Personally, I think you should buy my Nikon D70 (it’s on Amazon Marketplace). I don’t need it now that I finally got hold of a D200! (think of it, the features of a D70, for the price of a D50!)
If you had a little more budget, I’d highly recommend the D200 as a lower cost alternative to the Canon 5d.
The i-TTL lighting system in these Nikons (D50, D70, and D200 et al) is awesome!

By the way, as for your lenses (one short & one long) the reviews on the Nikon 18-200 VR zoom are really good. It’s reported to be really sharp & with the VR (stabilization) it’ll help you get more good shots. With one lens of this range, you won’t have to change lenses as often,so you’ll have less risk of getting dust on the sensor (the bane of digital SLRs.
I haven’t got mine yet from B&H, but I was told that Calumet had some in stock. It’s been a little hard to get because demand has exceeded supply.
Check my blog-site for links to B&H and Calumet!

I hope this doesn’t turn into a Nikon-Canon debate. I’m hoping everyone can agree that they both make cameras that can take great pictures. There’s plenty out on the net if you want more information on the pros and cons of the two manufacturers. My first recommendation is to go try the models you’re interested in. I went with Nikon 15 years ago because it fit my hand better. If you’re sure you want Nikon, I can offer some suggestions.

No, I’m pretty much set on Nikon, I think. I like the punchier colors. John, is there a reason you chose the D70 over the D50?

I bought the D70 when it was first introduced two years ago. The D50 wasn’t an option. My only other options in the Nikon world were the aging D100 and the outrageously expensive D1X. The D70 was announced at the right time. I was thinking about the D100, but just couldn’t make the plunge. The D70, with the better specs, and lower price than anything else sealed the deal.

I’d (barely) buy the D70 again over the D50, but only for a few reasons.

1) D70 uses CF cards. D50 uses SD. I have a lot of CF cards. The D50 needs to use SD because it’s a smaller camera. SD does cost a little more than CF.
2) built in SB-commander mode. You can use the D70 to control wireless SB flashes. I use this quite frequently.
3) The D70 has bracketing and meter control access from bottons. You need to use the menus with the D50.

There are a few other differences, like the lack of a DOF preview on the D50, but these are the differences that would be important to me. The D50 takes great pics. Just as nice as the D70/D70s.

And I already had Nikon lenses which let me spend a little more on the body.

I’ll add some lens suggestions later tonight.

Ok. So I lied about adding lens recommendations last night. But I’m only a day late.

Get the Nikkor AF-S DX 18-70 mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED kit lens if possible. I haven’t seen it with the D50, but a store may be willing to make a deal. Except for some distortion (which all zooms have), the 18-70 is a fantastic lens. I have the 24-85 version, and it’s great as an everyday lens. I didn’t get the 18-70 because I already had the 24-85 and have regretted it ever since. Although, I hear the 18-55 is a decent lens as well.

For long recommendation, I’d highly recommend the 20 year old Nikkor 70-210 f/4. This was one of the most expensive lenses Nikon made at the time. In fact, it was replaced rather quickly becaus sales were slow (from what I’ve been told). It’s sharp and relatively fast. If you can ignore the slow focusing, it can’t be beat for the price. I got mine from keh.com in “bargain” condition for $136. Bagain meant it was perfect, minus the end cap, I guess.

[...] I shot this with my Nikon D70s, a 210mm lens (I really love this 70-210 lens. Thanks for the recommendation, John!). I turned off the flash and opened the curtains enough so Wolverine’s face was lit. I tried it with no fill light at all, and like the silhouette action. [...]

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