Nikon D50 vs Olympus E-420

The Nikon D50 and the Olympus E-420 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2005 and March 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (D50) and a Four Thirds (E-420) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 6 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 10 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon D50		Olympus E-420
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Four Thirds lenses
6 MP – APS-C sensor		10 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 200-1,600		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.0" LCD – 130k dots		2.7" LCD – 215k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
2.5 shutter flaps per second		3.5 shutter flaps per second
400 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
133 x 102 x 76 mm, 620 g		130 x 91 x 53 mm, 440 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D50 and the Olympus E-420? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D50 and the Olympus E-420 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-420 is notably smaller (13 percent) than the Nikon D50. Moreover, the E-420 is markedly lighter (29 percent) than the D50. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D50 nor the E-420 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D50) and the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-420).

Concerning battery life, the D50 gets 400 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL3 battery, while the E-420 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-1 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D50	133 mm	102 mm	76 mm	620 g	400	n	Apr 2005	US$ 749	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D40	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	470	n	Nov 2006	US$ 499	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	US$ 729	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D60	126 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	500	n	Jan 2008	US$ 629	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D70	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	400	n	Jan 2004	US$ 999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D70s	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	500	n	Apr 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3000	126 mm	97 mm	64 mm	536 g	500	n	Jul 2009	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	US$ 749	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	US$ 749	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-400	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Sep 2006	US$ 699	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	US$ 699	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-450	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2009	US$ 499	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	US$ 699	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	US$ 699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-420 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 20 percent) than the D50, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D50 features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-420 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-420 is 39 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.0. The sensor in the D50 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-420 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the E-420 offers a higher resolution of 10 megapixels, compared with 6 MP of the D50. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.74μm versus 7.85μm for the D50). However, it should be noted that the E-420 is much more recent (by 2 years and 10 months) than the D50, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-420 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-420 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D50 are 15 x 10 inches or 38.2 x 25.4 cm for good quality, 12 x 8 inches or 30.6 x 20.3 cm for very good quality, and 10 x 6.7 inches or 25.5 x 16.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D50 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus E-420 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the D50 is build around a CCD sensor, while the E-420 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D50	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.9	10.8	560	55
2.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
3.		Nikon D40	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	21.0	11.0	561	56
4.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
5.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
6.		Nikon D70	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
7.		Nikon D70s	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
8.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
9.		Nikon D3000	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.1	563	62
10.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
11.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
12.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84
13.		Olympus E-400	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
14.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
15.		Olympus E-450	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.5	512	56
16.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
17.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D50 and the E-420 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the D50 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-420 (0.50x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D50 and Olympus E-420 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon D50	optical	n	2.0 / 130	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
2.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
3.		Nikon D40	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D60	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D70	optical	n	1.8 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D70s	optical	n	2.0 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D3000	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Olympus E-400	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Olympus E-450	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
16.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
17.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The D50 writes its imaging data to SD cards, while the E-420 uses Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. The E-420 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D50 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D50 and Olympus E-420 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon D50	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon D40	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D70	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D70s	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D3000	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-400	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Olympus E-450	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the D50 and the E-420 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D50 was replaced by the Nikon D40, while the E-420 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the D50 and E-420 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D50 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-420 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon D50 and the Olympus E-420? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D50:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.50x vs 0.46x).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in April 2005).

Advantages of the Olympus E-420:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (10 vs 6MP), which boosts linear resolution by 26%.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (215k vs 130k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.5 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (130x91mm vs 133x102mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 180g or 29 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (20 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 10 months of technical progress since the D50 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-420 is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 2 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D50 and the Olympus E-420 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the D50 or the E-420 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D50	..	78/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2005	US$ 749	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D40	..	81/100	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Nov 2006	US$ 499	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	US$ 729	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D60	..	80/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	US$ 629	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D70	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	US$ 999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D70s	..	..	..	..	..	5/5	Apr 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3000	..	+	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	US$ 749	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	US$ 749	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-400	..	85/100	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2006	US$ 699	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	US$ 699	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-450	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Mar 2009	US$ 499	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	US$ 699	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	US$ 699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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