need a Laymanizer on features missing on D50?

[akcelik]

Im about to either pick up a D50 or D70s.

Im not sure what the missing features mean or if I'll ever use it, so

I would be very greatfull if someone can be kind inough to explaing to

me in laymans term what do the missing features mean to better

determine what I will take home.

 

Im moving on from a P&S Canon A95 main reason being is that I get

instant/fluent access to all those controls that help with artistic

picture taking.

 

NO! Lock Switch? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

NO! Monitor Cover? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

NO! Control Panel Lamp? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

NO! Viwefinder Grid? (Optional D70s) What does it do/why do I need

it/how does it help?

 

NO! Wireless Flash? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

NO! Bracket Button? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

NO! Hide picture (Play)? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it

help?

 

NO! Shallow DOF preview!! I know a little about shallow DOF, this is

one of the reasons why Im moving over to DSLR.., I know the D50 can

still acheive

shallow DOF without preview, but after scouring some posts on the web

there was some discussion going on about how this would not be

neccesary on DSLR even though they were using it on film..

What do they mean?

is it better this way?

[dan park]

I just picked up a D50 yesterday and love it. To tell you the truth if you don't know what the features above are you probably won't miss them. The loss of the bracketing button and configurable white balance are probable the most major losses as apposed to the D70. You can do a WB/AE bracketing using the menu only and modify the colors in PS. The camera also applies more image manipulation than a D70 making the D50 require less post processing. Making this camera very accessable to the casual photographer. I wouldn't consider myself a casual photographer but I also could not justify the extra 200 bucks for the D70.

 

As for the depth of field gauge. You won't miss it. You can judge the depth of field on the LCD after you take a picture.

[drew_dalziel2]

NO! Lock Switch? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

 

It locks the four way switch so you don't accidentally move the focus point. My problem is remembering to recentre it so I know where it is for a quick snapshot so it's no use to me. I've had no problems accidentally altering it but I can understad some may do so.

 

 

NO! Monitor Cover? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

 

It's a protective plastic cover for the LCD, leaving it out is a penny too cheap imo though there are alternatives (check further down the forum for details).

 

 

NO! Control Panel Lamp? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

 

Another penny too far perhaps. It lights up the information panel on the top. The most useful feature in the dark is maybe the ISO change which can be done by feel anyway but it's a pity it isn't there

 

 

NO! Viwefinder Grid? (Optional D70s) What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

 

It's a cross grid that helps you compose the image and level it. If I had a D70 it would be turned off for most of the time. I'm glad it's missing on the D50 rather than being on all the time

 

 

NO! Wireless Flash? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

 

I can't help you much with this one. I believe it's to do with triggering a flash off camera but I don't do that anyway.

 

 

NO! Bracket Button? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

 

It takes three images and brackets the exposure higher and lower than your setting. The bracket function is still there but you have to go into the menus to use it. I find it's quicker to check an image and retake it if I want, I'd probably do that even if it had the button.

 

 

NO! Hide picture (Play)? What does it do/why do I need it/how does it help?

 

 

I've no idea, I haven't missed it lol

 

 

NO! Shallow DOF preview!! I know a little about shallow DOF, this is one of the reasons why Im moving over to DSLR.., I know the D50 can still acheive shallow DOF without preview, but after scouring some posts on the web there was some discussion going on about how this would not be neccesary on DSLR even though they were using it on film.. What do they mean? is it better this way?

 

 

It's a button that stops the lens down to the size the photo will be taken, you can then see what is and isn't in focus. I really wanted this but checking a D70 I found the viewfinder wasn't up to the job anyway. You can get a reasonable idea when you focus the camera and it only takes a day or two to pretty much know what the DOF is for various settings

 

These are just my feelings of course, some of these nay be important to others.

[skidoo]

I've had a D70 for a few months now. So from one amateur to another:

 

> NO! Lock Switch?

 

With the D70 (and the D50, as I understand), you can choose the autofocus/metering region from among five options: center, north, south, east, and west. The D70 has a little slider that lets you lock-in your choice, so you don't accidentally change it. Usefulness: 2/5

 

> NO! Monitor Cover?

 

The screen on the back. The D70 comes with a little snap-on plastic cover. Helps keep it from getting scratched and gunked-up. Alternatively you could cut down a PDA screen protector and stick it on. Usefulness: 3/5

 

> NO! Control Panel Lamp?

 

Illumination light in the digital readout control panel thing on the top of the camera. You'll have to carry a penlight or something to see it in dark or very low light conditions. Usefulness: 3/5

 

> NO! Viwefinder Grid?

 

When you look through the viewfinder on a D70, you have the option of displaying horizontal and vertical hash marks that evenly divide the field of view into 9 regions and give you straightedge references. Excellent aid for very quickly composing a shot. Usefulness 4/5.

 

> NO! Wireless Flash?

 

The D70 can act as a "commander." That is, it's little onboard speedlight or an optional bigger speedlight mounted on the hotshoe can be used to fire a fleet of detached speedlights. No cables required. I have a couple of SB-600 flashes. This feature is **killer**. If I'm shooting closeups of flowers, and I don't like the shadows, I can put one of my SB-600s into "group" mode, point it however I want with one hand, and snap the shutter with the other. Usefulness: 5/5

 

> NO! Bracket Button

 

With the D70 (and I assume with the D50) you can tell the camera to automatically shoot the next three shots according to a range of exposure values. That is, theoretically, you could shoot one picture slightly underexposed, one perfectly exposed, and one slightly overexposed. This is exposure bracketing. You can also do white balance bracketing, but I don't understand the value of that, as I shoot 100% RAW, and the white balance can be completely adjusted in the RAW editor, with no loss of quality. At any rate, the D70 has a hardware button that allows to to enable the bracketing feature without having to go into any menus. Usefullness: 3/5

 

> NO! Hide picture (Play)?

 

I dunno. The D70 has a "play" button that displays the stored images. I assume there's some analog on the D50, but maybe you have to go into the menus to show pictures? And on the D70, if you shoot an image and the camera pops up a preview, you can press the "play" button and instantly turn off the screen. Usefulness: 2/5?

 

> NO! Shallow DOF preview!!

 

It's just "DOF preview." Shallowness is incidental. This is a convenient button on the front of the D70. As you're looking through the viewfinder, you see the subject through the lense with the aperture opened all the way. In reality, you may have the camera and the lense set to close the aperture most of the way when the shutter opens. The picture could look **very** different at the two different aperture settings. If you press and hold the "DOF preview" button, you'll see the subject as it would actually look (sans any flash, or the effects of different shutter speeds). I find this very useful, because sometimes I take pictures with magnifying filters that greatly decrease the depth of field. It's very difficult to focus without the DOF preview. Usefulness: 4/5

 

Good luck!

[michael_millard]

I have a D70.

 

I can add to the above comments that 'Hide Picture' allows an image to be kept on the CompactFlash card and not show on the LCD screen during playback (review or slideshow). It will not however, 'hide' the picture from anything else: downloading to a PC, etc...

 

Light. (OK, this one is petty, but...)

It's sometimes hard to tell in dim/dark lighting where the Auto-P-A-S-M dial is positioned. On the D70, there's a light for the control screen, but that screen doesn't really tell you what Mode the camera is in, at least, not easily.

 

Guess I should tape a small penlight to the camera strap...

[Richard Williams]

Since you mention instant access to controls, one other thing the D50 lacks is a separate sub-command dial for setting the aperture manually. You have to use the main dial (the one that sets shutter speeds) with a 'shift key' instead. The D70s also uses CF cards (like your A95), but the D50 uses SD cards.

[briany]

Agree, Michael. It's also a bit hard to see the other buttons. I will be keeping a LED squeeze light on my camera bag strap. I don't need backlit buttons, but a little glow in the dark paint wouldn't have hurt.

 

Omer, you'll probably be impressed with either camera. The D50 is supposed to deliver better results straight from the camera though -- and that may be closer to your current workflow.

[akcelik]

thanks to everyone for there kind and helpfull response, what a bunch of lovely people you all are... GROUP HUG! 8)

 

now that i know what all that means i can confidently go and purchase the D70s knowing what im getting will be put to use.

it sounds like the one to go for, that would serve my translation through pictures taking.

 

i am much greatfull beyond the means of my english exspressing ability.

i wish you all the very best of the best and beyond. 8)

 

take care.

omer