Nerve Endings Firing Away

After waiting for more than two+ years, I finally got myself a DSLR – a Nikon D40. Although I had a digital point-and-shoot Olympus C-770 Ultra Zoom for nearly two years, the pleasure of taking photographs with an SLR is something that you cannot explain. Most professional photographers tell you that the camera does not matter but we don’t see them using a point-and-shoot. There is something different (as in Maggi Ketchup different) about handling and shooting photographs with a SLR.

Before the whole digital pixels exploded, I was quite comfortable with my Nikon F60 film SLR but seeing everyone clicking away to glory while I patiently weighed the pros and cons of consuming one frame in my 36-photo film roll helped my green monster rear its ugly head. And going from a SLR to a point-and-shoot even if it is digital isn’t easy on your amateur photographer morale although I must admit, the Olympus one was almost there.

But thanks to the upcoming wedding and potential for cashing in on all those blessings for the married couple, I got myself the Nikon D40. I had my eyes on the D80 but the price difference was too much. After carefully poring over Ken Rockwell’s reviews for both the models, I decided to go for the low-priced yet powerful camera. Don’t ask me why but I’m a Nikon guy so although I did look at Canon models, I didn’t really seriously consider them. I am aware of all the limitations of the D40 including the primary one that the autofocus motor isn’t in the body but in the lenses thus making buying additional lenses an expensive proposition. But I don’t see myself going beyond the couple of other basic lenses i.e. 55-200mm AF-S DX VR and 50mm f1.8/D (if you are still wondering what to get me as a wedding gift, the hints cannot be any more obvious) simply because I don’t intend going professional or try selling my prints.

If you are looking to buying the D40 as well, I must suggest that you stay away from the two-lens kit that Amazon recommends because the longer zoom lens doesn’t come with VR (vibration reduction). Trust me, you may not need VR with the kit lens but you sure do with the longer lenses as vibrations tend to be amplified over long-distance zooms. Anyway, a tripod is a must if you insist on getting close from afar. However, if you must get both lenses at the same time, just get the D40 with the kit lens and add the 55-200mm separately. Nikon has a deal going on right now where they knock off $100 from the price if you get both the items. I bought the camera a few days before the deal was announced and no matter how hard I tried wrangling this deal for me, the customer service at Amazon had only one insanely wasteful suggestion – return your new camera and buy it again with the deal. As far as necessary accessories go, don’t forget the UV Filter which is for protection of your lens from physical damage rather than UV, an extra battery that comes in a smart bag, and of course a memory card with ample space. Don’t fall for the more-the-megapixel-the-better myth, 6MP ought to be enough for everyone unless you are in the billboard printing business.

Anyway, the process of buying apart, the Nikon D40 is a breeze to use and is ready to shoot right out of the box although I recommend charging the battery fully before first use. Its amazingly light weight makes it easier to carry around especially around your neck when you are out the whole day shooting. The LCD screen doesn’t offer a preview of your shot but just the shooting info. You must use the viewfinder to preview your photo before shooting just like a traditional SLR. Although this may seem like a major downside, it in fact helps in conserving battery which may last for 400-500 shots. You can always review the photo once you take it. The 18-55mm kit lens should suffice for most amateur and hobby photographers.

Menu options are readily available on the left of the screen and best of all, it preserves your settings even after you switch off your camera (my Olympus didn’t). The colors are vibrant and sharp. They can be juiced up even more by using the Vivid option in the Custom Setting Menu or the Color Booster in the PicturePerfect bundled software. The White Balance fine tuning is another setting I use quite often. It is a must if you are addicted to sunset shots. For the purist in you, the Autofocus can be switched off and you can go into complete manual mode. As Ken Rockwell suggests, I recommend using the Continuous shooting mode so that you continue to take pictures as long as the shutter button is pressed down. You can always select the best picture later (ah! the luxuries of digital). And if you hate fiddling around with controls, there is always that reliable Auto mode for you. I call it the ‘wife setting’ :) Of course, no offense meant to those excellent women photographers.

I am still playing around and experimenting with the camera so I may not be aware of all its capabilities but you can take a look at my first attempts (posted after Nov.19). If you have been using the Nikon D40 and have discovered personal tweaks, feel free to share it.