Nikon Recomendations

drauka99

drauka99

Member
I am thinking about upgradeing my 'point and shoot" Sony to a DSLR camera. I don't have much experience with anything nearly as advanced as these but I would like to buy one that is fairly simple to use and yet still get pretty amazing photos with a little bit of learning on my part. I want to be able to do a little bit of everything, i.e. sports events, outdoors and of course some aquarium shots. Right now I am pretty much in love with everything I have heard about the D40x.

Any recomendations on one of thier other cameras?

What lenses would be you recomend I pick up for the types of photography I mentioned?

I know fo tank shots and stuff I will need a good tripod (I have one and have access to another, but anything else you would recomend?
 
I'm getting lazy in my old age. This is my standard post:

--
If you decide to go the DSLR route you need to consider more variables than you do with a point and shoot (P&S) camera.

The order of importance, in regard to picture quality, with a DSLR is:

Photographer skill, lens quality, camera body.

Every DSLR body on the market today will take excellent pictures. Your lens choices are far more important than which body you buy.

You also have to be comfortable with how the camera feels. If you're not comfortable with your camera you won't be out shooting with it. Go to a local camera store (avoid places like Ritz, Best Buy, etc.... if at all possible), play with several different camera bodies and see what feels the best in your hand. Buy the one that feels best.

/ personal rant /
If you go to a local store with subject expertise (again, not a Ritz, Best Buy, Wolf Camera, etc) and take advantage of the knowledgeable folks buy your camera there. You might pay a little bit more but they deserve to be compensated for their assistance. In the long run building a relationship with a local store can be very helpful as a good camera is a long term investment. I have no problem buying online to save money; I just don't do it if I've involved the local store in the sales process.
/ end rant /


Buying a DSLR is more than buying a camera, it's buying into a system. That being said Canon and Nikon currently have most of the market. Choosing one of those gives you more choices for expansion down the road. The new Sony looks good as well and it's compatible with Konica/Minolta lenses.

If saving money, by buying used gear, allows you to spend more money on lenses you should go that route. A good lens on a used body will take better pictures than a cheap lens on a brand new body.

Cheers
 
thanks, sadly enough I am in a less populous area and there are no reputable camera shops close by. I have a friend who has a Nikon (sadly I do not remember which model) and I liked the feel of it.

Thank you for your help.

Any recomendatons of len's for the Nikon D40x? I am thinking I will need 3

Price is not a huge factor as I will be buying each peice seperatly as funds come avalible and I am one of those pople who would rather spend more and take my time in order to have really good quality rather than rush everything and complain about it later.

Also which lens would be the best all around? I noticed the kit comes packaces with either a 55 or 135.
 
Since you have the D40X, you'll need to take a look at AFI or AFS lenses, since those are the only lenses that camera will autofocus with. I would also consider taking a look at the D80; more room to grow into.

As for lenses, if you don't mind high prices for great gear, take a look at the faster lenses. For a 3 lens kit, consider:

12-24mm f/4 AFS (wide angle, landscape lens)
24-70mm f/2.8 AFS (general all purpose walk-around lens)
70-200mm f/2.8 AFS VR (sports lens)
105mm f/2.8 AFS VR (macro lens)

Those 3 lenses will cover your range from 12-200mm and you will be set.

If you don't need something as wide as the 12mm, then consider the following:

17-55mm f/2.8 AFS (general walk-around lens)
70-200mm f/2.8 AFS VR (sports lens)
105mm f/2.8 AFS VR (macro lens)

Add a SB-800 on top of the kit and you will have a very versatile setup.

If you are working on a budget, then I would consider the following instead:

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di XR
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 HSM
Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro
 
Just tagging along. I was wondering if the nikon D80 camera kits on flea bay with the 70-300 is campible of taking good macro shots? Or do you need a different lens.
 
Mach6, you would either need a different lens (macro) or extension tubes. You could take some shots closeups with the 300mm end, but more than likely would need to stand about 8' away (check minimal focusing distance on that lens)
 
thanks guys for the help, I will be printing this out and doing some more research.

Thanks for the tip about the D80, but I am pretty sure it will take me years to grow into the D40.
 
I just went for a D40 with 18-55mm lense kit to start my introduction into DSLR and amateur serious photography. I'll keep following and give my input where I can :)
 
Ebn, beerguy and everyone else,

Where are some places to look for lens like the ones listed above? I looked at b&h and KEH and couldn't find a few of the ones mentioned.
 
I am getting a new D40 in few days... I understand that they are different from a point and shoot... How hard are they to learn on??? I have heard people getting frustrated with them and selling them...
 
I have heard the opposite, the D40 is more like a P&S camera that you have the option of changing lenses with.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10525801#post10525801 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ebn
Since you have the D40X, you'll need to take a look at AFI or AFS lenses, since those are the only lenses that camera will autofocus with. I would also consider taking a look at the D80; more room to grow into.

As for lenses, if you don't mind high prices for great gear, take a look at the faster lenses. For a 3 lens kit, consider:

12-24mm f/4 AFS (wide angle, landscape lens)
http://tinyurl.com/ywpnmf

24-70mm f/2.8 AFS (general all purpose walk-around lens)
Too new to really get from anywhere. Estimated price of $1,799. You can read about the announcement here:
http://tinyurl.com/yo3ddw

70-200mm f/2.8 AFS VR (sports lens)
http://tinyurl.com/2hgbfv

105mm f/2.8 AFS VR (macro lens)
http://tinyurl.com/yoan4o

Those 3 lenses will cover your range from 12-200mm and you will be set.

If you don't need something as wide as the 12mm, then consider the following:

17-55mm f/2.8 AFS (general walk-around lens)
http://tinyurl.com/27a62y

70-200mm f/2.8 AFS VR (sports lens)
http://tinyurl.com/2hgbfv

105mm f/2.8 AFS VR (macro lens)
http://tinyurl.com/yoan4o

Add a SB-800 (http://tinyurl.com/ytrgzy) on top of the kit and you will have a very versatile setup.

If you are working on a budget, then I would consider the following instead:

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6
http://tinyurl.com/2gtdac

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di XR
http://tinyurl.com/2z8gbv

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 HSM
http://tinyurl.com/2zn2qf

Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro
http://tinyurl.com/2ofpqu
Click to expand...

Links added above. Here's the link to the Tokina 12-24mm f/4 that Doug mentioned (http://tinyurl.com/yphf5b).
 
I have the D50 (more like the D80) and absolutely swear on it when there is a once in a life time picture opportunity.
 
thanks for adding the links. It makes it much easier. I think for the time being I will go for a d40x body with the Tamron 28-75
and work my way up from there.

I may even go ahead and get one of the kit lenses (the 135) in case i need it before i've saved up for one of the nice ones.
Any thoughts?
any other must have items?
The kit has battery (buying extra) and 2 -2gig cards along with charger and other misc stuff
 
My suggestion is go with Canon LOL ...........................just kidding. I shot for years with Nikon film cameras great equipment,when I went digital I choose Canon .
 
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G ED II

Would this lens be a good lense; for a general purpose lens? I would be putting it on a nikon D40x...I know to get an autofocus lens and this one is but is it practical to start out with this???
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10661511#post10661511 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drauka99
thanks for adding the links. It makes it much easier. I think for the time being I will go for a d40x body with the Tamron 28-75
and work my way up from there.

I may even go ahead and get one of the kit lenses (the 135) in case i need it before i've saved up for one of the nice ones.
Any thoughts?
any other must have items?
The kit has battery (buying extra) and 2 -2gig cards along with charger and other misc stuff
Click to expand...

Only issue I see with that is no autofocusing on the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. The D40x requires AFS, AFI, HSM lenses since the motors are built into the lens themselves. Last time I checked the Tamron doesn't have a motor; you'll have to manually focus with that lens.

I would pick up the Tamron 28-75mm in a heatbeat, but not with that camera. I would take a look at the 18-70mm, 18-135mm or the 18-200mm instead. They're not as sharp or fast as the Tamron, but they'll autofocus.

Really don't like the 18-55mm kit lens. It's very plasticky...
 
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