Nikon D40

Is the Nikon D40 a good camera for a beginning amateur photographer? I have no desire to take photography seriously but I'd like a camera I can use for amateur photography as well as everyday use.

I've heard the Nikon D40 is a good camera for this but I've just read it's only 6.1 megapixels and I was under the impression photography quality cameras were 8mp+
It's a lot of money to part with, is it worth it?

The Nikon D40 is THE beginner camera. It's cheap (it might seem like a lot of money for someone who has only used point-and-shoot cameras, but trust me, that's nothing for a real camera), it's a fast, flexible camera, and it opens up the entire range of Nikon lenses to you. The real image quality comes from high-quality lenses.

Megapixels is more of a marketing thing than anything else. Yes, it is nice to have that extra edge of resolution to work with, but you're really not getting that much more. You have to remember that the megapixel is a unit of area, and is a square function. Basically, a 10mp image is NOT twice as wide as a 5mp image (but a 25mp image is). Furthermore, as an amateur, I'm sure that you will rarely print anything bigger than a 4x6 photo. To print a 4x6 at 300dpi (great quality) you only need 3.2 megapixels. Yeap.

My advice is to get the D40 and save some money for good lenses. Those lenses will work with any Nikon camera that you buy in the future, and they'll last (if you treat them well). The D40 will be a great learning tool and is a great way for someone to get into photography. Good luck!

2008-07-06 14:12:45 by mz.fiasco

I look at the Nikon D40 dslr as well as some comparison shots with a point and shoot camera

I'm planning to get a Nikon D40 kit W/18-55mm lens at wal mart.

if it doesn't say the lens has VR should I assume it doesn't?

sorry if this seems funny but I don't know if all nikon lenses have VR or not.

thanks!

Not all of them have that feature.

For the focal length of a kit lens, you don't really need it.

2009-07-25 21:09:57 by mr. person

Price: $649.00

Includes 3x 18-55mm Zoom-NIKKOR VR Image Stabilization lens
14.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS image sensor; 3-inch monitor with One-Touch Live View shooting and movie capture
Capture images to SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards (not included)

I need to get a new camera. i was thinking about the Nikon d40 because it has manual focusing which is something that i have to have. (i like to take pictures of bugs and really small things and i hate when the camera focuses on the branch or something in the background) anyway i was wondering if this is a good camera and what some of the perks were and whats bad about it.

thanks

The Nikon D40 is a great little camera, very easy to use and quite reasonably priced. It will get you in the Nikon family which is a great place to be. If you buy accessories and lenses, you will be able to use everything on any Nikon that you might upgrade to later on.

Check out Nikon's "Picturetown" promotion, where they handed out 200 D40's in Georgetown, SC. http://www.stunningnikon.com/picturetown /

Here are a few reviews, in case you have not read them yet. Be sure to note that they are several pages long and some of the reviews also have some sample images that you can look at.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40 /
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_revi ews/nikon_d40.html
http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3756/cam era-test-nikon-d40.html
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/d40 -recommendations.htm

I hate to see people slam the camera because it can't autofocus with older Nikon lenses. It is true that there is a "slight problem" with older Nikon lenses not autofocusing on the D40, but if you do not own a bag full of older lenses, it is not going to be a problem. It is barely a problem anyhow. If you check www.nikonusa.com for "AF-S" lenses, which are ALL 100% compatible with the D40, you will find 23 lenses, including 7 "VR" (vibration Reduction) lenses and one true macro lens with "VR". There are another 25-plus lenses in the current catalog that provide all functions except autofocus as well as many (possibly dozens) "out of print" lenses that will work just as well. In addition, although these lens will not autofocus, most of them will still give focus confirmation. From the D40 manual: "If the lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 of faster, the viewfinder focus indicator can be used to confirm whether the portion of the subject in the selected focus area is in focus. After positioning the subject in the active focus area, press the shutter release button halfway and rotate the lens focusing ring until the in-focus indicator is displayed." Since you are LOOKING for manual focusing lenses, this will certainly not keep you from buying the camera. I've been using the Nikon 60 mm f/2.8 macro with great results. You can use this on the D40 with manual focus and focus confirmation, if you like. Here are a couple of shots showing off the 60 mm macro lens. For the Flickr photos, be sure to click on "All Sizes" and then "Original" if you really want to see what the lens can do.

800 x 800 http://www.members.aol.com/swf08302/york ie01.jpg
800 x 800 http://www.members.aol.com/swf08302/mont blanc05.jpg
800 x 800 http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04 /412244168/ (light box)
800 x 800 http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04 /412244164/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04 /487790706/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04 /434299882/

The D40 only has 3 autofocus zones arranged horizontally at the center, 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions. This might be considered a limitation, but realistically, most people will find this perfectly adequate, especially if you are moving up from a point and shoot with only a center zone.

You can get the D40 with the 18-55 kit lens at B&H Photo (available through Yahoo! Shopping or at 1-800-622-4987) for $550 (May 2007) and this is with TWO Lexar 1 GB cards. You can get the same kit with one Lexar Platinum (higher speed) card for $560. Or - get the D40 with 18-135 lens and 1 GB Lexar card for $760.

There's a Nikon D40 on eBay right now with the bidding below $500. See Item No 200110531132...

2007-05-21 16:58:00 by Mary

Price: $549.95

Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Includes 3x 18-55mm Zoom-Nikkor VR Image Stabilization lens
10.2-megapixel DX-format imaging sensor for prints up to 20 x 30 inches

when you rotate the nikon d40 you the screen change sides like the nikon d60?
when you rotate the nikon d40 "does" the screen change sides like the nikon d60?

I assume you are talking about when you are playing the image and rotate the camera, the image rotates itself to show the correct orientation, right? That is a new feature of the D60. The D40 stores orientation information and can display the image auto-rotated, but it won't keep rotating as you rotate the camera.

2008-06-07 14:33:31 by Monika

Hello there I'm interested in photography and I want to get a good SLR camera under 500 dollars. I hear the nikon d40 is pretty good. Do any of you know where the cheapest place to buy it is? and how much it would cost?

if not do you any reccomendations on cameras?

uber thanks
^^

Indeed, the nikon d40 is an exceptional camera, i've had it for only a few days, and i have no regrets, It's under 500$, and the image quality couldn't be better ( for the price $). The nikon d40 is the perfect starter slr with the size and physical dimension of a point and shoot with the quality and controls of a digital single lens reflex camera. However, you might want to get another slr as your skills in photography expand.

When it comes to a cheap place to get one, it all depends on where you go, sometimes it's more expensive and sometimes it's cheaper. Places like http://amazon.com, the prices fluctuate with the seasons :P

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng. do?search_constraint=0&search_query= nikon+d40&Find.x=0&Find.y=0& Find=Find&ic=48_0
498$, this isn't including taxes, from walmart

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Digital-18-5 5mm-3-5-5-6G-Zoom-Nikkor/dp/B000KJQ1DG/r ef=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics &qid=1212455541&sr=8-1
Not that much cheaper, but taxes free, and you don't have to leave you home to get it, you can just have it home delivered.

In terms of other cameras to suggest, it would depend on the price you're willing to spend. If you have about 200$ dollars to spend, you should go with the nikon d40x or the nikon d60. Increase the price some more and get the nikon d80

Regards,
Nathan

2008-06-02 18:02:12 by cinderella2b