Nikon D40
After buying a Nikon D40 today, intending for it to be a backup for my D70, I’ve quickly decided its’s the other way around. Due to its smaller size, ultralight weight, and bigger brighter LCD, the D40 is now camera #1. The D70, long overdue for a trip to the Nikon mothership for a few repairs, will now be the bigger heavier alternative. I might just leave the fisheye on it a lot of the time.
Another thing I didn’t see clearly was what to do with the 18-55mm lens that comes in a kit with the D40. I thought I’d have no use for it because it offers a subset of the 18-200mm lens’s functionality. But the 18-55 lens is so incredibly light — it weighs nearly nothing. I’ll still use the 18-200 when I want the extra range, but most of the time I think I’ll keep the 18-55 lens on the D40 and have the lightest, handiest SLR I’ve ever seen.
It will take a while to get used to the differences in the controls, but it looks like the D40 will be very easy to use. And I don’t feel any need to learn it well for now, because I have a camera I know well if I need it.
I already charged the battery and found the shutter, though. Here are a few shots taken right after charging the batteries. Lots more to come, I’m sure.
This entry was posted on Thursday, February 14th, 2008 at 10:48 pm. You can subscribe to comments on this post through its RSS feed.
on February 14, 2008 at 11:18 pm Nic wrote:
Ken Rockwell shares your sentiments.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40.htm
on February 15, 2008 at 8:35 am Doug wrote:
Nic, I’m hooked. Just finished taking too many sunrise photos, now have to rush to get to work!
on February 15, 2008 at 10:39 am orcmid wrote:
Noticing that Nikon had introduced an 18-55mm Kit lens (is it really VR too?) helped me be satisfied with choosing the lighter-weight 55-200mm DX VR over the 18-200 (and over $400 more). I haven’t put my f2.8 28-70mm AF lens on the camera since I got the 55-200. Have you seen the 18-55 available separately anywhere? (I assume it is an f3.6-f4 on the same design as the other zooms, right?)
on February 15, 2008 at 11:21 am Scott wrote:
Nice camera! Love the glass, too!
on February 16, 2008 at 6:36 pm Doug wrote:
Yeah, Megan has a cool set of those shot glasses. Makes the port taste even better.
Orcmid, the lens that comes with the D40 kit isn’t VR, but it looks like they’ve just started shipping a VR version that sells for $195: http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-18-55mm-3-5-5-6G-AF-S-Nikkor/dp/B000ZMCILW. Si with that and your 55-200, you’d have the full 18-200 range, and frankly the 18-200 lens is a bit big and heavy. (I never felt that way until I got the 18-55, of course!)
on February 18, 2008 at 8:37 am Scott wrote:
Have to agree with you on the 18-55 being extremely light and easy. I have the more amateurish Canon Rebel XT, but he 18-55 lens makes in incredibly easy to haul around. I can easily put the camera in a soft wrap case and drop it in whatever bag, backpack etc. that I’m hauling around that day.
on February 19, 2008 at 11:38 am molly bradley wrote:
who’s the surly one on the left? it it ike?
on February 19, 2008 at 9:28 pm Doug wrote:
Yes indeed, surly Ike. Which reminds me … I have some more cat closeups on the camera. I’ll download and post them shortly.
on February 20, 2008 at 3:39 am AUNT MARSHA wrote:
Surly, indeed.
Molly, how are the sick cats, Jauncho and Petite? Did they get the last get well card? Megan, did you get the card I sent you? Doug, did you get the ad w/ Mal in it?
Hello?
on February 21, 2008 at 11:31 am Doug wrote:
yes, I got the ad. He has such a sexy haircut, in my unbiased opinion.