Nikon D50 Digital Field Guide
by David D. Busch
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Book Reviews of Nikon D50 Digital Field Guide
Book Review: Major improvement on the manual
Summary: 5 Stars
I was lost when I tried reading the manual that comes with the Nikon D50. Then, I discovered this book, which is much easier to read and has a great deal more useful information. The approach was perfect: the author begins with a quick start that describes the basic controls and settings you need to make to begin shooting. It tells you when to use and when not to use certain options. Many new D50 users will stop right there and run out and begin taking pictures. When you're ready, there is a guided tour of the D50 that explains the same controls, and others, in more detail, with more attention to settings but always with advice on choosing the best combination.
After some explanation of photography basics, the book branches out into a large chapter that has all the settings and recommended equipment (lenses, tripods, etc.) for various kinds of photo environments such as landscapes, sports, etc. This was perfect for me, as I was able to try out some kinds of shots I'd never attempted with my point and shoot camera. They came out great. This book is a great introduction to photography and the D50 camera.
Book Review: Just a Rehash - Not Worth the Money
Summary: 2 Stars
I was not impressed with this book. It is really a general photography book that happens to have information on the D50. Here's what I did not like:
1. Many of the diagrams pointing to camera features used black lines pointing to a black camera body and it was impossible to even tell what button was being pointed out.
2. When explaining camera features and options, the same "lingo" from the camera menu itself was used. Just repeating menus is useless and pointless. Users want to know what a menu item means, not just what the word is.
3. The portions of the book dealing with the camera are totally unorganized. A user wants to know, "How do I do X, or Y or Z?" The book simply runs through button menus and there is very little context of the meaning of the menus.
Very little thought went into this book. I think the publisher takes a general photography book, adds some pages for each different camera, and then titles it "Nikon D50 Guide" etc. Don't waste your money. There is nothing in here that isn't in the Nikon manual, even though that manual is also poorly written.
Book Review: Nikon should bundle this book with every D50
Summary: 5 Stars
This book should be included in the D50 package along with the vendor's user manual. Nikon's manual makes a good, if confusing reference, while this book fills in all the gaps that Nikon leaves out. For example, instead of just a couple views of the camera with all the parts labeled willy-nilly, the Digital Field Guide includes an overview photo, then close-ups from various angles, all
completely labeled with captions that show which control does what. The Quick Tour and first couple chapters will allow any new D50 owner to hit the ground running.
Because the D50 is more likely than, say, the D70 to be purchased by someone new to SLR photography, the basic chapters on photo fundamentals will help anyone who doesn't know what an f-stop or shutter speed is and how they work together to provide correct exposure. You can also learn about all the confusing options and when they should be used.
I loved the 100-page chapter on photography techniques, with several pages devoted to different types of photography situations, with advice on how to get good pictures in each setting.
Book Review: Excellent organization, great information
Summary: 5 Stars
This D50 guidebook has its priorities straight. The author recognizes that new D50 owners are likely to be photo neophytes or, at the least, new to digital SLRs. So, he doesn't bog you down with intense explanations of various features and functions right off the bat. Instead, he kicks off the book with a Quick Tour that explains how to use the essential controls and settings so you can set up your camera right out of the box, and get started shooting. You'll learn how to use the autofocus controls, white balance, and exposure options immediately, so you can begin shooting five minutes after cracking open this book. Then, once you've gotten your feet wet, later chapters explain in more detail exactly how those features work and what they are used for. I liked this approach much better than if the author had taken everything in strictly sequential order. It would have been easy to get bogged down in detail.
Instead, I enjoyed some measure of success with my new camera immediately, which in turn drew me back to the book to read on and learn more. The information is great.
Book Review: Best D50 Book Available
Summary: 5 Stars
I considered buying a Nikon D70s, but settled on the D50 because it was a lot less expensive. However, most of the D70s instruction DVDs and books available don't really apply to the D50, because this camera has different controls, etc., for example only one command dial isntead of two, and different buttons on top. So I was glad to get this D50-specific manual that explains these key features clearly.
There are lots of photos of the D50, with annotations explaining what each feature does. I liked the specific advice on the various scene modes -- when to use each one and when not to use each one -- as well as the explanations of use of the different autofocus AF-C, AF-S, and AF-A modes. This was all explained in much better language than in the manual that came with the D50.
The "recipes" section, which is a long section on various types of photography and how to shoot photos in those situations was very good, too. There was specific advice on using the D50 in these environments, including which lenses to use.
All in all a very good book.