Another beginner looking for help with a camera choice!

[seaweed88]

I have been looking for a DSLR for the past 4 years. The job market has put a damper on my purchase. But I think I am ready.
I was looking at the Nikon D40 for years. But I have a Nikon FG with 2 lens. One is a Soligor 85 - 300mm f-5. The other is a Kalimar f-28 mm.
I learned that I could use these lenses on the Nikon D80 which is something I can afford.
I have also been looking at the Pentax line because I am not into brand names as the first and last decision maker and the choice of lenses is long.
I want to use the camera for macro photography with coral and marine fishes. I also would like to use it for my sons golf team and the other soccer team.
I also plan on finding a forum which has the weekly assignments educate myself on how to get the job done with a dslr.
Thanks for any help and I do hope this is not to confusing
Mark

 

[fsquare]

what is your budget?

 

[seaweed88]

I am looking to spend 300 to 400 for a body.

 

[nickzou]

D80 maybe?

 

[seaweed88]

D80 was my present line of thinking. I would still be able to use my old glass while I saved to buy new glass. I have no idea how my old lenses would work in today's camera or if they are good enough to even be part of the new equation .

 

[DigDoug90]

I have seen some good deals on T2i body's I will see what i can find and post it here.

 

[seaweed88]

Thank you...

 

[seaweed88]

Any thoughts on the lenses I do own?

 

[seaweed88]

Can I use the old lenses on a D70? And if so would this be a good choice?

 

[nickzou]

If they are F-Mount lenses they should be fine. I'd say get a 50mm 1.8G.

 

[seaweed88]

They are the lenses I had with my FG

 

[djacobox372]

Any thoughts on the lenses I do own?

If they're manual focus lenses they wont work any better on a d80 then they do a d40--niether will meter with old non-cpu lenses. You can mount and shoot them, but youll be guessing the exposure. Only the higher end nikons meter with non cpu lenses (d200,d300,d7000).

Also, since theyre off-brand, they're not worth much--lenses like these go for $10-40 on ebay--not something i would let sway my camera body choice.

 

[seaweed88]

Thank you for the reply. I was told that the old glass would work on the d80 but not the d40. I would have to focus the lens but the metering would work. Is this incorrect?