Out of the blue, my wife mentioned that she wants a nice digital SLR camera for Mother's Day.  Up until now, we have only had point and shoot digitals in our house.

I understand SLRs, as I grew up as an amateur photographer.  I even still own my Fujica ST-801 that I got in 1973.  Don't use it any more, but I would like to get back into the hobby, and a digital SLR just might do the trick.  I grew up drooling over Nikons, but back then I couldn't swing the funds for one (I still have the occassional dream of owning an F2, but that's a different story).  With that said, I am looking at picking up a Nikon D40 for my wife.  I see that there is a current special from Nikon ($100 off an extra lens), so I am considering adding an AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200 f/4-5.6G ED.

Can anyone tell me if I am heading in the wrong direction with this purchase?  The only drawback I have found is that I can only use AF lenses with the D40 body, but I don't think that's such a big handicap.  This will be more of a fun camera than anything.  My wife only wants to take pictures, and her only photographic experience is with the small point and shoots (Sony and Nikon).

So, any advice from the more knowledgeable folks on here will be a big help.  And don't forget, Mother's Day is fast approaching.

Thanks in advance - Chuck 

You are sooo lucky to have a wife who wants a digital SLR.  All my wife wants is beer and porno. 

I think a fine recent thread, dSLR Advice, covered some of what you're asking.  One of the problems it mentioned was that the D-40 couldn't use autofocus with some Nikon lenses, which could be a disadvantage for some.

As for lenses, I like to assess them by looking through them in the viewfinder -- how do they compare in sharpness through the entire zoom range, and (more difficult) whether they have good, full color richness and contrast.  Some lenses, like some earlier VR (vibration reduction) lenses, lacked that richness IMO.  Also, a very long inexpensive zoom can get a little dark, especially at the telephoto end, and 200 mm at f/5.6 is not exactly the last word in clear brightness.  That can take the pleasure out of composing your shots through the viewfinder -- MHO, of course.  55 mm-200 mm covers quite a range.

That other thread has some recommendations.  These digitals are extremely complicated, and instruction manuals are usually unclear, multi-hundred page-confusing tomes, a far cry from the functional simplicity of, say, a Nikon F-3.  Best wishes and good luck in your search.

Larry

I got my friend to pick up a D-40x and she just loves it. I have a D-80 with several lenses and she is able to use them all, it's just that he AF feature DOES NOT work. There is no motor on the lens mount of the D-40's which is why they can only use lenses with built in motors, in Auto Focus mode. She has used my 70-200mm which is not a D-40 lens on hers with great results.

My friend just got into photography recently but you can see she is quickly improving now that she has the tools.

COLTER! WHERE ARE YOU?

 Check this link.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm

Scroll down about halfway, past the discussion of the Canon point-and-shoots, for several details about the D40. 

Rockwell gives generally good advice, although some disagree with his claims; everything on his site is just his opinion, after all. He has an extensive photo-blog, with hundreds of pages and just about all the info the amateur shooter will need.  He has some free "EZ" manuals for various cameras, in his own words, which cut to the chase on which features are important and which are only for the perfectionist, which settings he likes and why, etc. These can reduce your time spent thumbing through the original manual searching for some minor point.

Check out this site as well.  It often has lots of good information.

http://www.dpreview.com/

I've been using Nikon for 40 years.  Have 4 F and 5 F3 bodies.  Had an F4 and some AF bodies that were stolen.  Went back to MF and the F3's.  Dabbled in digital with a 950 and a 995 P&S and learned to use Photoshop.  I would not invest in a DX body and will most likely pick up a D3 when they hit the used market.

I have about two dozen MF lenses from 15mm to 300mm and have no desire to duplicate them with DX or AF lenses.

YMMV.

Ditto on Nikon for years; went to a special military "technical photography school" and cut my teeth on motor-driven F's, F2's, and ended up with an F4 & F5 some years ago. Traded up (or down some would argue...) for the D1; wife and had two of them for a couple years. Now have a couple D2X's (as in my wife has them.... and I am allowed to use the Coolpix...). She's a professional journalist/ editor and uses the bodies and the lenses (35mm, 50mm, 28-105, 70-200, an a 400; all AF's) all the time. They are expensive, built like a Abrams tank, heavy, use the big flash cards,.... but are super reliable. Just my observations.

Visit the thread that Larry speaks of, I think there are plenty of pointers there.

My hands ache from the work day. 

fini:

You are sooo lucky to have a wife who wants a digital SLR.  All my wife wants is beer and porno. 

 

Fini, you are just not right, ............  and that's why I laugh every time I read your post! 

Bill Cain:

I've been using Nikon for 40 years.  Have 4 F and 5 F3 bodies.  Had an F4 and some AF bodies that were stolen.  Went back to MF and the F3's.  Dabbled in digital with a 950 and a 995 P&S and learned to use Photoshop.  I would not invest in a DX body and will most likely pick up a D3 when they hit the used market.

I have about two dozen MF lenses from 15mm to 300mm and have no desire to duplicate them with DX or AF lenses.

YMMV.

Then you might like this picture I took of my Nikon F3. It's been put through the paces, for sure, but still works like a champ!

At least check out the Sony Alpha line before you buy anything.   Great new cameras with Minolta influence, wide availablity of lenses on EBay from Maxxum series, innovative live view implementation on some models.  I use an a100, love it!

 Man, no Canon love here huh?

If your wife is willing to take the time to learn how to use the camera, then by all means go for it.  The D40 seems to be a pretty good entry camera, one of my friends got on a few months ago.  Haven't heard anything bad from him about it.

I rock the Digital Rebel XT.  I spent the money on better lenses then getting a better camera to start.  I can always upgrade the body, but the lenses won't need to change. 

Over two years now, and I am still learning the camera and techniques.

This was taken the last night in Hong Kong.  Handheld no tripod.  (Gallery is compressing it horribly after I upload).

 

Not bad. 

My brother bought himself one of those Nikon D-40, whatever size it is camera and it takes the most beautiful pictures. He says he is still trying to learn about it. Heck, I even thought about getting one to fool around with due to the high picture quality it is capable of. It takes way better pics than my my fully auto Nikon #800 and I thought it took fine pictures.

 Nice picture of Hong Kong