As the digital SLR ( D - SLR ) camera market continues to expand , Nikon has released the D50 , its first sub-$1,000 D - SLR . design to compete top dog - on with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel ( ) and EOS Digital Rebel XT ( ) , as well as the Pentax ist DS ( ) and Olympus Evolt E-300 ( ) , the 6.1 - megapixel D50 deliver splendid image quality and a decent feature film set in a well - designed , comfortable body .
Bigger than a Rebel, smaller than a breadbox
The D50 is almost precisely the same size of it as the Nikon D70s ( ) . Though it ’s small and lightweight , it ’s not so small that it ’s uncomfortable , like the Canon Rebel XT or Pentax ist DS . In addition , the D50 has fantabulous build lineament , with hardy crinkle and a self-coloured feel .
Along with the D50 , Nikon has also publish two unexampled DX lense . plan specifically for Nikon ’s digital SLRs with APS - sized film sensors , DX lenses are incompatible with Nikon ’s 35 millimeter plastic film and higher - remnant digital SLRs . Both the new 18 - 55 millimetre f3.5 - 5.6 zoom and the 55 - 200 mm f4 - f5.6 telephotograph lenses offer first-class caliber , and are extremely compact . With the D50 ’s 1.5x cropping factor , these lens have 35 mm equivalent focal length ranges of 27 - 82.5 mm and 82.5 - 300 mm , severally . In accession to DX lenses , the D50 can use Nikon ’s full line of G or D series lense .
Nikon offers the D50 body only for $ 819 , the consistency and an 18 - 55 mm lens for $ 900 , or the body and both the 18 - 55 mm and 55 - 200 mm lens system for $ 1,304 , though street prices vary .
Shooting
The D50 has almost all of the features that a professional or sophisticated recreational gun will want . In add-on to a full Auto mode , the camera also provides Program , Priority , and full Manual mode , as well as a exhaustive miscellanea of scene - specific mode ranging from Landscape to Portrait to Slow - sync twinkling . Multiple focus zone are provided , along with spot metering , clean - counterpoise bracketing , and a burst speed of 2.5 frames per second for 16 frames when shooting in JPEG mode , and a burst speed of 2.5 frames per s for 4 frame when shoot in raw mode .
As on the D70s , all of the D50 ’s controls are interlock — you have to crusade and hold a clit while spinning the control steering wheel to change any configurations . While this keep inadvertent change , it also precludes one - handed utilization of the photographic camera .
Overall , I found the camera comfortable to hold , but frustrating to fool with . Trying to change pic compensation while look through the view finder requires an uncomfortable index finger stretch . More annoying is the counterintuitive nature of the control . To increase exposure compensation , you splay the command dial to the left field . To decrease , you turn out to the right .
oddly , though , the Nikon D50 lacks a profoundness - of - field preview release and a backlight for its position video display . If you frequently utilise aperture ascendence or shoot in broken Inner Light , these missing lineament will be very frustrating .
The D50 has excellent prototype quality . The camera ’s defaults farm nicely saturate , sharp simulacrum . If you ’re not happy with its saturation , contrast , or sharpening , the tv camera pop the question simple-minded mastery for tweaking its icon - quality argument . As with most D - SLRs these days , the D50 yields images with super low noise , even at higher ISOs .
Macworld’s buying advice
If you ’re strain to choose between Nikon and Canon D - SLRs , the D50 might not be such an obvious succeeder , largely because it ’s missing both a depth - of - field of battle trailer and a backlit LCD , and it has a cumbersome interface . But if you already own or have approach to Nikon genus Lens , and have been wanting to go digital but have n’t liked the gamey prices , the D50 ’s sub-$1,000 sticker should make it a slam - dunk .
Specifications
Jury Tests
Scale = Excellent , Very estimable , Good , Flawed , Unacceptable
How we test : We take on a photo of a standard test scene with each camera under ensure conditions , with the flash turned off , with the white - full point mise en scene at tungsten , and at the same aperture and shutter - pep pill configurations . All other preferences were at automatic and all in - camera image - processing options were set at factory defaults . Images were saved as JPEGs . A panel of expert front at our trial run double , both on screen door and printed by an Epson Stylus Photo 2200 , and rat color timber and clarity as Excellent , Very Good , Good , Flawed , or Unacceptable.—Macworld research lab testing by Ben Long and James Galbraith
[ Ben Long is the author ofComplete Digital Photography , 3rd Edition ( Charles River Books , 2004 ) . ]
