What SLR for a novice? ?

[Ron Burgundy]

Right then , im an absolute novice when it comes to taking photos as i only have a digital one at about 5 meg. But i want something that i can get some decent pictures with.

Can someone recommend me a a decent camera for me?

[valve bounce66]

i recomend a nikon d40,£250 with lens,very responsive and takes cracking photos and easy to use.

[RobDickinson]

Any of the cheap entry level dSLR's since time began will do given that requirement!

If you've any areas that are of more intrest it'd help, also with lens sugestions too.

A used old canon or nikon dSLR is worth a look on a budget.

IMO the best (near) entry level camera is the 450D.

I'm not keen on the fourthirds cameras but the micro fourthirds is making that an intresting area too.

[Ravell]

valve bounce66 said:

i recomend a nikon d40,£250 with lens,very responsive and takes cracking photos and easy to use.

Seconded! Extremely good beginners camera. Don't bother with either the more expensive D40x or D60, their little if at all better than the D40 and as the D40 has just been discontinued, the prices for them will likely drop to near nothing. Or you can wait till after the PMA trade show and see what Nikon replaces it with. Don't dismiss the entry level Canon's either, see which one feels best in your hands in a shop before you make a dicision.

[cv01jw]

Bit of a heads up, Jessops have a big clearance event going on at the moment; I just picked up a D40 with lens for £199.

[Chocmonster]

My new toy, Nikon D40, has just arrived from Amazon.
People at work are already sick of me taking photos of them.

[valve bounce66]

Chocmonster said:

My new toy, Nikon D40, has just arrived from Amazon.
People at work are already sick of me taking photos of them.

love mine to bits,if it can be picked up now for under £200 it is a bargain.

[Ron Burgundy]

Sounds like this Nikon D40 sounds like a good deal

As for photos , pretty much for cars and stuff for meets and things etc just to get some better pictures than off my phone and camera

[valve bounce66]

Ron Burgundy said:

Sounds like this Nikon D40 sounds like a good deal

As for photos , pretty much for cars and stuff for meets and things etc just to get some better pictures than off my phone and camera

i assure you Ron it will give better pictures than your camera phone,only just though

[flat-planedCrank]

Ron Burgundy said:

Sounds like this Nikon D40 sounds like a good deal

As for photos , pretty much for cars and stuff for meets and things etc just to get some better pictures than off my phone and camera

D40 review here : http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/

The conclusion at the end does a decent job in summing up



Cheers.

[Killwilly]

cv01jw said:

Bit of a heads up, Jessops have a big clearance event going on at the moment; I just picked up a D40 with lens for £199.

Jimmy, which Jessops did you see the D40 for £199? I've just been on their website and it's priced there at £240.

Alan

[cv01jw]

Killwilly said:

cv01jw said:

Bit of a heads up, Jessops have a big clearance event going on at the moment; I just picked up a D40 with lens for £199.

Jimmy, which Jessops did you see the D40 for £199? I've just been on their website and it's priced there at £240.

Alan

If you look at the bottom right (I think) of the main page there is a clearance sale on at the moment. The Glasgow store was the only one with any £199 D40s left so you will have to phone them and pay by card. They charge £5 P&P too.

Jimmy

ETA Link here:
http://www.jessops.com/clearance?cm_re=230209-_-Ho...

Edited by cv01jw on Thursday 26th February 09:41

[Killwilly]

Thanks Jimmy, found it.

Alan

[jkennyd]

How would you guys compare the d40 to canon 400d for a beginner. Not that I'm trying to poach the thread

[flat-planedCrank]

jkennyd said:

How would you guys compare the d40 to canon 400d for a beginner. Not that I'm trying to poach the thread

Personally, i'd take the 400D purely because of the auto focus limitations of the d40/d60 range (limited to AF-S or AF-I lenses. Explained on the first page of the dpreview d40 review)

IIRC the 400d has a similar autofocus system to the 30D, should be better than the d40.

Some features the d40 doesn't have:

• Mirror lock-up (very handy for night-time long exposure shots)
• Bracketing
• dof preview button

That said, looks like you can get the d40 at bargin prices now - so all depends on how you are going to use your camera


Hope this helps.


Cheers.

[cv01jw]

Got the D40 today and am a bit unhappy. Jessops' site and the Glasgow store made no mention that the camera was a refurb. Granted I did not specifically ask 'Is it brand new', but I would have expected them to tell me before I bought it.

[jkennyd]

I went for a brand new 400d. Thanks for the advice

[Ravell]

cv01jw said:

Got the D40 today and am a bit unhappy. Jessops' site and the Glasgow store made no mention that the camera was a refurb. Granted I did not specifically ask 'Is it brand new', but I would have expected them to tell me before I bought it.

Hmm, usualy refurb cameras are offered at lower prices for that exact reason. Not sure if it's even legal to sell a refurb as new. Not that the camera will be any worse than a brand new one though, just bad business practice.

[cv01jw]

Ravell said:

cv01jw said:

Got the D40 today and am a bit unhappy. Jessops' site and the Glasgow store made no mention that the camera was a refurb. Granted I did not specifically ask 'Is it brand new', but I would have expected them to tell me before I bought it.

Hmm, usualy refurb cameras are offered at lower prices for that exact reason. Not sure if it's even legal to sell a refurb as new. Not that the camera will be any worse than a brand new one though, just bad business practice.

To be fair to Jessops the box clearly stated it is refurbished and if I had bought in store I would have known, but as I bought over the phone I do think the salesman should have said something.

I have emailed Jessops to see what they say about it. It temporarily dampened the excitement at my first digital SLR, but now I cannot wait to get home and play with it

[Kermit power]

cv01jw said:

Got the D40 today and am a bit unhappy. Jessops' site and the Glasgow store made no mention that the camera was a refurb. Granted I did not specifically ask 'Is it brand new', but I would have expected them to tell me before I bought it.

I don't know about bodies, but I have heard it said with lenses that it can actually be better to buy refurbs, as you're getting a lens which will have been individually reassembled, calibrated and tested, rather than one which has just gone through a generic manufacturing and bulk QC process.