I'm getting a new camera, but which?

[Rise]

I've been using the Nikon D40 for quite awhile and I love it, with the right research and practice i've been able to get some pretty amazing images with this little camera. I've been doing a few digital photography classes at the local community college and taking one step further and going to one of the main schools here to their digital class.

I've saved up about $1300 for a new digital camera and I really like and am comfortable with my Nikon so i'd hate to switch to canon and have to learn a completely different camera but if it's my best interest to do so for the money then I think I will. I'm pretty good at learning new things and adapting and have become quite familiar with how the Nikon works and how to use the manual settings quite well.

My main subject when I go out taking photos are my dogs, i have 5 dogs and we're always at the lake or doing something fun so it usually involves a lot of motion type photos and i notice Nikon has their VR lenses and people seem to swear by them, are they worth it?

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Mitch1640]

d90 and the kit lens is less than 1300.

 

[benhasajeep]

D90 is a good choice but I would bet you don't need the kit lens. The D60 really would not be that much of a move up for the price anyway. D5000 I don't know anything about. But its definately being placed in the line up between the D60 and D90. Also the D90 has the same sensor or near same sensor as the D300. The D90 would be a good step up from the D40. And since it has body focus drive. You can use the older AF lenses in AF if you find a nice used one you think you might like.

Shutter speed is your friend when shooting moving subjects. Don't necessairly need VR. Unless you start running out of light and can't keep the shutter speed up.

I would grab a D90 body and use your current lenses. Then maybe try and determine which better lens you may want to move up to. A kit lens with added VR may not necessairly be worth it over a kit lens without.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Stay with Nikon, you already have familiarity and affinity for the system. Get a decent body, but spend big on a good lens. Dog photography is like people... it could be portraits or sports, so consider a nice 70-200 VR. Nikon users will be able to give you better specific lens advice, I don't know their line up as well as my Canon system.

 

[Rise]

Thank you for all of the help and i've played around a lot with the D40 trying to get nice crisp action shots but i'm just using their standard lens and usually i'm using the continuous shot feature and sometimes get one im looking for that is perfectly in focus and everything but most of them are either too blurry or if i increase the iso i get less blur but more grain but that i can live with. I imagine i'll have to settle for one or the other most of the time.

Many years ago I took quite a few traditional photography courses and loved it so i've just recently in the past year or two gotten myself into digital.

I was considering the D90, i think i will go that route. I guess now I just need to decide if I want to use the lens it comes with or spend money on something different.

 

[BTilson]

One thing to keep in mind, VR will not help you stop action. Only a high shutter speed will do that. What VR WILL do is greatly reduce blur caused by your own body motion during handheld shots. I had both the 18-55 VR and the 55-200 VR. I sold my entire D40 kit, but it was a great system.

 

[wgp1987]

yea a d90 is a great way to go for a more advance slr. the new d5000 is really really nice. is has same amount of af points. same resolution. same 4fps. and as far as photos go you'll get the same quality. i would personally invest in a d5000 and get better glass! BUT you can still only use the nikon dx lenses or lenses with the af motor built in! and the d90 has a pentaprisim viewfinder when the d5000 is pentamirror. pentaprisim viewfinders give a more acurate view of what you shooting (as far as lighting). so aside from the autofocus motor and the viewfinder the d5000 kicks a$$. i was even thinkin about tradin up my canon 30d for it! or maybe not

edit** d90 is .5 fps faster .... WOOT WOOT

 

[Dao]

May I ask what is the limitation of the current system that make you think you need to upgrade the camera?

 

[wgp1987]

May I ask what is the limitation of the current system that make you think you need to upgrade the camera?

3 PINT AF, 6MP, CCD SENSOR ..... Y NOT UPGRADE!

 

[TheOtherBob]

Thank you for all of the help and i've played around a lot with the D40 trying to get nice crisp action shots but i'm just using their standard lens and usually i'm using the continuous shot feature and sometimes get one im looking for that is perfectly in focus and everything but most of them are either too blurry or if i increase the iso i get less blur but more grain but that i can live with. I imagine i'll have to settle for one or the other most of the time.

Many years ago I took quite a few traditional photography courses and loved it so i've just recently in the past year or two gotten myself into digital.

I was considering the D90, i think i will go that route. I guess now I just need to decide if I want to use the lens it comes with or spend money on something different.

Dao raises an important question. You're apparently using the original kit lens that came with the camera, and shooting in what sounds (to me at least) like a "spray and pray" approach. I'm not sure that a new camera body is the solution.

The first thing I'd do is buy is a book on photographic technique -- like Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. Picking up a guide to the D40 may also be worthwhile. It just sounds like your shutter speed / aperture / ISO aren't set right -- you shouldn't be constantly getting blurry or grainy shots with that camera.

After a book or two, the next thing I'd invest in is a tripod. Then I'd get a new lens -- something with a wide aperture, like the 50mm 1.8. A tripod and/or fast lens will take care of the blur / grain problem much faster and cheaper than a new camera body.

Then I'd explore other lenses -- like wide angle and telephoto. Only then -- after I had down the techniques and had the right lenses -- would I look into upgrading the body.

If you just buy the body, I think you'll be happy -- it will be a little better, because there have been improvements in high ISO performance (so a little less grain). But by learning technique and investing in lenses, I think you'll be even happier.

 

[bigtwinky]

As said, I'm not 100% convinced its your camera body. The lens will make a big difference in shooting action.

I'd suggest going back to the basics and reading up on photo techniques... Understanding Exposure is a great start.

Head to flickr and do a search for "D40 18-55" and see what comes up. Or even "D40 18-55 sport"

 

[Rise]

I spent a few hours in Barnes & Noble in their Digital Photography section and came home with a few books. I bought the Nikon D40 guide as well as a book called Michael Freeman's Perfect Exposure, the Nikon D40 field guide as well as some digital photography DVDs. I'll look over these and play around with the D40 for a bit.

I imagine the class im going to take will help a lot as well. I had to buy a book for that class from the school but it hasn't arrived yet. I love books so buying a few won't hurt.

Now, while browsing around for online prices for the D90 i came across ebay and this ad:

NEW Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera +2 VR Lens +16GB - eBay (item 350202393696 end time Jun-14-09 07:54:19 PDT)

I know when a price seems too good to be true to avoid it but I was wondering what's the deal with this? They have good feedback but it just seems cheap for all what you get. I'll make a separate post about this just because i am very curious.

 

[Dao]

I am afraid that even after you purchase that kit, you still have the same issue with the dog photos.

The VR lens may help on the camera shake type issue, but the dog in the photo may still looks blurry. The main issue is how you can freeze the motion.

 

[Rise]

Oh i don't plan on buying that one, i found it while browsing online and it seemed like too good of a price for all what you get and was wondering how they do that or if it's even the same camera you'd get going into Best Buy and buying one. I rarely ever purchase stuff online so I have no idea.

I'm holding off on a camera for now, im going to play around with my D40 and read these books. I would like to upgrade eventually though.

 

[Rise]

Also, some blur I don't mind like this photo (please excuse my noob photo taking) i like when it shows motion i just hate when the whole thing just appears out of focus, but i like this picture.