D40 users come in!

[Amaury]

Yep, my home is there right now but in Paris, so a bit north of the vineyards. Let's talk about it in PMs and not go offtopic too much

 

[dreamzcape]

Hey Amaury and dreamzcape, care to share ur experience using the 50mm f/1.4 and f/1.8 respectively?
Is it hard to mf on the D40/x?
Thinking of getting one too but not too sure how hard is it.

hey there mechattax,

it's not hard. it just takes practice. i'm not too good at it myself but i'm always practising. i suggest you go down to a shop that will let you test till you're satisfied. the focus ring of the 50mm f/1.8 handles much better than the kit lens so i highly suggest that you try it for yourself. For me, i found that i was willing to take up the challenge simply because i liked the amount DOF play i had with this lens compared to the kit lens. And i believe it is possible to get really good with this lens. I have seen shots of people playing tennis taken by the D40+50mm f/1.8, and to me, it is really quite amazing since i sometimes take rather long to focus even on static objects.

bottomline, go try it
i tested mine at john 3:16, and they let me do so until i was thoroughly satisfied.

 

[czeno]

hey dream,

how do u actually test a lens for sharpness? what do u look out for? and at wat aperture are u shooting at with ur 50mm f1.8 nikkor to determine the sharpness..

As for MF its usually not a problem if u can run around ur subject at a predetermined focussed distance. I was dancing around a dog for that purpose. Amateurish eh?

 

[czeno]

1. Zaren
2. Hlyf
3. Psychobiologist (D200, D40/D80 sold)
4. BlueBull
5. IfourDesign
6. Helmiz
7. Six-GHz
8. Matthew1381
9. Samtcy (with one tripod totting hubby!)
10. Benson S A Chua
11. GriGri
12. Wing Oscar
13. geraldKhoo (with D200, sold D40x to friend... but still available for my use )
14. chanjyj (With D2x, D80, D40 sold)
15. Mousedeer213
16. Clubgrit
17. monokydni
18. mysterio506
19. IceMocha
20. PhotoGiant (D40x with AF-S 18-200mm VRII. I lyke~!)
21. Mickie
22. Graphicz
23. Eidja
24. TennoRZ(since Dec'06)
25. anwask (D40 with 18-55,55-200) (Updated by chanjyj 1130H, 7 Sept 07)
26. neverneverever (D40x with SB-600)
27. damkuff
28. JillValentine
29. JeeT77 (since X'mas '06)
30. huoyun (d40 kit since jan 07)
31. czeno (d40, 50mm1.8, 1020sigma)
32. vroom
33. kamiru
34. fusetrips
35. Jimny (Bought in Japan kit + 55-200 )
36. lloyds (since july 07)
37. shirak
38. Popeye gal (D40x - 18-200mm)
39. XiaoXian (re-entered by chanjyj)
40. csiwei
41. fungoer (with 55-200mm VR)
42. jeffng28 (D40X with 55-200VR)
43. Stray Sheep (D40 & 55- 200VR) --> from COMEX 07
44. deathwiz (D40 + 18-200VR)
45. KeefeSNAP (due to 1/500 flash sync speed)
46. popiah123
47. konahead (D40 kit + 55-200mm VR + SB400)
48. steadyshot
49. guiii (D40 + 18-135mm)
50. jayzzz
51. danielwu0808
52. tigereye19
53. Starspurz (D40 & 55- 200VR) --> also just from COMEX 07
54. lsisaxon --> Not mine.. Company bought a D40kit and it just arrived this morning.
55. yxannes (entered by chanjyj upon user request 1729H, 11 Sept 2007)
56. dscans (entered by chanjyj 1729H, 11 Sept 2007)
57. augustai (just sold my D40) (updated on 16 Sept 2007 by augustai)
58. redpills (Sigma 30mm f/1.4) (entered by chanjyj 2212H, 11 Sept 2007)
59. kudos
60. Daneal79 (entered by chanjyj 1314H, 14 Sept 2007)
61. Astroman (entered by chanjyj 2057H, 19 Sept 2007)
62. Amaury (D40 w/ kit lens + 55-200mm VR + 50mm f/1.4 + 200mm f/4 (both preAI))[/COLOR]
63. Lukesky
64. snapperz
65. Maxe (D40 + 55-200mm VR) from Comex too....
66. lingaowei (fixed by chanjyj 2125H, 27 Sept 2007)
67. tungsol (D40 + 18-70mm, and also D80 )(fixed by chanjyj 2125H, 27 Sept 2007)
68. fanyong (D40x & 18-135mm)
69. Maletoth2000 (added by chanjyj 1949H, 28 Sept 2007)
70. evopilot (D40 + 55-200mm VR)
71. mechattax
72. coolride (D40x + Sigma 18-200mm OS HSM)
73. justinlau92
74. acky86
75: rich1 (D40x Kit lens)
76. dreamzcape (D40x w/ kit lens + 50mm f/1.8)
77. simon_84 (D40 w kit lens)
78. Zacepl (D40X + 55-200mm VR)
80. DiGdUb (D40x kit + 18-200mm VR)
81. nabilmust (D40 + kit lens + 55-200mm VR)

I dun feel so wierd running around with a MF lens now...

 

[dreamzcape]

amateurish? haha i'm not in a position to criticize but it sounds like something i would do too.:bsmilie:

as for determining sharpness, i didn't do a sharpness test. but from what i've googled, what most do is they shoot at something with graduated markings like a ruler at a 45 degree angle, with the camera mounted on a tripod. then later pixel peek to see if there are front or back focusing problems. i think they have focus charts online for you to download and print. as for which aperture, i'm sorry i can't advise coz like i said, i didn't do the test. all i know is that i liked my shots when i saw them on the computer and i was satisfied.
i'm sure you'll be able to find the sweet spot of this lens online.

like i stated in my previous post, call me impulsive but i saw how much dof play i could have and i was sold

 

[mechattax]

Hey Amaury and dreamzcape, thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

[Simon_84]

i need some advise about a spot of dust that appears on my d40 viewfinder.
even though it does not effect the pics but have try cleaning it on the exterior of the vf and the lens exterior but to no avail.
notice that there are 2 mirrors in the body, could the stubborn dust be located on the top mirror ?
i have yet to get a blower to settle this problem...:cry:
any help please ???

 

[chanjyj]

i need some advise about a spot of dust that appears on my d40 viewfinder.
even though it does not effect the pics but have try cleaning it on the exterior of the vf and the lens exterior but to no avail.
notice that there are 2 mirrors in the body, could the stubborn dust be located on the top mirror ?
i have yet to get a blower to settle this problem...:cry:
any help please ???

May be on the bottom of the viewfinder. Has happ to me before.

 

[stufu]

Hi. New member, and new user of D40! I just got it 2-3 weeks back, and i love it! Great quality pics, very light and easy to use.

 

[blackandwhite]

i need some advise about a spot of dust that appears on my d40 viewfinder.
even though it does not effect the pics but have try cleaning it on the exterior of the vf and the lens exterior but to no avail.
notice that there are 2 mirrors in the body, could the stubborn dust be located on the top mirror ?
i have yet to get a blower to settle this problem...:cry:
any help please ???

it could be on the mirror. u can try through blowing the mirror with your camera faced down.

 

[sirikin]

I am using a Nikon macro len (60mm) on my D40X... i found that i had to set the lens aperture ring at minimum aperature to use the lens. When i set the ring aperture to any other setting, it would send an error message and the camera is disabled..(wont operate). Is there a way to disable the auto function so that i can use the aperture setting on the len? Thank you for reading...

 

[psychobiologist]

I am using a Nikon macro len (60mm) on my D40X... i found that i had to set the lens aperture ring at minimum aperature to use the lens. When i set the ring aperture to any other setting, it would send an error message and the camera is disabled..(wont operate). Is there a way to disable the auto function so that i can use the aperture setting on the len? Thank you for reading...

cannot.

there's no aperture feeler, so when you rotate the ring down, the camera doesnt know what aperture you are at. so have to electronic control

 

[blackandwhite]

You have to lock it at the smallest aperture. you can still change the aperture setting using your dial on camera body instead of the aperture ring.

 

[sirikin]

Thanks guys..you are quick and really know your stuffs... I got myself some cheapoo extension tubes and tried them out with the cam and len... turn out that the small aperture opening is way too dark for them to work.. Da#@$ shouild have asked you all earlier before i bought them... Thanks again.

two shots i did yesterday. I am still a newbie ..2 months into dslr D40X..love it dearly!!;p
http://forum.theorchidsource.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=001376;p=1#000011

 

[bent]

hi all, just wanna find out what your default "metering" and "AF-focus" mode are set to.

Currently, mine is "center weighted" and "single area" respectively. is that fine?

also, can this cam take for eg 3 shots consecutively at varying exposure compensation ie 0, -1/3 and +1/3?

 

[geraldkhoo]

hi all, just wanna find out what your default "metering" and "AF-focus" mode are set to.

Currently, mine is "center weighted" and "single area" respectively. is that fine?

also, can this cam take for eg 3 shots consecutively at varying exposure compensation ie 0, -1/3 and +1/3?

I would use different metering depending on the situation and lighting conditions... but most of the time, for the pics i take, i use spot-metering.

For D40/x, it does not have auto-exposure bracketing, but you can do it manually, i.e. mount it on a tripod, take a shot, change the exposure, take another shot, etc... just make sure the cam is firm and does not move.

 

[bent]

I would use different metering depending on the situation and lighting conditions... but most of the time, for the pics i take, i use spot-metering.

ok, i see.

coz last time i went for some basic photog course, the guy told to set as default to center weighted.

why do u normally use spot?

 

[miraiyuki]

Gotten my D40x about 6 weeks ago. Now having kit lens and Nikon DX 55-200mm (VR), and SB800. My first DSLR, it's definitely cooler than my prosumer (though I still like it - Minolta Dimage Z3)

 

[geraldkhoo]

ok, i see.

coz last time i went for some basic photog course, the guy told to set as default to center weighted.

why do u normally use spot?

I normally use spot because I normally shoot in a single point of focus mode. Even as the D40/x has 3 points of AF, I would set it to the middle and focus from the middle point, half press and move for framing. Because I use this method of shooting, I would then like to meter using spot. You can, of course, use center-weighted as well. Others with different preferences of shooting would have different methods that they have come to like. I personally like this because it gives me control over my focus area and the primary area I am metering.

However, if I am taking landscape in wide open areas, I would normally use matrix metering, unless it cannot give me the results I want. You'll have to play with the different metering modes and get a feel of how each mode meters depending on the situation.

One way of learning and trying out is to shoot something with a clear difference in lighting with distinct borders, e.g. bright lights with shadows. Lets say the bright lights cast large shadows of an object. Use spot or center-weighted and meter in the shadow and shoot. Then try with metering from the bright light and shoot. Then try using matrix and try both shots again. You will see the difference in how the camera meters.

 

[bent]

I normally use spot because I normally shoot in a single point of focus mode. Even as the D40/x has 3 points of AF, I would set it to the middle and focus from the middle point, half press and move for framing. Because I use this method of shooting, I would then like to meter using spot. You can, of course, use center-weighted as well. Others with different preferences of shooting would have different methods that they have come to like. I personally like this because it gives me control over my focus area and the primary area I am metering.

However, if I am taking landscape in wide open areas, I would normally use matrix metering, unless it cannot give me the results I want. You'll have to play with the different metering modes and get a feel of how each mode meters depending on the situation.

One way of learning and trying out is to shoot something with a clear difference in lighting with distinct borders, e.g. bright lights with shadows. Lets say the bright lights cast large shadows of an object. Use spot or center-weighted and meter in the shadow and shoot. Then try with metering from the bright light and shoot. Then try using matrix and try both shots again. You will see the difference in how the camera meters.

thanks a lot for the advice!

i notice for my cam, the AF point is normally the center one (coz i set it tt way). Can it ever AF using all 3 points?

so for landscape, u recommend trying matrix too?