Hi ...
I am gonna get my 1st SLR and was looking for advice for the Nikon D40. How has it been sos far that you have been using it? is the 'live view' important and do you think that the current courts promo for D40 is ok? Does it really matter if this model is launched 2 years ago ?
Thanks
Hi littlegoldfish, the D40 is great! Had it for about slightly less than a year (bought it at best Denki during the CNY promotion) and have no regrets. Of course, I'm quite new to photography so I may not be the best judge, but for someone who has only shot with compact cameras before, the quality and flexibility of the D40 (even though it's 'only' 6.1 MP) is a big jump. Took it along with me on some school trips and covered some school events and it was fantastic for outdoor shots. It's light, and is very fast to power on and focus. The 'low' megapixel count isn't really a problem...unless thinking of printing quite large. My dad got the Canon 1000D for a birthday present, and I somehow found the D40 more comfortable to use. This could be just bias on my part!
One concern though was the compatibility with older lenses, because it doesn't have an in built motor so lenses like the AF Nikkor 50 mm f/1.8D won't autofocus, and manual focus can be a bit difficult. I mention this because I was looking for cheaper additional lenses to start with and read on the forums that this lense was excellent value for money especially for macro and night shots. I knew the D40 couldn't have autofocus with this lens but I went for it anyway...no regrets, but I haven't really got the hang of the autofocus yet. This issue also concerns my next target for a value lens - the 85 mm f/1.8...
For a start, the D40 is an excellent choice, but now that the D60 is here...makes it a little harder to choose one for an entry-level DSLR...D60 has more megapixels, dust cleaning system (if I'm not wrong)...As for Live View, for me although I'm a newbie too, I kind of fell in love with using the viewfinder, and now I can't go back to using the 'live view' on any camera...wierd I know!
Hope the sharing helps, hope you find the best choice for yourself and start enjoying your camera soon!
~Hash