The background I have used a Sony W7 digital camera for the last couple of years and have had no problems with it. Recently when we went on holiday some sand must have got into the lense and since then when I take pictures it looks like there were UFO's on every photo!. After ringing around it was going to cost more than the camera to repair it.
My wife purchased a Minolta Dynax 5 Film SLR a number of years ago and although she liked the camera, by the time she got the prints back she couldn't remember what settings she had used. It has been kept in its bag for the last couple of years.
I started looking towards a digital SLR myself as the next step up from my Sony and also thought that any problems with dust may be cheaper in the long run to fix. Also the best thing about digital was that when we make a change to
any settings we can see the result straight away.
I should say that I am not a professional photographer, more an amateur who wanted to get his hands on a Digital SLR and see what he could do. So this review will be from an average joe.
I was originally going to purchase a Pentax K100d as it was the cheapest DSLR around and with anti shake, even though the Canon 400d and Nikon D40x did seem to be the market leaders. I then found that the K100d had been superceded by the K100d Super and the price had gone up closer to the canon and Nikon.
I spotted an offer at Currys of a Nikon D40x with 18-55mm lense for £405 plus a 55-300mm nikon lense for an extra £30 and on top of that buy now (with no deposit) pay next september. I couldn't resist. I am glad the offer came around because in the end I think I would have had to upgrade the 6MP Pentax at some point. It was always a nagging worry with the 6MP Pentax.
I have also added a Hoya 52mm skylight filter to the lense to protect it. If the filter gets damaged it's alot cheaper than a new lense. I also purchased some LCD covers for the LCD. So I have hopefully prected the camera as much as I can.
Menu System I have had the Nikon now for a couple of weeks and I am very pleased with what I have got. Some reviews say that the D40X relies to heavily on Menus. I know this is my first DSLR, but I have not found that to be a problem. One press of an info key and all the relevant settings are displayed on the LCD, another press and it is then possible to change the settings. It is also possible to see graphically on the info screen the size of the aperture. Brilliant! When changing settings Nikon have added pictures to help you understand what the change you are making will do to the photo. For example select white balance and for each setting there is a photo next to the setting ie cloudy (Shows a cloudy day picture), flourescent light (shows an office with that type of lighting). Very clever and for a first timer, it helps a lot.
Handling I find the D40X easy to hold in the hand and because it is light even with the lense attached is no problem when carrying it around while out and about. It was strange at first using the viewfinder rather than the LCD to compose a shot, however I think I prefer this method now. For one if it is a sunny day (Not had too many of those this year) you can still see easily which is more difficult when using the LCD screen. I find that that having three Af points is no problem for me with the photos I take, however for more advanced photographers this may be a bit limiting. The LCD is very clear and can easily be seen even on a bright day. The viewfinder is also easy to use and provides displays the current settings.
The actual speed of the camera is very fast and it takes less than a second in most cases to focus. On trickier objects this may take a little longer but is still not really a problem. The one thing I thought I wouldn't like is the lithium battery. I am used to rechargeable AA's, however since I charged it for the first time (which only took about an hour) I haven't had to charge it again. I'm impressed and by the way it still says it has a full charge!
The photos that I have taken have come out very good and it is easy to see the difference between my photos taken with the Sony (Pre UFO) and the D40x.
Complaints - Not many I suppose if I had a complaint at the moment it would be that the manual didn't explain various functions as well as it could. I will be purchasing a DSLR book at some point so it is not a major issue. Don't forget though that the excellent on board help/photos is very useful.
Conclusion I hope this review helps. NB I did also like the canon 400d, however the Nikon just seemed to be that bit more edgy and modern. The Nikon looks great, handles well and I think for a beginner like me they have designed a DSLR that can be used by anyone. I thouroughly recommend this camera.
A really well written review of a camera I'd love to own. Rich
stravaig 06.10.2007 16:04
Hi, this is a really great review - especially for a first one. Welcome to Ciao! I'm a Canon girl, and currently use a Canon D60. I suppose I'm a bit brand loyal as I've always liked Canon cameras. Nikon was the professional's choice for years, but since the digi revolution, things may be changing. Looking forward to seeing some of your pics in future reviews. :-)
Advantages: build quality, picture quality, ease of use Disadvantages: very occasional difficulties with auto focus, no anti-dust protection for the sensor
cornzee 08.06.2007 (08.06.2007)
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