Well I’m into photography and art and I would like a nice beginners camera. I’m not that great with technical stuff..
-Is it semi-easy to understand?
-Too complicated for a first camera?
Any advice would be great, thanks!
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This is a perfect choice for someone who is just starting (in fact for someone who is not just starting, but does not want to spend a ton on equipment too).
- Is it semi-easy to understand?
Sort of – it does have that “Auto” mode for complete “mindless” shooting, when camera decides everything and you just point and shoot. It reduces this great camera into a very expensive point&shoot with great lens and sensor, but it can get anyone and their grandmother a head start. Then there’s “P” (or program) mode, that is also mostly automatic, but you need to set some more options for it, like ISO and whether to use a flash, plus more control over image parameters too. That is all done through menus, but the camera comes set up with nice defaults that again let you start working on that mode out of the box. Finally all the semi-manual and manual modes for when you get comfortable with them, and same settings as for “P” mode will apply. For those, you’ll need to learn a bit about exposure, focal lengths, depth of field and so on, but they will give you an amazing degree of control over what you shoot, but of course you don’t have to use them until you’re comfortable.
-Too complicated for a first camera?
No, this is as simple an SLR as you can get today. And non-slr is really not an option if you’re into photography as an art. First off it is miles away in quality from any P&S, even most advanced ones, then once you start learning more about photography and camera control, you’ll find out that using manual/semi-manual modes on those cameras is such a pain, that dSLR like D40 is in fact EASIER to use than most of them. And of course you can’t beat optical viewfinder. It’s so much more convenient and allows you to control your environment so much better, that once you get used to it you will never want to go back to LCD view.
So the bottom line is – it is easy enough to start, but has enough potential so that you won’t outgrow it for years, if ever.
Good luck with your new camera – you’ll have years of exciting learning in front of you!
LEM.
The D40 is still a good choice, far from the best. The D60 would be a better choice for you. It offers more resolution and more features. You may also want to consider the lack of auto focus on the D40. It is true that you don’t need auto focus, some people expect it. Aside from Nikon, you can look at other companies that offer solid choices with cameras offering more resolution and features at the same price point as the Nikon D40.
Olympus is the best value in DSLRs today. Several reviews have mentioned that Olympus offers a better value by packing more features for the same or, in most cases, less than the competition. Olympus has been praised for being easy for beginners while offering the full control and quality that professionals demand. Olympus also makes the smallest and lightest DSLRs on the market today, with the E-420 being the smallest.
Olympus offers picture quality comparable to any other manufacturer out there. It is true that the sensor, the four thirds system, is smaller than other DSLRs. It is also true that this technology was created with cooperation between Olympus and Kodak with support from Sigma, Sanyo, Panasonic, Leica, and Fuji. It’s not just one company, its an industry standard. Olympus also designed its digital Zuicko lenses to be digital from the ground, rather than adapt film lenses for digital use. The end result is a sharp, clear, crisp image with great color quality and clarity. Since Olympus cameras come with many shooting modes and live view, it’s easier to become familiar with the camera and learn the manual controls one by one until you are ready for full manual control.
I have used many different camera brands over the past 30 years, including Nikon, Fuji, Argus, Olympus and even Sanyo among others. I choose Olympus because the cameras are lighter and offer more features than the competition in the same class. On the entry level side, the Olympus E-420 offers many advanced features other entry level cameras, such as the Nikon D40, don’t have. My E-510 came with a nice 14-42mm lens that is the one of, if not the, lightest lens offered with a DSLR kit, and among the fastest to auto focus. And with the new prime 25mm lens, the E-420 has been compared in size to some compact cameras. The size and weight can become an issue when carrying a camera around all day. Look around Yahoo! Answers and you will find several people who upgraded to DSLR cameras now looking for a quality compact to use as their take along. All cite the size and weight of the DSLR as the main factor.
Since Olympus offers more for less money, you’ll find it easier t get all those extras that go along with a new camera. You can’t forget about the things you need such as memory cards, tripod, carry bag, extra battery, flash, etc. You don’t want to find yourself short, no matter what camera you decide to buy.
When buying a DSLR camera, most come bundled with a lens in a kit. Olympus offers auto focus on all the kit lenses, with the exception being the new prime 25mm lens. Some companies offer only manual focus lenses. It’s not a major issue. After all manual focus lenses tend to be lighter since they have no motor in them. However, many people moving to their first DSLR are looking for those little things that help them out and prefer auto focus lenses, at least to start. This is another reason Olympus is often considered a better buy, giving you more for your money.
Olympus also went with Image Stabilization (IS) in the camera body. This makes all lenses IS lenses, others such as Nikon and Canon offer IS only in additional and expensive lenses. Another feature you get along with the patented, and first, dust reduction system in DSLRs. In body IS has been proven to be as effective as the lens IS. The fact is that since Olympus uses a smaller sensor and in body IS works best with smaller sensors, it made sense to offer IS as a value added feature.
It’s also true that any DSLR you choose will be a quality product that serves you well for years. The main differences tend to be the features offered at a given price point and personal preference. Nikon and Canon have the largest share, with Olympus being the fastest growing brand. Sigma and Leica are known for their quality and the price shows.
As to the Nikon D40, you can’t go wrong. If you’re starting up from the point and shoot cameras, though, then the Sony Alpha A100 might be more up your alley.
Aside from offering better opportunities to clean up your shots with features like shake resistance, it also includes a few foolproof settings for the beginner that wants to learn the basics before pushing into manual, such as a very usable DRO mode (think of it as a setting that determines the finer points of your contrast/brightness and does it for you) and one of the better Live View setups along the dslr line. Don’t be dissuaded if you’re worried about lens selection, though, as Sony actually uses Minolta’s lenses.
I like the D40 but I find that people I have recommended this camera to, have outgrown it fairly quickly…I would probably suggest a D80 or D90 would be a better choice. I’m a professional photographer, and I expect to have to upgrade my camera bodies every year or two…but as a beginner…I would get something that will last you a few years without chasing the technology. If you can afford it go with a D90. There are a lot of used D200′s going for a good price out there with the D300 now available…That is an excellent camera that would be more than capable of filling your needs….
Good luck with your decision!
2 thumbs up
get “Understanding Exposure” – Peterson
Play around on manual
The Perfect Choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes
OK here is my short answer. The D40 will do everything a beginner to intermediate photographer needs at a great price. It comes with an 18-55 lens. It will let you use any other money to buy more accessories. And by the time you outgrow it cameras will have advanced to the point that most of what is on the market now would be obsolete. I bought a D300 last year and only had a it a few months when the D700 came out. The canon would also serve you well but I am a Nikon person so I suggest them. I have friends that are very happy with their canon’s and take great photos. You will have others that like Pentax and Olympus and they are not bad cameras but if they were in the same ballpark you would see many more professional photographers use them
Now for the longer answer as you already have some experience I will be preaching to the choir on a good bit of this. I would say the Nikon D40 Its an entry level DSLR. A digital SLR will give you a much larger sensor than any point and shoot camera. Larger sensor = more light to each pixel = clearer, crisper photo with better color saturation. DSLR will also let you grow and take more control as you learn more and you can change lenses when you have a need to. The sensor on the olympus is smaller than on Nikon or Canon
I am a nikon person and have had nikons since the 70′s I personally think the nikon D40 give you more for the dollar than any DSLR today. There are some that do more but you pay a good bit more. Do not let the lower megapixels concern you if you do not do very very large prints you will never notice the lower DSLR. My brother recently needs a DSLR for a class and I recommended the D40 to him So I would also say get the D40 not the D40X. The Nikon D40 does not have limited functions compared with other entry DSLR. Yes it has fewer functions than a 1500 dollar camera body would. It is not a a cut down version its equal or above most any entry level DSLR.
I have a d300 and a d40 and when I am shooting for fun I grab the d40. Its weightless, a joy to use and gives good results. If you have a bit more money the D60 give you a number of things you want. It has newer firmware and image processors, designed for the 10 mp sensor. It has an “Active Dust Reduction System with Airflow Control “. Nikon not putting a system on the D40 to deal with dust is one of the biggest drawbacks I see to the D40 ( though I think its still a great camera for the money) If you change lenses dust will get in and the camera needs a system to deal with it. With the D60 you get a VR lens. That will help with low light situations ( they may offer that now with the D40 but originally it was not) . The D60 has Adaptive Dynamic Range. Nikon calls it “Active D-Lighting,” it lets you save some highlights that my otherwise be lost. It has a newer better metering system than the D40. So you can get the D40 not the D40 x and spend the other money on lenses or a flash
Some people will want to make a big issue out of the fact that there are some nikon lenses that will not autofocus on these cameras. Right now there are “only” about 39 lenses that autofocus on these cameras. They cover the range of focal lengths. I doubt any photographer would be seriously limited with “only” this many lenses to choose from. If you want to manually focus you can more than double this and do so at a low cost. Manual focusing is easy and how we did things for decades before the advent of autofocus.
Cannon and Nikon chose to put the vibration reduction in the lens rather than the body. Somefolks put it in the camera and make of that. Yes that means you get stabilization only on lenses with that feature built in. In the body in theory it would work on every lens. But in fact image stabilization in the lens has proved to work faster and smoother with a lower impact on focus times than image stabilization in the body/ One problem with in body stabilization comes from the fact that the sensor would have to move different amounts for different focal lengths. A canon white paper says an in body system would have to move the sensor 1/4 inch to account for movement on a 300 mm lens.
Now a comment on liveview. Have you ever tried to hold several pounds of digital camera and lens steady at arms length while you look at an LCD screen. It not at all the same as holding a few ounces of point and shoot camera steady in the same position. One of the things we preach to new photographers is to learn to hold the camera properly so the body mechanics give you a steady shot. You can’t really do that looking at the LCD. So liveview is really something that will have very limited applications in a DSLR. Usually only when its on a tripod. I have liveview on my D300 and have never used it.
Nikon also has great service. I was just reading the other day on eyefetch in the Nikon forum where someone posted that they had dropped their lens and broken it. It was not a fault of the company they messed up. The sent it to Nikon and Nikon could not fix it. Nikon offered them a brand new identical lens at half the price. They did not have to. In closing all major camera manufactures make good cameras get out and compare the features and how they feel in your hand.
Nikon and Canon have the largest market share and I personally think there is a very good reason they do. Not bashing other brands but photographers tend to be very very demanding folks and they then tend to be loyal to what has worked for them well and consistently. That is not a pavlovian response anymore than it is a pavlovian response in my work at the fire department when I trust the brands of turnout gear and airpacks that have worked for me time and time again. Sometimes even going beyond the published specs. People in ANY demanding profession gain loyalty and trust from their experiences. And if the product did not perform it would not be favored for long.