Nikon D50

Color (5.44)
When Nikon released this digital SLR, their press release stated that the “new 6.1 effective megapixel Nikon DX Format CCD imaging sensor…produces 3,008 x 2,000-pixel images with accurate color.” To test the validity of this statement, we shot several exposures of the GretagMacbeth color chart and uploaded the images into Imatest Imaging Software. The software outputs data that helps us compare the Nikon D50’s produced colors to the ideal colors on the GretagMacbeth chart. Below is a modified chart that shows the ideal colors in the inner rectangle, the D50’s produced colors in the outer square, and the corrected version of the camera’s color in the inner square.

Below is another representation of the same results. It is easier to discern the difference between the ideal and the produced colors in the linear graphic. The squares represent the original colors from the GretagMacbeth chart; the circles represent what the camera produced.

Unfortunately, the Nikon D50 did not produce accurate colors in its default settings. It exaggerated or dulled almost every color. The reds and blues are way off, and none of the colors are spot on. This led to an 11.9 mean color error score and a disappointing overall color score of 5.44. The D50 over-saturated colors by 16 percent, which is also disappointing.

It should be noted that we tested the D50’s color capabilities in both the Ia “soft natural” and IIIa “vivid” color modes.  The chart and results stated above were garnered using the D50's Ia color mode. Users can also alter the D50’s color output using the image optimization settings available within the camera, but we found that with each setting there is some correlating sacrifice (more on the optimization parameters below).

It should also be noted that the over-saturation values do yield striking images with vibrant color (even in the soft natural color mode), but accuracy itself was not impressive. Particularly in the camera’s default settings, greens and reds will not look the way they do to the eye. Some may find the inaccurate images to be more pleasing, containing a more emotive quality, while others may be frustrated by the discrepancy.

Still Life Scene
Below is a shot of our elegant plastic still life scene, photographed with the Nikon D50.

Click on the above image to view a full resolution version (CAUTION: the linked file is very large!)

Resolution / Sharpness (4.93)
We put Imatest to work again by having it analyze the resolution of images shot with the Nikon D50. We took a series of photographs of an ISO resolution chart and uploaded them into the software. The images were shot at various apertures and focal lengths to determine how sharp the camera can be using optimal settings and with the aperture open all the way. These images were shot as high quality JPEGs using the camera’s kit lens. Again, the camera offers a series of image optimization parameters including sharpness that will impact the images significantly; however, there is some loss of detail that can accompany the boost of in-camera sharpness (more on image parameters below). Our tests evaluate the camera’s capabilities out of the box, using the kit lens and factory defaults – only the exposure settings were altered to maximize performance. We report the score as a percentage of the advertised pixel count and a designation associated with that percentage. Following capture and compression, digital cameras that are found to have within 70 percent of the advertised pixel count are considered “good.” Within 80 percent is “very good” and within 90 percent is “excellent.”

Click on the above res. chart to view full image

The reported resolution results came from a shot taken at 55mm, f/10 with the kit lens. The Nikon D50 recorded 4.93 megapixels, which is 82 percent of its advertised 6.1 megapixel count. This deserves a “very good” score and is certainly better than the D70’s 72 percentage score. The D50 oversharpened by 10.2 percent, which is fairly normal. But as many DSLR users will toy with sharpening in editing software, the less done within the actual image file, the better.

sRGB Ia - soft

sRGB Ia - Sharper

Noise – Auto ISO (3.89)
As with most entry level digital SLRs, the Nikon D50 has both automatic and manual ISO controls. However, the automatic mode is not its bread and butter. When tested, the D50 chose too high of an ISO setting for the available light. Thus, it received a low 3.89 overall auto ISO noise score. Users will get far better results when the sensitivity rating is selected manually.

Noise – Manual ISO (12.49)
The Nikon D50 has several ISO settings available for manual adjustment. We tested the noise levels at each rating and input the results into a regression analysis to receive the overall score. Results from individual ratings can be seen below. The ISO sensitivities are depicted on the horizontal axis and the noise levels are on the vertical axis.

The Nikon D50’s overall manual ISO noise score is 12.49, which is very impressive. The Nikon D70 scored 10.48 on this same test. Images from the D50 should be clean and have low noise levels when the ISO is manually adjusted. When considering sharpness vs. noise and price, the D50 might be the best overall entry level DSLR available.

Low Light Performance (7.5)
We test low light capabilities by recording a sequence of images at diminishing light levels. Images are recorded at 60, 30, 15, and 5 lux to approximate the camera’s performance in common low light situations. 60 lux appears to the eye as a bedroom might after dark, while 30 lux roughly equals the illumination given off by a single 40 watt lightbulb. Performance at 15 and 5 lux illustrate the sensor’s sensitivity to light and how well the camera will be able to capture coherent images in near darkness. Low light tests are recorded at the camera’s highest ISO setting, using a tripod and the camera’s self-timer lamp, with color calibrated to each lighting setup.

Low Light Tests
60 Lux	30 Lux
15 Lux	5 Lux

Click on any of the above images to view further image analysis

With a 30 second max shutter setting, night imagery will be easily within the camera’s capabilities when using a tripod. Images remain impressive, but color does begin to wane with prolonged exposure duration. Noise is also increased, but remains controlled to a reasonable extent. Users will be able to shoot night scenes and ambient light photography with the D50, but it does not perform quite as well in minimal lighting as the Canon Rebel XT.

Speed / Timing
Start-up to First Shot (9.76)
The Nikon D50 takes 0.26 seconds to start up and take its first shot. This is faster than most compact digital cameras, but slower than most digital SLRs.

Shot to Shot (9.52)
The burst mode has its pros and cons. Good news first: the D50 can take a picture every 0.367 seconds for the first 14 shots. It can also take 81 shots until it has to stop and write to the memory card. Now for the bad news: between the 15th shot and the 81st shot, the Nikon D50 slowed considerably to a photo every 0.75 seconds.

Shutter to Shot (8.65)
Taking a mere 0.02 seconds, the Nikon D50 can compete with other DSLRs in this category. With this speed, shutter lag should not be a problem for most casual users.

Image Optimization
The Nikon D50 offers seven Image Optimization presets via the Shooting Menu. We decided to take a close look at these presets and the controls that underlie them. The controls change color space, saturation, hue, contrast, and sharpness. By creating a custom optimization, it's possible to make radical changes, though we found that Nikon's presets make fairly subtle ones. The presets are: Normal, Vivid, Sharper, Soft, Direct Print, Portrait, and Landscape

The D50 does not use the optimization presets in its various scene modes, and the user is also prevented from setting them. The scene modes set the same parameters, but interestingly, they set them a little differently. For instance, the Portrait scene mode sets the sharpen control to “Auto,” while the Portrait setting in Image Optimization sets it to “Medium Low.”

The presets mainly use sRGB IIIa, switching to sRGB Ia for Portrait and for “Direct Print.” Ia produces less saturated images, yielding smoother skin tones than IIIa.

The “Vivid” optimization setting bumps the camera's saturation to “Enhanced,” which makes a pronounced difference in the image. As we examined comparison images in Photoshop, we noted that both the saturation setting and the color mode setting significantly influence the very ends of the histogram – where the color is either completely absent or completely flooded. That makes sense, because the saturated colors possible in an RGB image are ones made with either a single channel – Red, Green, or Blue – or a combination of two colors. Anything that combines all three has a neutral element, so it tends toward white.

We found that the Nikon D50's “enhanced” saturation setting strikes a balance between having too little effect to be worth using, and having so much effect that the image is degraded, though we do see some loss of detail and texture when the setting is turned on.

It's important to note that image editing software such as Nikon's PictureProject software, or Adobe Photoshop, can manipulate all of the settings available via Image Optimization. If you plan to do post-processing on a computer, it's vital that you get the camera's settings as neutral as possible. Each time you – or the camera -- sharpen, change saturation or hue, or switch color space, image data is lost. Performing any of those operations more than once compounds the damage, even if you do it once in the camera, and then once on the computer.

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