Nikon D50

[handicap18]

Your price limit is the biggest factor. I too would suggest the 50-200mm VR lens. That about the least expensive longer zoom you'll find. There is a non VR version, but I don't know how much cheeper or the availability as it has been replaced by the VR version.

I picked up a used 70-210mm f/4 lens earlier this year at keh.com for $160 with shipping. It is an older lens (made in 1986), but has a good focal length and the f/4 through the zoom is nice to have. It is on the slower side in focusing, but does work well on my D50.

Another consideration is either the SB-600 Speedlight flash (about $180) or the 50mm f/1.8 prime lens (tack sharp and great for natural light and low light situations) for about $120 new. I use mine a lot for portraits of the kids and general candids around the house of the kids, especially for natural light shots.

 

[siouxi31]

Thank you all so much for providing me with options to look at. I went from feeling overwhelmed with options to have a few specific and viable choices.

 

[dr_zero]

I picked up a used 70-210mm f/4 lens earlier this year at keh.com for $160 with shipping. It is an older lens (made in 1986), but has a good focal length and the f/4 through the zoom is nice to have. It is on the slower side in focusing, but does work well on my D50.

This is my favorite lens that I have I liked it so much I bought 2 of them LOL!

The only reasons I didnt mention it was its getting hard to find and I thought the VR would be a nice feature even though its not as fast as the F/4.

If you can find one its still a good piece of glass.

 

[budmonster]

Does anyone have any shot from the Canon EOS D50. I was thinking about getting one but was wondering if it was worth the price.

thanks in advance
Melissa

 

[Rob_Drebel]

I got one 5 days ago and it is amazing.
This is one of the first pics I took late in the day. This is reduce to 25% of it's original size.

This is with no lighting and a quick test for image quaility.
http://www.pbase.com/rob_drebel/image/106733767.jpg

Once I get more upload I will post.

 

[Tom Dibble]

I have the 40 ... Canon's mid-range is really nice.

Which camera you get, though, depends more on your circumstances than anything else. If you have Canon lenses, the 50 is a no-brainer (although spending twice as much on a 5DMkII would be tempting ). If not, the Nikon offerings have really come a long way in the past year, especially with low-light sensitivity.

 

[boBQuincy]

Canon's 50D is a very nice camera, however, it would be very difficult to differentiate between an image taken with the 50D and the Rebal Xsi (at about half the price). There are reasons the 50D costs more, and some very good reasons to pay that much more, but image quality is not one of them and for someone just starting out the difference between the cameras may not mean much.

To get the full use out of a 15 MP 1.6x camera takes the very finest lenses available, a tripod, and great care with the camera settings.

 

[jfinke]

The 40d is the best bargain out there IMHO. I considered the 50d, but I couldn't justify the price increase.

However, the XSi kit is certainly a good camera/kit.

I think it comes down to if you want to stay in the rebel line or move up to the prosumer line.

 

[eatright]

The best photographers will tell you that it isn't always the equipment that produces the best shots but the experience of the user. I have a Rebel Xti and think that the photos are great. I have many different lenses and a speedlite which, to me, make a HUGE different in the quality of the shots. Good luck.

 

[medicjch]

I'm a novice at the whole photography thing, but I enjoy experimenting and learning. Lately I've been trying to take some close ups of my kids or even flowers and there is a point where they camera will just not take the picture. I press the shutter and nothing. If I back up a bit, it will take a picture. I've tried the full auto mode, child mode, close up mode.......nothing works. I'm using a Tamron AF 28-300MM F/3.5-6.3 XR lens. I do have it in AF mode. It's probably something simple, or the camera just won't do it. Any ideas?

 

[racreel]

Each lens has a minimum distance that it can focus, you may be getting closer than the lens can handle.

I looked up that lens: Minimum focusing distance: 19.3 inches.

 

[handicap18]

Yep, its not the camera its the lens. It looks like it has a minimum focusing distance of 19.3 inches. If you are closer that that distance it will not focus. If you still want to take the picture you'll have to switch the camera to manual focusing, but the lens will still not focus, but you can take the picture.

 

[medicjch]

Thanks for that answer! I knew it was something simple, but I didn't even think about the min distance. Guess I need to start saving for another lens!

 

[medicjch]

Yep, its not the camera its the lens. It looks like it has a minimum focusing distance of 19.3 inches. If you are closer that that distance it will not focus. If you still want to take the picture you'll have to switch the camera to manual focusing, but the lens will still not focus, but you can take the picture.

I'll give the manual thing a try to see what happens! Thanks for the help!

 

[GrillMouster]

What everyone said about lenses having a minimum focusing distance is correct. However, that's only half of the explanation. The other part of the problem is that the camera is set to not release the shutter until the autofocus has locked onto something. This can be annoying, because sometimes an image is truly in focus, but the autofocus system doesn't recognize that it's in focus. This can happen in low light. Additionally, sometimes focus is off by just a little, and you'd rather get a slighly blurry shot than no shot at all. You should be able to change the setting in the camera so that it will release the shutter whenever you press the button fully.

There's also the little switch right by the lens mount that allows you quickly jump to manual focus mode. In manual focus should allow you to override the setting that prevents the shutter from releasing. Just make sure that you flip the switch back to auto focus.

 

[medicjch]

You should be able to change the setting in the camera so that it will release the shutter whenever you press the button fully.

Any ideas on where I can find that in the D50 menu? I've looked but can't seem to find it. Thanks for the reply!

 

[GrillMouster]

Unlike more advanced models, the D50 may not have a menu option to change release priority and focus priority, but there is a work-around.

In the menu make sure that you've programmed the AE/AF-L button to operate as autofocus lock only (AF-L). Now, when you hold down the lock button with your thumb and press the shutter release button the camera will act like it's in release priority.

 

[kldmom2000]

5 minutes before my DD's 7th birthday party today, I took out my camera (Nikon D50)...... went to start taking pics (on auto focus) and the lens will NOT focus... keeps going in and out... it just won't be happy and find a focal point???? I tried switching over to my 55-200mm lens to see if it was the lens or the camera.... THAT lens worked fine, but for indoors, it was just not able to be used because I needed more distance. I had to rely on my little Canon Powershot for pics (so glad I at least had a back-up!!!) I tried blowing any dust out from inside the camera body.... wiped down both ends of the lens w/ my lens cloth...changing the camera battery.... NADA. Can't get it to work? My Ritz camera closed down near me-that's where I used to go when I had any issues because there was a VERY savvy camera guy there.... I don't know what else to do other than to buy a new lens but I was hoping to hold off to buy the D90 next year....??? Thoughts? suggestions??? Thanks in advance!!!!!

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

I had a 18-135 nikkor die in less than a year, Nikon replaced it no questions asked.
If it is still on warranty, take it back.

 

[Gdad]

Was it in AF-S or AF-C mode? Maybe try switching that up and seeing if it makes a difference.

And don't forget in a pinch you can always manual focus too.