Nikon D50 for the Professional
The Nikon D50, no doubt, is aimed directly at the advanced amateur. Professionals using Nikon today are predominantly using the D2X/D2XS, D200, D2H/D2HS, and perhaps the Nikon D70 or dreadfully obsolete D100 or D1x. The current professional side of the Nikon range contains fast cameras with terrific durability. In fact, Nikon would like you to believe that there is a wide difference between the functionality of the flagship camera, the D2x, and the amateur D50. There are differences, however, in the right hands, with the right technique, the D50 is capable of producing results equal to Nikon’s top professional cameras. Although the professional gear brings speed and convenience to the professional workflow, the D50 can be purchased for a fraction of the price of the D2x while offering competitive functionality for the professional.
I photograph weddings, portraits, and sporting events. My bread-and-butter camera is the D2x. My additional gear includes both a D70 and a D50.
Tom’s typical event setup
D2x – 17-55mm F2.8 lens mounted
D70 – 70-200 VR F2.8 lens mounted
D50 – 18-200 VR F3.5-F5.6 lens mounted
The D2x, with the 17-55 is terrific for casual shots at reasonable distance. Perfect for a wedding reception or a wedding ceremony where I am at close distance to the bride and groom. The D70 snipes from a distance with the 70-200 with amazing quality. The D50 with the 18-200 is superb at all ranges and conditions. Why?
1. It is light and quick to respond. The D50 is a light body (about 19 ounces!). It does not want to be overwhelmed with a weighty lens like the 70-200 VR. It wants something light and snappy, like a 50mm prime, or the 18-200. It’s quick to your eye, zoom as needed, let the autofocus snap into place, and fire away.
2. The high ISO performance of the D50 outperforms every other Nikon DSLR in (or out) of production. I have no concerns using a variable aperture lens, like the 18-200, on the D50. I can shoot at ISO 1600 to maintain acceptable shutter speeds without concern for high ISO noise. The D50 is vastly superior to the D2x in high ISO noise performance.
3. Ease of use. The D50 has a reasonable assortment of settings, but will not bog down your shooting with needless adjustments. Images are rich and saturated using basic settings. Although I do not use the scene modes very often, they are handy in making rapid shooting adjustments without having to tell the subject “Wait a few minutes while I set the camera up for this.” Within a few button presses or by moving the scene dial, the D50 is ready for most shooting conditions. Trick autofocus modes, like AF-A prevent changes to settings that would be required on other cameras (like the D2x).
4. Compatibility with modern Nikon equipment. The D50 will accept all Nikon autofocus lenses and will communicate with any Nikon flash that supports TTL or iTTL metering. It will not communicate with flashes like the SB-80DX, which used the obsolete D-TTL metering from the D100 / D1X cameras.
5. Overall image quality. I proof images to my clients from the D50 alongside images from the D2X and D70. There is no discernable difference between the images in any print sizes that my clients have ever ordered… e.g. 8x10, 11x14, 20x30, 24x36. In lab tests, yes, the D2x will out-resolve the D50. For practical circumstances, portraits are sold based on composition and facial expressions. My client could care less what the effective DPI of the source image is. I have never had a resolution chart ask for a proof set.
There is no doubt that the solid, fast D2x inspires confidence to the photographer. Need to capture the sweat flying off of a boxer? No problem. Need to shoot in a rainstorm? Piece of cake. Need industry-leading shutter response and minimal mirror blackout? D2x. On the other hand, outside of niche uses (particularly fast-moving sports), the D50 is a camera equally capable of producing stunning images. For high ISO use and general portability, the D50 outperforms most of the Nikon range, including the mighty D2x.
Situation: choice of camera, reason
Sports: D2x, speed
Hiking: D50, weight
Landscape: D2x, pure resolution
Low light: D50, high ISO performance (low noise)
Indoor portraits: D2x, integrated vertical grip, pc-sync socket (D50 can use pc-sync with AS-15 hot shoe adapter)
Outdoor portraits: Either Camera
Week-long vacation: D50, weight, low replacement value, attracts less attention
Zoo: D2x, speed for unpredictable animals, like monkeys
Handing to someone else: D50, “Auto” mode, low replacement value, not intimidating like D2x.
Final Score: D50 5, D2x 5. Price difference: $4,000