These flash units are in two parts and require the correct module to work with the camera. The same flash head is used for Minolta, Nikon, Pentax and Canon the modules are different for each camera. These flash units were also built for the "older" 35mm manual cameras which don't sync the same as digital. One thing though and that is the trigger voltage is low enough it shouldn't have burnt out your D50. Now if you do have the Nikon module it's most probably for a film camera, it might flash but not TTL, it'll give full flash burst because it just doesn't communicate with the "new" digital D50 flash circuitry. The flash may be able to be used as a slave for background lighting in a multiple flash set using a light sensitive triggering device.
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These flash units are in two parts and require the correct module to work with the camera. The same flash head is used for Minolta, Nikon, Pentax and Canon the modules are different for each camera. These flash units were also built for the "older" 35mm manual cameras which don't sync the same as digital. One thing though and that is the trigger voltage is low enough it shouldn't have burnt out your D50. Now if you do have the Nikon module it's most probably for a film camera, it might flash but not TTL, it'll give full flash burst because it just doesn't communicate with the "new" digital D50 flash circuitry. The flash may be able to be used as a slave for background lighting in a multiple flash set using a light sensitive triggering device.