Auto Mode (8.0)
The Nikon D50 offers an Auto mode that pretty much takes care of everything – aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, autofocus mode, and flash. In line with other manufacturers, this full auto mode has a green logo. The camera also has a Program mode, which controls both aperture and shutter speed, but allows users to assert control over other settings and features. The camera also has several custom image presets, helping bridge the gap for those users upgrading to their first DSLR.
Movie Mode (0.0)
Like most DSLRs, the Nikon D50 has no movie mode.
Drive / Burst Mode (7.0)
The D50's burst mode maxes out at 2.5 frames a second, but it can be slowed down by autofocus. It apparently doesn't work at all with the built-in flash – when I tried, the camera would only take one picture, no matter how long I held down the shutter release.
2.5 frames per second is much better than no burst mode, and it is competitive with other inexpensive DSLRs, such as the Canon Rebel XT, the Olympus E-300, and the Pentax *ist DL, but it is not fast enough for sports action sequences. When your child makes that critical corner kick in a key soccer game, you might get just the windup, and then the ball flying five feet away from her foot. If you're anticipating 10 shots between the kick and the header into the goal, you need to spend a few thousand dollars more for a camera that'll do five or eight frames a second or better.
Playback Mode (7.5)
The D50's 2-inch, 130,000 pixel LCD is disappointing for a DSLR: it's not big enough, and it doesn't have the resolution to be the best tool for either evaluating images while shooting, or to enjoy sharing them “snapshot style”. Check out the 2.5-inch, 210,000 pixel display on the Pentax *ist DL, and you'll see that a better LCD is a truly useful upgrade.
The playback mode allows the user to view 1, 4, or 9 images at a time. With one frame on display, users can magnify images up to only 4.7x, which is quite limited – it's not enough to judge sharpness at all.
The D50 offers three screens of text data when the INFO button is pressed, spanning all pertinent shooting data. The D50 also offers a histogram and a flashing warning to indicate blown highlights.
The D50's playback mode also offers a slide show function. The user can choose which folder on the memory card to show and the duration of each displayed image. It's possible to pause the show and to play an image's information onscreen. For displaying your slide show on other devices, the D50 offers analog video out for PAL or NTSC formats.
Custom Image Presets (7.0)
Consumer-oriented cameras tend to have fewer presets as they get more sophisticated. With the increased complexity, the emphasis is generally transferred to more versatile manual and semi-manual shooting modes. Many compact cameras provide 20 or 30 presets, while the far more flexible DSLRs usually have fewer than 10. The D50 offers 6:
Portrait mode - Focuses on the subject closest to the camera, limits depth of field with a wide aperture, and does not boost contrast, sharpness, or saturation.
Landscape mode - Focuses on the closest subject, but maximizes depth of field, also boosting saturation and sharpness.
Child mode - According to Nikon, Child mode keeps skin tones neutral while boosting colors in clothes and the background.
Sports mode - Favors fast shutter speeds to freeze action, and focuses continuously on subjects in the middle of the frame. Flash and the AF-assist light are disabled – usually, you're too far away for them to work, and they can slow down the camera.
Close up mode - Uses the center autofocus zone, and allows long exposures and small apertures for depth of field.
Night Portrait - Balances flash and available light in dark settings.
