nikon d40... should i get it?

Feel is the last thing one needs to be concerned about when choosing a camera. The first and foremost is Image Quality, the next is performance (will the camera do what I need it to do), then camera system (because you are actually purchasing a camera system not just a body) the the camera manufacturer have the lenses and accessories l need far into the furure, budget (mmh maybe higher on the list) ... then maybe feel.

All dSLR are built around the same human hand ... they are not significantly different ... and within a very very short time span a human can easily adjust to whatever camera meets the more important factors and considerations.

Gary

PS- I am not saying don't physically check out cameras ... just don't make feel a high priority.
G

I wouldn't dismiss feel (or potentially by extension of your comment on the human hand, ergonomics) nearly that quickly. If the camera feels unpleasant or awkward it will be less pleasant to use and that may take away from the experience. There are some pretty major differences between the manufacturers and the individual cameras in the line.

Personally, I find the sub-bodies very annoying to hold and work with... granted I've always had the main bodies so I kind of expect a more solid and larger feeling camera.
 
Never forget to check out used cameras: A used Nikon D70 will go for about as much or even less then a new D40, but it has a built-in AF drive (means it will auto-focus with all Nikon and 3rd party AF lenses), 2 more focus points, wireless flash commander etc.
 
I wouldn't dismiss feel (or potentially by extension of your comment on the human hand, ergonomics) nearly that quickly. If the camera feels unpleasant or awkward it will be less pleasant to use and that may take away from the experience. There are some pretty major differences between the manufacturers and the individual cameras in the line.

Personally, I find the sub-bodies very annoying to hold and work with... granted I've always had the main bodies so I kind of expect a more solid and larger feeling camera.

As a former news photog ... I shot every working day. I ran, jumped, danced, ate and sometimes I even slept with my cameras. I know how a camera feels ... but everytime my eye squints through the viewfinder ... all I feel is the subject and the pressure of my index finger on the shutter release.

My experience/opinion and those of my colleagues is that one will adapt and adapt quickly to whatever camera system we have to use ... from rangefinders to SLRs ... one will adapt.

Photography is not about a pleasant or unpleasant experience ... it is all about the final and exceptional image. A camera is not about how sexy it feels, or how sexy you feel, a camera is not about a pleasant experience ... it is all about image quality.

Now if you have a pleasant experience and get an exceptional image ... so much the better (truly ... that is great). But for me, it is all about the final image, after a bit I will adapt to what I am using ... so I could give a rat's how the camera ... feels.

Gary

PS- So, to recap, I'll take a low noise at elevated ISO camera any day of the week over a camera that "feels" better when I'm not shooting.
G
 
Someone said the canon shot better in the shadows. I take a lot of night shots, does this mean the d40 won't get as good of image quality in the dark?
 
Someone said the canon shot better in the shadows. I take a lot of night shots, does this mean the d40 won't get as good of image quality in the dark?

Yes. In shadows and at higher ISOs (400+ the higher one goes the bigger the difference in IQ), the CMOS sensors are superior to CCD sensors. At ISOs of 400- there isn't any significant visible difference between a CCD and a CMOS sensor.

Dunno about shooting night ... I think the D40 would do well since everything is in shadows and you are exposing for same ... assuming you'll be using a tipod ... therefore a lower ISO ... you should be okay. You gotta post some shots ...

Gary

PS- Maybe someone out there who has night experience w/ a D40 can describe their experience.
G

Canon 20D - ISO 1600 - F/2.8 - 1/60
183664602_mRmsP-L.jpg
 
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Night photography:

Personally, night photography with the D40 is fantastic, although it'll probably be about the same as a Canon/Pentax/whatever. With a sturdy tripod and a self-timer, you can get constantly crisp, clean photos. And as for the high-ISO thing: I agree that good CMOS sensors are better at keeping noise down than CCD, but the D40 is particularly good, good enough to rival the cheaper CMOS sensors in my opinion. I've taken plenty of ISO 1,600 photos and printed them out 6 x 4, 7 x 5, even a cropped 8 x 10" photo, and it still looked great.
 
The d40? Run away! Run very fast. Don't look back you may turn to salt. The d40 is evil and should be Nuked off the planet! :D Seriously!
 
Lol, what's so bad about it? In my opinion, the photographer will take a much better photo than the camera ever can :biggrin:.

Let an idiot loose with a D3 and you'll get 100 awful, out-of-focus, badly composed photos. But let a pro out with a D40 and you'll get 100 stunning photographs that you would be proud to have on your wall (replace Nikon camera names with Canon, Pentax, Sony or Samsung camera names at your leisure :D).
 
NOOOOOOO!!!! not another canon versus nikon thread... I have a D40 and love it. Go to a store, mess around with it, and if you like it, buy it! simple...
 
No. this one is Nikon vrs. Canon, Pentax, Sony and Samsung. :D

PS, if you go to the store to play with the d40 wear your running shoes.

This is so that you can get away and not have to pay for it falling apart when you touch it. :D
 
why is it always between canon and nikon D:

i was considering getting the D40 but settled on olympus e410 (which im still in the process of saving up for) its an old model and not too much more expensive than the d40 if not very close to the same price.
 
@Bifurcator I totally forgot about that... I got mine at staples, I know weird place to buy a camera, but they let me play with it all I want before I bought it. lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
As a former news photog ... I shot every working day. I ran, jumped, danced, ate and sometimes I even slept with my cameras. I know how a camera feels ... but everytime my eye squints through the viewfinder ... all I feel is the subject and the pressure of my index finger on the shutter release.

My experience/opinion and those of my colleagues is that one will adapt and adapt quickly to whatever camera system we have to use ... from rangefinders to SLRs ... one will adapt.

Photography is not about a pleasant or unpleasant experience ... it is all about the final and exceptional image. A camera is not about how sexy it feels, or how sexy you feel, a camera is not about a pleasant experience ... it is all about image quality.

Now if you have a pleasant experience and get an exceptional image ... so much the better (truly ... that is great). But for me, it is all about the final image, after a bit I will adapt to what I am using ... so I could give a rat's how the camera ... feels.

Gary

PS- So, to recap, I'll take a low noise at elevated ISO camera any day of the week over a camera that "feels" better when I'm not shooting.
G

I don't think I was suggesting you pickup a crappy camera or one that doesn't fit the need... I was merely suggesting dismissing the ergonomics completely wasn't necessarily the best idea.

Your example is really interesting and very educational, but we're also not talking (necessarily) about someone who is doing this professionally. Certainly, I have certain desires about what kind of computers I work on, but when I sit down at a client site in my full-time IT consulting life, I adapt and deal with whatever I have, much as you would with cameras.

Take a rather extreme case... I know someone who is ridiculously tiny and quite simply incapable of wrapping her hands around a larger DSLR. She selected a D40 because she was actually able to use it. Again, certainly an extreme case but illustrative of my point, which is to consider how the camera feels and works for you IN ADDITION TO all the other aspects of the camera.

Regardless, your point is well taken and as I mentioned, I really enjoyed the professional anecdote. Very interesting.
 
The d40? Run away! Run very fast. Don't look back you may turn to salt. The d40 is evil and should be Nuked off the planet! :D Seriously!

I kinda tend to agree. It's "fine", but yeesh... Granted, I like the cheap Nikons better than I like the cheap Canons, but that's probably just a personal preference thing.

As I've said before... the only real reason (unless you have some overriding ergonomics issue) to buy a D40 is if you cannot afford a better camera... and again, I would really prefer a used D70S over a new D40 any day.

There's nothing wrong with buying a D40, but if you can afford more, then I would advise buying better. At least a D60, ideally a D80.
 
@Bifurcator I totally forgot about that... I got mine at staples, I know weird place to buy a camera, but they let me play with it all I want before I bought it. lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How many times did the store clerk have to come over and scotch-tape the parts back on as they fell off from handling? :D
 

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