questions on the nikon d40

[Yishay]

Hey everybody, I'm just a guy looking for a new camera.

I have had a kodak easyshare v803 for like a year, and it's really a good little cheap point and shoot camera.

My biggest complain is that I could read Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" in the time it takes to actually snap a picture after I press the button.

I've been reading reviews on the Nikon d40, because I've been interested in DSLR camera for a while, and one thing I can't seem to figure out is if it has any lag, or if it takes single pictures really quickly?

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

The D40 and pretty much any DSLR camera will snap the photo very quickly when you press the button...so no worries there.

 

[Heck]

I get good results with no sutter lag with my D40x. It holds its own taking action shots that I take of my Auto X club events at 3 frames per second.

 

[Yishay]

Thanks guys. The lag was pretty much my biggest concern. It's one of the main reasons I'm looking for another good camera and I'd hate to spend that much money on a slow one.

 

[Big Mike]

That lag is one big reason why I've never owned a P&S digital camera.

 

[Yishay]

Okay, so I found a site that compares the price. On Photodynasty.com the D40 kit is more than $100 dollars cheaper than anywhere else.

Does anybody know why? Is Photodynasty a reliable site?

 

[TamiyaGuy]

I'm afraid it doesn't look good, Yishay. http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Photo_Dynasty

IMO, the Nikon D40 is really cheap anyway, so just go to your camera store and buy it from there (unless it's stupidly overpriced). You'll be helping your local shop stay in business.

 

[Dao]

Okay, so I found a site that compares the price. On Photodynasty.com the D40 kit is more than $100 dollars cheaper than anywhere else.

Does anybody know why? Is Photodynasty a reliable site?

I will stay away from them

 

[Yishay]

Thanks guys, I think I'll just be hitting up the camera store like you said sometime then.

 

[potownrob]

Everyone pretty much covered most everything but going from p&s, even a big p&s like my Panasonic FZ7, to my D40 is night and day difference. At least relative to a p&s, there is practically no shutter lag and usually less wait between pictures, especially between flash shots. You aim through the viewfinder with the D40, hold down the shutter half-way to focus and press all the way to shoot and it actually shoots (unless your autofocus is having problems but you can set it to just focus on the closest thing and shoot) and burst mode is quick. It's much more mechanical feeling and sounding than a p&s and I personally love that about my D40. I'd imagine the more expensive dSLRs would feel even more solid but this is lightyears better than even my FZ7 in all ways except the huge zoom of the FZ7.

 

[Yishay]

Thanks Potownrob, it's good to get an owner's insight.

 

[potownrob]

no problem, yishay. i thought my fz7 was quick, solid and took good shots until i got my d40. it's definitely a whole nother animal. i do kinda wish i went with a d50 or d70 so I could buy the older lenses and autofocus with them but, otherwise, no regrets so far .

 

[Jen Puleo]

I have the D40 too & there's no lag time unless you're trying to shoot something in the dark. The only other issue I have is that if I'm not in manual & trying to get a shoot that the camera can't figure out what to focus on, the lens keeps adjusting. I was trying to take a photo of myself in the mirror but just couldn't get the wrong angle. Thing zoomed in & out 100 times. Switch to manual, photos a little out of focus but it finally snapped. It wanted perfection & neither of us could achieve it

 

[Tyjax]

jsut for the record. Photodynasty is apart of the viciious and scum licking Brooklyn chain of photo stores the most famous of which is "PriceRitePhoto" they regularly rip people off horribly. Read or google Thomas hawk's blog about his experiences there. Very interesting.

 

[D40]

I have a D40 kit for sale if your interesed - $350