Anyone know if a Nikon D40 update is imminent?

[jawzzy]

Kinda what the title says...

My birthday is in late December, and I was going to ask for a Nikon D40. Does anyone know what the update schedule is like/ when it might next be updated?

I don't want to get a camera and then have it be quickly outdated.

Opinions or comments? Any help is much appreciated.

Edit: Also when might the new Vibration Reduction lens be included as the kit lens? Would this Vibration Reduction be bad if I were using a slow shutter to get some intentional blurring of objects in motion? Would it mess the effect up?

 

[Kamera RAWr]

I doubt we'll see an update to the D40 before summer next year, it is a relatively recent model. Ask for it and if you get it I'm sure you'll enjoy, as its a great camera.

The vibration reduction won't affect your taking pictures of objects in motion, unless your hands are in motion . The VR only deals with movement from the photographer, not the movement of subjects. Hope I didn't misunderstand your comment

If you're interested in taking pictures with slower shutter speeds, invest in a good tripod. That way, the background should stay sharp and the movements of whatever it is you're photographing will show

 

[iSamurai]

there's a D40x out there which is pretty ok

 

[jawzzy]

Ah, I see about the VR. It's good that the D40 is a recent model. It sounds like a great camera and I'll probably ask for one as a combined Christmas/birthday present.

Does anyone have any idea if the D40 kit might start shipping with the new 18-55 VR lens?

 

[ftaok]

Does anyone have any idea if the D40 kit might start shipping with the new 18-55 VR lens?

Here's my thoughts on this subject ... mind you that I don't really have any personal basis for this opinion.

With an 18-55 lens, VR is not really required. Is it better/useful, sure. But at such low zooms, you're hands wouldn't really shake that badly. Plus, with a DSLR, you have to shoot it with the viewfinder to your face, which stabilizes your shot as well.

I'm guessing that Nikon will do away with the standard 18-55 lens and go with the VR lens. It's only a $50 difference when bought separately. I wonder if they are even making the regular lens anymore and just exhausting the supplies.

The real question is "when will an 18-200 VR lens be available" and "when can I afford it".

ft

 

[Abstract]

I'd still wait for the 18-55 mm VR lens to be included with the kit, though. They also changed the optics of the new lens. If tests show that it's worse than before, having VR is still quite useful in many ways.

Mind you, the Nikon kit lens is VERY good in terms of sharpness. In fact, so is the new Canon kit lens with "IS" (same as VR). These 2 lenses are so sharp that even the much more expensive 17-55 mm f2.8 lenses are no sharper than the 2 kit lenses. Yes, the kit lenses are prone to flaring, have much higher amounts of CA (which is easily corrected), more distortion, and don't have the large, constant f/2.8 aperture, but they're still very sharp lenses that will bring you a lot of good photos.

If you can just wait for tests on the new 18-55 mm VR lens and see if it's better, then wait. If you can't wait, then don't worry about it. Chances are, you'll eventually replace the kit lens with another lens in the future, regardless of the VR.