Nikon D40 thoughts?

Anybody shoot with this camera? If so, what are your thoughts?
Anybody else who is into DSLR can chime in as well.

Basically, OfficeMax is clearing the last of these out. It is advertised at $349 - 15% (brown bag coupon in paper). Came out to $318 with tax.

Comes with 18-55 AF-S kit lens. Only 6 MP but I have no need for bigger than 8x10 prints. Just need something better than my G9 to take pics of my son and normal everyday stuff (parties, trips etc).

At this price point it seems like a great deal. However, should I go with something like the Canon Xsi/Ti?

Also, I have been using P&S for a while now and having to look through a viewfinder again seems wierd. What are people's thoughts on viewfinder vs live view?

Thanks!

 

For the price, i'd say go for it. If you wanted to upgrade down the road then it's a great entry level camera.

here is a pretty in depth review for ya: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/ND40/ND40A.HTM?r=15593360

I recently got the canon t1i (shoots in 15.1 mp and 1080p movie mode). Love it but it also cost me about 4x as much as the deal your getting. Go out and get the d40 before its to late!

 

it's a great camera, i use it a lot, not just for taking pictures of my truck, but strait up photography type stuff.

If you can get photoshop then it'll be impossible to tell that it's a D-40 and not a better one like the D-60 or D-300

here are some of the photo's i've taken with it

 

The D40 is AWESOME!! I use it all the time, no problems at all! its a great great buy

 

A great camera. I bought mine before the VR lens was standard so get that if you can. Battery lasts forever and the 1GB SD chip holds a lot of images. Check out kenrockwell.com for info

 

Thanks for the anwers!

Mreimann, those are some real nice pics. Hope I can duplicate!

So I got the camera. And I have a story that goes with it:

So I go into OfficeMax, ask the lady behind the counter if the D40 was in stock. She calls a manager. He comes down, goes into the back and comes out with the box. Brings it to the register and I pay and move on.

So I go home. Wasn't sure if I was keeping it at that point. (Wasn't sure if I was going to plunk down $600+ for a newer dSLR at that point)
Fast forward a few hours, I decide to check it out. I open the box and the kit lens s just sitting there all unprotected. I'm like Hmm.... So I proceed to move the tons of info and manuals to get to the body. Pull out the box and it is light as a feather. No body! Now, I am like WTF!

So I call the store and get the manager. All along thinking that this guy is going to give me a hard time thinking I am pulling a fast one. So I get to talk to him and he explains to me that the one I bought was the box for the display model and the display model is still in the store. So, I calmly mentioned to him how lame that was that I was sold the display box. He gives me some line on how the display boxes are stored in another place blah blah blah. So I told him he needs to find a brand new one for me and have it hear Monday, Tuesday at the latest. (UPS overnight). Anything less would not be accepted. He calls me back and tells me he has one being shipped in for either Mon or Tues. All I have to do is go in and swap it out. We shall see...

Can you believe that? How does something like that happen? Wouldn't a "Dsiplay Model" sticker on the box help out people out so this type of thing would never happen? I mean, shame on me for not checking the box but I didn't know. Paying retail and tax is something I do rarely on big purchases (Amazon FTW). I mean to me the box seemed full. Never had a dSLR kit in my hands for reference. Ah well....

So, I intend to go in when the thing gets here and see if they will do something for my troubles. I have a family get-together with my Dad's side this Sunday that I would have DEFINATELY used this camera for and yet missed some golden shots with my son's cousins. We don't see them often and they are all babies. Kind of a let down. Maybe I can wave the box at them and get them to laugh at me and someone else can take the pic!


..anyways, does anyone have any tips to help me start out? And should be looking into another lens? I hear a 50mm f/1.8 is the way to go. Does that come in AF-S (as the D40 has no autofucos motor in the body)?

Thanks as always!

 

a good tip to starting out is honestly to just mess around with all the settings like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO in the different modes. I read a few things on line about the rule of thirds and all what not.

the best way to learn is to just take the same picture but change the setting and see what it does.

but good luck with the camera!

 

Huge review on D40 here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/
Only thing I noticed is that the D40 might not work with anti-shake technology. I think Nikon calls this VR (Canon calls it Image Stabilization, or IS).

I've been lucky enough to shoot with a Canon 50mm 1.2L and I consider it to be one of the more fun lenses to use. Things just seem to turn out right. However, 50mm is narrow for group shots... the most common size for an 'average user' prime lens is a 35mm.

I'm not sure what your budget is looking like, but I'd try getting an adjustable zoom so you can cover more shots. I have a Canon 24-105mm, and it gets most everything done except if I were to go back to Yellowstone (I'd want a ton more reach)

 

Go to your book store and pick up this book
From Magic Lantern "Nikon D40"
These are very good books with lots of tips on how to use your camera. It's the manual the mfg. should include but didn't.
Also, any of the "Understanding..." books from Bryan Peterson. You bookstore will have both. For now, Google Bryan Peterson and you will see what I'm referring to as far as his books. I would start with Understanding Exposure.

 

Find out what extras you want and check ebay. I buy from cameta camera or cameta auctions. Only buy from a nikon dealer and do not buy a gray market. Make sure it has a usa nikon warranty. Search ebay nikon d40 and look out..

 

i know viet shoots a D40

 

dont buy canons rebel... ive heard nothing but shit from them.... if you really want cannon go 40D....

FWIW its a great cameraand like you said you dont need anything more.... i say do it

Edit: just saw that you bought it

 

Not sure what problems people have had with the Rebel series, I used both the 300D and the 350D prior to buying my 40D and they have served me well. I still use both of them for backup.

 

Here is a great place to start http://www.dpreview.com/
They are unbiased and just state the facts. Another tool i found useful is to look at the pictures the equipment takes, check out http://www.pbase.com/cameras click on the brand you are considering and look for the model. Click on the model and it will take you to galleries where that equipment was used.
Don't get sucked into this brand is better than that brand. All of the major brands are making outstanding equipment. I shoot with Canon.

 

No problem

 

I don't know why you keep saying that. DPReview considered it to be highly recommended. A 40D is a definite step up, but there is an added cost difference (a quick check says I'd spend at least $200 more on a used 40D over an XSi), and not everyone needs to start out at Canon's pro grade.

Here's an unedited pic from my Rebel XSi. I consider myself an amateur and I don't see anything that makes me want to throw my camera in a ditch.




More than anything, be picky about the lens rather than the body.

 

Sears was closing out the D40.
I bought a new D40 from Sears.
$249.00

I added the 8GB chip.
Manual states 4 GB but that is an old printing.
The 8 GB chip will work also.
HUGE amount of picture capacity!

 

Great discussion! The past few days I have been studying up on my purchase. I am for sure going to keep this. I was thinking I shouyld plunk down a few more hundred for the Xsi kit. Xsi is tad more camera and allows for AF on the camera. But, I have decided that I am not yet the guy who always has the camera with him. For my needs the D40 seems to fit perfectly. I am coming off a Canon G7 which is awesome for anything that doesn't move. But its slow lens can be a PITA at times.

 

After doing more reading it seems that there are alot of haters on the lack on onbody AF. While being able to AF w/ all the Nikon glass would be cool. Is a guy who buys an entry level camera going to care about all those lens? I saw one guy said he had over $5000 in glass and couldn't use it because he bought a D40. He's got $5k in glass and buys a $500 camera? He should lug everything around for being a moron.
The kit lens seems more than good enough right now. I will look into the 35mm f/1.8 AF-S when the time is right.

 

Awesome camera. I actually like it better than the 10mp Nikons because the light gathering seems to be better in low light. It is also so light weight that it is no big deal to carry it around all day in a camera fanny case. I also carry a 55-200mm VR zoom at the same time.

If you are thinking about becoming a "serious" photographer, the only drawback is that the body doesn't have the autofocus motor, the lenses do. That means you have to manually focus the older lenses if you have any. For me, I just bought a new lens and went with it. I do 99% of my shooting with the 18-55mm lens. I just got the long zoom to photograph soccer games with the kids.

If you want to take good pictures, focus more on the picture taking than the hardware.