# nikon for newbie??



## fizzle86 (Apr 1, 2010)

Hi all and thanks for replies in advance!!

Im new to photography only have a fuji digital camera  but want to get a dslr :thumb:
im looking through here and other places and for some reason im swaying towards the Nikon D40 with an idea of upgradin lens after getting use to the camera itself...is this a good idea?? :newbie:

im living in ireland but would buy online, i no people say good to hold them first, i will, but where is the best place to buy? Amazon? ebay?

any suggestions??


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## Beancounter (Aug 31, 2006)

Warehouse express were the cheapest when I bought my Canon 40D, good service and fast delivery. Worth taking a look. Personally, I'd steer clear of ebay for something as expensive as a DSLR, but thats just me


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## Dan J (Jun 18, 2008)

agree with beancounter about staying away from ebay regarding dslr's, also keep in mind that some companys supply grey imports which makes them cheaper but can be greif when it comes to warranty repairs etc.

i got my D90 from parkcameras.co.uk and there showroom is only down the road from me so went in and had a play with various stuff before i made my mind up, they were the cheapest i could find for the camera i wanted. have look and compare against amazon,jessops etc etc, 

the d40 is quite old now,have a look at the nikon d3000,d3100,d5000,d90 etc and see which one you think would best suit your requirments, the models i have stated all vary in size(not massively different from each other size wise but still noticable when your holding them in your hand)


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

Personally if I was looking again I would go for a D50 or D90 as both of these have built in motors. The D3000 and D5000 (one I have) don't have a built in motor and lenses are double if not triple in price and rarely become available used. You will have alot more choice lens wise if you get a body with the motor built in


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## Dan J (Jun 18, 2008)

Pezza4u said:


> Personally if I was looking again I would go for a D50 or D90 as both of these have built in motors. The D3000 and D5000 (one I have) don't have a built in motor and lenses are double if not triple in price and rarely become available used. You will have alot more choice lens wise if you get a body with the motor built in


which is why i got my D90


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

Purple Haze said:


> which is why i got my D90


Unfortunately even though I did alot of research into DSLR cameras I didn't realise about the motor until after I had bought it. Plus I didn't realise just how expensive some of the lenses are! I was looking at a D90 but couldn't stretch my budget to that so went with the D5000.

It's a great camera and I love it, plus I won't need several lenses anyway, just 2 or 3 will be enough for me. But it would've been nice to have the option of buying cheaper lenses to try and sell on if I don't like them. Paying several hundred or even thousands for a lens that will only be used occasionally is just too much for me.

Take the Nikon 70-300mm for instance...a used one with no built in motor (AF) can be had for £90-£100 but the AF-S is around £300. The D90 over the D5000 is an extra £200 I think so I would've made that back on this one lens.


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## fizzle86 (Apr 1, 2010)

very very very thankful for all this help i think ill be looking into the D90 and jus saving a lil longer, sounds like a better investment as id be interested in having a couple other lens as time goes on.


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## Dan J (Jun 18, 2008)

good choice

mine was £589 from www.parkcameras.co.uk and i bought my 24-120 vr lens off my mate for uber cheap money which was a stroke of luck for me, also got a manfrotto 680B monopod and a lowepro 202 slingshot back pack to keep it all tucked up in.
its a weighty camera and packed with features and i love it.

@Pezza4u theres only a few different features that seperate the D90 and D5000 and the D90 being slightly heavier and larger by a small margine.
totally agree regarding the price of lenses and the amount you need, for me aswell 3 lenses will do me nicely and will keep me amused for many years to come id say.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

The D200 is the other choice.

For a camera that has the built in motor, the best choice in terms of value would be the D90.

IT has an auto mode which helps beginners but the D200 does not. Though auto is not why you use a DSLR.

If you get a D40 and you stick with the kit lens, it will serve you very well. If you want to progress your photography, then the lenses are more expensive if you NEED the AF-S version (built in motor).

If you just want to take better snaps and have no real interest in photography as a skill, i would suggest a bridge camera. You will get better pictures than a Point and shoot and more zoom than your DSLR kit lens. Also, you will get some adaptability wrt the settings.

Have a look at Bretti Kivi's DSLR guide stickied on the top of the Photography zone forum for a really good guide.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=120537


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## fizzle86 (Apr 1, 2010)

Thanks Gruffs went through the guide already and im slowing starting to learn! i think i need to now go get the camera an start to practice! 

in terms of photography i would like to learn and not jus take better snaps but learn HOW it was done and HOW to keep doing it!! I believe if your goin do somethin do it right! 

i understand it is a skill and the only way to improve is get a decent bit of kit and get snapping also reading through some guides etc...i think it be handy for years to come im only 24

thanks for all the replies any more suggestions or tips feel free to post your opinion


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Well,

Just be aware, it can easily be more expensive than detailing!


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## Dan J (Jun 18, 2008)

+1 for the above


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## Mastiz (Nov 5, 2010)

fizzle86 said:


> very very very thankful for all this help i think ill be looking into the D90 and jus saving a lil longer, sounds like a better investment as id be interested in having a couple other lens as time goes on.


Also, the D90, the mentioned D200 as well as the D80 are a bit bigger, so I feel they are more comfortable to hold than the D40, which is a bit small, at least for my hands. 
In addition to a kit lens, consider getting a few fixed lenses, like maybe a 35mm.


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## Dan J (Jun 18, 2008)

Mastiz said:


> Also, the D90, the mentioned D200 as well as the D80 are a bit bigger, so I feel they are more comfortable to hold than the D40, which is a bit small, at least for my hands.
> In addition to a kit lens, consider getting a few fixed lenses, like maybe a 35mm.


yes my mate has the D40x and it weighs nothing compared to my D90 and as you said the grip feels alot smaller, havent held a d200 or d80 so cant comment.


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## Katana (Mar 31, 2007)

This all depends on your budget but i'd go for the Nikon D5000 with the 18-55mm VR kit lens, and a circular polarizer filter, i got one at the start of the year and i haven't regretted it at all. If you were looking at the D40 then the D5000 is the newest equivalent anyway.


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## paranoid73 (Aug 5, 2009)

Some usefull info here on the D90 as i was starting to sway back towards a D3100.
Where does it state in the spec about the built in AF motor? as I cant seem to locate it.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Have a look on a website called DP Review. It will have it all listed there.


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