Very Comparable In Design
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Very Comparable In Design
- 3. Viewfinders & Focusing
- 4. Fast Enough
- 5. Exposure & Shooting
- 6. White Balance
- 7. Menus On The Nikon D50
- 8. Menus On The Nikon D50, Continued
- 9. Menus On The Pentax IstDL
- 10. Menus On The Pentax IstDL, Continued
- 11. The "Fn" Adjustments On The IstDL
- 12. Flash: Simple Or More Complex?
- 13. Drive: The Advantage Of Buffer Memory
- 14. Recording And Viewing Images
- 15. The Big Screen
- 16. Lenses In Abundance
- 17. Compatibility
- 18. Power Supply
- 19. Connectivity And Software
- 20. Connectivity And Software, Continued
- 21. Image Quality
- 22. Image Quality, Continued
- 23. Image Quality, Continued
- 24. Image Quality, Continued
2. Very Comparable In Design
Both models use a 6 megapixel CCD sensor made by Sony, so they start off on an equal footing there. The differences stem from the way the sensor is used, and from the cameras' onboard software. If you look at the table below, it's easy to see that both models offer more or less the same essential characteristics. Since the sensor is the same - or at least very similar - the focal-length conversion factor (or "crop factor") is identical, at 1.5x. This represents how much you multiply the stated focal length of a lens to get the equivalent length of a full sized 35mm film SLR. So for example, a 60mm lens on one of these cameras provides a field of view similar to that of a 90mm lens on a film camera.
Naturally, Pentax has stayed with its usual lens mount (based on the K mount dating from the 1970s) and Nikon with theirs (mechanically unchanged since the 1960s). We'll have more to say about that later!
Main Characteristics
| Manufacturer / Model | Nikon D50 | Pentax istDL |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Single-Lens Reflex | Single-Lens Reflex |
| Sensor | CCD 6 Mpixels | CCD 6 Mpixels |
| Maximum resolution | 3008x2000 | 3008x2000 |
| Lens | Nikon AF/F mount | Pentax KAF2/K mount |
| Conversion (crop) factor | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Viewfinder | 0.75X, 95% | 0.85X, 95% |
| Focusing | AF 5 focusing points | AF 3 focusing points |
| Metering modes | M (3 D), P | S, M, P, S |
| Exposure modes | M, A, S, P scene | M, A, S, P scene |
| Shutter | 30s - 1/4000s | 30s - 1/4000s |
| Max burst rate (fps) | 2.5 | 2.8 |
| ISO sensitivity | 200 - 1600 | 200 - 3200 |
| White balance | 6 modes + manual | 7 modes + manual |
| Built-in flash (ISO 200 GN) | 15 | 15.6 |
| File formats | JPEG, RAW | JPEG, RAW |
| Memory slot | SD | SD |
| Interface | USB 2.0 High Speed | USB 2.0 High Speed |
| Display (inches, pixels) | 2", 130,000 | 2.5", 210,000 |
| Video output | Composite | Composite |
| Battery type | Li-ion 7.4V/1400mAh | LR6/AA x4 |
| Dimensions | Approx. 5.2 x 4.0 x 3.0"
(133 x 102 x 76 mm) |
4.6 x 2.6 x 2.9"
(125 x 92.5 x 67 mm) |
| Weight (stripped) | 1 lb 3 oz (540 g) | 1 lb 0.6 oz (470 g) |
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