Planning to buy a D50...

Hello everyone,

I'm planning to buy my first SLR, I've been playing with P&S (digital) for the last ... 6 years (or so). My first one was a Kodak DC280, it got broke out of warranty and I decided to buy the Canon S400.

After reading this forum, countless reviews / articles, I opted for the D50 over any other. I did compared the 350D and the D50, and as you said, the 350D is smaller and the grip isn't the same.

I found this "kit" on ebay and I would like to know what are you thinking about the lenses. It includes 2 tamron lenses. The Tamron Autofocus 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical and the Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD 1:2 Macro Autofocus Zoom.

The 70-300 isn't a big concern, the comments I saw are quite good. But the 28-80 seems to be too soft; any one here tried it ?

Thanks for any input you have.

Nicolas

P.S. Those interested by the link on ebay, here it is : http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7543539783&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

The offer name is :
Nikon D50 Digital SLR Camera + Two Lens+512 Kit NEW USA
Item number: 7543539783

Keep your eyes open in regards to the Nikon warranty.
You should plan a purchase from a reputable Canadian dealer or web site.
Avoid the grey market items.

EarlH

---
The D50 manual can be downloaded. Very handy.
Nikon USA D50 Manual
http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=2&productNr=25216

Nikon links
Press releases, brochures, reviews but not the manual.
http://www.nikonlinks.com/equipment_digital_d50.htm

Nikon Lenses_all
http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=5

Lens Review
http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html
http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html#top
http://www.naturfotograf.com/links.html

KenRockwell
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d70.htm

Thom Hogan
http://www.bythom.com/D70.htm

NikonSLR.com
http://www.nikonslr.com/home.html

Nicolas Bouchard said:

But the 28-80 seems to be too soft; any one here tried it ?

Click to expand...

I haven't any experience with that lens, but the 28mm wide end isn't very wide. For me that would be limiting.

Would it be much more expensive to get the kit with the Nikon 18-55 and add a telezoom to that?
If not that woudl be the way I would go.

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Johndig
CP-885, CP-8800, D-50, (pbase supporter)
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I have the Kit 18-55 and 55-200. Seems to be a nice como. 18 is wide enough and 200 is long enough for most candids etc. The lenses work quickly and quietly and the results with the very quiet high ISOs make this a very versitile camera.
Good luck.
John D.

EarlH said:

Keep your eyes open in regards to the Nikon warranty.
You should plan a purchase from a reputable Canadian dealer or web
site.
Avoid the grey market items.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. I think that the USA warranty will work in Canada (I will try to confirm that later today).

About the grey market items, any idea how to verify that info? Seems like many "stores" have the same merchandise at (almost) the same price on ebay. Even on few web sites like eCost, etc..

dumbo said:

dumbo said:

But the 28-80 seems to be too soft; any one here tried it ?

Click to expand...

I haven't any experience with that lens, but the 28mm wide end
isn't very wide. For me that would be limiting.
Would it be much more expensive to get the kit with the Nikon 18-55
and add a telezoom to that?
If not that woudl be the way I would go.

Click to expand...

For an unknown reason, I can't "build" my kit (meaning choose the body, lenses, etc) and come close to that price. I will look at kits with 18-x lenses in it, but my budget is limited; it was one of the draw back I saw in the kit, only 28 as the minimum.

Thanks for you answer.

Just called Nikon, if I buy the product from a US vendor, the warranty will be valid in US only, so if I need to do something under warranty, I need to ship it in the US (at my expense).

To know if a product is on the grey market, you have to send it / contact nikon and they can verify with the serial number. I did look on the Nikon website and the seller I was looking is in the official distributor of Nikon.

And if you wonder why I want to buy in US instead of Canada, the price! In a store in Quebec City, the D50 with the 18-55 lens only can be sold between 999$ - 1,300$can. On eBay, the kit I saw was at 946$can.

I think I will take my chance with eBay and will cross my finger that everything is going fine in the future.

I am already planning of buying a new lens in the future to replace the 28-80 coming with the camera; so I guess that's not a big issue for the moment.

Thank you all for your answers, it is appreciated.

Nicolas

Check this out.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D50-Digital-SLR-Camera-2-Lens-1GB-Kit-NEW-USA_W0QQitemZ7544699769QQcategoryZ43456QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

--
Johnny
Austin, Republic of Texas

My Photos: http://johnny.smugmug.com

How I get the EXTRA money for my camera gear!
http://simonsays.topratebiz.com/

Just remember for that $50 you are supposedly saving you will pay for all warranty work whether it just be shipping or more because you lose the 2nd year as well.

Plus besides a price conversion you need to add for shipping, BROKERAGE fees, any Tariff Fees (since you can buy that product in canada) as well as taxes ontop of that.

For instant if the product $830 USD
then add say $40 USD for shipping
now you are $870 USD

now add 20% brokerage fees this is what someone will charge you just to bring it into the country (UPS, Canada Post, Purlator, etc...)

so now you are $1050
then add the conversion rate (1.2 for each USD dollar).
so now you are $1260 BEFORE TAX!!!!

Now add tax 1450 TOTAL IN CANADIAN dollars.

Now its not as good of a deal.

Mother Duck said:

Just remember for that $50 you are supposedly saving you will pay
for all warranty work whether it just be shipping or more because
you lose the 2nd year as well.

Plus besides a price conversion you need to add for shipping,
BROKERAGE fees, any Tariff Fees (since you can buy that product in
canada) as well as taxes ontop of that.

For instant if the product $830 USD
then add say $40 USD for shipping
now you are $870 USD
now add 20% brokerage fees this is what someone will charge you
just to bring it into the country (UPS, Canada Post, Purlator,
etc...)

so now you are $1050
then add the conversion rate (1.2 for each USD dollar).
so now you are $1260 BEFORE TAX!!!!

Now add tax 1450 TOTAL IN CANADIAN dollars.

Now its not as good of a deal.

Click to expand...

You do have a point. I'm not used to "international" shipping, taht 20% brokerage frees wasn't planned at all. It sure adding all that, it makes more sens buying it here and pay the accessories seperately.

Thanks for the hint... seems like I have more homework in front of me