NIKON AF-S VR 70-300 4.5-5.6 IF-ED or not ?

[Knight]

Im at a loss to make a choice here , im looking to get myself a better lense for my D50 and Nikon has just announced a new NIKON AF-S VR 70-300 4.5-5.6 IF-ED at a fair price $650.00 CDN for a VR lense .
Heres were my problem is ,im browsing the net for camera stuff and i stumble on this new 10.1-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, successor to the popular DMC-FZ30, features a powerful f2.8 Leica DC lens with 12x optical zoom. The lens focal length is equivalent to 35-420mm on a 35mm film camera and is enhanced by Mega O.I.S., (Optical Image Stabilizer ) and it`s cost is only $495.00 CDN .

I have seen pictures from the FZ30 and the were up to par with just about anything in it`s class at 8mp`s and the FZ50 is the improved version of the FZ30 with 10mp`s . So what i need is a few very good reasons not to just buy the FZ50 instead of the NIKON AF-S VR 70-300 4.5-5.6 IF-ED lens .

Any help making my discision will be appreciated . I cited the new Nikon lens but it could be another lens just as well. All im looking for is some range for birding.

[Franglais]

Im at a loss to make a choice here , im looking to get myself a better lense for my D50 and Nikon has just announced a new NIKON AF-S VR 70-300 4.5-5.6 IF-ED at a fair price $650.00 CDN for a VR lense .
Heres were my problem is ,im browsing the net for camera stuff and i stumble on this new 10.1-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, successor to the popular DMC-FZ30, features a powerful f2.8 Leica DC lens with 12x optical zoom. The lens focal length is equivalent to 35-420mm on a 35mm film camera and is enhanced by Mega O.I.S., (Optical Image Stabilizer ) and it`s cost is only $495.00 CDN .

I have seen pictures from the FZ30 and the were up to par with just about anything in it`s class at 8mp`s and the FZ50 is the improved version of the FZ30 with 10mp`s . So what i need is a few very good reasons not to just buy the FZ50 instead of the NIKON AF-S VR 70-300 4.5-5.6 IF-ED lens .

Any help making my discision will be appreciated . I cited the new Nikon lens but it could be another lens just as well. All im looking for is some range for birding.

My sister went on a serious birdwatching trip to the Outer Hebridees this Spring. She said that one of the other participants had this Panasonic device and that the results were excellent. Didn't see them myself - not my sort of event. She came back with bronchitis..

This may be a case where the LUMIX fills a niche and is well suited to the specific requirements of birdwatching - broad daylight, long telephoto, image stabiliser. The D50 would be way ahead as soon as you need high ISO, sophisticated flash, long bursts of images, subject in movement so you need to follow focus, etc.

Charles

[Knight]

Well Charles i think i just may give it a try , i have it on order from Camera Canada . One thing worries me is that the price listed may be in error. At $495.00 CDN its the cheapest price on the internet , but i have a confirmed order number from them. I will just have to wait and C what happens .

[another view]

Realize that the 35mm equivalent should be applied to the 70-300 lens too. That makes it zoom up to a 450mm equivalent (x1.5) which is almost the same as the 420mm equivalent. It's not a big advantage one way or the other - but you already have the D50 and I think it with this new lens would be a better setup.

[Franglais]

Realize that the 35mm equivalent should be applied to the 70-300 lens too. That makes it zoom up to a 450mm equivalent (x1.5) which is almost the same as the 420mm equivalent. It's not a big advantage one way or the other - but you already have the D50 and I think it with this new lens would be a better setup.

The Panasonic lens has an effective maximum aperture of f2.8 at the wide end and f3.7 at the tele end. That's more than a stop advantage over the Nikon lens. It has 10MPix when the D50 only has 6MPix but I don't think that is going to make a great difference. Plus the Panasonic is certainly smaller and lighter..

Could the poster write a review of the Panasonic when he's had time to try it out? I know that my sister is going to ask me about it.

Thanks
Charles

[Knight]

Dont get me wrong ,I love my D50 and i would never part with it. But i find it God awfull how lenses are so expensive. Here i can get a hole camera for less than the price of a lense. I am looking for a second camera to carry with me on occasions were the Nikon gear is just to much to carry and if they do deliver the FZ50 to me it just may be what im looking for in a second camera ,part DSLR and part Point and shoot As for my D50 i would really like to have more range , guess theres always Ebay.

[Knight]

Well as i expected my FZ50 order was cancelled this morning lol There was a lot of Blah blah with a sales rep about him loosing his shirt with this deal . Made him squirm for about 5 minutes then asked him if he was going to compansate me for loosing such a great deal , so he says hes gonna send me a discount offer to use when i want So now back to my D50 and what i can do to extend my range without it costing me a arm and a leg!