(Ironically, there are no pics, because I don’t have anything to photograph it with.)
When we were planning on selling the house, I promised myself that I would get a digital SLR. So I’ve spent happy weeks researching stuff on the web, spending money I didn’t have. When it looked like we weren’t going to get as good as price as we’d hoped, I was doubly depressed, because I had been looking forward to it so much. There’s a lesson there, I think.
Anyway, it turned out as good as we’d hoped, so I felt I could spend up to 10,000 SEK on new stuff. Mmmm, stuff…
In the end, however, I decided on one of the cheapest cameras, the Nikon D40 kit. I paid 5,500 SEK for mine retail, it’s about 500 SEK cheaper online. If I register with Nikon I get a flash for free.
I chose Nikon because even though I have a thing for Olympus, I’m not really sure they’ll survive the brutal competition in the digital camera marketplace. I realise I’m doing my bit in undermining them by not buying their product, but so it goes.
I also don’t have a significant investment in optics, so I might was well start from scratch. Canon and Nikon are more or less equivalent, I chose Nikon because I perceive them as the underdog in the DSLR wars.
The reasons for the D40 were:
- price. It’s hard to find a cheaper DSLR. If I found out I didn’t enjoy taking photos as much as I’d hoped, I wouldn’t be out of a lot of dough.
- small size and weight. The Nikon D80 would have been within my budget, but it’s a lot larger and heavier.
- personal recommendation. My coworker Christopher has a D40 and was very happy with it. I got to try it out before buying.
- online evangelism. Ken Rockwell is a slightly controversial web presence with a thing for the D40. His user’s guide is a welcome alternative to the manual.
I chose the D40 over the newer 10 mpx D40X because 6 mpx is plenty enough for me.
Pros so far:
- low weight. This camera is really easy to carry.
- easy operation. The controls are well laid out and with the help of the guide mentioned above I’ve been able to find and play with different settings.
- Auto-ISO. This allows the camera to set the ISO automatically, which gives you another axis to play with when the light levels are low.
Cons:
- lack of autofocus with older Nikon lenses. This means that I cannot use older prime lenses like a 50mm or 35mm with autofocus.
- even if the camera is small and lightweight it’s still pretty bulky! The included zoom is partly to blame. This said, I wouldn’t miss a battery back or similar to extend my gripping options.
I’m using a 1GB SD card which was only about 150 SEK. The store didn’t have any clear UV filters, so I had to drive around town looking for one yesterday.
The included strap could be better. I’m looking for an alternative, perhaps something I can wrap around my wrist so the camera can be held in my right hand.
I’d also like a good bag, but preferably one whose styling didn’t scream “camera bag”.
I need to research alternatives when it comes to manipulating and storing pics online. I have a Flickr account but I also have my own box. I’d like simple software that will allow me to upload the pics and produce smaller versions and thumbnails automatically.
Test pics (reduced size) are up on Flickr now.