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When color is key, the Nikon D50 delivers.
Color photos taken with the D50 turn out vibrant and bold, and the camera is especially good when it comes to skin tones. This makes the Nikon D50 the ideal camera for anyone who enjoys color portrait photography. If you don't want to draw attention to yourself when you're taking candid portraits, the D50's quiet shutter is going to suit you well.
KEY FEATURES
The 6.0 megapixel sensor inside the camera will let you print your digital photographs clearly up to a size of 12x16 inches. The camera features a large two-inch LCD that displays bright colorful images.
The D50 stores photos on SD memory cards, which are not much larger than the common postage stamp.
DRAWBACKS
The Nikon D50 is a great all-around camera but is plagued by a variety of minor inconveniences. All of these put together make the camera less intuitive than the Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D, which is exceptionally easy to use.
First, common camera feature are backwards on the D50. For example, most digital SLR lenses attach to the camera body with a clockwise twist. With the Nikon, it is counterclockwise.
Every digital SLR I have ever used showed an exposure scale with minus (or under-exposure) on the left and plus (or over-exposure) on the right. On the D50, it's the other way around.
If you want to change a camera setting like ISO on most digital SLRs, you just push the ISO button once, let go, and then set the ISO to the value you want. With the Nikon, you have to hold down the ISO button continuously as you are spinning a dial to ensure that you get the proper setting.
Like I said, each one of these on its own is fairly minor.
Photographers who enjoy using manual settings on their cameras will have some difficulty getting used to the way the Nikon operates. Photographers who leave their cameras on automatic all the time won't have any issues at all.
LOOK AND FEEL
My first impression of the Nikon D50 was that it felt cheap, but I am biased. I am used to digital SLR cameras that can double as weights when I'm not taking photos. Since the Nikon D50 camera body is made of a composite and not metal, this greatly reduces the weight of the camera but should not affect its durability.
Once I got used to it, I found that it was much easier to carry the Nikon D50 around with me everywhere I went without getting a neck cramp from the camera strap.
The camera grip is large and should feel pretty comfortable, even for people with larger hands. Most camera controls can be changed with a dial on the back of the camera, but advanced settings require holding down different buttons on the camera body and turning the dial. The camera's menus are clear and let you change more advanced camera settings with the push of a button.
IN USE
The Nikon D50 is geared toward photographers who like program modes. Program modes let you choose the type of photo you are taking (landscape, portrait, night shot) and they adjust the camera settings accordingly.
The Nikon features a program mode I have not seen on other digital SLRs: children. I did take a lot of photos of my son in this mode and most of the photos turned out remarkably well.
I was consistently impressed with how the Nikon D50 captures color. I put the camera though its paces, and photographed in a variety of conditions including shade, bright sun and sunset. The fall colors of leaves (vibrant reds and yellows) turned out as bright as they had seemed when I took the photo.
Skin color in portraits was warm and made the subjects glow. Of special interest to portrait photographers is the Nikon's ability to capture eye color. Time and again I was surprised by the intense eye color in both human and animal subjects, something I rarely notice with other digital SLRs.
I was also surprised about how quiet the Nikon D50 is. I am used to digital SLR cameras that make a lot of noise. It's hard to be discreet or take photos in quiet locations when there's a loud snap every time you take a photo.
SUMMARY
I like this camera, but would not recommend it to anyone who enjoys using manual controls due to the difficulties adjusting camera settings while taking photos. For these photographers, there are other cameras that are easier to use.
For photographers who are looking for the advantage of digital SLR but don't want to use all the manual settings, this is a fantastic camera.
It is ideal for hikers, travelers and anyone who wants a camera they can carry with them. Its color accuracy works well for both landscape photographers and portrait enthusiasts alike.
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