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Nikon D40
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Only a consumer would buy that instead of a small DSLR.
A prosumer would have something like a D200, and a compact digicam when he doesn't want the bulk.
The biggest digicam I would go for is a Kodak P880 or a Coolpix 8400, and that only because there are no smaller digital alternatives going down to 24mm equiv.
A prosumer would have something like a D200, and a compact digicam when he doesn't want the bulk.
The biggest digicam I would go for is a Kodak P880 or a Coolpix 8400, and that only because there are no smaller digital alternatives going down to 24mm equiv.
As part of the unwashed photography masses who would be interested in this (i.e. P&S people graduating to base DSLRs because they haven't found any solid prosumers that they like - save the DSC-V3 which is discontinued), I have a couple of questions:
Please feel free to berate me for asking them but if you berate me, at least answer my questions after you do
. Anyway:
I know what autofocus is but I've searched the web and Nikon's Nikkor and digicam sites and can't figure out what the difference between AF and AF-S is. What does AF-S mean?
Additionally as someone who wants to learn more about photography i.e. not someone who just wants a nice camera for vacation photos, would this be a good camera to invest in (note that I'm a student and therefore don't have 1k to put into a new DSLR) or should I just try and get a D50 before they discontinue them? Thanks!
P.S. I just wanted to say, I really like the macrumors DP forum, it's a lot less daunting to post here than over at dpreview or something where everyone knows everything there is to know so asking a question like "what is AF-S?" would make you fodder for the photo buffs who like ripping on newbies.
Please feel free to berate me for asking them but if you berate me, at least answer my questions after you do
. Anyway:I know what autofocus is but I've searched the web and Nikon's Nikkor and digicam sites and can't figure out what the difference between AF and AF-S is. What does AF-S mean?
Additionally as someone who wants to learn more about photography i.e. not someone who just wants a nice camera for vacation photos, would this be a good camera to invest in (note that I'm a student and therefore don't have 1k to put into a new DSLR) or should I just try and get a D50 before they discontinue them? Thanks!
P.S. I just wanted to say, I really like the macrumors DP forum, it's a lot less daunting to post here than over at dpreview or something where everyone knows everything there is to know so asking a question like "what is AF-S?" would make you fodder for the photo buffs who like ripping on newbies
.Plain AF is slower, noisier, and it doesn't allow manual retouch of focus when in AF mode.
AF-S is supposed to be faster, more silent, and allow manual retouch, but there are some cheap lenses which are 'crippled' AF-S.
On Sigma, it is called HSM.
A D50 will give you access to a lot of used AF lenses in autofocus mode.
According to the leaked specs, a D40 will give you a better LCD, higher ISO, worse AF, less direct buttons, and be smaller. Note that there could be improvements in the quality of the pictures, but on the other hand some people are having trouble with the exposure of the D80, so this camera is an unknown.
Who knows if there will be a D50s with the D40 improvements. With the D50 you can take pics NOW.
AF-S is supposed to be faster, more silent, and allow manual retouch, but there are some cheap lenses which are 'crippled' AF-S.
On Sigma, it is called HSM.
A D50 will give you access to a lot of used AF lenses in autofocus mode.
According to the leaked specs, a D40 will give you a better LCD, higher ISO, worse AF, less direct buttons, and be smaller. Note that there could be improvements in the quality of the pictures, but on the other hand some people are having trouble with the exposure of the D80, so this camera is an unknown.
Who knows if there will be a D50s with the D40 improvements. With the D50 you can take pics NOW.
Nikon aims to cover every price point.
What Nikon is aimming at here is to have a DSLR body at each price point. It looks like the D50 and D70s are going to be discontinued and they will be moving to a lineup of D40. D60, D80 and D200. With the D40 stating at $350 for the body and I assume the D60 taking the D50 price point but offering an 8MP sensor. I think we will see this trend continue. The lowest price point being pushed down untill it reaches about $250 or even $200 and then at the same time the specs at the other price points moving upward untill finally we have a 24MP full frame body at the top and a 6MP DX format body at the $250 point. They are moving to an 18 month product cycle for their lower end DSLRs
If they offer the D40 at $350 with a $100 kit lens for a sub-$500 package they will sell quite a few of these.
I suspect the D40 will have a 6MP sensor but with better noise characteristics than the D50's 6MP sensor. So the D40 would offer less features but better image quality than the D50/D70s which would be discontinured.
Nikon has it right. If they want to sell camera they need to cover all the price points. We think people actually analyze their needs and look at features and so on but no, people look mostly at price. They say "I have XXX to spend, what can I get?" We do this with cars, computers, cameras, and houses.
What Nikon is aimming at here is to have a DSLR body at each price point. It looks like the D50 and D70s are going to be discontinued and they will be moving to a lineup of D40. D60, D80 and D200. With the D40 stating at $350 for the body and I assume the D60 taking the D50 price point but offering an 8MP sensor. I think we will see this trend continue. The lowest price point being pushed down untill it reaches about $250 or even $200 and then at the same time the specs at the other price points moving upward untill finally we have a 24MP full frame body at the top and a 6MP DX format body at the $250 point. They are moving to an 18 month product cycle for their lower end DSLRs
If they offer the D40 at $350 with a $100 kit lens for a sub-$500 package they will sell quite a few of these.
I suspect the D40 will have a 6MP sensor but with better noise characteristics than the D50's 6MP sensor. So the D40 would offer less features but better image quality than the D50/D70s which would be discontinured.
Nikon has it right. If they want to sell camera they need to cover all the price points. We think people actually analyze their needs and look at features and so on but no, people look mostly at price. They say "I have XXX to spend, what can I get?" We do this with cars, computers, cameras, and houses.
In "nikon lingo" an AF lens it one that makes use of a focus motor that lives inside the camera body and connects to the lens through a mechanical linkage. All AF lenses have this "screwdriver and slot" system where the body drives the lens. In the AF-S system the motor lives inside the lens and the body dives it via electronic contacts. This alows for a motor that is more taylord to the lens in use and also more silent do to lack of spinning gear train. But adds costs, weight and bulk to every lens. Nikon makes both AF and AF-S.
If the D40 only suports AFS lenses then it can loose the focus motor insde the body and make it smaller, lighter, cheaper. Note that all current DX format lenses are also AFS.
(In the Canon system, ALL AF lense have ther own motors so this issue does not come up. but what does come up there is the TYPE of motor)
About "investing" in a camera: A DSLR body is about as good an "investment" as buying a computer. Both loose value as soon as you buy them and shortly can be replaced with better euipment at lower price. You buy a computer or a camera DSLR body so that you can use it. It is like "Investing" in a stash of art suplies. DSLR bodies are "consummables"
ChrisA and cube, thanks for your help, I feel a little more educated.
ChrisA: I meant investment in the sense of putting a large sum of money towards something not in the 'investment towards a possible monetary return' sense. That said I do understand it is a consumable but it is still an investment for me because there are realized gains from having it (i.e. computer = productivity, entertainment; easel = more paintings, better ergonomics than working at a table; DSLR: upgrade to current setup, better pictures) so the result for me is the realized gain to this investment. But I do get what you're saying, it's just hard to think about a $600 camera body in the same way I think about a $6 tub of gesso.
ChrisA: I meant investment in the sense of putting a large sum of money towards something not in the 'investment towards a possible monetary return' sense. That said I do understand it is a consumable but it is still an investment for me because there are realized gains from having it (i.e. computer = productivity, entertainment; easel = more paintings, better ergonomics than working at a table; DSLR: upgrade to current setup, better pictures) so the result for me is the realized gain to this investment. But I do get what you're saying, it's just hard to think about a $600 camera body in the same way I think about a $6 tub of gesso.
I think it's pretty clear that Nikon will have a D40/60/80/200 lineup. The D60 will sell at the D50 price and the D40 about $200 less. People will compare the D60 to the 400D.
Nikon will offer a chaper 8MP body. The D60 wil be that and be priced under the 400D
Wrong. Any of the fixed-zoom digicams such as the Coolpix 8800 and the various Panasonics are considered "prosumer" digicams. DSLRs are in a different category. The D40 and the D50 would definitely be considered "consumer" as opposed to "professional" cameras, yes. The D200 is aimed at the "enthusiast," the amateur photographer who wants a lot from the camera and yet who isn't prepared to plunk down $5000 or so for a D2Xs. People can make money from any camera model, actually, it's not the camera which indicates whether a person is a "professional" or not. It's whether or not they are using their equipment to generate income. As such, most "professionals" indeed do use the D2X, D2Xs or D2Hs.
Well some rumblings on the internet have said that it's a D50 replacement. I don't think so, but I guess we won't know until we hear more from camera store stock levels. It may be getting phased out, but I think it's more likely that we'll get a D60 to make the lineup D40, D60, D80.
Well some rumblings on the internet have said that it's a D50 replacement. I don't think so, but I guess we won't know until we hear more from camera store stock levels. It may be getting phased out, but I think it's more likely that we'll get a D60 to make the lineup D40, D60, D80.
The only hint of a D60 was from Ken Rockwell - who everyone apparently hates anyway. And since he stated a November 2nd release date, I guess he just lost whatever validity as a source that he had.