Nikon D50

The Nikon D50 is a compact DSLR from 2005, built around an APS-C sensor and the Nikon F lens mount. It is a straightforward stills camera from an era before movie modes and live view became standard.

At 620g with modest dimensions, it is light for a DSLR and easy to carry. Storage runs on SD cards, and the battery rating is high at 2000 shots.

It suits someone learning the basics of interchangeable-lens photography, or an F-mount owner wanting a simple second body. Since every shot is composed through the optical viewfinder, it works best for deliberate, unhurried stills work.

The optics earn a limited score of 34, placing the D50 in the bottom 1% of cameras in our database for optics. That position reflects its low resolution, limited ISO range and sparse autofocus points.

The 6 megapixel CCD sensor produces files well suited to small prints and web sharing. Larger prints and heavy crops leave little margin, so it pays to frame carefully at capture.

Five autofocus points and a maximum of 2.5 frames per second in continuous shooting are workable for portraits and static scenes, though fast action will stretch both.

Low light is the main constraint. Sensitivity runs from ISO 200 to 1600 and there is no in-body stabilisation, so indoor work benefits from a steady grip, a fast lens or flash. The 1/4000s top shutter speed still handles bright daylight, and the Nikon F mount accepts a wide range of lenses.

The D50 does not record video. It is a stills-only camera, so it cannot capture short clips alongside photographs.

There is no built-in timelapse function either. Automatic interval sequences are not part of the camera's feature set.

Anyone who needs moving images or automatic timelapse capture will need a separate device or an external interval solution.

Our features score of 10, assessed as limited, reflects the absence of a touchscreen, live view, Bluetooth and weather sealing, alongside a small, low-resolution screen.

The 2-inch LCD carries 130,000 dots and neither moves nor responds to touch. With no live view, every shot is composed through the optical viewfinder, which is fine at eye level but makes tripod work less convenient.

A built-in flash handles casual interiors, and the camera also accepts an external flash for more power and control over light.

WiFi is built in, but there is no GPS for location tagging and no weather sealing, so keep the body dry in poor conditions.

Storage and battery earn a modest score of 51. The result reflects a strong battery rating alongside a single card slot and no USB charging.

The camera takes a single SD card. With no second slot, a full card means a swap rather than an overflow to another slot.

The EN-EL3 battery carries a rating of 2000 shots, though without a stated test standard it is best treated as a guide rather than a guarantee.

There is no USB charging, so the battery cannot be topped up over a cable, making a charged spare the practical backup for long sessions.