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Buying a Nikon D40

cube said:
Get a used D50 for around $200, and enjoy a lot more new and second-hand lens access.
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This is the only argument I can think for for NOT buying a D40. The D40 does lack the in-body focus motor. The only way to get the motor (and the ability to use motor-less lenses) is to either move up to the more expensive Nikon D80 or buy a discontinued D50 or D70 on the used market.

You have to decide if yu will ever want to use a non "AF-S" type lens. If you are happy being limited to AF-S then the D40 is a great buy.

Just do give this some thought. Either way is OK but to ignore the issue is not.

Slovak said:
The D60 has 10MP as opposed to 6MP for the D40 (which also means more storage needed)

The D60 has a slower flash sync speed than the D40. Otherwise I believe these 2 cameras are identical.
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The D40's fewer pixels give the D40 slightly better low light ability and the faster sync speed has the effect of making the flash slightly more effective for outdoor fill-in flash. But the D60's greater number of pixels will allow you to make prints that are slightly wider.

But in all the difference are minor. When you compare a 10MP camera to a 6MP camera the differences are proportional to the square root of the number of pixels. so compare 3162 to 2449, not 10 to 6. Differences are a factor of 1.3 not 1.6
 
As others have said - great photos!

Would you still get the £75 off if you spend £300+ on a combination of items, rather than just a single one? If you add on a memory card, case (though I know ChrisA doesn't like these!) perhaps a tripod or even a second lens then you'd get over the £300 mark.

The 6MP would only start to become an issue if you're printing over about A4 size. Having said this I've read plenty of people say how they've got much larger prints from the D40 that look absolutely superb - the setup of the photo is just as important as the MP to get a good shot. (I've never printed a large print so can't speak from personal experience.)

I spent a while thinking between the D40 and D60. Went for the D40 a couple of weeks ago and it's great. You'll have a great camera whichever you choose.
 
timmyb said:
As others have said - great photos!

Would you still get the £75 off if you spend £300+ on a combination of items, rather than just a single one? If you add on a memory card, case (though I know ChrisA doesn't like these!) perhaps a tripod or even a second lens then you'd get over the £300 mark.

The 6MP would only start to become an issue if you're printing over about A4 size. Having said this I've read plenty of people say how they've got much larger prints from the D40 that look absolutely superb - the setup of the photo is just as important as the MP to get a good shot. (I've never printed a large print so can't speak from personal experience.)

I spent a while thinking between the D40 and D60. Went for the D40 a couple of weeks ago and it's great. You'll have a great camera whichever you choose.
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Thank you :). Yes, I'll get the £75 discount even if it's a combination of items. I have 2 of these £75 cards, however you can only use both of them in the one transaction if it comes to £600 or more :). We have a package on where you get a memory card and bag for £290 (I'm sure I could find something to bring it up to £300) however the bag I don't particularly like the look of, and the memory card is a 2GB integral (pretty cheap) basic memory card. I was more swaying towards a 4GB SanDisk.

I think I am probably more swaying towards the D40. I dislike how camera manufacturers have seemed to fool consumers into thinking the more megapixels the better. What this really means for the consumer is that the file sizes are bigger, and take longer to transfer onto your computer.

My Canon PnS (IXUS 60) is 6MP and I'm happy with that.

The one thing that I've always wanted to do with a camera is 'selective focusing' (or at least I think it's called that) where you have the camera focused on something, say a flower, and you can make the background out of focus and all fuzzy. I think that looks really good but it's not something I've even been able to achieve with my PnS. I know silly :p.

Something else I want to learn on the software side of things is selective colouring. For example, the picture I posted above of the dog with the leash, I'd like to make the leach the colour it was before I applied the B+W effect (blue). It would make it sorta stand out.

Oh by the way - the last picture, the one with the tree's on either end? It was taken with a 2MP Nikon Coolpix 2100. My first digital camera. The Canon IXUS 60 was my upgrade camera :)
 
ShaunPriest said:
We have a package on where you get a memory card and bag for £290 (I'm sure I could find something to bring it up to £300) however the bag I don't particularly like the look of, and the memory card is a 2GB integral (pretty cheap) basic memory card. I was more swaying towards a 4GB SanDisk.
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That doesn't sound like much of a deal for £40! I got a 2GB Sandisk card and a basic Jessops case for £25, (or there abouts.)

ShaunPriest said:
The one thing that I've always wanted to do with a camera is 'selective focusing' (or at least I think it's called that) where you have the camera focused on something, say a flower, and you can make the background out of focus and all fuzzy. I think that looks really good but it's not something I've even been able to achieve with my PnS.
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I love doing this with the focus, though I don't yet fully understand how to vary to aperture to give some "fuzz". The learning has only just begun!
 
ShaunPriest said:
The one thing that I've always wanted to do with a camera is 'selective focusing' (or at least I think it's called that) where you have the camera focused on something, say a flower, and you can make the background out of focus and all fuzzy. I think that looks really good but it's not something I've even been able to achieve with my PnS. I know silly :p.
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The larger the aperture (smaller numbers) the less depth of field you will have, and the more fuzziness in the foreground or background.
 
Don't forget that focal length also effects DoF. I've actually seen spacers sold that sit between the body and lens just to change the DoF. :)

The D40 (and others, I assume) has an aperture-priority mode that makes it really easy to get this effect. It lets you play with aperture while taking care of everything else... really handy to get a nice shot quickly.
 
D40 vs D60 experience

Hey!

I used a D40 for about two weeks for a few shoots, then traded up to a D60. They are nearly identical, save for the VR, the extra MP, and the slightly faster response of the 40.

The only reason that I traded up was because the specifications of the job changed just as I had purchased the camera. My client required a base megapixel, and frankly, the D40 no longer met the requirements.

I would say that if you are planning to do professional work, you may run into this situation. The rule of thumb is that 7MP ~= 35mm film. Obviously, digital and film are two different animals, but in terms of details captured, 7MP is where you want to be, minimum. More is just gravy.

I think they are both absolutely fantastic cameras. But for the deal you can get, and the future-proofing you can do for yourself professionally, I'd put my recommendation on the D60.

-rand()
 
D40 all the way.

I've got a D40 and have been thoroughly enjoying it.

I don't think the D60 is worth it. There's really not much of any difference.

You might also want to think about getting the 55-200 AF-S VR lens to bump up your total to qualify for the gift certificate.

Be sure to get the VR version though. VR doesn't matter too much in the 18-55mm lens range, but at longer ranges it makes a significant difference. There are many kits advertised that have the non-VR version of the 55-200mm lens, leaving many buyers upset afterwards.

Either way, have fun. You're already off to a great start judging from your pics above.

Cheers,

DCBass
 
Thank you to everyone who has replied to my thread, your comments and advice have been invaluable. You can look forward to some Christmas pictures in late December. :)

It is looking very much like I'm gonna go for the D40. I was in work today looking at the cameras in the warehouse, and I noticed we have the Canon 1000D. It has Live View, and Image Stabilization (which from my research - is only a feature available on the D40 and D60 with VR (vibration reduction) lenses, which they don't come with as standard).

I'm definitely leaning towards the D40, but I just want to make sure that it's the right choice.

I'll probably make the decision pretty soon. I'm not looking to get any additional lenses just now, as I cannot see my hobby developing seriously enough to justify spending the money on lenses.
 
I've decided on a bag and memory card:

Bag

Memory Card (I might buy the 4GB one - it's only £4 more.

Do the Extreme cards actually provide a faster experience using the camera?
 
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not using teh camera itself they won't, most even standard card are faster than teh spee dmost dslr can write on them anyways, where you'll see the difference is when you are transfering the photos from the card to your computer, and that is if you are using a fast card reader..
 
ShaunPriest said:
I've decided on a bag and memory card:

Bag

Memory Card (I might buy the 4GB one - it's only £4 more.

Do the Extreme cards actually provide a faster experience using the camera?
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I have one of these in a standard point and shoot camera. It was an amazing difference, unfortunately it was too fast for my camera. Ruined the images as I would take the picture, an as it was so quick the moment i moved it became blurry. In my mates D40X its fine! HE loves his D40 an he got a wicked deal. I cant believe people still buy memory cards from jessops when you can pick up 4+GB cards for less then £25?!
 
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Regarding the issue of autofocus on the older lenses that are not AF-S, do not be too quick to rule out manual focus. I have a D40 and my 50mm f/1.8 AF lens never comes off it. It took me a while to get used to manual focus but now its second nature to me. Remember that digital cameras have a great advantage when you are unsure of focus (auto or manual): taking more shots costs nothing.
 
Right! I'm going with my mum to buy the camera tomorrow. I'm pretty excited!

I also bought:



Crumpler Prettyboy M Black Camera Bag,



Nikon D40/D40x Digital Field Guide (Paperback) and,



2GB SD Sandisk Memory Card.

I'm pretty set on getting the camera tomorrow. I'd just like to ask before I go for it, I read on another MacRumors forum (about someone else who was between a Nikon D40, D60 or D80:

Hi everybody, thank you very much for all the suggestions and help. Today after a while of sleepless nights, i went with the D80. I just felt that the D80 was more 'substantial' and the D40 felt abit like a toy (although no offence Im sure it produces the same quality photos and everything) just that for me...
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After my research, I sort of feel like like the person in the quote above, that the D40 is very entry level and is not 'substantial' enough as other cameras, and more 'toy' like. I'm being silly right?

Oh I forgot to mention this is my current PnS:



A Canon PowerShot SD 600 (or Canon IXUS 60 as it's known in Europe). It's 6MP and the Nikon is 6MP too. I know the amount of pixels is somewhat irrelevant, and the image quality is determined probably more by the photographer rather than the camera, but what sort of performance increase can I expect? Will be photos just 'look' better?

Once again, I would like to thank everyone that has helped me in this thread. I've put a lot of research into buying this camera, mostly because it's an area of technology I'm not too well versed in. It's been fun, and frustrating at the same time. Fun learning, but frustrating not knowing what I want! But thank you to everyone again, you've all be really helpful and you're comments on my pictures have been reassuring!

- Shaun
 
Hi again,

Just to let you all know, I got the D40 :).

I also got the D40 Field Guide and the Crumpler bag.

I'm looking really forward to getting the camera, and I'm already considering lenses.

I am a bit clueless about the different type of lenses.

I don't know whether to get a lens now, or after Christmas. I haven't used the camera yet and don't get it until Christmas, so I don't know if I should see how I get on with the 18-55mm lens, or if I should buy a lens just now so I can start using it as soon as I get the camera.

The lens I was looking at was the "Nikon 55-200MM F4.5-5.6G AF-S VR DX Black Lens".

I know what the VR means, and I know it will autofocus with the D40. What I don't understand is what the 55-200MM means, and the F4.5-5.6G.

Is this the recommended next lens to buy when buying something to use with the D40?

I've read that the lens that comes with the D40 is pretty good, but I think I might like something with a bigger zoom for taking scenery snapshots on holiday (Turkey '09 :)).

On the other hand, I do like taking photographs of things close up - flowers and the like. Will the 18-55MM be best for this?

Thank you for your inputs again, I'm very excited about using the camera and can't wait to experiment!
 
ShaunPriest said:
I know what the VR means, and I know it will autofocus with the D40. What I don't understand is what the 55-200MM means, and the F4.5-5.6G.

Is this the recommended next lens to buy when buying something to use with the D40?

I've read that the lens that comes with the D40 is pretty good, but I think I might like something with a bigger zoom for taking scenery snapshots on holiday (Turkey '09 :)).

On the other hand, I do like taking photographs of things close up - flowers and the like. Will the 18-55MM be best for this?
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55-200mm means it zooms from 55mm to 200mm. f/4.5-5.6 means it has a variable aperture. at 55mm its maximum aperture is 4.5 and at 200mm its 5.6. thats kinda slow. it'll work ok if you are outside in the sunlight but not too much else.

if you want to shoot things up close like flowers, look for a macro lens.
 
How much is the camera running? Does anybody have any pictures they can post that they took with it?

Midget Mariachi
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