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Newbie looking for a dSLR
- Thread starter wakerider017
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They're both good cameras. If price is a consideration short-term, the D40 is a better deal, if price is a consideration long-term the XTi might be a better deal depending on lens selection. At this point, the camera body is a 2-4 year investment that will determine what lenses, flashes, remotes and other accessories you get- that's where you get locked in. Lenses are 10 year plus investments, so if you're spending big money on glass, that's where you'll want to spend a lot of time looking- if you're not spending big money and don't have a lot of corner-case shooting then the lens selections are roughly equivalent.
Personally, I prefer the ergonomics of the Nikons to the Canons in SLR bodies- and about 60% or so of the posts I've seen on ergonomics seem to go that way.
If you can't get good pictures with the D40, it's not likely to be the D40's fault.
Nikon is currently catering more to the consumer market, Canon will have to step up its game there soon- but you can't take pictures with a camera you don't have. If price is a big issue, then I'd say get the D40 and don't worry about it- if you get serious later you'll have a good backup body and the investment will seem small in comparison, and if you don't get serious, then spending more than you have to is probably sub-optimal.
Get a kit Nikon D70s. One of the best entry-prosumer level cameras out there. I have a Nikon D300 and a D70s for backup and both cameras produce STELLAR prints. D70s with the kit lens or a 50mm will produce AMAZING prints, but the photographer has to do their part just like with any camera. You can get them on ebay for around $400.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D70s-6-1-...yZ107912QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-AF-Nikkor...ryZ30067QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
=win
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D70s-6-1-...yZ107912QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-AF-Nikkor...ryZ30067QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
=win
If you like small plastic bodies, there's nothing wrong with the Canon Rebels. However their shutters will only go to 50K actuations before failing. The pro bodies have a longer shutter life of 100K actuations. Plus if you have big hands the pro bodies will be much easier to hand hold. The pro bodies also are made of magnieusm alloy so if do you have a drop, it won't shatter into pieces. If on a budget, check out some used Canon 20D's or 30D's from KEH Camera Brokers. Buying new is a bit pointless unless you feel like paying full freight.
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Buying used is the best idea for a newbie, as sometimes you can get killer deals on higher up models. If you can snag a 20d for a good price I say go for it, they are great cameras as well.
I am pretty sure I am going to get the Nikon D40. Very reasonable in price and it comes with a nice kit lens.
What kind of memory card should I get for it? I don't know the difference between SD and SDHC. I also know that the card needs to be a certain speed to keep up with the camera. Would this card be adequate? http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-8GB...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1209065200&sr=1-3
What do you guys think of my choice of the D40?
What kind of memory card should I get for it? I don't know the difference between SD and SDHC. I also know that the card needs to be a certain speed to keep up with the camera. Would this card be adequate? http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-8GB...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1209065200&sr=1-3
What do you guys think of my choice of the D40?
SDHC is just a designation for anything from 4GB on up.
stands for Secure Digital High Capacity
SLC
stands for Secure Digital High Capacity
SLC
That's not true, MTBF statistics are the mean for failure- not a limit and then it dies. In this case it's a _calculated_ MTBF statistic, not a tested average or historical average. Finally a shutter replacement isn't that much- around $200 for something that most people probably won't even experience after five years of use- reports of Digital Rebel shutters going *well* past 100,000 actuations exist.
I know folks with Digital Rebels (350Ds) that are more than 5 years old that are still going strong.
Not necessarily, the consumer bodies tend to get rev'ed about two to three times as often as the professional ones, so you're generally looking at one to two generations of sensor and associated parts development. You also get the full manufacturer's warranty and the ability to gain an extended manufacturer's warranty for those manufacturers who offer it.
Go with the D40. It is a nice camera which will take some fantastic pictures for you and at that price, you'll be able to upgrade without buyers remorse.
D40 limitations?
I'm also considering that same D40 kit, even though I'm not too interested in the kit lens. Apparently not all Nikon lenses are fully compatible with the D40 (some won't autofocus?), so I'm wondering whether or not that camera really is a good deal. How can one tell if a lens will be fully compatible with it or not? Anyone know?
I'm also considering that same D40 kit, even though I'm not too interested in the kit lens. Apparently not all Nikon lenses are fully compatible with the D40 (some won't autofocus?), so I'm wondering whether or not that camera really is a good deal. How can one tell if a lens will be fully compatible with it or not? Anyone know?
You need to look for lenses that are AF-S. Meaning that they have internal focus motor.
Right now I don't think it is a disadvantage if you are just beginning. You might miss the possibility of using a 50 mm f/1.8 prime, but aside from that there are many lenses which are AF-S. Nikon has recently updated many lenses to AF-S.
Just for some examples of consumer lenses with AF-S:
-18-200 mm
-18-55 mm
-16-85 mm
-70-300 mm
-24-120 mm
-55-200 mm
And also most of the "pro" lenses are AF-S.
Also, lenses which are not AF-S still work with the D40/D40x/D60, but they won't autofocus.
Thanks for the helpful reply. It's interesting that every lens on your list here is a zoom lens. I'm more interested in prime lenses (I need one somewhere between 20 and 35mm). It's a pity the relatively inexpensive 50mm won't work; that would also be good to have.
Does an internal focus motor add a lot to the weight of the lens?
You are out of luck there. As far as I know only the prime super telephotos are AF-S.
You do have the option of a 17-35 f/2.8 or 14-24 f/2.8. Which are extremely good lenses, but also extremely heavy and expensive.
Give it a while and Nikon would start updating the primes, but don't wait on it, it might take a couple of years.
See this page, all current Nikon lenses appear there.
As far as I know it is barely noticeable.
Got the D40
Just pulled the trigger at Amazon!
Got the D40 Kit for $470 + the 55-200mm VR for $215 - $100 instant rebate = $585
I will sell the 55-200mm VR on ebay for approx $190 and end up paying approx $395 for the kit.
I also signed up for Amazon Prime and got free 2-day shipping (valued at $16).
Been doing some reading and the kit lens is supposed to be pretty darned good.
Just pulled the trigger at Amazon!
Got the D40 Kit for $470 + the 55-200mm VR for $215 - $100 instant rebate = $585
I will sell the 55-200mm VR on ebay for approx $190 and end up paying approx $395 for the kit.
I also signed up for Amazon Prime and got free 2-day shipping (valued at $16).
Been doing some reading and the kit lens is supposed to be pretty darned good.
Sigma makes an HSM version of it's 30mm in an F-mount, Nikon has just upgraded the 60mm prime to AF-S, but given the quality of some of the recently-released zooms, I'm not sure how much of a priority the wider lenses are goign to be.
You are out of luck there. As far as I know only the prime super telephotos are AF-S.
You do have the option of a 17-35 f/2.8 or 14-24 f/2.8. Which are extremely good lenses, but also extremely heavy and expensive.
Give it a while and Nikon would start updating the primes, but don't wait on it, it might take a couple of years.
See this page, all current Nikon lenses appear there.
As far as I know it is barely noticeable.
Thanks again for the help. This information just ruled out Nikon for me, since I'm in the market for an entry-level DSLR.
Don't miss what compuwar says, many third party lenses would autofocus with the D40. But I have to agree that if you want an entry level dSLR and you also want to use primes, the D40 is not the best option at the moment.
Try Sony
try going for a Sony A200, comes with a great kit lens and loads of great Carl Ziess lenses that are made especially for sony (if u want to invest later on(. all the lenses are cross compatible with any sony DSLR. check the features out on a http://www.dpreview.com.
must add that u could get an amazing deal on a Sony a100 on ebay. great camera also.
try going for a Sony A200, comes with a great kit lens and loads of great Carl Ziess lenses that are made especially for sony (if u want to invest later on(. all the lenses are cross compatible with any sony DSLR. check the features out on a http://www.dpreview.com.
must add that u could get an amazing deal on a Sony a100 on ebay. great camera also.
Well my D40 should be here Tuesday!
I really think I made the right choice. Money was a big issue and for an amateur I think this camera will be terrific!
I really think I made the right choice. Money was a big issue and for an amateur I think this camera will be terrific!
Let me us know how it is. I am very close to pulling the trigger on the Amazon deal. I'll probably go to Circuit City tomorrow to make sure, but I think the D40 feels better than rebels to my smaller hands. I am still a little scared of only 6 megapixles, but from what people say, maybe not so much an issue.
If you want to print regularly above 11x14 and look at the prints inside the normal viewing distance, then 6MP won't be enough. Otherwise, 6MP on an APS-C sized sensor are all you will need if you compose your pictures so you don't need to continually crop.
It's not just a designation. SD and SDHC are different hardware. Older cameras only designed for SD cannot work with SDHC cards.
There are standards-bending 4GB SD cards that are accepted by some cameras. Some of them require you to format the card with something else as they can read/write the FAT32 required, but not format it.
I've printed 10" x 15" from a 6 MP DSLR quite a few times, and it has never been a problem (although a bit of an odd size). I think I could even print these particular photos at a size like 16" x 20", and they probablywouldn't look bad from 3 feet or so. One of them is uncropped, but the other was cropped slightly. If you don't need to crop a lot, then you don't need to worry. If you have a sharp photo, you'll be able to print large. They even look good from 1 foot away, although I'm usually (at least) 5 feet away when viewing them (they're above my bed).
I played with one at Circuit City yesterday. Nice camera, but it was really beat up.
Also they had security things attached all over it, so it was very hard to handle.