Great choice to capture memories for years to come.

Author's Rating:

Pros: Ease of use; quality of construction; fantastic image quality.

Cons: Relatively low resolution compared to newer models (6 megapixels vs. 10+).

The Bottom Line: 
I would recommend this camera to anyone based upon its photo quality, construction, and ease-of-use.

Author's Review
We purchased this camera three years ago after extensive research of several comparable digital SLR models. The ratings and reviews we found at that time were excellent, and we discovered a terrific deal on the camera with lens through Amazon.

After taking thousands of photos with this camera, not one time have we been disappointed. The majority of our photo subjects are generally our two young children, as well as other family members, and some nature scenes. The Nikon D50 captures each with outstanding focus, color, and overall quality. The results are so impressive that we now often give various framed photos and photo-imprinted items as gifts to grandparents, etc. We continually receive remarks about the tremendous quality of our photos.

Five focus points allows you to choose the correct focus area for the perfect image. Very rarely do I need to switch from automatic focus to manual focus. The cause for this has generally been difficult lighting situations that played tricks on the auto focus feature.

We did experience one issue with the camera within a few months of using it. An issue arose involving the timing/sync of the flash when taking photos requiring the built-in flash. The flash was activating and the shutter clicked, but the resulting photos indicated no flash. The camera was sent to the Nikon repair facility, and was returned within 3 weeks. A component was replaced, and the camera has worked flawlessly since.

The construction of the D50 is solid. It feels like a high-quality piece, without being too heavy. The case features a comfortable non-slip texture for a sure grip. The included strap is also a very high-quality item. It is wide and comfortable, and allows you to carry other items in your hands while the camera comfortably hangs around your neck or over your shoulder while hiking, etc.

While Nikon does include software with the camera, none is required to load photos from the camera to a PC, and vice versa. It is a simple matter of click and drag or copy and paste to move the photos from one location to another.

I would recommend this camera to anyone searching for a moderately priced digital SLR for taking high-quality, do-it-yourself "pro-quality" images. You will not be disappointed.