I am looking at purchasing my first Nikon Digital camera, I don't need alot of bells and whistles but of course I do want to have GOOD images. I don't have a hugh amount to spend. Does anyone have suggestions D50? D70? D70s? D100?
If you don't need all the whistles and bells like you said, I would go for a D50. Excellent picture quality, has almost everything on board, easy to use.
Buy it with a 18-70 kit lens, NOT the one usually provided with the D50 (18-55).
maryjane wrote:
I am looking at purchasing my first Nikon Digital camera, I don't need alot of bells and whistles but of course I do want to have GOOD images. I don't have a hugh amount to spend. Does anyone have suggestions D50? D70? D70s? D100?
It depends on your experience level, I would say. The D70 has a few advantages: two wheels so that you can easily change settings of both shutter speed and aperture in manual mode, DOF preview button (I use it among others for macro, but not too often), the display can be lit (I use it all the time for night photography, to check settings, ISO,...), CLS commander mode (very interesting for wireless flash system), the body is bigger (fits better in my hands, but that's personal), uses CF cards instead of SD (I already had a few, and I prefer CF over SD), ... and so on.
But in practice nothing to prevent you from taking nice pictures.
I agree with Scott that D100 is an even better camera, but then you really have to know what you are doing (aperture, shutter speed, post processing...), no "point & shoot" modes available like on the D50/D70 (allowing to take very nice pictures without thinking too much - I almost never use those myself, but it can be easy when you give your camera to somebody less knowledgeable to take a few pics...)
I think the camera will not matter as much for a beginner, as any of them will do fine. Start in P mode and worry about composition, any of those cameras are capable of producing excellent shots. Isn't there a D50 with a 2 lens kit?
Then you should have no problem using a D100. I view the D50 and D70s as more entry level cameras, than the D100. You'll just have to become accustomed to any camera's individual characteristics which you'll have to accomodate during post-processing, no matter what choice you make. With the D100, you'll have to use more unsharp mask, because the D100 has a more aggressive anti-aliasing filter than the others. But that doesn't matter, because it is the end result that fulfills the potential of the camera.
My preference would be the D100, for build quality, and the quality of the raw file. As Scott stated, you have to learn how to process the images to get the most from the camera. Having said that, the D50 2-lens kit is hard to beat at $1000US. The camera is capable of awesome images, and Nikon has published images taken with the two kit lenses in their magazine, Nikon World. I think it's the best deal around.
I have a D100, my wife a D70. I vote for D70 or D70s. The D70(s) images are at least as good as those from the D100 with less effort. Better LCD panel (though the viewfinder is SLIGHTLY worse - they both aren't great, actually). The D70 has better ergonomics, is a little lighter and smaller, just enough to fit better in the hands. Supposed better robustness of the D100 is irrelevant - they are really equivalent. The D100 has a metal frame under the polycarb body. Metal dents, polycarb is more resilient. The plastic may actually be more durable, contrary to what some of the pro camera proponents seem to imply.
In reality, all of the cameras you mention take fine quality images. I also recommend the 18-70 lens highly. It's great.
I didn't see a big enough difference in build with the D100 to justify the additional cost. They say there is metal somewhere in it and Nikon tried to suggest it was descendant of the F100 where it was more akin to the F80 for film equivalent. I also own a F70 which is the precursor to the F80 and there really wasn't a huge difference in the two. Some say the focus of the F70 was in fact faster *shrug who cares. Hairs, splitting hairs is what it amounts to.
If we are talking about robustness here is what I can tell you about the plastic made in Thailand camera, I have got my D70 wet, I have dropped it oh yeah and I bought it brand new last spring for $665.00. I would have never thought I could get a DSLR for that much and as capable as the D70 is. The VF is horrible, no MLU etc.but did I say what I paid?
As for D50 vs D70 my take on it is you may want the extra the D70 offers at some future date and the two command dials is definitely worth the cost in difference for me.
*I just wanted to add that my initial preference was the D100 but .... I just didn't find enough advantage in it for the additional cost. Not for my first DSLR anyway.
