My D40 and why I'm here looking at other camera options

texchappy said:
2. Difficult to manually focus for my old eyes.
3. the above mentioned limitations with my current lenses.

So I'm wondering with the other issues if it's worth it to me to get some faster glass for this?
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Try some faster glass, by all means. They draw a different picture, for sure.

If you are getting faster glass for the aperture, you're most likely to be using Av mode, or its priority when shooting in M mode.

If you're looking for better autofocus, then 2. and 3. above contradict a bit, because shallower DOF makes more difficult AF. So if extended (APS-C) DOF is an aesthetic problem, as is manual foci, the AF hit rate on the older D40 may not quite make the grade.

Get a faster lens and try it. If you need a more sparkly body, try a new Nikon at a camera store.
 
texchappy said:
I have looked at the Leica X2 a bit and like the shots I've seen out of it.

Don't have horribly bad eye sight; I can still manually focus with my F2. The D40 just doesn't seem cut out for manually focusing for me. I tried it a bit this morning, concentrating on the green light, just no fun/luck. Apparently the D40 doesn't have the rangefinder mode - just the dot.
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I understand that fully. The only way I manually focus with my 5DII is when I have focus confirmation. Modern DSLR viewfinders are made purely to have a clear image, as most depend on the autofocus to do the rest. Which is why I recommended EVF, as something like my NEX-5N + EVF has the focus peaking and magnification, which allows me to manually focus, even wide open with my old Pentax f/1.2 glass ... WIDE open. It is amazing.
 
OP Update:
Main reason I came back to this is to ask a question: Is Canon or another SLR maker ahead on glass right now?

Here's why I ask. I've been reading about the mid-price Nikkor glass (e.g. AF-S 35 f1.8 G) and really been underwhelmed. The 35 f1.8 seemed a little soft and from what I read had a major problem with CA. I think I mainly want a DSLR is for the wildlife anyway.

In other news ;) Got my Zorki and having a blast with it. Wish there was a digital option short of the M9 price wise. Would love to have a small form factor range finder type camera. Keep being drawn to the X100 for that for some reason.

Been looking seriously at the M43 stuff and it brought up the issue of video. It would be nice to have a camera that would do video; we have a camcorder we got about a decade ago but only used a hand full of times because its bulky and frankly we forget about it.
 
If you need AF, the 35/1.8 AFS lens is a great deal. Our d40x crapped out, but we have a bunch of AFS, AI, and non AI primes and zooms, and will hope the D5100 or other small body gets discounted by black friday or so.

We're going to just put the broken d40x on ebay. The bodies are expendable, but there is a ton of great new and old glass for these.

BTW, old lenses sort of meter, in a "metered manual" mode, no PAS but manual metering works fine with all the nikkor glass I've used, kind of like an old match needle system. No live view on the D40s, but playback mode shows the histograms.
 
Your right Ampguy, what's great about Nikon is there's so many more choices
on lenses that you can get for them for great prices. I kinda got annoyed at
canon lately with some prices of their new lenses. I mean $850.00 for a
24mm f2.8 with VR, if it was a f2 then I can see it but 2.8.

Range
 
Hi all,
I received the lens today this was a site unseen ebay buy for cheap, but
this one's a surprise. I opened the carton and the original box was included
a little worn and the lens was inside with just the hood, and the front and
back elements were dirty, to my surprise they cleaned up really good no
scratches and I put it on my camera and everything worked. these silent
wave motors work really well and so far the pictures are coming out nice.
We'll have to take more picture's in the next couple of days but tomorrow
it's going to be 100 degrees and I don't know if it will be tomorrow.

Range
 
I'm mostly shooting with Nikon DX. The kit zoom lenses are fine, but don't give you much creative control.

I shoot a lot with 50mm primes, f/1.4 or f/1.8 which are great for portraits on a DX camera. The 35mm f/1.8 G DX lens is not only great for the money, it's a great lens period.

I have the kit zooms, including the lenses you mention, but I use the two primes when I want some creative control. I shoot these a lot with available light.

I started with the D70 which was fab in it's time. The D300 is a lot better, but the D70 still makes good images in good light.
 
You guy's are right, took the lens out today for a few quick
shot's, and blew one up to 8X10 of a rose it's really sharp,
nice for $120.00, still I wonder why people sell these guy's.
I think it's a lot to do to the fact that people are going the
full frame root, but in DX mode on the D800 you get 15 mega
pixels which is really good anyway.

Range
 
That 24mm is really nice, that's one of the main reason I changed back to Nikon their lens
choices are getting better and there's more of them to choose from.

Range
 
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