Kirbdog said:
I totally agree that there is little difference between the D50 & D70s. But one of those differences is a big one if you need remote flash capability. The D50 does not have Command Mode for remotely firing Nikon strobes.
Good write up on this
here
If you don't use remote flashes you can ignore this.
Right, from what I understand, the D50 does not have the same flexibility in controlling the SB 800 speedlight as the D70 or D70s does. Apparently there is no "Commander mode" in the D50. Another difference, which may not be important to some people just coming off a P&S, is that the memory card for the D50 is SD, whereas the memory cards used in the D70, D70S, D200 and D2x are all CF cards. If you've already accumulated a nice collection of CF cards it can be expensive to have to suddenly switch and add a few SD cards. This in and of itself is not a deal-killer, of course. Personally I feel that CF cards are sturdier and less likely to be misplaced or lost.
Also, and I'm not sure about this, but I think another difference is that in the D50 there is no DOF (depth-of-field) button, whereas this is a feature which is appreciated by many photographers, especially with certain lenses or under specific shooting conditions.
Uh....Ken Rockwell....uh....well, let's just say that many photographers take some of what he writes with a grain of salt. I do think it is good to read his opinions but I would not consider him the "be-all, end-all" authority. Thom Hogan is another good source of info, as is Ron Reznick. If you're trying to decide about lenses,there is a longtime Nikon shooter named Bjørn (and I don't remember his last name now) who has an excellent website with comparisons of most of Nikon's lenses.
Yes, there is something to be said about the portability factor. When I went out to SF in January I had my D200 and a couple of lenses and also a P&S Fujifilm E900. Most of the time I used the D200, but there were several occasions when it was just easier and less obtrusive to pull out the Fujifilm and shoot with it. At home, I like to carry a camera with me most of the time and so usually have a P&S stashed in my purse or bag...at least I get the shot, even if it's not going to be quite the same as it would be if I had the D200 with me!