Nikon D50

[handicap18]

For lenses, I too have the 18-135 and love it. I used the 18-70 which is also a great lens, but I wanted the longer reach. So that lens is sitting in my closet. I also have the 50mm f/1.8 which I love for low light and portraits. Great combo to get you started. After that it will come down to your photography habits

I also wouldn't worry about issues with the D50. Just like with anything else, nothing gets sold forever, they move on to the latest and greatest, but the old model's still work fine. Cars change every year, but no one worries about problems with their older one. Same for TV's, etc...

Biggest thing with comparing similar dSLR's between companies, is how it feels in your hands. The D50 and the XTi are not the same size. To me the XTi is a tiny little thing and the D50 fits great. The Pentax is slightly smaller than the D50, but still bigger than the XTi. Great results can be had with any of them.

The D50 is one of the best overall camera's Nikon has made in the digital times. Great size, affordable, great images right out of the camera, 6.1MP is more than plenty, easy to use and works with hundreds of Nikon lenses along with many more from Sigma, Tamron and Tokina.

Good luck with your search.

 

[FirstTimertoDiz]

Ok, last update (before I start in on the myriad of other questions that I am sure will come up over the next couple days)-----

I am now the proud owner of my first DSLR.....a NIKON D50!!! I went into Ritz, and I was there working with the girl for over an hour- she showed me a lot of cameras, and let me try them out. I just kept going back to the D50. I am surprised, because I have very small hands (I'm only 5'2"), but I liked the solid feel to it.

I ended up getting the body only, and then I got the 18-135 lens. I figured I can add on with the 50mm later, probably order that from B&H. She was able to take $100 off the lens for me since I got them together. I also got extra memory cards since they were on sale- a 3 pack of 1G cards for 60 bucks. I go the extended warranty from the store that covers the camera and the lens, for $138.00. I got a bunch of coupons and some freebies- 18 free photography classes, $25 worth of free prints, a free filter holder, free software, and a couple other little things I can't remember right now.

Grand total? Everything with tax came to $1,126.00. It adds up quick, doesn't it? lol. Still, I came out with a great camera.....now I just have to learn how to use it!


THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone here that gave great advice- I appreciate every opinion offered!
Lisa

 

[tinksdad]

Ok, last update (before I start in on the myriad of other questions that I am sure will come up over the next couple days)-----

I am now the proud owner of my first DSLR.....a NIKON D50!!! I went into Ritz, and I was there working with the girl for over an hour- she showed me a lot of cameras, and let me try them out. I just kept going back to the D50. I am surprised, because I have very small hands (I'm only 5'2"), but I liked the solid feel to it.

I ended up getting the body only, and then I got the 18-135 lens. I figured I can add on with the 50mm later, probably order that from B&H. She was able to take $100 off the lens for me since I got them together. I also got extra memory cards since they were on sale- a 3 pack of 1G cards for 60 bucks. I go the extended warranty from the store that covers the camera and the lens, for $138.00. I got a bunch of coupons and some freebies- 18 free photography classes, $25 worth of free prints, a free filter holder, free software, and a couple other little things I can't remember right now.

Grand total? Everything with tax came to $1,126.00. It adds up quick, doesn't it? lol. Still, I came out with a great camera.....now I just have to learn how to use it!


THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone here that gave great advice- I appreciate every opinion offered!
Lisa

Sounds great!! Welcome to the DSLR world. It will challenge you, make you frustrated, might even make you cry (just ask DVCJen, glad you go the extended warranty )

That's cool about the classes. That will help you to make sense of all the photog vernacular that is slung around.

 

[handicap18]

Congradulations Lisa. I love my D50 and wouldn't trade it for anything right now. I'm up over 5300 pics since Jan of '06. Over all, not a bad price you got considering the lens you got along with the extended warranty and extra cards.

Do yourself a favor and ask all the questions if your not sure. There are a lot of great people on this board and if you stick around you'll learn alot. I've gotten a few books, but the one I like best and is mentioned a lot on this board is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. I use it regularly as a reference.

Your other lenses will come in time. Keep in mind that you've now been diagnosed with NAS (Nikon Accessory Syndrome) and there is no known cure. Hopefully you will be able to containe it somewhat. I've been pretty good lately, but you never know when it will really flare up.

Take lots of pictures, post them here for our viewing pleasure and most of all.... HAVE FUN!!

 

[YEKCIM]

Congrats, Lisa, on your purchase(s). Like several of us, you will now become assimilated into the Nikon Collective (to borrow some phraseology from Star Trek...). You have purchased a very capable set of tools and, to be honest, the D50 plus the 18-135 should suffice for most everything you need a camera for, in most instances. You will probably fall victim to LBA (lens buying addiction) and the 50/1.8 is a good place to start. A good accessory flash would be a good purchase, too. I think someone else has mentioned a good bag, to hold all the goodies.

Best advice I can give you is to just go practice. I have learned a lot about my D50's just by going and taking the same shot, using different settings (focal length, aperture, sharpness, saturation, JPEG vs RAW, blah, blah, blah) and comparing the results on my 'puter.

If you don't already have a photo editing program, you may want to shop around for something to assist in getting the most out the pix you take. At present I'm using Google's Picasa (pause while other forum members laugh condescendingly) product, which does a pretty decent job, considering the price (free).

As always, feel free to ask questions, and be sure and post your pix, especially your WDW pix!

~Ed

 

[garris3404]

Welcome to the Nikon D50 Club!

 

[Ratpack]

Congrats on your purchase. Be sure to check the list of classes from Ritz, if they are the same everywhere, then they will have one that is for the D50/D70 specifically. They go through all the features and settings and tell you what each one does. A very worthwhile class and since they are free, it's even better. I still have 3-4 to take myself. And as YEKCIM said, go practice. The hardest thing for me, after learning what each setting is for, is being able to switch settings quickly for different situations.

 

[FirstTimertoDiz]

Sorry, this may be overload, but here goes- I played with the color/brightness in the PictureProject software when I uploaded them; it was a really cloudy/drizzly day today. The farm/outdoor pictures I took through my car window. Please give me any criticism- I can take it!

 

[FirstTimertoDiz]

Ok, I know I am getting carried away, but here are the ones of ds.....and one of some flowers.

 

[YEKCIM]

Well, have you taken that piece of junk back to the store yet???

Just kidding! Excellent shots and I'm sure you are very satisfied with your purchase. How are you liking the 18-135?

My only crit would be, "Where are the Disney World pictures?"

~Ed

 

[FirstTimertoDiz]

My only crit would be, "Where are the Disney World pictures?"

~Ed

Oh, Ed, believe me- if I could, I would, lol. Actually, we are going in December, so that should give me plenty of time to figure out this camera a little bit in the meantime, right?

I am loving the lens so far, but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with the camera in general right now. I know it will take time to get comfortable with it, and figure out what everything does, but I am the queen of impatience!

 

[YEKCIM]

IMHO, you are off to a great start, and I believe you will find that the D50 will do everything you want it to do. I'm well pleased with mine, but still very much in the learning mode. I'm finding that the 18-135 lens rarely leaves the camera, although I have three other lenses.

Good luck and good shootin'!

~Ed

 

[Gdad]

Very nice- looks like you are off to a great start. I really like #1 of the first group and #3 of the second group.

 

[handicap18]

Nice shots, though I don't know about anyone else, they took forever to load. I normally get pics loaded almost instantly with the broadband connection. Might be a photobucket thing though. They can be quirky at times.

I personally don't like to do a lot of post processing. It took me a good 6-8 months to get the in camera adjustments to my liking. I tried everything and finally settled on Vivid. While the settings right out of camera are great, everyone's eye is a bit different and a lot also depends on what kind of film you used when shooting film. Some people think the D50 overexposes so they adjust the exposure compensation to their liking. Find what you like and go with it. At lot of times it will help with doing less post processing. Unless of course that doesn't bother you.

Anyway you shake it,,,, have fun and keep taking pictures. Welcome to the world of Nikonians.

 

[KrazyPete]

Very nice. I especially like the first and third. I just wish those powerlines weren't there in the first one.

You got a great camera, I think you are going to love it.

 

[YEKCIM]

Got a question for ya: is the grass REALLY that green in your part of the world, or did you use VIVID setting (see Kyle's post above), or something else?

~Ed

 

[FirstTimertoDiz]

Thanks everyone for the comments- to tell you the truth, I don't know what setting the camera was on- I haven't found where the VIVID setting is, but I am sure I will love it when I find it- I am big on color, lol. I did post-processing color boosts on most of the photos, but that was most because of how dreary the day was today- everything looked kind of gray, kwim? The grass really is pretty green here though....just maybe not quite as green as in some of the boosts....

Here is one SOOC.....

 

[garris3404]

They look very nice. I especially like the old barn picture (color). Keep experimenting, have fun, and enjoy!

 

[Ratpack]

Very nice. The one of the barn that you converted to sepia looks like something you would see framed in a store for sale.

As for the vivid setting, look at the dial on top and there is a icon that looks like a kid with a ball cap on, that is the setting to make colors more vivid when people are in the photo and the icon of the mountains is for vivid color of just landscape subjects. However, I haven't used either so I am not sure how much difference it makes.

There is also a vivid setting in the menu under "optimize image".

 

[YEKCIM]

There is also a vivid setting in the menu under "optimize image".

Check pages 48 and 76 of your D50 manual for details on this.

~Ed