Nikon D50 v Pentax *ist DL2

[GDVS]

I'd pretty much made up my mind to buy a D50 come the end of the month but all of a sudden Jessops dropped the price of the DL2 by £150 to the same price point (give or take a couple of quid) as the D50.

I haven't looked as hard at the DL2 as I did at the D50 (price was getting out of my range) and there isn't anything like as much info about the Pentax as there is the Nikon so it's hard to make an informed decision.

Anyone have any idea how well the DL2 stacks up against the D50?

[Hans Voralberg]

I've only used the Nikon D50, havent touch the Pentax yet but I'd go for the pentax for these reason:

- Bigger screen
- Take AAA batteries
- Nikon D50 colour by default is way oversaturated (though you can change)
- D50 zoom, like other Nikons is just utterly annoying.
- The D50 18-55 lense in the lense kit feel really cheap

[jsam]

Have to say D50. Looking at all the reviews and awards, it is head and shoulders above the Pentax. Looking at all the forums, people love it. Yes, I am biased, I own one - but I've had a few instances of buyer's remorse over other equipment.

The kit lens does feel cheap; but has reviewed well. I went and got the 18-70; which is very good. (And then got the 70-300G, the 50 f1.8, the Sigma 30 f1.4, the Sigma 10-20 and have the 18-200 VR on order).

[BUFF]

If you're waiting to the end of the month Sony are meant to be launching their DSLR based on their acquisition of Minolta's camera/lens divison at the start of June.
Imo the 5D was the best entry level DSLR & the Sony should improve on it.

[Alex]

Have Sony announced any details about this new SLR?

[BUFF]

Nothing specific yet (other than it uses the Minolta AF mount of course) but what has come out looks like it's based on the KM Dynax 5D.
Trawl the KM & Sony DSLR forums at DPReview.

[Alex]

Cheers, will do.

[Funkstar]

http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news...tory_7867.html

not really any more details, but there is some background on the new Sony. According to Engadget "final photography" for the first Alpha model "has not been finalized yet.". So the camera in the photo is probably just an engineering sample, but i guess it will be pretty close considering it isn't long until this this is realeased

[da_ging]

I've only used the Nikon D50, havent touch the Pentax yet but I'd go for the pentax for these reason:

- Bigger screen
- Take AAA batteries
- D50 zoom, like other Nikons is just utterly annoying.

the bigger screen only applies to the DS series not DL
batteries are largely irrelevant as the nikons will last for ages anyway
you not liking nikon lenses is a subjective opinion and does not apply to anyone else

id go for the nikon because

-doesnt make crap jpegs - pentax's jpeg engine aint that good
-better shooting performance
-better iso/noise performance

[GDVS]

I found a review with samples and they weren't enough to sway me away from the Nikon, there's more info out there about the D50 and more in depth reviews (I think I've read all of them over the last few weeks, repeatedly!) so it's a more comfortable purchase for me.

As for the Sony, being Sony I suspect it will be beyond my means and being a geek I try not to buy Sony if I can at all avoid it (even if it is built on the very tempting D5 base).

[chrestomanci]

If you are buying an SLR camera, you might consider the range of lenses available.

There is a big range of Nikon lenses for every possible purpose, from macro, to super telephoto and everything in between. If you might be buying second had, then the Nikon F mount has been around since the 60s so there will be plenty of strange and interesting lenses to be had for bargain basement prices.

The mount on the Pentax *ist DL2 has only been around for about a year, and from what I remember there are a grand total of 5 lenses available.

Of course, you might not care about having a big lens collection, but if you do, or you will want to do anything unusual, you should definitely choose the Nikon.

[GDVS]

I was under the impressions the Pentax had the best lens compatibility of the lot, there are definitely a lot more than 5 K series lenses out there. I think you can even use their medium format lenses with an adapter but as I knew next to nothing about this camera yesterday don't take that as gospel.

It's a moot point now to me anyway, I couldn't resist any longer and am now sat looking at a shiny new D50. This manual could take some reading...

[adeypius]

in the same position here, lookin at a dslr

a D50 still first choice

[gobbo]

- D50 zoom, like other Nikons is just utterly annoying.

Any chance you could quantify this, what makes the zoom so annoying?

[hoodmeister]

He's not wrong per se - it's just personal preference that he shouldn't state as gospel.

I don't like the image zoom on the 300D, 20D or 1DmkII - go figure.

The Nikkor 18-55 is a cracking lens. Not the best build quality, but I've seen far worse, and for the money, it's a stonker.