Nikon D40 Help

[blue_quartz]

ZerocoolAstra, blue_quartz; thanks for the explanation.

just checked with camera shops like AP n MS, no more D40x.

Nikon's 12-24 (18-36 mm equivalent) or Tokina's 11-16 (16.5-24 mm equivalent)
how do u get the equivalent?

Because the APS-C size sensor in Nikon DSLRs save for the D700 and D1/D2/D3 has a 1.5x crop. Thus, a 50 mm lens on a film DSLR "becomes a" 75 mm version on the DSLRs...

 

[Dezmund Soh]

I am using D40X since December...so far I am very happy about it...I believe..we can overcome our camera's disadvantages with our skills...

Anyway, I am using a battery grip for D40X/D40...my steward friend searched all over the world for me...finally found it in HK..about Sing$150...love it although the shutter trigger sux...but I am using it more for the gripping purposes... Seriously haven seen any of such products in Singapore though...

 

[milesthng]

Well if you sell the D40 for $450 then a d80 would be yeah around $300 or so more. But I think you should stick to the d40 firstly because a 50mm f1.8 doesn't exactly warrant an upgrade and secondly saving up a little would allow you to get better lenses, like the sigma 30mm or the new nikon 50mm f1.4.

Go for the newer lenses, because in terms of image quality both cameras are very similar, but the d80 does have some added features. AF-S lenses focus quicker and are a little quieter too.

hmmm but if i cannot AF with my d40 then that might be abit of a hassle. on the other hand if i did get a d80 with a few extra features and AF. it might cost a few hundred more. however, if i wait for better lenses, like the new 50mm f1.4 AFS it'll probably be a few hundred more than the existing 50mm f1.8 am i correct?

so should i go for that instead or get the d80. is the d40 out of production

 

[Legoz]

hmmm but if i cannot AF with my d40 then that might be abit of a hassle. on the other hand if i did get a d80 with a few extra features and AF. it might cost a few hundred more. however, if i wait for better lenses, like the new 50mm f1.4 AFS it'll probably be a few hundred more than the existing 50mm f1.8 am i correct?

so should i go for that instead or get the d80. is the d40 out of production

Why is the 50mm f1.8 so crucial? Because its cheap and has a fast f stop?
I think you really need to slow down and determine what you need. Your kit lens with a flash would outdo the 50mm on most situations.

Alot of us get carried away with this f stop. large aperture doesnt mean that the lens is good hor.

Regards

 

[Lujke85]

Alternatively, you could save up for a tamron 17-50 f2.8. Thats quite popular for event photography at low light too. It can AF with the D40/D40x/D60 from what i know.

 

[asdfg]

Because the image quality is so similar i don't see the point of you buying the D80 over the d40 just because of a lens. Just get lenses that are suitable to AF with the D40. AF maybe quicker as well with sigmas HSM or nikons AF-S rather than an AF-D lens. Yes, there are more options, but think about the users of the D40 when it just came out. Stuck to just several cheap AF-S lenses. Now there's tamron and tokina with some of their lenses with the AF motor, and sigma's got more as well. Go to their sites and think of which ones to get, make a list and see how it goes. Or wait for the nikon 50mm f1.4. When you get a prime lens you don't HAVE to use it wide open. Stop down.

 

[Simon_84]

i think the mistake most newcomers make before purchasing the d40/40x/60 is that they don't realize that the cam body being small doesn't come with built in-cam body motor unlike their bigger brothers the d70/d50/d80/d90.

getting a cheap 50mm f1.8 don't even last you long if you cant be bother to put on a filter, over time the lens coating on the lens will still wear away eventually.
this was feedback provided by one of the d300 user.

 

[psychobiologist]

i think the mistake most newcomers make before purchasing the d40/40x/60 is that they don't realize that the cam body being small doesn't come with built in-cam body motor unlike their bigger brothers the d70/d50/d80/d90.

getting a cheap 50mm f1.8 don't even last you long if you cant be bother to put on a filter, over time the lens coating on the lens will still wear away eventually.
this was feedback provided by one of the d300 user.

the lens element of the 50 f1.8 is so recessed that its hard to get it worn without a filter, and with a filter, usually give some wierd flares

 

[milesthng]

true. i remember seeing. oh works with all nikon lenses so i assumed it meant af as well =X haha. but i think i should be able to make do with the MF? it should help me along the way as well shouldn't it? i won't be relying on AF all the time? but does that mean the 50mm f1.8 lens is no good? with the poor lens coating?

also, should i sell or keep my d40 then? if it MIGHT be going out of production should i just keep it in with me then? ;p

 

[blue_quartz]

true. i remember seeing. oh works with all nikon lenses so i assumed it meant af as well =X haha. but i think i should be able to make do with the MF? it should help me along the way as well shouldn't it? i won't be relying on AF all the time? but does that mean the 50mm f1.8 lens is no good? with the poor lens coating?

also, should i sell or keep my d40 then? if it MIGHT be going out of production should i just keep it in with me then? ;p

Just keep it and try MF for the prime lens... until you really pek chek then you consider upgrading to a second-hand D80 or D90...

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

ZerocoolAstra, blue_quartz; thanks for the explanation.

just checked with camera shops like AP n MS, no more D40x.

Nikon's 12-24 (18-36 mm equivalent) or Tokina's 11-16 (16.5-24 mm equivalent)
how do u get the equivalent?

Nikon's beginner to amateur cameras use an image sensor that is smaller than 35mm film size by a factor of 1.5 (known as DX format)
As a result, the image that it captures is "1.5 times smaller" than it would be if you used 35mm film (or a D700 or D3).
Imagine placing a piece of cardboard with a smaller cut-out window in front of your PC monitor. That is the 'cropped view' which a D40's sensor sees.
So your lens gives you a view that a 12mm lens would, but because you only can see the central area, you see what an 18mm (12 x 1.5) lens would normally see.

A bit difficult to explain just in words. You can try to google for 'DSLR crop factor' for a better explanation.

 

[psychobiologist]

true. i remember seeing. oh works with all nikon lenses so i assumed it meant af as well =X haha. but i think i should be able to make do with the MF? it should help me along the way as well shouldn't it? i won't be relying on AF all the time? but does that mean the 50mm f1.8 lens is no good? with the poor lens coating?

also, should i sell or keep my d40 then? if it MIGHT be going out of production should i just keep it in with me then? ;p

if you've seen the thread i posted on the green dot, MF is quite fun actually

 

[dreaming]

Nikon's beginner to amateur cameras use an image sensor that is smaller than 35mm film size by a factor of 1.5 (known as DX format)
As a result, the image that it captures is "1.5 times smaller" than it would be if you used 35mm film (or a D700 or D3).
Imagine placing a piece of cardboard with a smaller cut-out window in front of your PC monitor. That is the 'cropped view' which a D40's sensor sees.
So your lens gives you a view that a 12mm lens would, but because you only can see the central area, you see what an 18mm (12 x 1.5) lens would normally see.

A bit difficult to explain just in words. You can try to google for 'DSLR crop factor' for a better explanation.

understood. btw, does the factor of 1.5 a standard among DSLR?

(18-36 mm equivalent)
18mm is 12 X 1.5.
36mm is ?? X ??.
what unit is the 12 X 1.5?

thanks for your patience..

 

[blue_quartz]

understood. btw, does the factor of 1.5 a standard among DSLR?

(18-36 mm equivalent)
18mm is 12 X 1.5.
36mm is ?? X ??.
what unit is the 12 X 1.5?

thanks for your patience..

The equivalent of 36 mm for a DX sensor would be 24 mm lor... 24 * 1.5 = 36.

1.5 is the "standard" for Nikon's DX sensor. It's all a matter of measurements actually. For example, the four-thirds format in Olympus and Panasonic DSLRs is one-quarter the size of a full 35 mm sensor, so the crop factor is actually 2 (square root of 4) for those cameras.

 

[psychobiologist]

true. i remember seeing. oh works with all nikon lenses so i assumed it meant af as well =X haha. but i think i should be able to make do with the MF? it should help me along the way as well shouldn't it? i won't be relying on AF all the time? but does that mean the 50mm f1.8 lens is no good? with the poor lens coating?

also, should i sell or keep my d40 then? if it MIGHT be going out of production should i just keep it in with me then? ;p

the coating is ok.. nowadays coating technology is quite decent.. lenses with coatings from 20+ years ago technology perform quite superbly anyways..

but if you want to sell your d40.. body only, let me know :bsmilie: i've a friend hunting for a copy

 

[rijac]

Why is the 50mm f1.8 so crucial? Because its cheap and has a fast f stop?
I think you really need to slow down and determine what you need. Your kit lens with a flash would outdo the 50mm on most situations.

Alot of us get carried away with this f stop. large aperture doesnt mean that the lens is good hor.

Regards

this is an interesting comment... but i think the other more relevant reason for large aperture is DoF, no?