D40 or D40X

[Clayton]

Hi Laurie, I am in the market for a new Digital SLR and I prefer Nikon. Megapixels aside I have been looking at the D40 over the D40X, not because of price, but I read where the D40X is not as good with the lens drive (I believe that was the knock). Oponions?

[GeoR]

Hi Clayton & welcome to the forum. I have owned the D40X since April. Also a member of the Nikon D40 forums at dpreview.com & Nikonians.org. This is the first time I have heard of a lens drive different between the two cameras. The reason I chose the D40X is that I can severely crop pictures when playing in elements. Both cameras in my opinion are an excellent entry level digital SLR. GeoR

[Chuck S.]

According to dpreview.com, the D40 and D40X are virtually except for the sensor. Neither has the drive motor in the body; they rely on the lenses to supply the autofocus motor. Both get dpreview's "Highly Recommended" status.

I agree with GeoR; those extra megapixels will come in handy for severe cropping.

[Clayton]

Thanks GoeR and Chuck for the response. The difference I was told was that the D40X did not have an autofocus driver built into the body (but the D40 did) and it must rely completely on the Nikon lens for the autofocus thus eleminating the use of some of the other brand lens. Also a factor was the deal at Amazon for the camera, 18-55 lens, 55-200 lens, SB-400 speedlight flash, 2GB card, card reader, and gadget bag for $779.95

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UK8LI8/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1JTI7I9U6Y88F&colid=3HDS26Q7G1WMA

Looked like a pretty good deal. :)

Clayton

[Chuck S.]

Clayton, neither the D40 or the D40X has the motor in the body. Not an issue so long as you use lenses that have the built-in motor, which most recent ones do, I believe.

[lexcell]

Both the Nikon D40 and D40x require AF-I or AF-S lenses to retain auto focus. Any other AF lens...G, D, etc will work in all aspects except auto focus.
Here is a link to a side by side comparison of the two cameras...
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=nikon_d40%2Cnikon_d40x&show=all

Both cameras are very similar with a few small differences...
-The D40 is 6 megapixels and the D40X is 10 megapixels (I'm not a big fan of cropping...I prefer to "get it right" in the camera and use the extra megapixels for optimum resolution so that my images look their very best)
-The D40 goes to 200 ISO and the D40X goes to 100.
-The D40 fires at up to 2.5 frames per second and the D40X fires at up to 3 frames per second

If you don't need the features of the D40X and there is a great buy on the D40, go for it.

[Not4wood]

I am not an expert by far nor am I a gear head.

I just purchased my first DSLR and had a really hard time choosing.

I walked into the store with a Canon Rebel XTI in mind as first place.
Next up was the D40X, I wanted the more pixels available.
Also I had the D80 in mind as well but I was hesitant to spend the extra money.

When in the shop, I had held all of the above and the salesman thru in an Olympus DSLR w/10 MP as well for me to hold and feel.

My last decision was based on how the camera's felt in my hand since they all had very similar features offered. I was very surprised that I didn't like the way the Rebel felt. The D40X felt the same and I was very disappointed. I ended up going with the D80 because of how it felt and I also thought that the camera had things available when my skill and knowledge both grew.

My suggestion is to go out before you purchase anything and work the camera and get a feel to how you like it. Can you do the things you normally do out of reflex or do you find yourself fighting with the features to get the camera to work and interferes with your creativity?

[Chuck S.]

Mark, those are excellent suggestions. If the camera doesn't feel right in your hands and that controls aren't intuitive to you, the picture-taking experience may be frustrating. You made a great choice, of course - after shopping the right way!

[Not4wood]

But it still doesn't make it any easier.

You start second guessing yourself, am I spending too much money, does this thing do what I want when I want it? Does it have the flexibility
to grow with me if and when I acquire new skills. Will the memory cards be a very expensive proposition in the long run. Can my puter deal with
the memory cards and also the images in a way that I will find easy from download to final print?

I think the real problem is where not just buying a camera, where buying another life partner that we can actually see growing old with
us into the future. I didn't go thru this when I purchased my little P&S. I ran into PC Richards looked around grabbed one and asked whats
the largest memory card I could put into it. I got this little Gem 2 days before we left on our real First Adventure, too Alaska. It held up great
till I made the mistake of overextending the Zoom and I found out after we got home that it made too much noise when I needed it the most.
Oh well. But, this little 5 MP camera does take great pics.

This is me, on Ruths Glacier standing in front of the plane that flew us in and you tell me about the quality of this little baby?? I am really proud
of her and she will always be with me in my pocket.

http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/files/1/5/3/1/4/IMG_0354_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=452&c=2)
(Just learned this new trick, sorry for the extra large shot. It was a link from Photobucket).

I still have my old 35mm camera, the three lenses, tripod, bracket and even the old Vivitar 283, my old Luna Pro light meter and they all work.
Granted the camera viewfinder needs a cleaning so I could use the built in Meter but why should I go thru the expense now?? I have had these
old friends with me since the early '70's and that camera saw me thru college and finally what actually started me in a life time career
that I am retired from. I retired from Photography way back in '89 and I'm first getting back into it now which too me was a very good
waiting period. Any earlier and I would've gotten stuck with a very strange camera indeed.

I did make the right decision, my new Nikon D80 is my new partner to see me thru parties, adventures and hopefully new and exciting places.
Too bad it don't cook!

[Chuck S.]

Mark, remarkable detail - great shot!

Some of my all-time favorite photos were taken with my first digicam, a 4 MP point-and-shoot. Image quality, particularly with respect to noise, hasn't necessarily improved over the last five years for P&S cameras. You'll see a difference, however, with your D80 and its much larger sensor.

[lexcell]

Mark/Chuck,
You both hit it on the nail with the part about how the camera feels in your hands and how intuitive it is to use...most of the cameras nowadays are very similar in features/ functions and price. I often tell people that the deciding factor should be how the camera feels and how easy it is to navigate. If it is easy, you will likely enjoy it more and spend more time amiking great images.

Mark, great image of you on the glacier...Alaska get's in your blood...I have gone back every year since my first visit in approx '98. I love it there! But, I digress...

While Olympus, Pentax, Sony make excellent cameras, they are not the big players in the market. Nikon and Canon dominate with the biggest selection of cameras, lenses and accessories to choose from. You can find Canon or Nikon in virtually any camera store you walk into so, if you are travelling and find you really need thta new lens, battery, whatever, you are more likely to find things for Canon or Nikon.
That said, if you aren't going to get addicted like most of us do and just want a good camera with a couple of lenses and one of the other brands appeal to you, then that's what you should buy.

DPReview has a great feature on their website where you can go in and select all the cameras you are interested in and have them do a side by side comparison of all the features so you can easily see what camera has what features...megapixels, fps and much more.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp

They also have a features search but, I have found that every time I use it, my favorite choice is discontinued so, be careful if you use it.

The important thing is to buy a camera that best suits your needs with room to grow and then get out there and start making beautiful images to share with the world!

[Clayton]

Thanks to all for the excellent suggestions. I will certainlly go feel the cameras before I buy. And also I will let my wife handle them also. Although she still prefers her 35 mm (says she never sees the ones I shoot), she does on trips use mine also.:)

[Not4wood]

<SNIP>
Mark, great image of you on the glacier...Alaska get's in your blood...I have gone back every year since my first visit in approx '98. I love it there! But, I digress...


Thanks for the kind words about the shot everybody. I can't believe how Alaska got into my blood so fast.

This was truly our First Vacation/Adventure and I had shot almost 900 pics and I was conservative about it. I just uploaded a couple more of Alaska and wishing now I had a better camera at that time. LOL

--
Clayton,

If you bring your wife, she might like the smaller camera bodies. I have now been hearing that the reason I disliked the Rebel XTI, D40 and the D40X because of the tighter feel for the camera controls. Makes it easier for smaller hands to control.......... and you might end up buying two camera's. One for each of you...........

[Clayton]

Clayton,

If you bring your wife, she might like the smaller camera bodies. I have now been hearing that the reason I disliked the Rebel XTI, D40 and the D40X because of the tighter feel for the camera controls. Makes it easier for smaller hands to control.......... and you might end up buying two camera's. One for each of you...........

Not much chance of that. She will never part with her 35mm. I have had a collpix 5700 for 4 years and she only uses it when there is no other choice.;)

[Clayton]

Okay, I have pretty much decided on the D40x. Next comes the lens. There are several kits:
1. with the 18-55 mm and 55-200 mm (not VR)
2. with the 18-55 mm (not VR) and 55-200 mm (VR)
3. with the 18-135 mm (not VR)
These are all with $70 of each other.

4. Buy the body and add the 18-200 mm (VR)
This is about $300 higher.

Now I am not nor ever will be a professional photographer. I am retired and just like to take good photos for posterity. I kinda like the idea of having 1 lens to deal with.

Do you think for my needs the 135 mm will be enough and do I really need the (VR). How much stability does this add for the casual shooter? Or maybe later add the 70-300 mm (it's cheaper than the 18-200 mm) if I see I would really like those distance shots.:confused:

[lexcell]

Clayton,
Personally, I'd go with the 18-200mm.
-It is a better quality lens than most of the kit lenses.
-It gives you a good range all in one lens.
-It has VR for helping you to capture sharp images hand held.
-It is an ED lens which will help to reduce chromatic aberation resulting in a sharper appearing image.

[Clayton]

Thanks Laurie, now I will forward this thread to Santa Claus.:)

[mrod]

Mark-

I enjoyed reading the journey of your camera decision, as it was very, very similar to mine) from starting with the Rebel xti being my first choice, and wanting to like it but didn't after holding it, to spending lots of time on the process, and finally ending up deciding on the D80 as well).

Thanks for your Alaska shot as well. I spent 2 summers in Alaska driving a tour bus and giving tours for Grayline back in the early '90s. It was a great time, and I'd love to back again, this time with my family (and my better camera! :))

Mike

Thanks for the kind words about the shot everybody. I can't believe how Alaska got into my blood so fast.

This was truly our First Vacation/Adventure and I had shot almost 900 pics and I was conservative about it. I just uploaded a couple more of Alaska and wishing now I had a better camera at that time. LOL

--
Clayton,

If you bring your wife, she might like the smaller camera bodies. I have now been hearing that the reason I disliked the Rebel XTI, D40 and the D40X because of the tighter feel for the camera controls. Makes it easier for smaller hands to control.......... and you might end up buying two camera's. One for each of you...........

[Not4wood]

Mark-

I enjoyed reading the journey of your camera decision, as it was very, very similar to mine) from starting with the Rebel xti being my first choice, and wanting to like it but didn't after holding it, to spending lots of time on the process, and finally ending up deciding on the D80 as well).

Thanks for your Alaska shot as well. I spent 2 summers in Alaska driving a tour bus and giving tours for Grayline back in the early '90s. It was a great time, and I'd love to back again, this time with my family (and my better camera! :))

Mike

Mike,

First, thank you for the kind words.

To give you a run down on what we did on our Great Adventure to Alaska.
We had a different pespective from you because you lived there. We used Celebrity Tours, because we also wanted to do the Cruise Ship in and around Alaska. So, 5 day land tour starting in Fairbanks and a 7 day Cruise aboard the Celebrity Summit which started in Seward and ended up in Vancouver. Then finally we always heard about how beautiful Vancouver is. So we also booked another 2 days in Vancouver again using Celebrity, but with no tour. We did everything ourselves considering we were already tired from the very long trip and wanted our own pace. We have also been hearing of how a lot of people didn't like the reverse tour. Cruise first then the land. Seems after spending the first five days living out of our suitcase we were ready for some high class living on board ship. Picture the reverse?? Living 5 star relaxing on a cruise ship, then going onboard a bus and living out of your suitcase? One night here, one night there.... Land Tour first Heehaw..

[Not4wood]

Okay, I have pretty much decided on the D40x. Next comes the lens. There are several kits:
1. with the 18-55 mm and 55-200 mm (not VR)
2. with the 18-55 mm (not VR) and 55-200 mm (VR)
3. with the 18-135 mm (not VR)
These are all with $70 of each other.

4. Buy the body and add the 18-200 mm (VR)
This is about $300 higher.

Now I am not nor ever will be a professional photographer. I am retired and just like to take good photos for posterity. I kinda like the idea of having 1 lens to deal with.

Do you think for my needs the 135 mm will be enough and do I really need the (VR). How much stability does this add for the casual shooter? Or maybe later add the 70-300 mm (it's cheaper than the 18-200 mm) if I see I would really like those distance shots.:confused:

Clayton,

Your correct about the one lens needed and Laurie hits it on the button. I got the 18-135 kit lens with my new D80 and its a great quality lens, and I didn't need the VR right away. If I get a longer Zoom, it would have the VR without even thinking about it. Since my old 35mm bag had a 135mm in it and even though I haven't used that camera in a long time I felt that I was used to it and didn't need the VR cause I always have my tripod. Which I rarely use anyway......:D For the extra couple of bucks, you wont regret the 200 VR lens. Matter of fact, I have been looking around at whats available and looking at all the lens and what there used for the only thing I can see myself buying in the future is a much longer focal length like a 500 or better. This one lens (18-200 VR)does it all, including Portraits which is a major discussion about Depth of Field in another thread. The higher focal length with an F4 or F5.6 will give you a shallower depth of field to help frame your subject. For a good portrait range anywhere between a 90-135 mm focal length is a good portrait baby telephoto.

[Chuck S.]

Mark, have you gotten used to the 'lens factor' on your DSLR? The fact that the frame on the small sensor is filled at a much shorter camera-to-subject distance has caused me to use the lower end of the zoom range more on the DSLR than I would have on the film SLR. It's most problematic at wide angle, where the 28 mm low end of my lens acts more like a 45 mm. For portraits, a 50 mm normal lens is a good choice for me because it acts more like an 80 mm on a Canon (75 mm).

Just one of those things we have to adapt to - unless we move up the food chain to a full-sized sensor camera like the Canon 5D or Nikon D3!:)

[mrod]

Ah, yes! I spent many a day in Fairbanks, and I drove along Turnagain Arm on my way to Seward more times than I could count. I was based in Anchorage, which, in my opinion, was great, because I got trips to Seward and Valdez, which gave some nice water, glacier, etc. experiences, and I also took many trips north, to Denali and Fairbanks, which offered different landscapes, topography, weather, etc.

I recall many early, early morning pickups of tired people off cruise ships in Seward and Whittier to take them back to Anchorage (my gallery called The Closet Shelf below has an image (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/gallery/view_img.php?id=6655)I took with my old, manual-focus Minolta film SLR and fixed 50mm lens while sitting on my bus, which was on a train that took us from the highway to the very small deep-water port of Whittier. We had to drive our bus onto a flatbed train car, as there was not a road connecting the highway with Whittier at that time. The train was 104 inches wide, the buses were 96 inches wide. Great, great fun could be had with the passengers :D).

OK, I'll stop, now. It was, far and away, the best summer job I ever had. I could never quite believe I was getting paid to see Alaska!

Thanks for the memories!

Mike

Mike,

First, thank you for the kind words.

To give you a run down on what we did on our Great Adventure to Alaska.
We had a different pespective from you because you lived there. We used Celebrity Tours, because we also wanted to do the Cruise Ship in and around Alaska. So, 5 day land tour starting in Fairbanks and a 7 day Cruise aboard the Celebrity Summit which started in Seward and ended up in Vancouver. Then finally we always heard about how beautiful Vancouver is. So we also booked another 2 days in Vancouver again using Celebrity, but with no tour. We did everything ourselves considering we were already tired from the very long trip and wanted our own pace. We have also been hearing of how a lot of people didn't like the reverse tour. Cruise first then the land. Seems after spending the first five days living out of our suitcase we were ready for some high class living on board ship. Picture the reverse?? Living 5 star relaxing on a cruise ship, then going onboard a bus and living out of your suitcase? One night here, one night there.... Land Tour first Heehaw..

[Chuck S.]

Mike, did you ever surf the bore tide on Turnagain Arm? :)

[mrod]

Ha, you couldn't have paid me to get within 50 yards of the shore. I heard all the horror stories. Told a few of 'em, too.

Sure was beautiful to see, though. I remember parking my bus and watching one of those tides just roll up the Arm. I also remember pulling over, getting out, and enjoying the small pod of Beluga Whales heading back towards Cook Inlet as the sun gently set over the mountains...


I said I was going to stop, didn't I...:rolleyes:

Mike

Mike, did you ever surf the bore tide on Turnagain Arm? :)

[lexcell]

The bore tide is something to watch but, I too, have heard some of the horror stories of people getting stuck in the quicksand like mud in Turnigan Arm. We didn't have the setting sun but it was very cool to see the Belugas following the tide in catching fish to eat.
Ah, Alaska! You guys are making me homesick.... :) Even though I don't live there I always feel like I have come home when I am there.

[Not4wood]

I know its real early, so far it looks like we have four people including me who have been addicted to Alaska.

Could we start a separate thread and show off our images of this Natural Wonder???

[lexcell]

Hi Mark,
OK, I started a thread under Techniques called "What I Love About Alaska" and posted a photo to get it started....your turn. :)

[mrod]

Oh, boy, I'll have to dig around deep and do some scanning...they won't be great...I had a decent camera (for the time and considering the fact I was a poor college student) but I can't really say I knew what I was doing.

I'll take a look when we get back into town (let's hear it for relatives with a wireless router! :D)

Mike

Hi Mark,
OK, I started a thread under Techniques called "What I Love About Alaska" and posted a photo to get it started....your turn. :)

[Clayton]

Well thanks to the advice on this great forum, I have made up my mind. I did handle the cameras and decided on the D40X. I have ordered one with the 18-55MM kit lens. I figured this will suffice for now as I learn the camera. I will start saving now for the 18-200 VR lens next...:D