Expanding downwards, Nikon today announced the introduction of the D50, an entry-level digital SLR camera which will find its place below the D70s at the lowest end of the camera maker's current SLR offerings. Available in black or silver, the camera features a 6.1 MP CCD sensor and shares many of its features with the more advanced D70s, itself announced today and a successor to the D70.
Aimed at consumers seeking to step up from compact digital cameras, the D50 measures in at a relatively modest 133 x 107 x 76 mm, weighing 540 g sans rechargeable battery, memory card or body cap. The 6.1 MP sensor of the camera shoots stills at 3008 x 2000 pixels, however lacks the ability to record video which is growing increasingly prevalent in compact digital cameras. A 2" LCD joins an optical viewfinder to provide an interface for the camera, which has been updated from previous SLR models.
An exposure mode dial offers seven options for capturing images with different settings, among them ISO sensitivity, saturation and hue. Full manual exposure control is also available with the D50, which boasts a start-up time of only 0.2 seconds coupled with a shutter lag time from 30 - 1/4000 second. Other vitals include a flash sync speed of up to 1/500 seconds, as well as ISO sensitivity ranging from 200 to 1600.
Relying on SD Cards for memory, the camera is capable of continuous shooting at 2.5 frames per second for bursts of up to 137 pictures, offering a flash sync speed of up to 1/500 seconds. The D50 also features a 5-area autofocus system which inherits Nikon's cross-type center sensor from which the compani claims improved focus tracking. The new system adopts an AF-A mode that switches between single-servo and continuous-servo autofocus depending on the movement of the subject in the framed shot.
An AF-assist illuminator is also included, and the D50 offers auto white balance as well as a choice of six specific manual settings, white balance bracketing and a preset option for using a gray or white object as a calibrating reference under mixed lighting conditions. Also featured in the D50 is Nikon's new 3D Colour Matrix Metering II, which compares input from its for each scene to an onboard database of over 30,000 scenes from actual photography and works in tandem with new exposure evaluation methods to detect highlights and shadows in the frame and achieve ideal exposure.
Fitted with USB 2.0 for high speed connectivity and PictBridge support for direct-to-printer output, the rechargeable Lithium Ion battery of the D50 delivers up to 2000 images according to Nikon.
The Nikon D50 is slated for European availability in June 2005, and will sell standalone for 821 EUR or bundled with an AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G lens for 971 EUR. Similarly, the D50 will be shipping in North America in June 2005, where the lens kit will retail for $899 USD.
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