D70 and D70s. Adjusts in full stops, not thirds, which I prefer.
White Balance: same fixed settings and white card preset setting as D70 and D70s but lacks direct fine-tuning. The lack of direct WB fine-tuning won't be noticed by 99% of the people who buy these. You can have this through WB bracketing, in which case the camera records three different JPGs as processed from each actual shot. Clever!
Color modes: Three; same as D70 and D70s.
Saturation control: Three settings, same as D70 and D70s.
Histogram: Still the same useless one-channel display (not RGB), just like the D70, D100, D70s, D1x, etc. Nikon's manual even cautions that it's useless and won't agree with what you see in Photoshop (page 53).
Image Rotation: Automatic just like D70 and D70s.
Custom functions: 20 compared to the 25 of the D70s and D70.
File Formats: same as D70: JPEG FINE, NORMAL and BASIC; RAW and RAW + JPEG. Files sizes in the D50 manual are identical to the file sizes I get from my D70.
Memory: SD cards, the little ones, not CF as every other Nikon DSLR has used. Instead of jamming in from the back they slide in from the side. Nikon prints a list of recommended cards, which includes Sandisk, Toshiba and Panasonic. Lexar is prominently absent. Nikon extensively tests every function of the D50 with each of the cards they suggest and guarantees the camera's performance with them. Nikon does not recommend using any other cards and doesn't guarantee anything if you use them. This is great; most camera makers just leave you out on your own here.
LCD (color picture): 2.0;" bigger than D70's 1.8" and identical to the one on the D70s: 130,000 dots.
LCD: (numeric display on top of camera): identical to the one on the Nikon Camera D70 and D70s, except no illumination. I work in the dark and use this illumination now and then, so I'd miss this. Most people probably wouldn't.
Battery: EN-EL3, 1,400 mAh, same as D70 and D100. (D70s gets a compatible EN-EL3a of 1,500 mAh) The D50 is rated for 2,000 shots no flash and 400 shots with full power flash every other shot, exactly the same as the D70. Cannot use the MS-D70 holder for three CR2 disposable batteries as the D70 and D70s can.
Size: 5.2 x 4.0 x 3.0" (133 x 102 x 76 mm)
Weight: 19 oz. (540 g) stripped without battery, monitor cover, lens, body cap, strap or memory card.
