Buying a new camera... need a little input.

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Postby iromero » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:03 pm

Thanks Barbara. I can't wait to actually put this to use. I will keep the Fuji. There is no way I will be able to get this Nikon into a concert. Even this past week at the Van Halen concert, at a venue where I typically was able to get the Fuji S7000 in, they changed the rules from simply any camera with a non-removable lens to a camera with a lens that is not greater the 1 inch. I had to settle for using my son's Fuji A400. The pictures were pretty rotten by my standard and I was right up front.

As for the weather, at least I'll be able to wear a jacket this winter!

Ivan

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Postby crismahn » Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:38 am

Well, folks. just thought I'd let you know that I'm lovin' the new D40. It is everything and way, way more than I was hoping for!

Discovered a couple of web sites I thought I'd pass along. They're very likely old news to many but may be new and useful for others such as myself:

Nikonians,
Ken Rockwell's Website in particular his own personal User Guide to the Nikon D40. Its super!

Also that dpreview site is awesome. So much more than just camera reviews.

And of course this wonderful place!

Anyway, I'm havin' some fun! I'll be taking the little darling for it's first hike this weekend.

Cheers,
Chris

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Postby gpsmikey » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:09 pm

Another excellent source of Nikon information is the users guides
by this guy http://www.bythom.com/ -- I have the one for the
D70s and it is good (lots more information in an easy to read style
than what is in the Nikon users guides). He has one for most models.
Check it out.

mikey
You can't have too many gadgets or too much disk space !!
mikey (PSP6, Photoshop CS6, Vegas Pro 14, Acid 7, BluffTitler, Nikon D300s, D810)
Lots of PIC and Arduino microprocessor stuff too !!

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Postby crismahn » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:57 pm

BTW a side benefit from learning about the new camera is that it has breathed new life into an older P&S Digital that I have: a Minolta Dimage S414.

I have reset all of its settings ( many of which I never really had a clue about) based upon what I have learned using the D40 and am now getting a lot more enjoyment from it, too!

Chris

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Postby im42n8 » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:20 pm

Just a quick 2cents worth. Nikon and Canon aren't the only two with good cameras (but they do have lots!). Pentax has been making good cameras for years too ... just not as well known.

There's the Pentax K10d that appears to be within your price range and has lots of good features: ... it has image stabilization, weatherproofed body, accepts a battery grip, and a wide-range of lenses. It's a 10MP camera that stores images in RAW (pef and dng) as well as jpg. You can get it for something in the $500 range. It has a number of features found only in more expensive cameras. (There's also the K20D now ... more pricey too). This is a good camera for advanced photo enthusiasts. Check out the reviews on this camera too ... they rate it highly against the Canon and Nikon competition.

Dale

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Postby BarbaraC » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:30 pm

Dale, can you get all the lenses for the Pentax that you can for a Nikon or Canon? Lenses are one of the reasons I'll be switching away from my Olympus when the time comes.

Barbara

XaiLo

Postby XaiLo » Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:26 pm

Well between the two it's more of a personel preference and yes there are other companies who have good offerings but the main consideration is what is going to best meet your needs. And how to read in between all the marketing hoopla. Your buying more than a camera you are buying into in some cases a cohesive and in other instances a not so cohesive system. It's really an individual thing as to how this plays out in the real world. If your only intention is to take some snapshots then almost any camera would do the job.

There's a lot of to do about in camera "image stablization" but there's two sides to this coin in camera stabilization does not work as well as in lens stabilization and should in camera stabilization fail that's it none of your lenses can be stabilized. Nikon offers a 18-55mm VR, 55-200mm VR, and a 70-300mm VR (VR = vibration reduction same as image stabilization) all are reasonably priced consumer grade lenses that are excellent preformers and I do mean excellent. Canon also has stabilized lenses.

Then there's lighting which offers up a whole other can of worms. Personally I really like Nikon's "Creative Lighting System" it allows you to set parameters on multiple groups of flashes from a central location. To some this is a non-issue to me it's one of the deal breakers. Sad thing is no one can ultimately tell you what's going to be important to you now or in the future. And unless there is a basic understandig of what's involved even the individual themselves may not have the answer. I'd handle all the ones you are interested in and learn a little bit about the magic of it all. A great book is "Understanding Exposure" Revised Edition by Bryan Peterson it's a light read that's full of practical examples and it will help you draw a corelation between ISO, fstop, shutter speed and light. For what it's worth I own the D40 it is capable of producing some great pictures. It's a great compact camera.

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