help with buying first Dslr

[shibs]

hello everybody,
i was planning on buying a dslr, i generally use a samsung s760 but i want explore the dslr's now. I am a student and have immense love for photography, so i doubt if i'll be able to pool in alot of money..i was considering nikon D40/40x but everyone keeps telling me that its a very basic camera and that i'll grow out of it very soon. I was also told that it does not support a lot of lenses and that when i get a better camera all the lenses that i bought for D40 would become useless.....so i really need some good advice on this matter because i am really confused....any suggestions for other dslr's in the range of d40....id really appreciate some help....
thanks

[isaiah40_31ph]

hello

if you can squeeze a little lot more from your budget.. get the D90.

other wise, the D40 is as good as it gets. and most of the lenses coming out nowadays are AF-S already, meaning that they will autofocus even without the motor on the body.

i started out with the D60

hope this helps

mike

[Sime]

Well, yes, there is no focus motor in the 40, so you need to be careful with lens choice if you want auto-focus. The D80 is a nice camera, the D90 is a nice camera with more bells and whistles. The Canon 30D is a great camera, as is the 20D for that matter... Lower end dSLR cameras are becoming more reasonably priced - so you should be able to get something decent.

[Shokinen]

Originally Posted by shibs

I am a student and have immense love for photography, so i doubt if i'll be able to pool in alot of money..i was considering nikon D40/40x but everyone keeps telling me that its a very basic camera and that i'll grow out of it very soon. I was also told that it does not support a lot of lenses and that when i get a better camera all the lenses that i bought for D40 would become useless...
thanks

I started with a D60 as well and I would do the same thing if I had to do it again. What people are saying about the lens might be true but you have to put it in context. Most new lens are now auto-focusing on these bodies so it's only an issue if you currently owned old lens, or you'll look at getting used equipment.

Better own a D40 and grow into than not having anything at all.

My 2 cents

[shibs]

thanx so much....that will really help...ill be gettin my D40 soon....

[GadgetRick]

Keep an eye on Craig's List for a used D90. I've seen many people buy a D90 because they thought it was, "the best," and only used it in full auto mode and were disappointed. So they then have a low-click (high priced) camera they want to get rid of and go back to a point and shoot. By nature, used electronics don't hold value well so they sell it at a nice discount. If you're patient, you can find a very good deal.

Or look for a used D50 (what I'm shooting with) as it was a great camera and I still get great shots out of mine. Will be upgrading later this year (maybe summer time). If you're still looking then, I'll give you a killer deal on it as it doesn't owe me a thing and I bought it used as well. Great starter camera which does extremely well (even for a 6MP camera). But I've seen these kicking around inexpensively as well.

[SmallPond]

My introduction to the world of slr cameras was a Sony a350 mainly due to the price. I have been considering upgrading and doing research is making my head spin. The Nikon D90 comes up often in conjunction with Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, Nikon 70-300mm VR, Canon 500D macro attachment, multi-coated polarizer or 18-55mm VR & 55-200mm VR. What about the Nikon 300s or the Nikon 700? I would like to settle on a camera that will hopefully be "it" for some time to come. I hear good things about the Canon 50D but after seeing photos online for reviews that show ISO differences between SONY, Canon and Nikon I tend to favor the Nikon for the crispness of the images. However, I am seeking advice from the experienced photographers such as yourselves. Any advice? I know that if I make a jump to either a Canon or Nikon I'm pretty much set to that brand because of lenses so I really want to be sure of what I am getting. Thanks.

[GadgetRick]

I bought my D50 from a friend who wound up getting good and now does pro shoots. He went with a Canon (I believe the 50D) and I'm amazed at the pics he gets with it. He was a huge Nikon fan, now he loves Canon. Honestly, I think they both make excellent cameras. I think Nikon makes better lenses but that doesn't mean you can't get good lenses for a Canon (and from Canon). Not like they're, "bad," lenses.

I don't think you'd go wrong with either brand to be honest. Nikon also tends to be a little pricer than Canon if that makes a difference.

[amymnc]

I have the d40 and it's served me well, almost 9000 shutter clicks on it! Lens compatibility and inability to do off camera flash without some majorly pricey gadgets has become an issue. If you can squeeze the D90 into your budget that might be a better choice in the long run. Still can't go wrong with the d40 as a starter camera. It's nice bang for your buck