Nikon D50 review

Compact digital cameras have largely replaced 35mm film-based compact cameras as the holiday snappers of choice.

Until now, though, the high cost of digital SLR cameras has forced many amateur and semi-professional photographers to stick with film SLR cameras. At just over £500 for a single-lens kit, Nikon's D50 is one of several digital SLR cameras to provide the versatility and high image quality of an SLR camera at a more consumer-friendly price.

Behind the removable lens and the swinging mirror common to all SLR cameras is a 6-megapixel sensor, which records photos at a maximum resolution of 3,008x2,000. Compact cameras tend to record photographs in a 3:4 aspect ratio but the D50, like all digital SLRs, records at a traditional 35mm frame ratio of 3:2, so prints on normal photo paper don't have to be cropped.

At 23.7x15.5mm, the sensor is significantly bigger than those found in most 6-megapixel compact cameras. This extra sensing area means that each pixel is larger and more sensitive to different levels of light intensity. Photos taken with the D50 are exceptionally rich and detailed and exhibit a subtleness of colour that's not found in a compact camera.

It also allows for a wider ISO range than compact cameras have. The D50 can emulate the sensitivity of ISO 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 film. At 800 noise starts to become evident, although on-camera noise reduction is surprisingly efficient, while at 1,600 you can shoot in a darkened room without a flash, but the photos are grainy.

On the default settings, the D50 delivers punchy, slightly saturated colours. These are great for instant printing or viewing, but if you're more interested in colour accuracy, you can switch to true sRGB or Adobe sRGB, which give truer colour representation.

The D50 uses a Nikon AF/F D-type lens mount that accepts any similar lens you might already have. Any that are not designed specifically for use with digital cameras will give an added magnification, as only the centre portion of the captured scene falls directly on to the sensor. The 18-55mm lens supplied with the D50 kit is fine for starting out, but like most kit lenses, it's unexceptional.

This is one of the heaviest digital SLR cameras around, but it feels comfortable to hold. The shutter button is perfectly placed at the front of the grip and the command dial, which adjusts most of the photographic controls, falls right beneath your thumb. The menu system is navigated using a cheap-feeling four-way direction pad, and a row of well labelled buttons on the left of the bright screen provide quick access to certain functions and the menu. The mode dial is well placed for your right hand and provides access to the camera's main shooting modes.

In fully automatic mode, the D50 turns out excellent photos, but for those who want to get more hands on, the typical range of cameras modes are all here. Shutter speed goes from 1/4000 to 30 seconds, while the kit lens allows for f3.5 at 18mm wide-angle and f5.6 at 55mm telephoto.

The D50 feels solid and expensive, with an exemplary build and finish. It's easy to use and takes superb photos even before you have mastered the full gamut of controls. At this price, it should be on every amateur photographer's Christmas list.