Grab it and go. Very user friendly. Uses cheap AF lenses. Results are excellent.

If the lens isn't locked into the smallest (F22) aperture it won't shoot; and gives you a code. If you're not carrying the manual (like I wasn't) I had to wait until I returned from the mountains before I could look up the stupid reason it wouldn't shoot. My ignorance, but it wasn't helpful.

Got spare battery and charger from Ebay, about a dozen lenses none of which were over $150 and most were in the $50 range. Slightly used. Also got a D60 for a backup but it only uses the 18-55 AF lens so I've got a 55-200 coming just for it.
The D50's currently wearing a 75-300 Tamron and once I got used to it it's awesome.
Found out you have to manually hardlock it into the smallest fstop or it won't shoot. Operation is sweet, easy. Stick it on auto and go for it. SD cards are fine, but some won't work in the camera. Stick to name brands.
Lenses for the D60 contain the motor and are usually much more costly. I got one again for under $150 so my complete gear, two cameras, two lenses, two bags, all the manuals, caps, filters, SD cards and spare batteries and I'm still WAY under a grand. All the AF lenses work fine on the D50; Quantaray, Sigma, Tamron and even a Soligor. Happy.

Customer Service

NA

Similar Products Used:

D60 bought for a backup, as it uses more expensive lenses but has 10 megapixels.
Many Pentax film cameras. I have no idea why I went Nikon instead of Cannon; I had a Cannon which I gave to my kid when the Nikons came along.

-High Consumer Reliability Index
-Compatible with past AF lenses
-Ergonomic
-Still Competitive Performance
-Maximum Flash Sync of 1/500th
-Low cost vs. performance ratio

-Plastic Body
-only 3fps
-No DOF Preview
-No built-in Commander for Speedlights

I bought the D50 used as a supplement to my D300 for commercial work. I shoot mostly events, weddings, and portraits, and my style is predominantly photojournalistic, so having an extra body with an additional lens attached makes things a lot easier. The D50 was Nikon's first foray into entry-level DSLR manufacturing, and as such, it has understandable weaknesses, like 3fps, no DOF button, plastic body, etc. However, for my applications, it does an excellent job as a second body, for the price I paid.
It is also worth noting that the D50 is a traditionally reliable camera, so if you see one pop up (in 2009) for a good price, I wouldn't hesitate getting it. And for someone just starting out, it is absolutely ideal, considering that its ergonomic qualities make learning photography a breeze, and you would, in addition, have access to an affordable array of past, AF Nikkor lenses to buy used.

Customer Service

None Needed.

Similar Products Used:

D300
D100
N80
N8008s
N6006

brand
resolution
quality out of the camera
raw (nef)
jpeg
iso performance
af performance
looks
feel
menu's
buttons

If i must grine , the only thing i miss a bit is the DOF button but that's all

Yeah yet another review about this Suberb piece of Nikon Microelectronics in the DSLR (Digital Single line Reflex)

I have had many other camera's but when i bought this one i had done extensive research on the type i was going to buy. Bought it as backup camera but love it so much that it now is the second main carera on equal level with my D70.

the reason for nuying this camera are the perfect iso performance ( much better than my D70) and the size and weigth and the quality of the shots directly out of the D50

it is more than entry level to me i rate it prosumer because it has so much to offer for such a small prize

Customer Service

great , only had to use it because i took this camera over from a guy who allready listed it as his , after two mails every thing is settled and it is now on my nikon list

Similar Products Used:

Nikon D70 (still use it)
canon eos 300d (misachivement gladly sold)

Very good high ISO noise performance, 800 looks fine and 1600 is usually OK with a little cleanup.

Great Infrared sensitivity, this is my main camera for IR photography.

Will work with older AF lenses (using the focus motor in the camera). The D40/D60 only works with the newer AF-S lenses.

The camera is very straightforward to use.

Good battery life.

Shoots in Raw (NEF) and Jpg format.

Very good image quality.

The only battery grips are aftermarket

Burst speed (3 FPS) is slow compared to newer cameras, burst is only good for 3 shots or so when shooting Raw.

Is kind of smallish in size, plastic build.

Will not meter with old AI lenses, they have to be used old school with entirely manual settings.

Can be durable, they are rated for only 10-15,000 actuations before the shutter goes, D50 #2 has 43,000 and D50 #1 has 8,000 going on three years of use.

SD card support only, but then SDHC didn't exist when they made this.

The D50 is a nice beginner/introductory camera, good for people getting their first SLR or needing a backup camera. I've had my first one for just over about three years, and my second I got a few months ago.

Customer Service

Haven't had to use it.

Similar Products Used:

D700, D200.

-ISO performance
-Handling/biuld quality
-Ability to use so many quality lenses
-Impressive battery life (500-900 shots without flash, per battery charge) I have 2 batteries
-LCD screen (in 2005, it was very good) Canon owners were envious !
-Durable (contrary to popular belief, the SD memory card door is just fine! It's NOT cheap. No problems AT ALL!)
-Many quality lenses to pick from!
-I shoot 99.99% of the time in RAW and the 13" by 19" prints from my Epson R1800 printer look wonderful !
-Virtually instantaneous start-up.

-Auto White Balance once in a while.
-Only 5 Auto focus points.
-No gridlines in the viewfinder. I've deleted so many sunset shots because the horizon wasn't level.
-Viewfinder is small.
-Slight over exposure in bright situations.
-shot counter only goes to 9999 wish it had 5 digits

This is my first Digital SLR . I've had point and shot cameras over the years for vacations, but that was about it . On Christmas 2005, I received a Nikon D50 . Boy was I shocked ! The next,day I immediately went to compare the D50 and the Canon XT at the store before I even opened up my D50 box at home . I decided on the D50 because it was easier to use/better ergonomics and it had a higher quality feel . Well, it's over 2 years later and this beauty of a camera has taken over 65,000 shots and it's showing no signs of slowing down ! Photography is an enjoyable hobby for me . Wether it's the zoo, the beach, the park, or anywhere else, the D50 performs WONDERFULLY ! Next year I am going to purchase the D90 with my tax return .

I give this camera a 5 out of 5. I've read other reviewers give the D50 a lower score. Remember, this was the entry level camera in 2005, not 2008! I still think it's a wonderful camera 3 years later, even compared to the D40, D40x, or the D60. The D50 has an internal auto focus motor where as some other cameras don't have this. Currently, I have some prime lenses that otherwise, would be very difficult to use if that autofocus motor wasn't there.

Customer Service

No problems with my D50.

Similar Products Used:

Canon Rebel XT
Nikon D300
Nikon D200
Nikon Coolpix 775
Nikon Coolpix 5000
Canon Power Shot SD 300
other point and shoots...

it is durable
strong body
megapixels are great for what i do, (photojournalism, portraiture, stock)
It has a great time with light, aslong as you have the appropriate lense and lighting, it works so easy.
alot of white balance options
ISO is good
picture clarity is phenomenal for a 6.0MP camera of its time.
great diversity asfar as using old and new lenses.
price was fantastic

2.5 frames for second, i can miss shots at an important event for the newspaper if im not really careful(more a concern than a weakness)
aging quickly against technology(every camera has this problem)

This was the first DSLR camera i had ever boughten. its been over a year now, and it has never let me down. I am soon to be a professional photographer at 19 years old, and this has been my lifesaver. It has to be one of the best, well built cameras nikon has ever built. A camera that was built over three years ago, shows superiority over the D40,D40x. It has plenty of white balance options, ISO doesn't get really grainy until 1600. 800 is perfect for photos put into newspapers, gives you a great lighting range, even in tough conditions.

the reason i am giving this a 5 out 5, is because this camera has sparked my career. i am ninteen years old and have been shooting since i was 15. once i bought this camera, it seems a never ending amount of possibilities have come up, and ive never had to refuse, or worry about the quality of my camera, or whether or not i could accomplish my goals with it, if you can't use this versatile camera, you are better off with point and shoot.

i'd recommend this to the beginner and enthusiast.

Better backwards compatibility with autofocus lenses than Nikon's newer entry-level DSLRs - the cheap classics like the 50mm f1.8 won't autofocus on the D40/40x/60.

6mp is enough if you're not printing larger than 8x10 on a regular basis.

Noise is excellent up to iso 400, very good at 800. At 800, there is some slight film-like grain and little chroma noise.

Small enough to be your vacation camera with a compact lens.

Cheap on the used market - good copies easy to find for <$400

Won't meter with AI and AI-s manual lenses - you need a "prosumer" D200/300 for that.

Auto white balance is so-so in incandescent light - use an 80A/B warming filter or set WB yourself. li WB options are somewhat limited, too.

Only 1 command dial makes it less convenient to use in manual mode.

No built-in flash commander mode.

I bought this camera as a first DSLR after years of shooting Nikon SLR 35mm for myself and whatever digital point-and-shoot was handy for snapshots. I wanted to be able to capture faster-moving subjects, which it does just fine. What I didn't anticipate was the ability to use higher ISOs (than the point-and shoots) due to the larger sensor. What I REALLY didn't anticipate was the ISO advantage over film (maybe I should have figured this out earlier...)

If you want a starter DLSR, or a backup / vacation DLSR (having it lost, broken, or stolen would not be the end of the world), you can't do much better than this camera.

Lots of settings, allows you to work your way up into a more professional style of camera. Cheap when it comes to professional gear. Battery life is off the chart.

A little basic for the photo professional. ISO gets grainy at 800 or above.

Wow for the price this is an awesome camera, I got it as part of a kit that came with the 18-55 f/5.6 lens (which isn't the best lens). This camera has helped me come from a beginner in the still photo field to now I'm getting paid for the shots that I take, all with the same camera.

Easy to operate
Fairly lightweight
Works well with older lenses

I first purchased the D40 from Best Buy as my entry level DSLR camera. It was less than entry level for a dslr price of $650. It was basically a point and shoot in a bigger body w/ interchangeable lenses. The D50 was the best move I ever made. The whole outfit w/ lens and some extras was only $500 w/ free shipping from Canada...nearly new with box.

I am able to shoot how I want with a few clicks of the menu button.

Whether I shoot with the built in flash or my SB-600, manual, or automatic.
I can get great shots with back light which I can't get with Digital p&S or the D40.

There were many low-light situations in automatic mode where I couldn't get the D40's flash to pop up...don't know if it is a sensor problem or what. Of course, many of the older and some new lenses won't work with the D40 and it seems EVERY one of my lenses with the Nikon mount are "read" well with my D50! I had an old Promaster that takes great pics with the D50.

After taking the D40 back, I went on the Rockwell site as well as Steve's site to compare the D50, D80, D70. I came to the conclusion from other reviews and sample photos, that for the price, the D50 was an excellent choice. When I can afford the D200, the D50 will be my excellent back-up camera.

Customer Service

Haven't had to use, yet :)

Similar Products Used:

D70

Well build, solid.

lack of many features could improves image quality..

I got this Nikon D50 for 330$ used on Ebay, in excel condition, it came with the stock lens 18-55mm, just another junk G lenes made in Thailand, which i sold right after that. D50 is a very nice camera for any beginner who dont know any better on DSLR, its very good on images quality on its own , but please do not try to compare it to another brand DSLR, D50 is just a simple average Dslr, it does simple things, not too many advance features. i was lucky and smart to buy it for only 330$, its worths 330$, i see 3 reviewers here all paid for D50 800-900$, what a waist of money.
In my case i've compared my D50 to my Sony A100( which i paid 585$)A100 out performs D50 in everyway and forms, i happened to have 2 same lenses to test on both of these cameras. A100 outdo D50 in final image quality, sharpness, colors, neutral grey balance, auto white balance, A100 has more advance features for pro use, like custom white balance, grid line, Super Steady Shot, CCD dust removal, Sony colors are much truer, smoother, and dont blow hilites details as D50, D50 colors seems to lean toward pinkish or bluish cast, D50 light metering is not accurates, you will have shots hit or miss on exposures, D50 is lack or short of dynamic range, therfore the hilites details seem to have blown to white or lack of details, the shadow can be too dark or plugged up. For indoor shots w/o flash using auto white balance or tungsteen set up, you will have oranges or reddish cast to images.Iso is well in control at higher iso which is an improvement on Nikon.
I dont see how reviewers here can give D50 a 5 star, a 5 star camera is a perfect camera, D50 is not!! its a beginner camera for beginners, not thing special about it, i strongly suggest people to buy Sony A100 or Sony R1 over D50 any day, you all should know that Sony made CCD for all Nikon DSLRs, People need to at least test 1 other camera to D50 before they can praise about D50, so if you tight on budget buy D50 for 330$ its a good deal, but if you have 500$ buy others camera.

Customer Service

The pop up flash stop working.

Similar Products Used:

Sony A100 and Sony R1.