Nikon Announces D50 and D70s

Check out the news and the preview by Phil Askey:

www.dpreview.com

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/nikond50/

Cheers

James

I have been meaning to post something on this all day.

The D50 looks OK and is keenly priced. But a single command dial! Its gonna be as fiddly as an Olympus to change apertures and shutter speeds.

I am glad it is not too small either. I went to the camera shop this morning and tried the 350D for the first time. I don't have big hands, but I have to say that that camera needs a housing just to make it handle-able! I really found it too small. Image quality was very good though.

Alex

Be careful about what you say about Olympus :-)

It's also worth noting that Nikon are releasing an update to the D70 firmware to bring it closer in line with D70s's capabilities. Bravo to Nikon for not abandoning users of the original D70 . . .

I wonder if any one know if it will fit into the current D70 sea&sea housing?

Thanks

Gadi

Yes, the D70s has the same size and shape as the D70. No, the D50 is not a good match for D70 housings.

Cheers

James

I wonder though if the larger LCD will mean a change to the rear of existing housing designs.

It's also worth noting that Nikon are releasing an update to the D70 firmware to bring it closer in line with D70s's capabilities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Which brings up the question: Are they going to "encrypt" the AWB info in the D70s (and presumably d70 with D70s firmware) NEFs.

I'm going to be waiting on an answer to that before doing anything to my D70s firmware.

Of course you could always try it and revert back to the old firmware if photoshop no longer opens the files (or screws with the AWB).

I'm happy that they are taking care of D70 users and also dissapointed that they are taking a hard line on their RAW format.

It doesn't really affect me though. I still prefer opening my Raw files in Capture manipulating them there then transferring the TIFFs to PS and finishing them. So it doesn't impact my workflow. I can see why others would be miffed. Why should we have to BUY the $100 Capture when we've just laid out $1000 for a camera and $5-600 for photoshop?

Sheesh - you guys might only have to pay $100, but down here, it costs US$270!

A bit off the subject but I think I am more interested in the AF-S 55-200mm DX lens that was announced at the same time. Look like it might be a decent small and light lens for generic purpose walk around lens. I know some of my divebuddies will grasp at thinking about mating a cheapo $250 lens to a D2X but I have to admit that after paying for a D2X and Subal housing, I am absolutely broke :-(

I am sure one of these days when my pocket recover some, a 70-200 VR lens might be in order but until then, this might be a decent lens (in the price range that I can afford) for landuse and it is much lighter than my 70-180mm.

I wouldn't be surprised if Nikon introduced something to replace the 70-300 ED with an VR capability to sit in between this lens and the 70-200 VR. Depends how urgently you are looking.

Well, I am not exactly in that much of a hurry and the 55-200 won't be out for awhile anyway. The 70-300ED definitely has some possibility however the VR version might break the bank again considering how much the 70-200VR is, not to speak of the 200-400VR. But I think that it should be better than the 28-200 and since I already have the 18-70, I guess I don't really need the wide angle end of the 28-200 much anyhow.