Nikon D40

I'm somewhat of a camera freak. I'm definitely an amateur, but I try out many new models that come out, always on the search for the perfect DSLR or point and shoot. Haven't found one yet, :^) Anyway, I… purchased this camera (my FIRST DSLR,) but couldn't get very many good pictures to come out. I spent more time fiddling with the buttons and controls than I did taking pictures, and was generally unhappy with it. Inside my daughter's gymnasium photographing sporting events, forget it. Every picture was blurry and yellow. I tried everything, bought an Expodisc for custom white balance, a tripod, everything that's supposed to be used for better pictures. Frustrated with the controls and lack of pictures it was producing, I eventually sold it and got a Canon digital camera. The Canon's pictures turned out way better, it just seemed to be easier to work. The only problem I found was that the picture on the Canon's LCD screen was too yellow and dim and didn't match the actual picture at all. This made it hard to tell which pictures were going to turn out. The only way I could manage it was to tether the Canon to a computer, and used to the computer to control the settings and take the shots, where it turned out beautiful shots. BUT, I didn't want to be tied to a computer every time I took pictures! I returned the Canon and thought "Ah ha, after working with the Canon, I now am a better photographer, and will understand the buttons and knobs on the Nikon more!" Well, after purchasing another Nikon D40, it seemed even dudlier in my hands than before. There was a strong magenta cast to my photographs that I couldn't seem to fix. The Japanese maple turning gorgeous red fall colors in my front yard turned out a deep hot pink! I tried custom settings, "auto" mode, custom colors, exposure compensation, you name it. Now, I have no idea where to look for the perfect camera. I beginning to suspect that there's no such thing as a perfect camera, and that photographers must pick and choose their cameras not with an eye towards perfection, but as in which one is the right tool for the job at hand. I think I've been expecting a perfect camera that does all things well, but I don't think there is such a thing.

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This was my first DSLR and I bought it 6 months before first child was born. I cannot take a bad picture with this thing. Pair with the cheap SB-400 flash and you'll be taking professional pictures in any… light with little effort. The fact that people still drop several hundred dollars on the virtually "disposable" "cute colored" point and shoots when a camera like this is just a couple hundred more is beyond me. Buy it, buy it now.

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This camera was my first venture into the DSLR world. I had been shooting with my trusty Canon point and shoot for years and although I got great quality photos, I was often frustrated with the lag time of… a point and shoot. I bought the Nikon D40 in February of 2008. The price has not changed much since and for good reason. This camera is very inexpensive for what it offers, with pricing only slightly higher than some higher end point and shoots. Before I begin, You will notice in my reviews I do not go into the full specs of the camera. I feel as a consumer if I want to read that, I can read it here on Amazon in the information or I can download the manual from the manufacturer. So I do not include that. In my reviews I include my personal observations only. The Good- ~ Turn on time is nearly instant. No more waiting for the camera to boot up and losing that precious shot ~ Even in high quality mode there is nearly no lag between pushing the button and the shutter firing. You get the shot you are going for every time. ~ I always forget to shut it off, It powers down itself after a bit to save battery. ~ Has all the capabilities of higher end cameras, yet an easy to use interface with an Auto mode. A great camera for someone who is interested in photography or someone who just likes to put it on Auto and edit with Photoshop later. ~ Action shots. You can take rapid fire pictures with this camera that come out perfect. I recently took photos through a chain link fence of my son's baseball game and got 8 shots from him leaving 3rd base to sliding into home plate that are priceless. TIP: Your speed relies on your memory card. Use cards with "ultra" or "premium" speed ratings for maximum speed. This is true whether you use a DSLR or a point and shoot from Walmart. ~ Lenses. There is a lens for every need. Macro, Wide angle, Zoom to the moon. If you want it Nikon has it and Nikkor lenses are top of the line. At the end of the day a camera is only as good as it's lens and I really beleive Nikon lenses beat the competition hands down. ~ Manual zoom/focus. I love this. Most newer nikkor lenses have auto focus capabilities if the thought of focusing on your own is intimidating but I love having the ultimate control over my focus and I find that I'm faster at zooming and focusing than the auto feature on the camera is a lot of the time so I tend to just keep it on manual. This camera does not have an automatic zoom and I assure you, you will not miss it. The Bad- ~ Size. It really is a pain to carry this thing around a fair or while chasing children around. It's big, and that uber expensive lens juts out just asking to be knocked off a wall. The neck strap is quit uncomfortable. This has been my biggest pet peeve with this camera and the reason I recently purchased another point and shoot for every day and will leave my Nikon sitting at home except for photo shoots and high action activities. ~ Framing. You cannot frame your shot with the LCD screen with this camera. Nikon finally added that feature on the D90. At first this made me crazy, what with having been a Canon point and shoot girl for years. And to be honest this is still slightly annoying. I have talked to other photographers who don't miss it but for me, when I'm shooting my kids' lives I'd like to be a part of it too, not with my face stuck in a viewfinder. I just feel detached when I have to look through a viewfinder. ~ Video. Nikon dropped the ball on this one. The Nikon D40 is capable of recording video but does not have audio capabilities. ~ Flash- The flash on the D40 is very powerful allowing you to take great night shots. It does tend to be a bit much in dim conditions and causes a bit of washout. My biggest pet peeve with the flash is that it's so low profile I usually end up blocking it with my finger. I shoot quickly, zooming/focusing and clicking and if I don't remember to take my hand off after I zoom/focus I'll block the flash. It's annoying and I've lost some great shots that way. All in all if you want to move up to a DSLR go for the D40 in lieu of some of it's more pricey competitors. It is versatile and high quality enough for the professional photographer, yet inexpensive and easy enough to use for those who just chase the kids around the playground. Due to it's less than ideal portability this camera likely will not replace your trusty point and shoot, but it will be a great addition to your memory preserving arsenal.

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i had been wanting a slr for quite some time and was debating between this one and the Canon Rebel XS. I chose this one because only 6 megapixel is needed to make a good cropped 8x10 photo. and because it… costs much less than all the other slr. it came within 5 days and was in the brand new box. the pictures it takes are extremely clear (as long as you keep it on the highest quality) there are also a wide range of white balances: cloudy, shady, sunny, fluorescent, flash. and the built in flash is quite powerful. this camera is small and light, i really did not want to be lugging around a huge canon or massive nikon, so this light camera is GREAT! i have had it for about a month now and have had no issues. i would recommend getting another battery with this camera because the one it comes with is only 1000mAH (about 400 pics) and you can buy another $10 battery off of Amazon that has 1800mAH like i did. all in all great camera I would recommend to a friend. but make sure you do your research and find the BEST camera for your money. also this camera has some in-camera editing which is pretty cool. It may sound cheesy, but it can be quite helpful. this is a GREAT camera for beginning photographers.

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