please help me decide

[SrBiscuit]

i know this question has been asked umpteen times, and ive searched and read, and read, and read...
but i could still use some quick opinions.

i am close to pulling the trigger on an entry level DSLR. the constant cost of film and processing is justifying said purchase

so i have a nikon N65 right now with the kit lens, and i would like to stick with nikon, so i've boiled down to the obvious 2 (for me anyway). the D40 and the D40x.
let me preface with the fact that budget is a major issue for me.

so i found a refurbed D40x body for $297 shipped (i could use my nikkor lens i think)
or a D40 with kit lens (18-55) for $384 shipped.

can someone just help nudge me in the direction i should probably go?...
this is a camera i would like to be able to use for several years....not something im looking to upgrade in 8 months...

thanks!

biscuit.

 

[Mav]

What lens do you have for your N65? If it's not an AF-S lens (and likely it isn't) then it won't autofocus on the D40/D40x/D60 cameras. They lack the in-body focusing motor to drive the focus on older AF and AF-D lenses. Click the "Advisory" thread in my signature for more.

For use with older or cheaper lenses on a budget, the best bet is a used or refurbished D50 which and reasonably recent Nikon DSLR to have the focusing motor. D70 is a great camera too.

Others will surely disagree, but I don't find my D40 limiting at all. Of course I'm more willing to spend a bit more for nice glass than others though. I also have a D80 that I had first, but don't use much anymore. I just plain like the D40 better for a lot of reasons.

Oh, a recent thread debating the D40 and D40x is here: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=59 :mrgreen:

Oh, also in case you're not aware, the "affordable" DSLRs all have a crop factor from digital, so whatever lens you have for your film camera will give very different viewing angles if you slap it on a digital body. Click the crop factor link in my sig for more on that. I think that one goes to Google where there's a bunch of good write-ups that will come up.

 

[SrBiscuit]

you've got some great reading material in your sig mav...thanks...
all i've been doing with the N65 is manual focus, and i plan on continuing that practice with my DLSR...should that change what cameras im looking at?

 

[Mav]

The viewfinders in most DSLRs aren't nearly as big and bright or as clear as in old film bodies, and they also lack the split prism finder. All of that will make manually focusing harder, but not impossible. You do get a focus confirmation dot when manually focusing with the D40, though. Or if you care enough, you can get something like the Katz Eye focusing screens put into your D40. Before you buy anything, I'd stop in a reasonably good store, bring your lens with you, try out one of the cameras with your lens, and see if it'd work for you or not. If you're already used to manually focusing, it probably won't be too big of a deal.

Assuming you have a Nikon lens, if it's 1986 or newer and either AF or AF-D, you'll have metering support. If it's an older AI or AI-S lens, you'll have no metering support on anything less than a D200, so keep that in mind too. You might just want to get the refurb D40 kit with the 18-55 kit lens.

 

[SrBiscuit]

thanks again mav...good advice right there.
luckily the D40 kit is not a refurb, so maybe that;s the way to go anyway...megapixel doesnt seem to be the driving force when selecting a dslr.
my lens is def post 1986...it;s a AF nikkor, but i do have a 70-205 macro lens that i use on my N65 from probably the 70s that i get no metering at all, but i would never dream of mounting that old beast on a nice new dlsr. i also found a nikon tele lens for $99...maybe youre right...just get the D40kit, and the telephoto...that gives me a new D40 with kit lens and a telephoto for $484 shipped....that a good price?...just sorta thinking out loud here.

thanks again mav.

 

[maddermaxx]

I can almost guarantee you the site that you're getting those prices from is a scam site. B&H shows the D40 (not X) with kit les (18-55) for $479.95. That's about the cheapest you're going to get.

Personally I wouldn't go for a D40/x due to the fact they're missing alot of features that other DSLR's in that price range have, like an internal AF motor, with a D40/x you can't use some of Nikon's lenses that don't have an internal motor.

Go to www.keh.com and buy a used D50 it's the same MP as a D40 but a better camera all-around.

 

[SrBiscuit]

a buddy of mine bought a D40x from the site, and he;s been very pleased....he is the one who recommended it to me.

http://www.bwayphoto.com/viewproduct.aspx?id=9943333

http://www.bwayphoto.com/viewproduct.aspx?id=1183568

seems like everybody is more inclined to recommend the D40.

i'll check out your link too maxxx

 

[Mav]

Personally I wouldn't go for a D40/x due to the fact they're missing alot of features that other DSLR's in that price range have, like an internal AF motor, with a D40/x you can't use some of Nikon's lenses that don't have an internal motor.

"a lot of features" = just the internal AF motor pretty much. And you CAN use the lenses. You just won't have AF support. In a lot of cases that's not a big deal. The only reason to buy a D50 (imho) is if you really want AF support on a lot of the older lenses. Otherwise the D40 is a newer and better camera with a lot of nice upgrades.

 

[Lacey Anne]

I have the 40x and I love it. The AF-S isn't a big deal to me as I'd rather invest my money in glass than in a body, right now. And all the glass I buy will convert nicely to the D300 I plan to buy in the future, so it's not as though I'm losing money.

 

[HTPhotography]

I would go with the D40. I have played around a lot with both the D40 and the D40x and to me, it's clear that the D40 is much better. It might be a personal preference, but I would go with the D40.

 

[photogincollege]

I would say the d40 as well. If you plan on using hotshoe or off camera flash, the d40 has a sync speed of 1/500th of a second, the d40x is only 250 i believe and 6 megapixels is plenty for most applications.

 

[SrBiscuit]

man...it's seeming like the D40 is a better camera for a decent price with a lens (on that site i referenced above)

i also saw another active thread right now comparing the 40 to the 40x, and it does seem like the 40 comes out on top.

man my wife might kill me if i order this thing...lol
"but sweety, think about all the film, and processing, and not knowing how well they will even come out until i have the negs...oh honey...remember that coach bag you saw that you liked?....." lol

 

[HTPhotography]

Buy her the Coach bag, hide the camera in it and when she gets home and opens it you can say "Oh dear, how did that get in there?"

 

[Mystwalker]

Check out the reseller @ www.resellerratings.com ... not sure if I spelled that right.

I am weary of anything with "Broadway" or "New York" in name ... I believe there is one store/person that runs most of them.

Based on below, I would avoid ... you should probably double check to make sure I got the correct spelling and such cuz I got name by going to your URL ...
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Broadway_Photo

 

[SrBiscuit]

eeek
those ratings are garbage...
i wonder how my friend had such luck...i am well aware that i could very well be dealing in gray market goods, but like i said in the original post...budget is KEY...but certainly not worth getting ripped off.

thanks for the heads up on that myst.