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Replacement for a d40?

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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
so i got a d40 and i think its time to upgrade. i have a new lense, so i would like another nikon, or a camera that works with nikon af-s lenses. so i have 2 questions

1)what is a good asking price for a d40 kit (comes w/ 18-55 lense, camera body, charger, comp. cable, pretty much everything that it normally comes with

and

2) what is a good step up from the d40? i took a few semesters of B@W photography and have been shooting with this all year. i hear the d80 is nice. will any cannon cameras work with my nikon af-s lense (i am assuming no)?
Apr 14 2009 11:00AM
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bsmith01
Posts: 1639 - Karma: 43
Heres a $600 d200 (add to cart to see real price):

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7633313&productCategoryId=abcat0401005&type=product&id=1130987191339&AID=10597222&PID=889052&SID=ds18u&URL=http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7633313&productCategoryId=abcat0401005&type=product&id=1130987191339&ref=39&loc=01
Apr 14 2009 11:15AM
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bsmith01
Posts: 1639 - Karma: 43
Clicky:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7633313&productCategoryId=abcat0401005&type=product&id=1130987191339&AID=10597222&PID=889052&SID=ds18u&URL=http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7633313&productCategoryId=abcat0401005&type=product&id=1130987191339&ref=39&loc=01
Apr 14 2009 11:15AM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
D200 is great but I don't think going from a D40 to a D200 is a smart choice. Buy a D80 for $400 and get yourself another lens with the extra $200. You'll use the D80 for years and in that time you can get good glass.
Apr 14 2009 4:10PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
well the thing is that i already have a nice lens that i like (18-200). i know i could get more lenses, but for right now i'd rather put the money into a new body. the d40 has a very limited selection of settings and everything is controlled through the menu. there are a number of things that i don't like about it, but i'm sure you know most of them since you sound like you know what your talking about

why do you recommend the d80? do you feel as if the actual workings of the camera would be too complicated coming from a d40? price? i dont think that i would use the d200 to its fullest, but for 600 bucks, it seems like a better deal than a d80 body for probably around the same if i looked for a price?

Apr 14 2009 4:22PM
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davedinuzzo
Posts: 232 - Karma: 36
In my opinion and not to be a jerk, but if your photography is on a level where you believe that the 18-200 is a good lens, you don't need the d200.

pick up the d80, a 50mm/f1.8 and save a bit more cash up for another prime like an 85mm. The 50mm will be the best $85 you ever spend on a lens.
Apr 14 2009 7:19PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
Exactly what I would do. Work on your basics then when you're comfortable with that, move to a zoom. I started with a d50 and actually had 2 of them I liked it so much. I recently moved to a d2h but I still used the d50 because it's still a great camera. No matter what camera you have, the light still has to come through the lens. The only reason I would ever own an 18-200 is if it were given to me and I couldn't bring another lens with me.
Apr 14 2009 8:16PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
maybe i'll do that then. ill look around for a good price

and i got the 18-200 because i originally didnt think i was going to be too into photography so i didnt wanna get tons of lenses
Apr 14 2009 8:41PM
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LBJJ
Posts: 683 - Karma: 1,730
i feel and im pretty sure its almost a fact that the d200 has great buttons for non menu setup, i used a d80 one day and its menus just made me mad. i love my d200 and it has great user friendability
Apr 14 2009 8:55PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
ok, here is where i am right now...

i could get the d200 for 600 from the link posted above

the cheapest i have found the d80 body for is around 700-750

i would rather not buy used (i checked craigslist and found nothing around me, plus i like to have the warranty and everything). regardless, i will save up for a 50mm lens because i agree that its a good thing to have.

so i am thinking, get the better camera for cheaper, OR if anybody has an idea of where to find a d80 body for cheaper i would probably go that route. so where do i look for a cheaper d80 body? i checked everywhere i know but will keep on looking
Apr 15 2009 12:42PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
I can't imagine a d200 would be cheaper than a d80. Why are you so against used? I have never bought a new camera and never will. It's not like the camera is anything less once someone else touches it. That's just me being smart with my money though.
Apr 15 2009 1:59PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
^well i am actually not too opposed to getting it used... i am not so sure why i said that.

im looking around on ebay and most d80 bodies seem to be going for around $500 to $550. craigslist has pretty much nothing for the areas around me...

so what i am trying to ask is if its worth it to save about 70 bucks and get a used d80 over a new d200 even if i wont be able to use the d200 to its fullest...

if i am missing deals, can you please let me know where to look? i am in maine btw so thats why craigslist is somewhat limited in its selection.

i dont want to come off like i just want the d200 b/c its better, but i just want to get the most for my money, and if that means spending 70 extra dollars i'll do it since its something i will be using for a long long time
Apr 15 2009 3:38PM
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Tbrody
Posts: 1597 - Karma: 685
I wanted to replace my D40 too, but after some research I decided I would only upgrade to D90 because the D80 and D200 are now obsolete. The D90 triumphs, so I'm waiting.

What does your D40 not do that the D200 does exactly?
Apr 15 2009 7:12PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
ohhh many many things! i would be looking at the d90 but it is WAY to expensive for me and i dont need HD video

well, lets see, over the d40 the d200 has...

11 and 7 focus points, 5 fps burst, magnesium body, more MP, more ISO options, BRACKETING!!!, white balance bracketing, better metering system, many more buttons for individual things (rather than a menu-based camera), and a whole slew of other things.

i would say that for professional photography, these cams may not be up to par, but for what i am using them for they are more than capable
Apr 15 2009 9:16PM
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bsmith01
Posts: 1639 - Karma: 43
Heres a pretty sweet deal if you dont mind buying refurbished

http://www.jr.com/nikon/pe/NKN_D90KIT_hy_RB/?JRSource=linkshare&SiteID=lw9MynSeamY-9Ot7NIRWzBKBgS6ldHltdw
Apr 15 2009 9:27PM
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jwaveson
Posts: 343 - Karma: 10
The D80 isn't obsolete, they are still making it. Both the D80 and the D200 are excellent cams. I had the D200 and sold it to upgrade to the D300, still have the D80, my wife uses it mostly (usually when she's helping me shoot weddings)

I would say it depends on how you want it to feel in your hand, what feels best to you. Myself, between the D80 and D200, I prefer the D200 for the simple fact that my whole hand can fit on the body. The D200 has a bigger body then the D80.

The D200 has a full range of lenses as the D40 does not.
Apr 16 2009 10:24AM
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backwardsrider
Posts: 543 - Karma: 70

d5000

then you can shoot a little video if you feel like it.

Apr 17 2009 2:32PM
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niels043
Posts: 814 - Karma: 184
d3x
Apr 17 2009 9:57PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
so..... i got the d200

i couldn't find the d80 for less than 530ish (and that was on ebay!) but i got the d200 for 600 new (from the link above). spending 80 bucks to get the d200 was so worth it.


and btw, why on earth do you guys think the 18-200 is a bad lens? everybody LOVES it. of course it would be nice to have a 50 mm fixed lens for times i dont need the extra focal length but this lens is a beast, and lots of people seem to agree (ive been checking out ken rockwell's website a lot recently and its up there on his top 10 (maybe # 2 or 3) nikon lenses). its the 18-200 3.5/5.6 AFS VR one btw

i guess its personal preference but whatever...

either way, i am pumped! i would say i'd post pics when it gets here but i already sold the d40 so this is my only cam now haha. if i can borrow a friends cam ill post pics up though
Apr 18 2009 3:16PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
I would much rather have multiple primes instead of one zoom. That's just me though. I have 2 zooms and I use them frequently but only because I don't have the money for primes.
Apr 18 2009 3:20PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
yea... i guess i like not having to change them out every time. plus, with the zoom, it gives me controll over how big objects look in comparrison to objects behind them (that probably made no sense- what i am saying is the size of, say a ball next to a goal for example, looks bigger if your close to the ball, and smaller if you zoom in to the ball... if that made any sense haha)

plus i like it for sports because everybody is moving around so much and you dont need to switch lenses every 20 seconds.

for street photography or portraits though, i would rather use a prime lens
Apr 18 2009 3:24PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
Well most pros have a prime on one camera then a zoom on a backup. That's how I used to do it until I sold my other camera. What you're talking about can be achieved with any lens. It's all about dof and the longer the lens, the shorter the dof.
Apr 18 2009 3:33PM
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