I have owned my Nikon F50 for over 4 years and I have to say (reguardless of what slaming is being done on the other reviews of this camera here) is that it truely is an EXCELLENT camera body. I have used a Nikon 8008s and Nikon 90x (the old TOP of the line) and compaired it to the Nikon F50. Here is what I have found:

The Nikon F50 doesn't have a motor drive (this is nice, but you have to have $$$ to burn all that film quickly) I go through 240 photos per hour on the Nikon F50 anyways.

- The AF is JUST AS FAST, yes, believe it or not, the AF is as fast! I have noticed that on very small points the Nikon F50 does not focus as good (white glue dot on a window) But it focuses very fast with a 28-70 f2.8 EX sigma lens. No difference with a 8008s.

-Very rugged construction. Its not all metal, but it is made of the SAME stuff a F100 is! Even has a metal lens mount that will last too. I have used it in the rain without any ill effects.

-It can take PRO lenses. Ok, it can't use Non-AI, AI, AIS or even AF-S, just AF and AF-D. But look at all the AF lenses there are out there! All the lastest greatest technology in optics is your'se. So you can't use AF-S. (too bad really, I don't have 2,000+ to spend on one).

-It can STAND UP to PROFESSIONAL use! Yes, this little Nikon F50 can! I was so happy with this little guy that I bought another one (I could afford an F5, but why?) for a second backup and camera for my professional wedding shoots. It works VERY well.

-Cost. BIG bonus! Don't spend $1000+ on a body when its NOT the body that takes the pictures! Its the LENSES and you SAVED $$ getting a "lower" class body, not get some f2.8 lenses for it!

-Computerized interface, this is a really good part about the camera that a lot of photographers complain about and I'm not sure why. It is actually EASY to use, you ONLY use 2 buttons on it! Yes, its digital, but hey, its EASY and QUICK!

-Too Many to list.

-As mentioned, no motor drive or battery pack available for it. Why? I donno, guess Nikon knows how good the camera is and if they actually did make one available they would of sold too many F50's!

-Battery consumption. I get an average of 25 rolls of film per batter (w/TTL off camera fLash). Guess since I use this body so much I go through a lot of batteries!

-Other pro photographers look down on you when you have high end pro glass (I use a 28-70 f2.8 and 80-200 f2.8) on this body. Well, that is too bad for them eh? Considering my photos come out the same.

-Some photographers find the interface confusing, but it really isn't, its easy. If you have used a calculator in your life, well congradulations, you can easily use this camera, it is about 100 times easier to use than the calculator.

Ok, this is where I really get on my soap box here and say: BUY IT! Used, new, referbished, it is WELL WORTH the money!!!! (lets repeat that once more there).

Dispite what the other biased reviews you might read on this camera, I have owned it for 4 years and I even bought ANOTHER 2nd one because I was so pleased with it, even though I could of got ANYTHING (even a D1) Nikon made! That says something! I use it professionally for weddings, photo shoots and all! I use it A LOT because it is very useable.

I wish Nikon realised that some Pro photographers are not fooled by "must get the best Nikon body to be a pro" attitude and Nikon actually made some accessories for it like a motor drive or other gear.

You as a photographer have to remember that no matter what brand, make or model a camera body is, it still is ONLY a camera body or a fancy light box that holds your film and lenses.

This Nikon F50/N50 will take just as pro class of a picture as a F5, or F100. If you really want to spend $2000+ on AF-S lenses then get the N80, but as mentioned there are a lot of great f2.8 AF-D lenses out there and a lot cheaper too.

I recommend this camera to any pro out there and challenge them to give it a go.

Mike LePard
Frozen Moments Photography
www.frozenmoments.20m.com
www.photobluebook.co.cx

Customer Service

Never used.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F90x
Nikon 8008s
Nikon F70
Nikon F60
Nikon F3

Good durable design.
Good AF and excellent exposure system

No motor drive for that

I had on one before I sold it but late I bought another used one from e-Bay. Why? I just like this nicely build camera. It's really great camera if you know what you have to do with camera.

Customer Service

Used once. It's OK

Similar Products Used:

N80

Despite the terrible reviews, I challenge any owner of similar cameras (eg. Canon EOS 300) to show me better pictures than the ones I have taken with the F50. The interface is actually very easy to use and it has a better quality build than the Canons and Minoltas.

I wish it had Depth of Field preview.

An excellent camera that produces beautiful pictures

Customer Service

Haven't had any problems with it.

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS 300, Nikon F60

Light weight, convenient to carry in a backpack or on trips. uses my Nikkor AF lenses. A nice convenient package with the "old" Nikon AF 35-70.

This is my "beater" camera. I didn't spend much for it, and if it gets stolen or damaged I will buy another used one.

Inconsistent interface with N6006/8008/90.

It is NOT an N6006 or an N8008 - different market niche. You have to keep that in mind. But, it is perfectly adequate for its market niche.

Light weight,

Customer Service

Good but expensive.

Similar Products Used:

Nikkormat FTn thru FT3, Nikkormat EL through Nikon EL,FM, FE, N4004/4004S/5005, N6006, N8008, N90,Pronea 6i. (I'm 60 years old - go back to Rollei TLR's)

Very good for landskapes. I used this camera in trips (in cities and in nature).
The lenses are perfects and for non profesionals is very cool to switch between continous AF (for animals ) and seqvential AF (for macrophotos and others). Also I used 1/2000 time for photos with water in summer days( imposible with non reflex camera).
Good with slides and with negative films too.

It is a little bit dificult to use in darkness (bad AF).

It is a perfect camera for non-pro who want to make great photos (like me). One year was used by my brother (who is a pro), and he was very pleased about it. After this year he buy one F90x aspecialy for the back door- many features.

Customer Service

not used

Similar Products Used:

Practika MTL 3

This was the first "nice"camera that I have ever owned. As a college student, I never really have the money to purchase the items that I would like, this was a gift, and a great one. I had used old pre owned manual cameras prior to recieveing my Nikon N50. This camera produces beautiful pictures, and the controls on the camera are user friendly and allow room for experimentation.

The auto control, although able to be turned off, is some what annoying sometimes, and incorrect.

A wonderful camera and I highly recommed it. Great for amatures on their way to be professionals. godd starter camera.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

old school used cannon

You know, reading some of these reviews you'd think AF is slow. Well, that might be true if you mount a slow-aperture 28-300 on it, and it is certainly true with a heavy 80-200/2.8, but with typical glass (e.g.: 24-85/2.8-4D, 50/1.4D, etc.) the AF speed is perfectly adequate for 95% of typical situations.

Exposure compensation in half-stop increments. Yes, it'd be nicer if it did this in third-stops, but a sixth of a stop difference is small enough that it probably doesn't matter.

You can select between continuous and single-servo AF (something the N60 and N65 do "for" you, thus depriving you of some control).

Classic, relatively heavy Nikon build quality, more like the N90s than the N65 or even N60. Controls move with a reassuring solidity.

Has an AE-lock (which the N65 lacks).

These are mere nits:

Cumbersome, four-button-prodding manual mode.

Flash only covers down to 35mm (the N5005 that preceded it and the N60 that succeeded it both cover down to 28mm). And, as long as we're discussing flash, there's no red-eye reduction mode built-in.

Grippy front, but the back is a bit slippery.

It lacks DOF preview, but until the N65, so did all of the low-priced Nikon AF bodies.

It needs AF, AF-D or AIS-P lenses in order to meter.

I acquired this body used at a bargain price, and figured that it would serve as an adequate knock-around body. It has been quite a bit better than that. AF is surprisingly confident and fast. It's heavy, but robustly-built and has a handy built-in flash. One of the nicer features is exposure compensation and the ability to select continuous or single servo AF (on the N60 and N65, for example, continuous/single is automatically selected so there is less user control). One weak point is the four-button-prodding manual mode - the command dials of the more-recent models are a definite improvement. Of the specialty program modes, the only one that is useful is the silhouette mode, which consistently delivers results that would take careful metering otherwise. The portrait mode is OK but over-simplistic; intelligent use of aperture priority will generally give better results. In general, it's a well-built basic camera, and now that it's been eclipsed by newer, spiffier models it's a bargain to boot.

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

N90s, N65QD, N60QD. Also owned the N8008s.

- Much Robust than similar Canons (EOS300 and EOS500)
- Better Sync Speed than similar cost cameras
- Lots of accesories
- Excelent metering
- Much better than manual focus (considering many pro's stay with manual cameras)

-Lack of cable release socket.
-Just 1 flash unit at a time.
-Too expensive accesories

Guess the lack of cable release and duplex flash sync is that makes it cheaper.

Customer Service

Never needed

Similar Products Used:

EOS 500N
EOS300

Great build quality -feels like it will last ages and just has a nice integrity about it.

Good performance - metering works well, the AF is accurate, and exposures are...erm, pleasing is the word.

Handling - I can see why some people may not be able to get their head round pushing buttons - bless 'em - but personally I find the controlls really logical. Not as quick as dials if you are in a rush maybe, we are talking tenths of seconds here, but what the hey.

`

it lacks some features I would find useful, motordrive, better flash capabilities, remote release socket etc, but I knew it didn't have those when I bought it, as should everyone else, so I won't moan about it, as should everyone else.

Besides, these things can make life that bit easier but they don't turn a bad photographer into a good one.

A great little camera for a beginner, someone on a budget or as a second body.

If it lacks any features you may need or you find the straight foreward controlls rather perplexing then don't buy one but other than that is a very useable and relaible piece of kit that will last you ages and give you good reults.

Customer Service

Never needed

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS 300
Minolta Dynax 505si Super

Price and performance. It is essentially sturdy, capable camera. It lacks some useful features such as DOF and double exposure capability. However, it is a pleasure to use in the field. Unlike more expensive models, it makes a perfect knock-about camera for the type of work I do. Paired with a Nikon AF 28-105mm zoom, it has consistently provided excellent performance.

Lacks DOF, multiple exposure and cable shutter release capability.

An excellent camera for the price.

Customer Service

NA

Similar Products Used:

Contax G1