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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.
by Patrix | on Monday, November 26th, 2007 at 11:49 am | 
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November 26th, 2007 at 2:06 pm reply
Welcome to the club. I have both a D50 and Rebel Xti (why both? Dont ask hehe!), but I use Rebel mostly for all photos that I take. Needless to say its been enjoyable. Nikon D40 is an awesome camera too.
I had a Kodak DC5000 which i used for 4 years, but I could never complain abt the quality of pics it took.
Though I strictly believe in the theory that Good photographers need just a camera. Everyone else needs a dSLR hehe :)
Looking for more photos on the blog/flickr now…
S
November 26th, 2007 at 3:28 pm reply
Supremus, I agree with your theory. I’ve seen plenty of wannabes who think they’ll start taking brilliant photographs once they get a SLR.
But really, why two DSLRs?
November 26th, 2007 at 8:25 pm reply
I just got myself a Canon EOS dSLR Rebel XTi :-) I read most of the reviews and comparisons before I bought this. But your post was very informative. Hopefully I’ll write a review of my experiences with that camera.
November 26th, 2007 at 11:26 pm reply
hey have fun with your new camera - I see from flickr you are having fun actually :) - btw, I have a Sony - strictly not an SLR - but a very thoughtful surprise gift from my husband - so that keeps me happy - no husband setting required for that one!
November 27th, 2007 at 2:46 am reply
me also been planning to do my DSLR post since ages :P..
clicked a lot of stuff, but havent had the time to upload it even on flickr.
November 27th, 2007 at 4:39 am reply
Have fun with your new toy!. By the way, Alex Majoli uses Olympus C-5050 P & S camera.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:09 am reply
Hawkeye, I’m sure the Rebel XTi is an excellent camera. It is just a Nikon-Canon thing. Hope you are enjoying it.
Charu, ah! add to that your writing flair and I can see why Hindustan Times loves to feature you.
Twilight, you aren’t doing any justice to those countless photos you take if you don’t share them.
Shuuro, thanks. And yup, as Supremus said, it isn’t about the camera at all.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:19 pm reply
Welcome to the club… Got a Nikon D70 myself :)
November 27th, 2007 at 2:41 pm reply
Born a Libran, Cool! I had my eye on D70 or rather D70S for quite a while until I read it has been replaced by D80.
November 28th, 2007 at 1:12 am reply
Hey cool! Motivated in equal parts by my two little fairies and Akshay Mahajan’s brilliant work (some of which you can see in Pragati) I got myself an D40X two months ago.
Haven’t looked back since. But long, long,….long way to go.
November 28th, 2007 at 11:13 am reply
Nitin, Nice! My first motivation was through Kalyan Verma’s picture and of course, Akshay Mahajan although he owns a nifty Nikon D200. But share your pictures, re!
November 28th, 2007 at 12:59 pm reply
From the reviews that I read, I hear the original D70 model remains better than the D80 model. Or maybe I should say, the reviews of D80 that I liked. :) But it is probably a good time to get a D-SLR - prizes dropping n all. However, I hear it may not be long before a cheap version of full fledged 35 mm sensor within a D-SLR camera will be launched. And then I will stop reading these reviews. :) Electronics is like that… what to do?
December 1st, 2007 at 9:46 am reply
*eyes turning green* :D well i’ve been stuck in the P-n-S camera mode after going from my Dad’s Nikon F50.
you lucky, LUCKY man :D
as a Amateur Photographer to another, im really happy for you and your new D40!
February 18th, 2008 at 9:13 am reply
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March 6th, 2008 at 3:01 am reply
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April 7th, 2008 at 2:55 pm reply
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