Nikon D50 Camera Lens and all these numbers and letters...

Xeddicus

I'm thinking of picking up a Nikon D50 and something like a 200mm lens for it since chances are it won't come with a lens and I want it for a bit of range. But I am fairly clueless and looking into it having trouble making sure the camera isn't going to explode if it put something like this on it:

It says Autofocus but also says "AF" which means Autofocus? LD? It says Nikon, but not "F mount".

And here's a link to the D50 specs on wikipedia in case that's helpful.

Looking at wikipedias page on the F mount system didn't help so much. So if anyone wants to educate me I'm all ears! It doesn't SEEM too complicated, except for letters that aren't listed and it says it's incomplete and...OK, maybe it is is a little!

Shazkar Shadowstorm

do you want to buy my old d50 or any of the lenses

i can go look at what i have when i get home

i have an 18-200mm lens that works appropriately with the d50

mts

the d50 is unique in that it has the auto focus mechanism in the body where as the majority of the other consumer grade dslrs rely on autofocus lenses to do it.

its a great body.

you can pretty much use any lens with it.

Djeet

I've got Canon, but I think everything carries over. AF normally means autofocus. However in the description it says there is no focusing motor in the lens. AF can be handled on the lens, or on the camera body. This lens "supports" AF only if the camera body has the AF motor. And Nikon uses "AF" also as a descriptor of a model line. The D50 has AF motor in camera body. LD means low dispersion, which is glass formulated/designed to reduce chromatic aberration (purple fringing between areas of high contrast).

Not sure how to help you with the F mount question cause I cannot find anything useful. With Canon you can damage either the camera or the lens by trying to attach a lens with the wrong mount. Maybe this will help?

mts

pretty sure most nikons are the same mount. unless you find some antique at a yard sale or something.

Xeddicus

Yeah, according to wikipedia like all Nikons use the "F mount" system for the lenses, but apparently there are variations.

Shazkar Shadowstorm wrote: »

do you want to buy my old d50 or any of the lenses

i can go look at what i have when i get home

i have an 18-200mm lens that works appropriately with the d50

@Shazkar Shadowstorm It's possible, depending on how much you want and what's included and if I don't change my mind yet again. Lots of options and hangups (D50 won't use SDHC it turns out!) I'll shoot you a PM.

mts

you might also want to see if you can find a used d90. it is a newer model that also has the body auto focus but takes sd cards.

Xeddicus

Yeah, I'm playing the "This one is newer just a little more with better features..." x5 so suddenly my budget has doubled. I can barely justify this thing at all, so that's a problem. :pop:

Was looking at the d3000, but that also lacks the body autofocus, but not sure I really even need it and Canon seems oddly missing in the sub $100 bracket. Probably won't stay there with a lens, impossible to, but suppose I'll have to accept that.

Now to look at D90's! Edit: Oh, I had been filtering that out as it's too much, but thanks. Trying to stay around $100 for the body, which obviously limits my options but I'll have to work with it. Maybe I'll get lucky with a D90.

And look, another person on Ebay who ignores "What is the shutter count"? Blargh.

At least I found another option Canon Rebel XS on KEH.com.

mts

you definitely do want body autofocus since you can buy awesome older lenses for cheap which don't have the AF motor in them. its all about the glass anyways.

the d50 is a great little camera and it will teach you a lot.

Xeddicus

I surprisingly won a auction for an Rebel XS little while ago it turns out. So the poor D50 gets left behind (unless this thing turns out to be a lemon).

Thanks for the replies, though. I think I have a handle on the Canon lens.