[Renamed] Discussion on the D50 and Rebel XT, lenses, buying and other topics!

[rubberband]

EDIT: Renamed the thread - it's now an interesting discussion on the D50, rebel XT, and other stuff like lenses and buying recommendations. Lots of useful stuff in there.

Hi all,

I'm not looking to re-open the great canon/nikon debate, just looking for a last minute opinion from my favourite forum.

I originally posted about DSLR lense compatability here:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=293034

And have since decided that I'm not going to factor it into my buying decision.

I'm going to pull the trigger on a new DSLR this week. I'm going with an entry level unit, since I can't afford something like a D200 or 30D.. even the D70s is pushing it a bit. I've ruled out Olympus/Sony/etc and will be going with one of the brands I've used before: Canon, Nikon, or Pentax. My current thinking has also eliminated Pentax, for a few reasons.

So, having narrowed it down to two brands at the entry level: D50 or Digital Rebel XT?

Both come with an 18-55mm kit. I'll keep that and learn on it for now, and invest in a decent ~20-200 at some point soon, too.

So far, the Canon wins on resolution and sharpness (barely), the Nikon wins on noise levels (also barely). I'm currently thinking D50, just because I've used Nikon cameras for a long time, and it's also a bit less expensive. Reviews of both cameras on the major sites highly recommend both cameras, and enthusiast sites also sing their praises. I've seen beautiful example pictures taken with both.

Can anyone give me a good reason NOT to go with the D50?

Thanks!

[a4toronto]

if you are a beginner, either is fine. go with the brand your friends have that way you can borrow flashes, lenses, etc.

the utility in borrowing gear far outweighs any technical differences, imo.

[warpdrive]

I can't think of any reason why you should NOT buy a D50, you already know the technical differences, so at this point, it's just personal preference. Both are certainly capable cameras. I don't think you could lose if you just flipped a coin.

When buying any brand, it comes down to the entire system, which brand will grow with you more? Since your investment in lenses may outweigh the body's, which lineup is going to satisfy you in the future?

[Betmen]

If you're gonna go Nikon, the best bet would be a D70s. The price difference is very minimal, and you get more camera for your dollar.
Very nice DSLR. But the best is CANON :P

[cipher]

Many Nikonians like the D50 because it actually puts out a better image than the D70 and even the D200. The D200 has a couple of issues. One is noise in low light and high ISO...anything above ISO 400 seems to be an issue. The other is long/short banding. The long banding can be fixed by sending the camera to Nikon. The short banding is "normal" according to Nikon. It should be noted that the banding only occurs under very specific conditions, but for the $2150 price, I expect such a camera to perform much bettr. The D50 gives you the best bang for the buck, image-wise. The D70s and D200 are fine cameras, but they are less forgiving of beginners. I'm not sure how you've come to think that the Nikon D50 wins with noise levels versus the Canon Rebel XT. Canon's CMOS sensors are famous for low noise with ISO settings.

[thelefteyeguy]

go with a D50 (just camera) and then the D70 stock lens (you can prob pick up a cheap one)


just know that if you ever want to go with RAWs...then you're out of luck, and if you ever upgrade...you'll need to change the memory type.

a D70 is not terribly more than the D50.

[speedgeek]

No reason at all. I bought the D50 kit (w/ 18-55 lens) it has been absolutely great. I have added other lenses since (50mm 1.8), but the Nikon 18-55 is a very fast, light lens that absolutely kicks the D70 stock lens in the butt between 18 and 30mm.

Just do it, you wont regret it.

Here's my D50 gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/msteiniger

[hagbard]

If you're gonna go Nikon, the best bet would be a D70s. The price difference is very minimal, and you get more camera for your dollar.
Very nice DSLR. But the best is CANON :P

This thirty plus year Canon 35mm user says the Nikon is better. The Nikons are very similar build quality to the Canon's (slightly better, imo) but you don't want to ever have do deal with a Canon repair depot. Get the Nikon.

[Jaytee]

I was in the same position as you. D50 vs D70S vs Rebel XT.

I went with the D50 and I am very happy with it. I bought it at Best Buy when they were having customer appreciation day and had 10% off all cameras and free photo printer. I then used a 15% gift card I got off the forums.

Bascially I thought the D50 was better quality build then the Rebel XT and I didnt go with the D70S because I wanted to use the money (around $300 at the time I believe) I saved towards a new lens.

I dont think you can go wrong with any of the three I mentioned.

[warpdrive]

......... because I wanted to use the money (around $300 at the time I believe) I saved towards a new lens.

Good call.

It's always well worth it to spend more on the lens (assuming the body is already good).

Edit:
Man, is my 18-200 VR ever going to get in stock? Those things are way backordered.

[Betmen]

This thirty plus year Canon 35mm user says the Nikon is better. The Nikons are very similar build quality to the Canon's (slightly better, imo) but you don't want to ever have do deal with a Canon repair depot. Get the Nikon.


They were better witht eh film camera, DSLR camera wise, Canon takes the prize.
Canon just makes the best Digital cameras, why do you think most of the professionals use Canon?

[rubberband]

They seem to be awfully scarce. I was thinking about that lense until I saw the price and availability! :-0

I think the D50 is probably going to come home. My plan is basically:

-Get the kit w/ the 18-55mm and learn on it. lanscape, sunsets, etc.
-Get the 55-200mm so I have some telephoto reach. Wildlife, sports (does this lense do well at high speeds?)
-Fit one of my old micro nikkor macro lenses and focus manually for macro stuff (my favourite). We'll see how the old lense works at 1.5x on a dslr. :|




Good call.

It's always well worth it to spend more on the lens (assuming the body is already good).

Edit:
Man, is my 18-200 VR ever going to get in stock? Those things are way backordered.

[thelefteyeguy]

No reason at all. I bought the D50 kit (w/ 18-55 lens) it has been absolutely great. I have added other lenses since (50mm 1.8), but the Nikon 18-55 is a very fast, light lens that absolutely kicks the D70 stock lens in the butt between 18 and 30mm.

Just do it, you wont regret it.

Here's my D50 gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/msteiniger


lol...how is the stock lens for the D50 vs D70 faster :confused: both f3.5?

have you even used the 18-70 f/3.5?

most of your photos on flicker are using the macro lens


save your money on the d50 stock lens and get a better one ...for example the 50mm 1.8, D70 stock lens, etc

[rubberband]

There's some nice stuff in that gallery.

Mind if I ask what lense you used for some of the tighter shots like these?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/msteiniger/111493807/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/msteiniger/70698375/

They're not too far off the sort of composition I tend to favor (aside from the usual protrait and lanscape shots)

I'll need something else to get the very tight marco shots I take now on my P&S, but having something flexible for relative close shots would be good to start.


No reason at all. I bought the D50 kit (w/ 18-55 lens) it has been absolutely great. I have added other lenses since (50mm 1.8), but the Nikon 18-55 is a very fast, light lens that absolutely kicks the D70 stock lens in the butt between 18 and 30mm.

Just do it, you wont regret it.

Here's my D50 gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/msteiniger

[cipher]

Good call.


Man, is my 18-200 VR ever going to get in stock? Those things are way backordered.

You think those are scarce...try getting your hands on a Nikon D200. Nikon can't seem to make enough of them.

[thelefteyeguy]

You think those are scarce...try getting your hands on a Nikon D200. Nikon can't seem to make enough of them.

in stock at dvshop.ca

i'd say the 18-200 VR is much harder to get ;)

[2000fordfocus]

I really love my D50! Here are some reason why...

Canada Day weekend with D50 +18-70mm+Polarizer
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6144/dsc0110er3rp.jpg

MOSAIC 2006 with my D50 + 85mm f1.8
http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/6152/dsc0029er22na.jpg

Wedding with D50 + 18-70mm + SB800
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/9873/dsc0102small5gq.jpg

D50 has a lot of potentials, you might find the 18-55mm limited as you get better... but is a decent lens, I had used it before!

Some Cons about the D50... I would like to see a button for metering mode(D70s has it), ISO100 (D200), MLU (D200).... but than, is a budget camera, dont expect nikon to give you everything at such a low price :)

[TenzoR]

I was in the debate of figuring out what I wanted D50, D70s, Rebel XT

I bought the D50 for only one reason. Comfortness. It feels perfectly in my hand.

I personally skipped the D50 kit lens 18-55 and bought the 50mm prime to start with. Now I got my 18-200 I hardly use the 50mm, so I might trade that in for a 60mm micro

but honestly I can't htink of any reason not to buy it (well $$ but thats beside the point)

[gordholio]

I think the D50 is good if you're in the market for a digital SLR.
Personally, I hope to buy a digital camera (my first) this winter and am looking for something like a Canon or a Nikon (probably a Nikon), but I want something compact that can be carried around easily, yet still take good pictures.
I had my days of lugging a heavy SLR around (35 mm), back around 1980 when I got a Zenit (Russian camera) as a gift for my 16th birthday.
I enjoyed it, but for me, I just want something automatic, but one that you can override the auto settings if you need to.
I plan to take mostly pictures of the family (new great nephew).

[CameraBill]

the D50 takes SD memory while the Rebel takes CompatFlash. If you've got a bunch of cards one camera might require re-investing in new memory.

The D50 has no DOF preview.

D50 has no digital zoom

D50 has no 3d picture assist.


And if the D50 neck strap is anything like my D70s strap it says NIKON in huge yellow letters on either side making me feel like a Nikon hore.

[TenzoR]

the D50 takes SD memory while the Rebel takes CompatFlash. If you've got a bunch of cards one camera might require re-investing in new memory.

The D50 has no DOF preview.

D50 has no digital zoom

D50 has no 3d picture assist.


And if the D50 neck strap is anything like my D70s strap it says NIKON in huge yellow letters on either side making me feel like a Nikon hore.

why do you need digital zoom ...

[Pete Jones]

What SLR has digital zoom?

In fact most of the "toys" like DOF preview and to some extent, even mirror locking, are throwbacks to film where you didn't have the luxury of instant feedback that we do with digital.

I'm waiting for the Sony Alpha. (I still have some Minolta glass and some other accessories that will work with it) I was going to go for the Costco D50 deal but inertia got the best of me.

However, I've had the chance to play with a D50 with a 18-200 walking lens and was quite impressed with it. I've been shooting film for well over 20 years and this puppy felt comfortable.

If I had to come up with one reason for _not_ buying it, it would only be that it will get cheaper as time progresses -- but that's the way things work with electronics anyway.

Then again, how long are you going to keep any DSLR body you buy today? A couple of years, maybe?

--Pete

[klam]

Can anyone give me a good reason NOT to go with the D50?

http://www.robotbreeder.com/_globalImages/worldcup/IMG_6545.jpg

http://mishami.image.pbase.com/u23/vthian/upload/33031104.Man100MFinals9.jpg

http://www.klamonline.com/posting/canontable.jpg

:cheesygri :cheesygri :cheesygri

[cipher]

the D50 takes SD memory while the Rebel takes CompatFlash. If you've got a bunch of cards one camera might require re-investing in new memory.

The D50 has no DOF preview.

D50 has no digital zoom

D50 has no 3d picture assist.


And if the D50 neck strap is anything like my D70s strap it says NIKON in huge yellow letters on either side making me feel like a Nikon hore.

DOF preview might be a deal killer.

Digital zoom? I don't think any DSLR has digital zoom and I don't think any experienced photographer would even use digital zoom. On my P&S cameras, the first thig I do is disable the digital zoom.

3D picture assist? What's that? Maybe you mean panoramic assist? To do that you'd need a live view of the image to be captured displayed on the LCD. The only DSLR that can do that would be from Olympus. All other DSLRs have a mirror in front of the sensor that prevents a live view of the image.

[TenzoR]

http://server5.ihostphotos.com/imgt/136014.jpg (http://server5.ihostphotos.com/show.php?id=136014)

taken with a Nikon D50 + 18-200 mm lens

not the best ..since I didn't know what I was doing but i htink it looks pretty decent

[2000fordfocus]

DOF preview might be a deal killer.

A beginner will not miss this function! DOF is especially important during the film days, but really> for dSLR, you can take the picture, preview it, if you dont like it, try again! :)

[2000fordfocus]

http://www.robotbreeder.com/_globalImages/worldcup/IMG_6545.jpg

and some more

http://www.dn.se/DNet/road/Classic/article/47/jsp/bildspel.jsp?a=552852

:cheesygri :cheesygri :cheesygri

http://www.nikon.ca/images/banner/cameras/afs-vr-zoom-200-400.gif

NIKON 200-400mm f4 VR AFS IF ED :)

[magical]

Hi all,

I'm not looking to re-open the great canon/nikon debate, just looking for a last minute opinion from my favourite forum.

I originally posted about DSLR lense compatability here:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=293034

And have since decided that I'm not going to factor it into my buying decision.

I'm going to pull the trigger on a new DSLR this week. I'm going with an entry level unit, since I can't afford something like a D200 or 30D.. even the D70s is pushing it a bit. I've ruled out Olympus/Sony/etc and will be going with one of the brands I've used before: Canon, Nikon, or Pentax. My current thinking has also eliminated Pentax, for a few reasons.

So, having narrowed it down to two brands at the entry level: D50 or Digital Rebel XT?

Both come with an 18-55mm kit. I'll keep that and learn on it for now, and invest in a decent ~20-200 at some point soon, too.

So far, the Canon wins on resolution and sharpness (barely), the Nikon wins on noise levels (also barely). I'm currently thinking D50, just because I've used Nikon cameras for a long time, and it's also a bit less expensive. Reviews of both cameras on the major sites highly recommend both cameras, and enthusiast sites also sing their praises. I've seen beautiful example pictures taken with both.

Can anyone give me a good reason NOT to go with the D50?

Thanks!

I hear the same thing about build quality of Canon VS Nikon, especially when comparing the D50 and D70 to the Rebel 350D or 300D ...

I own a Rebel XT and have no problem with the build quality, I dont expect I ever would, I dont plan on dropping my camera, I am careful with my equipment, and it feels great in the hands ...

I will comment on this, I find that the extra 2MP is something that you can't afford not to have. It Increases your resolution by 25% more ! this is a big amount of pixels, it costs roughly the same price.

There are no real downfalls to the canon, and if there was you would see more people complaining about them, they both have great lenses, great 3rd party lenses, and good support!

If you are more comfortable with nikon then you might want to consider the nikon, but if you are looking for more resolution then consider the XT over the D50 or D70 .....

I wouldn't reccomend canons kit lens tho... Personally I own two lenses, I sold my 'nifty' fifty (50mm f1.8) and replaced it with a Tamron 17-50MM F2.8 and own a Canon EF 100-400L Zoom, love the big lens but this wasn't cheap ... I'll post some pics below so you can compare them to others... I am by no means a pro but I have done my homework.

This Taken by Canon 70-200 F/4L Lens (best budget zoom out there)
http://members.shaw.ca/magical22/yummy.jpg

This Taken with my new Tamron 17-50 F2.8 Lens
http://members.shaw.ca/magical22/kamloops.jpg

Taken with the 100-400L Lens
http://members.shaw.ca/magical22/duck.jpg

Again Taken by Canon 70-200 F/4L Lens (a steal to get one from the states!)
http://members.shaw.ca/magical22/peacock.jpg

[cipher]

A beginner will not miss this function! DOF is especially important during the film days, but really> for dSLR, you can take the picture, preview it, if you dont like it, try again! :)

A lot of shots are opportunity only shots...you don't get a second chance. If you're photographing a child acting naturally and you screw up the shot, you can't tell the child to do it again. What about shooting nature shots...like a bird? If you screw up the shot and the bird takes off before take another one, how are you going to get the bird to come back? A digital camera isn't an excuse to just shoot away and hope for the best. Proper technique will give you many more good shots than the machine gun approach that many digital camera shooters now use.

[rubberband]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

I played with the D50 and the XT for a while yesterday, and found that while the Nikon was a bit heavier and more comfortable to hold, the XT seemed small and.. not sure. It just didn't feel good in hand.

Pulled the trigger on the D50 + 18-55mm kit. Haven't had the chance to go outside and play, but I did spend about 2 hours at night messing around with various settings and playing with the AF. :)

For those of you who own the D50 - what lenses do you find you use most of the time? I generally do the landscape/sunset/token vacation picture thing (which the 18-55 should do fine) but will need something with a mid-range telephoto for wildlife/sports. Something with decent macro abilities would be good too, as taking tight macro shots of plant life is fun to me. Any suggestions?

[Pete Jones]

A lot of shots are opportunity only shots...you don't get a second chance. If you're photographing a child acting naturally and you screw up the shot, you can't tell the child to do it again. What about shooting nature shots...like a bird? If you screw up the shot and the bird takes off before take another one, how are you going to get the bird to come back? A digital camera isn't an excuse to just shoot away and hope for the best. Proper technique will give you many more good shots than the machine gun approach the many digital camera shooters now use.

Exactly.

And by the time you're done futzing around with DOF preview, the shot is gone anyway. The thing is, once you get to know your lens, you stop using that function, anyway.

Btw, you'll see a lot of sports press photographers still using a Canon EOS-1D. Why? Because they can shoot at a continuous 8 fps helping them "get the shot".

Of course, proper technique can make a huge difference, but ultimately, it's about getting the shot. Would you rather have a bad shot or no shot?

--Pete

[2000fordfocus]

A lot of shots are opportunity only shots...you don't get a second chance. If you're photographing a child acting naturally and you screw up the shot, you can't tell the child to do it again. What about shooting nature shots...like a bird? If you screw up the shot and the bird takes off before take another one, how are you going to get the bird to come back? A digital camera isn't an excuse to just shoot away and hope for the best. Proper technique will give you many more good shots than the machine gun approach that many digital camera shooters now use.

If you must, than D70s or higher! I doubt beginner know what this function will do~

[2000fordfocus]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

I played with the D50 and the XT for a while yesterday, and found that while the Nikon was a bit heavier and more comfortable to hold, the XT seemed small and.. not sure. It just didn't feel good in hand.

Pulled the trigger on the D50 + 18-55mm kit. Haven't had the chance to go outside and play, but I did spend about 2 hours at night messing around with various settings and playing with the AF. :)

For those of you who own the D50 - what lenses do you find you use most of the time? I generally do the landscape/sunset/token vacation picture thing (which the 18-55 should do fine) but will need something with a mid-range telephoto for wildlife/sports. Something with decent macro abilities would be good too, as taking tight macro shots of plant life is fun to me. Any suggestions?

For the general stuff, I like the 18-70mm (aka D70s lens) very much! I like using polarizer for my outdoor stuff, 18-55mm can't do that... this lens also has the "real" AFS, much faster than 18-55mm... Also, I find color rendering better too... but generally, the D50 kit lens is pretty good too, dont be discourage~

if you want macro stuff, consider getting the 50mm f1.8 + extension tube, cheap macro setup!

[cipher]

For the general stuff, I like the 18-70mm (aka D70s lens) very much! I like using polarizer for my outdoor stuff, 18-55mm can't do that... this lens also has the "real" AFS, much faster than 18-55mm... Also, I find color rendering better too... but generally, the D50 kit lens is pretty good too, dont be discourage~



I don't get what you mean...

Both the 18-70mm and 18-55mm can take polarizers.

Both also have SWM (Silent Wave Motor) and therefore are AF-S. There is no mechanical connection between the body and the lense.

[klam]

I think what he means is that the other lens has a rotating front element, so when you use a circular polarizer with it, it gets rotated by the lens every time you AF. On higher end lenses, the front element does not rotate so you don't have to readjust your polarizer every time.

[rubberband]

Looks like the budget will dictate a 55-200 DX lense. It's a nice size, and seems to have good enough performance for what I need.

Joy of joys, I know that old lenses won't meter on the D50, but manual operation is fine for Macro I think. And I just looked more closely at one of my inherited lenses and discovered it's a Micro Nikkor 60mm f2.8D AF. I've got my hopes up now, so it better work. :)

[Exas]

hey, be sure to grab a 50mm 1.8 as soon as you can, you'll find that it is very fast, and cheap also, which grabs the attention of any RFD'er =) only downfall is that your legs are your zoom -_-" . i've got an older nikkor 50mm 1.8 and i used an adapter with my E-1, and the pictures come out beautiful with awesome bokeh. highly suggested

[2000fordfocus]

I don't get what you mean...

Both the 18-70mm and 18-55mm can take polarizers.

Both also have SWM (Silent Wave Motor) and therefore are AF-S. There is no mechanical connection between the body and the lense.

klam has explain the polarizer problem with the 18-55mm

regarding the SWM thing... the one from 18-70mm and 18-55mm are not the same! the AFS used with 18-70mm is the better type, the one used with 18-55mm is the micro type, which is unfortunately slower, noiser, and rotate! but you pay a premium with the 18-70mm, it cost about $499cad plus tax~ but you can probably get a used one for around $300cad....

[robattoronto]

I got the 18-70mm (refurbished by Nikon) off ebay for around ~$250CDN if I remember correctly.


klam has explain the polarizer problem with the 18-55mm

regarding the SWM thing... the one from 18-70mm and 18-55mm are not the same! the AFS used with 18-70mm is the better type, the one used with 18-55mm is the micro type, which is unfortunately slower, noiser, and rotate! but you pay a premium with the 18-70mm, it cost about $499cad plus tax~ but you can probably get a used one for around $300cad....

[zegerman]

You can't really go wrong with either the rebel, d50 or d70s. All are fine prosumer cameras. I personally got the D70s and love it .. the 18-70 lens if very nice .. though i would like to try the 18-200 lens. btw i heard you could upgrade the firmware on the d50 to the d70 firmware which basically makes it the same as the d70 in terms of software features.

[Txiasaeia]

hey, be sure to grab a 50mm 1.8 as soon as you can, you'll find that it is very fast, and cheap also, which grabs the attention of any RFD'er =) only downfall is that your legs are your zoom -_-" . i've got an older nikkor 50mm 1.8 and i used an adapter with my E-1, and the pictures come out beautiful with awesome bokeh. highly suggested

The 50mm 1.8 has leg zoom, which is good enough for me.

The number one reason why every single SLR user should have a 50mm lens is 1) they've been around forever, which means that lens manufacturers can make them in their sleep, and 2) because of this, they tend to be dirt cheap. One of these days I'll pick up a Nikon DX VR 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G, but I'm extremely happy with my 50mm at the moment.

I too picked up a D50 fairly recently from www.camera-warehouse.ca - great shipping times, no hassle, good price. It's an "upgrade" from my N75 (they're very close in features), and I must say, I'm very pleased with the D50. It doesn't feel like an entry-level consumer DSLR at all - and this is after using a friend's D200 for a while. Great bang for the buck.

[klam]

http://www.robotbreeder.com/_globalImages/worldcup/IMG_6545.jpg



NIKON 200-400mm f4 VR AFS IF ED :)
2000fordfocus, I don't know about you, but I don't see many of those in there... :cheesygri

[magical]

The 50mm 1.8 has leg zoom, which is good enough for me.

The number one reason why every single SLR user should have a 50mm lens is 1) they've been around forever, which means that lens manufacturers can make them in their sleep, and 2) because of this, they tend to be dirt cheap. One of these days I'll pick up a Nikon DX VR 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G, but I'm extremely happy with my 50mm at the moment.

I too picked up a D50 fairly recently from www.camera-warehouse.ca - great shipping times, no hassle, good price. It's an "upgrade" from my N75 (they're very close in features), and I must say, I'm very pleased with the D50. It doesn't feel like an entry-level consumer DSLR at all - and this is after using a friend's D200 for a while. Great bang for the buck.

after reading your comments...

I'd have to say #1 reason for having a 50mm f1.8 is its ability to take such great shots with little lights and without using a tripod! ... plus 50mm is pretty much what the human eye sees, so even with a 1.5x crop factor, it makes it around 75mm which is a perfect portrait lens, also its size is GREAT and you can't beat the quality of a prime lens....

Other than that tho... some other suggestions for a lens may be the Tamron 28-75 or 17-50 as these are both great lenses but cost 5X more than the 50mm f1.8 .... both are also double the minimum arperature so they start at F2.8 but are going to yeild almost the same quality but will still not be as good in low light conditions!

[2000fordfocus]

2000fordfocus, I don't know about you, but I don't see many of those in there... :cheesygri

what i mean is... canon doesn't have anything like the Nikon 200-400mm constant f4 with VR....

[thelefteyeguy]

after reading your comments...

I'd have to say #1 reason for having a 50mm f1.8 is its ability to take such great shots with little lights and without using a tripod! ... plus 50mm is pretty much what the human eye sees, so even with a 1.5x crop factor, it makes it around 75mm which is a perfect portrait lens, also its size is GREAT and you can't beat the quality of a prime lens....

Other than that tho... some other suggestions for a lens may be the Tamron 28-75 or 17-50 as these are both great lenses but cost 5X more than the 50mm f1.8 .... both are also double the minimum arperature so they start at F2.8 but are going to yeild almost the same quality but will still not be as good in low light conditions!


the problem with the 50mm f/1.8 as a portrait lens is that the model can see your tonsils at that distance. This lens is great for the body(even foot) to head shot.

[magical]

what i mean is... canon doesn't have anything like the Nikon 200-400mm constant f4 with VR....

The Nikon 200-400 constant F4 with VR is around $7k cad....

I think if I was going to drop 7k on a lens I'd go with something like a Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM 400mm... sure range would be nice but if your dropping 7k on a lens you have multiple bodys and already have a 70-200 f2.8 is anyways! ...

But your right, for 7K canon doesn't have anything that meets that lens! heh!
but for 9k you can get a 600mm f4 is! why not just spend the extra 2k while your at it and get a REAL lens!

[thelefteyeguy]

The Nikon 200-400 constant F4 with VR is around $7k cad....

I think if I was going to drop 7k on a lens I'd go with something like a Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM 400mm... sure range would be nice but if your dropping 7k on a lens you have multiple bodys and already have a 70-200 f2.8 is anyways! ...

But your right, for 7K canon doesn't have anything that meets that lens! heh!
but for 9k you can get a 600mm f4 is! why not just spend the extra 2k while your at it and get a REAL lens!


lol all this talk about canon vs nikon at 400mm....seriously are you going to get a D50 or a XT and then get a 200-400mm :rolleyes:

let's just say that you can't go wrong with a XT or a D50/D70. Both companies have a good range of primes for the average consumer.

[Gloaming]

I'm using a D70s and a 18-200mm lens. I can't say enough good things about the setup.

[warpdrive]

lol all this talk about canon vs nikon at 400mm....seriously are you going to get a D50 or a XT and then get a 200-400mm :rolleyes:

Yeah, lol.

All the strange things people argue about.

[cipher]

lol all this talk about canon vs nikon at 400mm....seriously are you going to get a D50 or a XT and then get a 200-400mm :rolleyes:

let's just say that you can't go wrong with a XT or a D50/D70. Both companies have a good range of primes for the average consumer.

I agree...

The OP is on a budget. Even the D70s is pushing it...and you guys are talking about a $7000+ lense?

[radeonboy]

I am a D50 owner and this camera suites me. Lots of functionality and lots of stuff to learn for years to come.

Notice I said, it suites me? What suites you?

Go check them out both at a camera shop and hold them by hand, by then you will know which is for you.

[radeonboy]

BTW: With a DSLR, most people always post process their photos, so be prepared to learn PP too :cheesygri

I can post some of my images with the D50 if user demand says so.

Im not the best, but I've got some good ones.

[majestik]

Buy the cheapest DSLR that suits your needs, and put more money into lenses.

[klam]

Agreed, when you buy an SLR you are buying the system too. So consider lenses, flash, accessories, future upgrade models, direction of company, availability of parts/rentals, etc.

Buy the cheapest DSLR that suits your needs, and put more money into lenses.

[2000fordfocus]

lol all this talk about canon vs nikon at 400mm....seriously are you going to get a D50 or a XT and then get a 200-400mm :rolleyes:

let's just say that you can't go wrong with a XT or a D50/D70. Both companies have a good range of primes for the average consumer.

You know what, you a right! Not many amateur out there own a 400mm or 600mm prime anyways~


I rather spend all the money on strobe light, building my own studio, renting models(LOL), etc.... 400mm or 600mm is really not that useful to the stuff i take~~

[radeonboy]

Agreed, when you buy an SLR you are buying the system too. So consider lenses, flash, accessories, future upgrade models, direction of company, availability of parts/rentals, etc.

True. I still don't even have a flash for my D50. Like a dedicated full functional i-TTL flash gun.

I am currently going ghetto and manually using my Dads old Canon Speedlite on my D50 (yes it works and outputs the same voltage).

I have to learn how to get good results with this flash gun manually by adjusting where I position the flash, the -EV setting and f-stop.

;)

[radeonboy]

Just a shot I made at a place in Toronto. I forgot the name. Arghh..

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/2272/dsc0044refined12cn.jpg

I obviously did PP the picture and this was taken with the 18-70mm stock D70 lens on a D50

[rubberband]

Took friday off to play with the new toys. My camera bag now includes:
D50
18-55mm DX (came w/ kit)
55-200 DX (found used at Henry's for $140. :) )
My new baby: Micro Nikkor 60mm AF-D Macro.

I killed 2 hours and 1gb of shooting with this lense in the graden. Un-freaking-believable images, amazing sharpness. I love this lense.

[2000fordfocus]

Took friday off to play with the new toys. My camera bag now includes:
D50
18-55mm DX (came w/ kit)
55-200 DX (found used at Henry's for $140. :) )
My new baby: Micro Nikkor 60mm AF-D Macro.

I killed 2 hours and 1gb of shooting with this lense in the graden. Un-freaking-believable images, amazing sharpness. I love this lense.

you bought all these lens this past week??

[rubberband]

you bought all these lens this past week??

Heh, no. The 18-55 came with the Camera, and the 50-200 was found used (and pretty cheap) at henry's. I already had the 60mm macro from a film SLR setup, and didn't realise it was as new as it is at the time. I was pretty happy to mount it and discover that everything works.

No more spending for me for now though. I'd fogotten how expensive photography gets, and fast. :)

[najibs]

As a current Canon 20D user, and ex-Nikon D70 guy, I HIGHLY recommend the Nikon D50. I've used one and it's a superb camera. The image quality, as well as the high ISO performance is in my opinion the best of any Nikon camera. The images straight out of the camera require very little, if any, post processing, and look superb. The price is unbeatable as well. Heck, I'd take a D50 over a D70 anyday. THe D70 has WAY too much noise, and images are not as sharp and punchy as the D50 straight out of the camera.

[cipher]

As a current Canon 20D user, and ex-Nikon D70 guy, I HIGHLY recommend the Nikon D50. I've used one and it's a superb camera. The image quality, as well as the high ISO performance is in my opinion the best of any Nikon camera. The images straight out of the camera require very little, if any, post processing, and look superb. The price is unbeatable as well. Heck, I'd take a D50 over a D70 anyday. THe D70 has WAY too much noise, and images are not as sharp and punchy as the D50 straight out of the camera.


IMO, the D50 outperforms the D200 (a $2100+ camera) when it comes to noise. I can't believe the noise that shows up in the shadows from shots taken with a D200.

[2000fordfocus]

less noise usually mean a lot of build in filtering, hence less detail(not as sharp,etc)... Have you try noise ninja yet?

D200 has way more advantage than D50.... I'll take D200 any day! I hardly ever use ISO 800 and above anyways....

[cipher]

less noise usually mean a lot of build in filtering, hence less detail(not as sharp,etc)... Have you try noise ninja yet?

D200 has way more advantage than D50.... I'll take D200 any day! I hardly ever use ISO 800 and above anyways....

The problem is that noise shows up at ISO 400 in the shadows. I tried a few shots where people were wearing white and other black during the day outside. If I tried to properly expose for the people wearing black, the people in white were overexposed. So I exposed for the people in white and the people in black outfits showed noise as did and areas in shadow! The D50 had no problems with this at all. This is pretty much the only weakness in this camera. Nikon crammed too many pixels into the sensor and this is what we get. I wished Nikon used an 8 megapixel sensor instead. Other than the noise, I think this camera is absolutely superb. But for the price, I expect better noise performance and I shouldn't need to clean up noise AFTER I take my shot. I was ready to go out and switch all my stuff from Canon to Nikon when the D200 came out. Now I'm looking at the Canon 30D.

[2000fordfocus]

The problem is that noise shows up at ISO 400 in the shadows. I tried a few shots where people were wearing white and other black during the day outside. If I tried to properly expose for the people wearing black, the people in white were overexposed. So I exposed for the people in white and the people in black outfits showed noise as did and areas in shadow! The D50 had no problems with this at all. This is pretty much the only weakness in this camera. Nikon crammed too many pixels into the sensor and this is what we get. I wished Nikon used an 8 megapixel sensor instead. Other than the noise, I think this camera is absolutely superb. But for the price, I expect better noise performance and I shouldn't need to clean up noise AFTER I take my shot. I was ready to go out and switch all my stuff from Canon to Nikon when the D200 came out. Now I'm looking at the Canon 30D.

OKOK,

ever since the digital era, there seem to be more and more believer of high ISO~ But in the film days, people trys to go lower in terms of ISO... ISO 100, 65, 50, etc... for the sack of better dynamic range, saturation, less grain noise... I really think this is what the Nikon D200 trying to achieve! have you seen those ISO 100 picture? they are really good!

[radeonboy]

So did they OP make up his mind yet?? :twisted:

[Pete Jones]

OKOK,

ever since the digital era, there seem to be more and more believer of high ISO~ But in the film days, people trys to go lower in terms of ISO... ISO 100, 65, 50, etc... for the sack of better dynamic range, saturation, less grain noise... I really think this is what the Nikon D200 trying to achieve! have you seen those ISO 100 picture? they are really good!

Huh?

You can get excellent results from just about every digital camera if you keep the ISO setting as low as possible. So what?

There are some situations that require a sensitive "film." Try shooting an indoor sports event with fast action at an ISO less than 400 and see what you get.

Fujicolor 800 press is a highly regarded film because of its incredible lattitude and relatively low grain. But at high ISO speeds, grain (or noise) is a fact of life.

Digital is no different from traditional film in that if you understand the correlation between film speed, shutter speed and lens opening settings, you'll have better control over the finished photo.

--Pete

[rubberband]

So did they OP make up his mind yet?? :twisted:

Made it up last week. Bought a D50 w/ the kit 18-55 lense, and a 50-200 as well. My slightly older 60mm macro from my film slr works perfectly, too.

I'm in love. I bought two 512mb cards, and have filled them both twice in less than a week. :cheesygri

[rubberband]

Huh?

You can get excellent results from just about every digital camera if you keep the ISO setting as low as possible. So what?

There are some situations that require a sensitive "film." Try shooting an indoor sports event with fast action at an ISO less than 400 and see what you get.

Fujicolor 800 press is a highly regarded film because of its incredible lattitude and relatively low grain. But at high ISO speeds, grain (or noise) is a fact of life.

Digital is no different from traditional film in that if you understand the correlation between film speed, shutter speed and lens opening settings, you'll have better control over the finished photo.

--Pete

So true. The best way to realize this is to take a camera (like the D50) with relatively well done auto modes and watch what it does. The D50 in sports mode sits at ISO 400 or 800 when I've had it on the sidelines at my games this week. ISO 800 at about 7:00pm (not the best light) produces nice, crisp pictures even at 180mm 30+ yards away on a non-VR lense with my shaky hands. :-0

[2000fordfocus]

Huh?

You can get excellent results from just about every digital camera if you keep the ISO setting as low as possible. So what?

There are some situations that require a sensitive "film." Try shooting an indoor sports event with fast action at an ISO less than 400 and see what you get.

Fujicolor 800 press is a highly regarded film because of its incredible lattitude and relatively low grain. But at high ISO speeds, grain (or noise) is a fact of life.

Digital is no different from traditional film in that if you understand the correlation between film speed, shutter speed and lens opening settings, you'll have better control over the finished photo.

--Pete

I think both of us know that keep ISO low as possible is better... to me, just seems that so many people are taking the wrong turn, focusing on ISO 800 and even ISO 1600!!! Are we all shooting at a formula one race where you need high speed film? or taking picture where you can't see anything 1inch in front of you.... For indoor shoot, I typically use natural light with flash, the balance between the two can give great result. I almost always avoid ISO 800 and ISO1600, even on my D50.... juST IMO... PEACE

[thelefteyeguy]

Made it up last week. Bought a D50 w/ the kit 18-55 lense, and a 50-200 as well. My slightly older 60mm macro from my film slr works perfectly, too.

I'm in love. I bought two 512mb cards, and have filled them both twice in less than a week. :cheesygri


should have gotten the 2gb one....on a wedding shot for friends...Im sick of transferring raw files :lol: during the day haha

and yes there are advantages of shooting in raw...there are some great raw adjustments on Nikon Capture.

[thelefteyeguy]

As a current Canon 20D user, and ex-Nikon D70 guy, I HIGHLY recommend the Nikon D50. I've used one and it's a superb camera. The image quality, as well as the high ISO performance is in my opinion the best of any Nikon camera. The images straight out of the camera require very little, if any, post processing, and look superb. The price is unbeatable as well. Heck, I'd take a D50 over a D70 anyday. THe D70 has WAY too much noise, and images are not as sharp and punchy as the D50 straight out of the camera.


not sure what lens you are using with the D70...but i get sharp pictures from even the stock lens...and awesome sharp pictures from my 85mm f/1.4

noise? punchy? i get that from my D70.

[neo1973]

Here is a good review.

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/nikon/d50-review/index.shtml

[cipher]

I think both of us know that keep ISO low as possible is better... to me, just seems that so many people are taking the wrong turn, focusing on ISO 800 and even ISO 1600!!! Are we all shooting at a formula one race where you need high speed film? or taking picture where you can't see anything 1inch in front of you.... For indoor shoot, I typically use natural light with flash, the balance between the two can give great result. I almost always avoid ISO 800 and ISO1600, even on my D50.... juST IMO... PEACE

My complaint was with the noise that the D200 showed at only ISO 400. Not acceptable for a $2100 camera. I take my camera all over the place and in many situations, a flash is not allowed. So a camera with high ISO capabililty is an advantage. We are no longer in the film days, so some of the rules for digital SLRs have changed.

[Sl300]

this was from this thread

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310827&page=3&highlight=nikon+d50
But its in the 'hot deal' forum so im going to keep everything here

Im new to DSLR, and the Nikond D50 would be my first, but i asked my question because i dont have the funds for two lenses right now

18-55 is 209$ at henrys
http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/st...D&storeId=10001

and the 18-70 is 469$ at henrys
http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/st...sortKey=default


would I be safe getting the 18-55? and if yes, i would be better off getting the Nikon D50, 18-55 + 512 card for 906$ shipped
http://www.camera-warehouse.ca/prod...r=D50-KIT-512MB right? I think im going to pull the trigger soon

[soarlow]

a bit off topic, but anyone know of a good place to share photos? I know Flickr is great, but it only has 20mb of upload transfer per month....

Any other great FREE places without this limit? Or larger limit at least

[TenzoR]

would I be safe getting the 18-55? and if yes, i would be better off getting the Nikon D50, 18-55 + 512 card for 906$ shipped
http://www.camera-warehouse.ca/prod...r=D50-KIT-512MB right? I think im going to pull the trigger soon

get it from henrys, it's $799 for the Nikon D50 + kit lens
http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PageDisplay?dest=frames.jsp&currency=CAD&storeId=10001

it's a friggin steal at this price!

[radeonboy]

get it from henrys, it's $799 for the Nikon D50 + kit lens
http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PageDisplay?dest=frames.jsp&currency=CAD&storeId=10001

it's a friggin steal at this price!

damn thats hot. YOU CAN PM Henrys on that D50 kit with Best Buy!!! Best Buy is selling for 869.99.

So...

869.99-799.99 = $70 difference

110% off $70 = $7 off (is my calc correct?)

so would be $904 tax in. :D

[Jaytee]

I found a reason. New replacement for the D70S is remoured to be coming next month which would drive the prices down further.

http://news.com.com/2061-10801_3-6096762.html?part=rss&tag=6096762&subj=news


Nikon hints new digital SLR due in August

July 20, 2006 4:42 PM PDT
Nikon likely will announce a new 10.2-megapixel digital SLR camera in 20 days, according to a teaser advertisement that appeared on the company's Web site Thursday.


This teaser appears on
the Nikon Imaging Web site. The teaser appears on the Nikon Imaging Web site. Judging by the pixel count, the camera will be a replacement for the 6-megapixel D70s and lower end than the existing 10-megapixel D200.

The new model combines "quality and affordability to meet the demands of passionate photo enthusiasts," the teaser said. The teaser said "20 days to go," meaning an Aug. 9 announcement is likely.

Nikon's ad in Europe gives a more precise countdown with 19 days.

Posted by Stephen Shankland

[radeonboy]

Ive heard rumors too on Dpreview.com Nikon forums. Its been floating around for weeks now because distributors have been out of stock for some time and have forum members have said just this. Something along the lines of a D50S or even new ones like a D80 and D90.

But even if that did happen, the D50 can still hold its own and will be a steal as prices continue to fall.

Man I paid over $1000 for mine close to a year and a half ago. Now its down 400 dollars. Not bad :D


I found a reason. New replacement for the D70S is remoured to be coming next month which would drive the prices down further.

http://news.com.com/2061-10801_3-6096762.html?part=rss&tag=6096762&subj=news


Nikon hints new digital SLR due in August

July 20, 2006 4:42 PM PDT
Nikon likely will announce a new 10.2-megapixel digital SLR camera in 20 days, according to a teaser advertisement that appeared on the company's Web site Thursday.


This teaser appears on
the Nikon Imaging Web site. The teaser appears on the Nikon Imaging Web site. Judging by the pixel count, the camera will be a replacement for the 6-megapixel D70s and lower end than the existing 10-megapixel D200.

The new model combines "quality and affordability to meet the demands of passionate photo enthusiasts," the teaser said. The teaser said "20 days to go," meaning an Aug. 9 announcement is likely.

Nikon's ad in Europe gives a more precise countdown with 19 days.

Posted by Stephen Shankland

[petee_c]

lol all this talk about canon vs nikon at 400mm....seriously are you going to get a D50 or a XT and then get a 200-400mm :rolleyes:

let's just say that you can't go wrong with a XT or a D50/D70. Both companies have a good range of primes for the average consumer.

....i just got the 70-200mm 2.8 L IS/USM for my Drebel (non- XT)!!.

frigging lens is 3x the weight, and 3x the price of the body! It's an awesome lens.

The Drebel has a much nicer sensor (noise free?) compared to my bro-in-laws D70.

'Only 6 Mpixel' - geesh, can't believe I'm saying that.

P

[Sl300]

I almost bought a D50 few weeks ago, but i held back. With the talk about IS being built into the camera, how much of an advantage is this feature?

should i keep waiting or just buy it

[TenzoR]

I almost bought a D50 few weeks ago, but i held back. With the talk about IS being built into the camera, how much of an advantage is this feature?

should i keep waiting or just buy it

i doubt Nikon will put VR into their camera ....

[najibs]

I almost bought a D50 few weeks ago, but i held back. With the talk about IS being built into the camera, how much of an advantage is this feature?

should i keep waiting or just buy it

THe new D80 is NOT a replacement for the D50. It's a replacement for the D70, and is a camera for in between the D50 and D200. The D50 will continue to be Nikon's entry level DSLR. The D50 is selling like hot cakes, so there's no reason to discontinue it. No, there will not be VR built into the camera, I can assure you of that.

Here's some pics of the D80, to be announced in under 2 weeks:

http://www.photim.net/nci/image.php3?Code=20060706071502MIKL&O=149

http://www.photim.net/nci/image.php3?Code=20060706071502MIKL&O=150

http://www.photim.net/nci/image.php3?Code=20060706071502MIKL&O=152

Besides that, the 70-300mm f/4-5.6 with VR is rumoured to be released along with the D80.

[cipher]

I almost bought a D50 few weeks ago, but i held back. With the talk about IS being built into the camera, how much of an advantage is this feature?

should i keep waiting or just buy it

Maybe you might want to check out the Sony Alpha. It got a pretty good review on DPReview.com.

[Sl300]

Maybe you might want to check out the Sony Alpha. It got a pretty good review on DPReview.com.

Yes i read about it, and its 'anti-shake' feature. Unfortunatly its out of my price range. Come to think of it, i think IS is out of my price range.. I guess i'll jump the gun on the next d50 deal

[WalnutCrunch]

Edit:
Man, is my 18-200 VR ever going to get in stock? Those things are way backordered.

IMHO, this is the reason to get the D50 over a Canon. The 18-200 VR is the best travel lens out there today. Buy the D50 with the kit lens, and order the 18-200. It'll cost you a pretty penny and take a few months to get in, but it's worth it.

BTW, I'm a Canon guy, but got to use the 18-200 VR on a friend's camera and it is the lens if you want one to keep on your camera 95% of the time.

[TenzoR]

IMHO, this is the reason to get the D50 over a Canon. The 18-200 VR is the best travel lens out there today. Buy the D50 with the kit lens, and order the 18-200. It'll cost you a pretty penny and take a few months to get in, but it's worth it.

BTW, I'm a Canon guy, but got to use the 18-200 VR on a friend's camera and it is the lens if you want one to keep on your camera 95% of the time.

I was one of the lucky one to get the 18-200 (though more of a fluke than pre-order early) and I totally agree with you. I love the zoom, it's sharp and focus fast.

However for night/low light picture I'd still prefer my trusty prime (50mm f1.8)

[WalnutCrunch]

However for night/low light picture I'd still prefer my trusty prime (50mm f1.8)

Yep, that's the second lens that I recommend everyone to get. It's the best $100 you'll spend whether you have a Canon or Nikon.

[TenzoR]

Yep, that's the second lens that I recommend everyone to get. It's the best $100 you'll spend whether you have a Canon or Nikon.

though with the 18-200 i'm contemplating on getting rid of it for 60mm f2.8 micro as I do like taking close ups :)

[rubberband]

though with the 18-200 i'm contemplating on getting rid of it for 60mm f2.8 micro as I do like taking close ups :)

Old thread, but..

I own the 60mm f/2.8 micro. It takes unbelievable pictures, and is super, super sharp. It's the nicest piece of glass I've ever used - it's almost always on my camera.

[TenzoR]

Old thread, but..

I own the 60mm f/2.8 micro. It takes unbelievable pictures, and is super, super sharp. It's the nicest piece of glass I've ever used - it's almost always on my camera.

so I must ask what can the 50mm do that the 60mm can't? (since you had a WTB thread)

I know 50 is wider and slightly faster f1.8 vs f2.8, would that be that much of difference?

[Pete Jones]

so I must ask what can the 50mm do that the 60mm can't? (since you had a WTB thread)

I know 50 is wider and slightly faster f1.8 vs f2.8, would that be that much of difference?

Actually, it's almost 2 stops faster. That could make a huge difference for some people.

What you'll really be getting is a shallow depth of field when the lens is wide open giving that nice out of focus background effect.

There may also be issues with the sharpness of the lens and/or the quality of the glass but that could also be a subjective decision.

--Pete

[frugalman]

http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ItemsDisplay?catalogId=10001&departmentId=10404&categoryId=11501

there's so many lenses! i'm a little confused.. if i get a d50, what is a good lense for it?

[frugalman]

what's difference between

28-80mm AF G lens
and
DX 18-55 lens

sorry for the noob question

[TenzoR]

what's difference between

28-80mm AF G lens
and
DX 18-55 lens

sorry for the noob question

if you are unsure stick with the kit lens (which is 18-55) until you know what you want to photograph

a kit lens will teach you a lot of things ..then when you move on to something better, you'll appreciate the better lens more

[rubberband]

so I must ask what can the 50mm do that the 60mm can't? (since you had a WTB thread)

I know 50 is wider and slightly faster f1.8 vs f2.8, would that be that much of difference?

Yeah, it's not a big deal for general use, but for shooting indoors, in low light, etc it's a *huge* difference. And I happen to be going to a good friend's wedding this weekend. I took the 60mm to another wedding last weekend (just to try it out) and found that I could have really used faster glass, especially in the church where the lighting was all over the place. Also, the AF on the 60mm macro is not too quick either.

If you want to take good macro shots, and you can get close to your subject (ie, more flowers and bugs, less butterflies and skittish things) the 60mm f2.8 is the best lense you can buy, imho. I have taken the best pictures of my entire time with a camera by sticking that lense on a d50, setting the mode to macro, accepting all the defaults and walking out into the weeds and grass behind my office building.

Awesome, awesome lense, super sharp, unbelievable bokeh, just great all around. Just buy it, fill a memory card up, and never look back. :cheesygri

[rubberband]

what's difference between

28-80mm AF G lens
and
DX 18-55 lens

sorry for the noob question

It's best to learn about focal lengths and aperture beforehand. The advice elsewhere in this thread is really good - get a camera, a big memory card, and and any inexpensive lense. Shoot though the memory card a couple times, and make notes on what you can and can't capture with your current lense setup.

do you want to do sports photography?
wildlife?
landscapes?
people?
indoor events?
macro?

the best lenses to own are entirely dependent on what you want to shoot.

having said that, the 18-55 that comes with the d50 *is* a nice lense. It's very sharp and distortion-free throughout it's whole range, focuses quite fast, is super light and dirt cheap. I'll be keeping mine for a while.

[rubberband]

http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ItemsDisplay?catalogId=10001&departmentId=10404&categoryId=11501

there's so many lenses! i'm a little confused.. if i get a d50, what is a good lense for it?

just get the 18-55DX kit lense. It's cheap, and will be a nice start until you get a better idea of what you want to shoot.

[TenzoR]

Awesome, awesome lense, super sharp, unbelievable bokeh, just great all around. Just buy it, fill a memory card up, and never look back. :cheesygri

Now you made my hand itchy ...so want ...

did you try the 105 micro lens by chance?

[thelefteyeguy]

just get the 18-55DX kit lense. It's cheap, and will be a nice start until you get a better idea of what you want to shoot.


digital slr:
at 10-18mm...great for wide angle shot (landscape, architecture)
at 35-55mm...good for body with head shots, great for group shots. Good for taking pics at restaurant dinner table.

but this lens you'll have some problems with Portraits (shoulder and head shots)...you'll be very close to the subject (model). For this i'd recommend 85-120mm

anything higher than 120...great for sporting events, wildlife, other telescopic events.


and for f/stop...most budget lens are around f/3.5. Good for outdoor lens. At sunny condition, you'll only need 5.6 or higher. Cloudy...3.5.

At f/2.8 you'll have some success indoors but you'll need very good lighting conditions.

anything below f/1.8, you'll do well indoors without a flash.

but anything fast will cost you some $$...unless you get a standard 50mm f1.8 which is quite inexpensive.


i'd skip the D50 stock lens and go for the D70 stock lens...18-70mm f3.5, this is still one of my most used lens for most events...the telescopic is very useful. I use this lens at weddings about 80% of the time (it's great since most of the time you're never the primary photographer, having the 70mm really comes in handy). Of course until i get the 17-55mm f/2.8 (mucho $$$)


camera, then a good starter lens (nikon 18-70mmf/3.5, or tamron 28-70mmf2.8) then a good flash...SB600, SB800, then start upgrading lens. Portrait lens 85-120(200mm), then wideangle lens (12-24mm) or macro lens depending on what you like to shoot.

then you'll be covered for most situations 12mm-200mm


here's a good website on reviews of lens: http://www.bythom.com/nikon.htm

[frugalman]

It's best to learn about focal lengths and aperture beforehand. The advice elsewhere in this thread is really good - get a camera, a big memory card, and and any inexpensive lense. Shoot though the memory card a couple times, and make notes on what you can and can't capture with your current lense setup.

do you want to do sports photography?
wildlife?
landscapes?
people?
indoor events?
macro?

the best lenses to own are entirely dependent on what you want to shoot.

having said that, the 18-55 that comes with the d50 *is* a nice lense. It's very sharp and distortion-free throughout it's whole range, focuses quite fast, is super light and dirt cheap. I'll be keeping mine for a while.

that's a good advice for now. i guess i'll stick with the general purpose lense first.

i really like to explore macro and indoor (not optimal lighting) as a normal point and shoot camera cannot handle those situations well.. as for landscape and people, i'm less concern with. wildlife, yes, i'd like to macro or zoom right into them.

thanks

[2000fordfocus]

Today, I had a chance to try both Nikon D200 and Sony A100...

oh man, the viewfinder in the D200 is so much bigger than D70/D50/A100!!!! and 5fps is like a machine gun :)

With D80 having the same VF as D200, I am really considering doing the switch! Since I can't afford a D200~~

btw, the A100 is so crappy! The kit lens is a joke! The only reason you would buy it is for the build-in anti-shake~ but really, i wouldn't get it for 1200~

[thelefteyeguy]

Today, I had a chance to try both Nikon D200 and Sony A100...

oh man, the viewfinder in the D200 is so much bigger than D70/D50/A100!!!! and 5fps is like a machine gun :)

With D80 having the same VF as D200, I am really considering doing the switch! Since I can't afford a D200~~

btw, the A100 is so crappy! The kit lens is a joke! The only reason you would buy it is for the build-in anti-shake~ but really, i wouldn't get it for 1200~

wow...i really want a large viewfinder...can't see sh1t on the D70. Manual focus is impossible

[2000fordfocus]

wow...i really want a large viewfinder...can't see sh1t on the D70. Manual focus is impossible

Thatz right! I just dont trust myself when manual focusing with my D50~~ Man, on paper, the D80 is similar to A100... but if you look closely, D80 is really much better! with things like large VF, better build(I assume), and vertical grip.... these three things alone is worth more than that build-in shake thing!! I feel sorry for these who will be buying a A100... $1200cad for such a poorly build camera/lens~~ And the IQ, well, initial test does not favor it either~~

[radeonboy]

I agree the Nikon needs a bigger viewfinder. But I have no problems manual focusing on my D50, Ive done it numerous times without problems. What I found helps a little is to remove the rubber eyepiece, this will get you a better view of the viewfinder.

[2000fordfocus]

I agree the Nikon needs a bigger viewfinder. But I have no problems manual focusing on my D50, Ive done it numerous times without problems. What I found helps a little is to remove the rubber eyepiece, this will get you a better view of the viewfinder.

if you manual focus say f8, i can too... but when i do like f2.8 or larger, good luck~

[rubberband]

Now you made my hand itchy ...so want ...

did you try the 105 micro lens by chance?

Nope - but from what I've seen, you'll get comparable quality out of the 105, too. The 60mm is a wee bit cheaper (and in my case, free) though. I found it fast enough to get tack sharp pictures of flowers/leaves/etc on a breezy day no problem.

The only reason not to go for it would be to shoot butterflies and stuff - that's really tough, since they take off when you get close. (and with the 60mm, you get CLOSE. :) )

I'l post a couple shots tomorrow.

[klam]

The Sony Alpha uses the same CCD as the D200. Sony supplies the CCD for the D200, D70, D50, and D80. The D80 is reported to have the same CCD as the D200, which is the same CCD Sony stuffed in the Alpha (not surprising since they already make it for Nikon). And the common theme between all of them is noise noise noise.

Man, on paper, the D80 is similar to A100... but if you look closely, D80 is really much better! with things like large VF, better build(I assume), and vertical grip.... these three things alone is worth more than that build-in shake thing!! I feel sorry for these who will be buying a A100... $1200cad for such a poorly build camera/lens~~ And the IQ, well, initial test does not favor it either~~

[radeonboy]

Sony supplies the CCD for the D200, D70, D50, and D80. The D80 is reported to have the same CCD as the D200, which is the same CCD Sony stuffed in the Alpha (not surprising since they already make it for Nikon). And the common theme between all of them is noise noise noise.

Ive never ever heard this at all before. In all the Nikon forums Ive been into, none have I seen this kinda info.

So I have no comment or confirmation if this is true or not...

[klam]

Look at the row "Sensor manufacturer". It is a well-known fact that Nikon cameras employ Sony manufactured CCDs. The image processing following is unique of course, but the hardware is not.

http://www.bythom.com/currentdslr.htm


Ive never ever heard this at all before. In all the Nikon forums Ive been into, none have I seen this kinda info.

So I have no comment or confirmation if this is true or not...

[2000fordfocus]

Is true Sony supply the CCD for D200, D100, D70, D50 and also the new D80...

But there seems to be a different processor for each dSLR... eg.D50 has better noise control than D70, but same CCD...

The sony a100 has 2 channel processing and D200 has 4 channel... also, D80 has 2 channel, but not the same as A100!! Nikon do there own processing... We have to wait to see if noise is a problem!

But I see report saying noise is good! but that just mean more noise reduction in the processing part... people now days a so focus on iso noise, when they see smooth looking picture, is consider a great camera! well, what about the detail within the image? I much rather do noise reduction myself!

If you want the best noise, get a Canon! If you want well build, high quality unit with great pictures, consider a Nikon! Canon has that too, but there low end camera tend to be made with crappy plastic~ Real, no body make a better plastic camera than Nikon! Nikon D50 is a great example!

[rubberband]

From what I tested and read, there no real difference between the d50 and the XT for noise at most iso settings, with the d50 having only slightly better noise control at high (ie, 1600) iso.

Honestly, they're pretty similar cameras. The extra 2mp on the xt isn't really a huge deal. For me, the decision to buy the nikon was largely based on holding the two camera in the store. The d50 "felt" better to me, but it's really a personal preference.


Is true Sony supply the CCD for D200, D100, D70, D50 and also the new D80...

But there seems to be a different processor for each dSLR... eg.D50 has better noise control than D70, but same CCD...

The sony a100 has 2 channel processing and D200 has 4 channel... also, D80 has 2 channel, but not the same as A100!! Nikon do there own processing... We have to wait to see if noise is a problem!

But I see report saying noise is good! but that just mean more noise reduction in the processing part... people now days a so focus on iso noise, when they see smooth looking picture, is consider a great camera! well, what about the detail within the image? I much rather do noise reduction myself!

If you want the best noise, get a Canon! If you want well build, high quality unit with great pictures, consider a Nikon! Canon has that too, but there low end camera tend to be made with crappy plastic~ Real, no body make a better plastic camera than Nikon! Nikon D50 is a great example!

[rubberband]

I reasearched the XT and D50 to death before I bought mine. There is NO FREAKING DIFFERENCE between the performance of the cameras for anyone seriously planning on buying one. Any camera store will tell you this. Anyone who can honestly tell the difference in noise levels, sharpness or image quality by glancing at a snapshot from each camera (and it bothers you), isnot in the market for an amateur DSLR. Pros don't shoot on $600 digital bodies.

Honestly, take it from someone with a month's solid, daily reasearch invested in the topic of choosing between the two cameras - don't worry about it. :) All you have to do is the following:

-Go to a camera store. Hold the display model of each camera, and fire a few exposires off. Play with the controls, and imagine yourself holding the camera still while trying to get a picture that you actually want. If the camera store won't let you do this, go to a different camera store. The cameras feel VERY different: The d50 is bigger, heavier, and "beefier". The XT is smaller, lighter, and feels more "portable". You will DEFINATELY like one more than the other.

-Then talk to anyone you know who's into photography, and check out your local used selection - being able to borrow a lense or get a used one rather than buying one new is a reason to make your choice, especially when you'll spend a million times more on glass than you ever will on a body. In my case, I already had a nice macro lense and a PC lense for one manufacturer - which together are worth more than two full kits.

That's it. That's all. For an amateur both cameras will give you beautiful results, especially if it's your first DSLR. You'll be amazed. The other differences between the cameras are not worth considering for an entry level DSLR. Access to lenses and feel are honestly all that matters in this choice. Seriously! :cheesygri

[rubberband]

Since this thread is becoming a catch all DSLR discussion, here's a quastion for the more experienced folks:

What fun project can you think of taking on with a perspective correction lense (besides making buildings look straight)?

[klam]

For those interested, here is a ranking/comparison of 17 DSLRs at high ISO.

http://www.modeemi.fi/~leopold/Photo/Kohina/en.html

Here are samples for comparison.

ISO1600
http://mishami.image.pbase.com/o4/59/439259/1/57722794.Compare1600.jpg

ISO800
http://k41.pbase.com/o4/59/439259/1/57722796.Compare800.jpg

I'll let the sample images speak for themselves.

[Pete Jones]

Thanks, klam for those links.

For me, I was most interested in how the 7D stacks up at ISO 800 and 1600. (The Sony Alpha I'm interested in right now is basically a rebadged KM5D, I believe)

I'd say about 50% of my shooting is at ISO 800 because of the conditions I shoot in. (mostly dimly lit arenas -- hockey and figure skating)

But even though this is really a bit of exaggeration of the real world, it's still quite interesting.

--Pete

[rubberband]

It's interesting that the at the low end (ie, d50, 350d) the noise levels are pretty much on par, but once you start to go up in price, the performance is way in favour of canon. iso1600, there's no comparison. Wierd.

BTW: for those just tuning in, the Canon EOS 5D certainly looks to be at the front of the pack, but also runs about $3.5k for the body alone. :)


For those interested, here is a ranking/comparison of 17 DSLRs at high ISO.

http://www.modeemi.fi/~leopold/Photo/Kohina/en.html

Here are samples for comparison.

ISO1600
http://mishami.image.pbase.com/o4/59/439259/1/57722794.Compare1600.jpg

ISO800
http://k41.pbase.com/o4/59/439259/1/57722796.Compare800.jpg

I'll let the sample images speak for themselves.

[radeonboy]

Look at the row "Sensor manufacturer". It is a well-known fact that Nikon cameras employ Sony manufactured CCDs. The image processing following is unique of course, but the hardware is not.

http://www.bythom.com/currentdslr.htm

WHOA, learn something new everyday!!! :D