Just Ordered my Nikon D40x

I'm new to the SLR camera world... Anything advice you guys could give me?

Buy the best and most appropriate lens you can afford, not necessarily the most expensive.

Take lots of photos.

Have fun.

I have the D80 and it makes me very happy. I find it really intuitive and it fits in well with how I like to take photos. I've heard good things about the D40 (and the x version just adds megapixels) so I'm sure you'll be very happy too.

As for advice...if you're new to SLR's try to make use of the Manual setting and learn how to use it "properly" so to speak. You can learn so much with this camera but you could also let it do so much for you that you miss out on the learning experience - Without the knowledge, skill and eye for detail you're just another guy with a camera:black:

DarkRaven24 said:

I'm new to the SLR camera world... Anything advice you guys could give me?

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i would say

take as many pictures as you can - 1000's.

experience is the key, also learn your camera. - although i havnt really.

DarkRaven24 said:

I'm new to the SLR camera world... Anything advice you guys could give me?

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Start saving up for lenses, you will only get stunning results using good glass and good technique. You will get obsessed, so be careful

For the maximum sharpness, always use a tripod, use an electronic remote (or timer) to stop camera shake, use the best aperture of the lens (usually two stops down from wide open).

Learn about the effect on depth of field that aperture has. Wide open shots can be good for isolating a part of a scene. Stopped down shots are great for when you want as much of a scene visible as possible.

Avoid flash as much as possible for natural results.

Take landscape photos just after sunrise and just before sunset. The light is better, there are interesting shadows.

Light is everything, so learn all about how light affects a scene, side lighting, front lighting and rear lighting.

gilesjuk said:

For the maximum sharpness, always use a tripod...

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Always?!?

The worst thing about the d40 is that it can only auto focus with lenses that have an AF motor built in, which leaves you manually focusing for the remaining lenses it can use.

The can be a HUGE pain if you plan on doing anything like sports or anything with a lot of movement or action. Hopefully by then, you'll be upgrading to a better Nikon.

But if you only buy lenses that have af motors built in, it won't affect you.

moss918 said:

Always?!?

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No, not always. Fast shutter speed, Sharp pro lenses and IS usually will come out uber sharp....as well as just a fast enough shutter speed.

In fact, if you're shooting raw, almost everything should be ran through a sharpening filter when you take it off the camera. Most people that shoot .jpg and then go to raw files wonder why their photos seem off. It's because unless you change the .jpg settings in the camera, the in camera processing will sharpen it.

Most of the time, I only use a tripod when it's dark out or I'm doing any long exposure shots (usually when it's dark).

Well it's all about squeezing the maximum sharpness out of what you have. I'm not saying a tripod is right for all situations, but if you want the 100% perfect result you have to use the correct technique.

It's a pain to have to set all the gear up, but no pain no gain.

As for lenses without motors, how else is the camera going to be able to turn the dial to focus it without a motor? it doesn't work by magic.

gilesjuk said:

Well it's all about squeezing the maximum sharpness out of what you have. I'm not saying a tripod is right for all situations, but if you want the 100% perfect result you have to use the correct technique.

It's a pain to have to set all the gear up, but no pain no gain.

As for lenses without motors, how else is the camera going to be able to turn the dial to focus it without a motor? it doesn't work by magic.

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From Nikon's website:

d40:
Compatible Lenses*: Nikon F mount with AF coupling and AF contacts Type G or D AF Nikkor: 1) AF-S, AF-I: All functions supported; 2) Other Type G or D AF Nikkor: All functions supported except autofocus; 3) PC Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D: Can only be used in mode M; all other functions supported except autofocus; 4) Other AF Nikkor*¹/AI-P Nikkor: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D Color Matrix Metering II; 5) Non-CPU: Can be used in mode M, but exposure meter does not function; electronic range finder can be used if maximum aperture is f/5.6 or faster; 6) IX Nikkor lenses cannot be used
*¹ Excluding lenses for F3AF

d80:
Compatible Lenses: Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts)

d200:
Compatible Lenses: All AF-DX, AF-D, AF-G, AF-I, AF-S, and AF VR Nikkor lenses provide full AF and metering operation. AI-P lenses provide manual focus w/ electronic rangefinder and full metering operation. AI lenses provide manual focus w/ electronic rangefinder, Aperture Priority and Manual exposure mode, C/W and Spot metering operation.

from Dpreview:
Perhaps the biggest negative on the D40 is that it doesn't have an internal focus drive motor and hence no mechanical focus drive pin, instead it only has CPU contacts which means it can only Auto Focus with AF-S and AF-I lenses (those with built-in focus motors). Indeed our 'standard' lens the Nikkor 50 mm F1.8D (and the F1.4D) are manual focus only on the D40. The images below show the difference between the mount on the D40 and D80, the D80 has a mechanical focus drive pin at about the 7 o'clock position.

It is magic.

Seriously, once you step over a certain shutter speed, it doesn't really matter...How many sports photographers do you see with a tripod? Maybe a monopod because supporting a big *** camera and lens can get tiring, but it's not for "sharpness"

DarkRaven,

Hey man! Welcome to the DSLR world. I recently purchased my first one as well (a D80)... amongst ALL the books I've purchased there is one I recommend the most. It's called "Digital Photography by Scott Kellby." Also, I've taken two classes online at ED2GO the courses I recommend is NOT the digital photography class but the SECRETS TO BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY and the Photoshop Elements class (obviously if you don't use elements then you don't need that class). The Secrets to better photography really is a great class... it goes over all the aspects of using both digital and film SLR camera use... I've learned a great deal especially in Lesson 5 (which covers aperture, shutter speed, settings and such). They do cost $119 though. Good luck!

Thank you guys for all the advice. I will be taking a Photography class in the fall here in my University. I want to practice during the summer.

Village Idiot said:

It is magic.

Seriously, once you step over a certain shutter speed, it doesn't really matter...How many sports photographers do you see with a tripod? Maybe a monopod because supporting a big *** camera and lens can get tiring, but it's not for "sharpness"

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Well it seems like Nikon have crippled the camera on purpose.

As for shutter speed, yes if the shutter speed is high you will not need a tripod in most cases.

I'm on about how you get that last few percent of quality. I have read a lot of books about photography written by very knowledgable photographers. They have mentioned that a tripod, using mirror lockup and using a remote are all things you should do when you want the absolute maximum quality. If you want to win prizes it all makes the difference.

Plenty of pages mention these tips:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/mirror-lock.shtml

Buy a short range fixed lens, such as a 24mm one. It teaches you to spend more time looking for a good shot instead of zooming in to find one.

gilesjuk said:

Well it seems like Nikon have crippled the camera on purpose.

As for shutter speed, yes if the shutter speed is high you will not need a tripod in most cases.

I'm on about how you get that last few percent of quality. I have read a lot of books about photography written by very knowledgable photographers. They have mentioned that a tripod, using mirror lockup and using a remote are all things you should do when you want the absolute maximum quality. If you want to win prizes it all makes the difference.

Plenty of pages mention these tips:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/mirror-lock.shtml

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That's funny. I wonder how many great photographers go walking around with a camera asking themselves "What should I shoot today to win a prize?"

Actually, I think most of them are worried about either:

A) Getting a good shot
or
B) Having their work published.

A tripod can be a good utility but it's definitely not something you want to tell people to use all the time.

Many times it's not even practical. Maybe you're just reading from studio photographers and such, but what about wild life photographers, sports, wedding, candid, war, concert, etc... photographers. If any of those use tripods, it's not the majority of the time and their pictures still come out.

How many good photographers do you see walking down the street with a tripod, picking it up and putting it down every time they want a shot?

Ever shot an auto/bike race? Try panning and getting a good shot with a tripod attached to the camera. Even if you are taking the picture with a stationary camera, you're going to have to have such a high shutter speed to capture the vehicle not moving at a blur that you're going to stop the wheels and everything else, leaving it a dull photo.

Ever see a concert photographer in a pit taking pictures with a tripod? No...Even with dark and low light conditions they still pull off great photos, no thanks to a tripod.

Dark,

What really will determine what you need to buy is your interest in photgraphy, where and how you'll be using it, and to what extent you'll go to get a great picture... One word of caution... DIGITAL ZOOM is a marketing ploy and serves no purpose (it enlarges the picture- reducing the picture quality, and does not actually zoom) and more megapixels = a good thing!

Let us know what you decided.

Some useful links:
What an SLR Camera is

Digital Camera Buying Guide

Concert shots are taken at close range and you aren't worried about depth of field.

Argue your case with the pros, It's them not me who have discovered the best tips for getting the best photographs.

And actually, wildlife photographers do use tripods, how else do you explain stuff like this from Andy Rouse:

"Luckily the hide is constructed with tripod screws so all I have to do is get the tripod heads set up; I choose one with a 70-100 f2.8L lens and one with a 300mm F4L IS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter. These give me multiple options for shots, as the bears have a habit of turning up where you least expect them."

http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0804/ar0804-1.html

This is the last I'm saying on the subject. You can argue with yourself.

gilesjuk said:

Concert shots are taken at close range and you aren't worried about depth of field.

Argue your case with the pros, It's them not me who have discovered the best tips for getting the best photographs.

And actually, wildlife photographers do use tripods, how else do you explain stuff like this from Andy Rouse:

"Luckily the hide is constructed with tripod screws so all I have to do is get the tripod heads set up; I choose one with a 70-100 f2.8L lens and one with a 300mm F4L IS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter. These give me multiple options for shots, as the bears have a habit of turning up where you least expect them."

http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0804/ar0804-1.html

This is the last I'm saying on the subject. You can argue with yourself.

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Real concert shots? A lot of people I know use a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS to get good shots because you're not exactly close, your at a decent range and there's practically no light some times and light is needed for photography.

Like I said, a tripod is a tool, but it's not a tool you want to depend on for every single type of photography or for every single shot you take.

I'm just warning some one about bad advice.

Instead of picking apart bad advice, I'll just reccomend you to here:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

It's the Canon Digital Photography Forums. You don't have to have a Canon to join. There are a ton of pro photographers there as well as a lot more very knowledgable amateurs. They can give you a lot of really good advice and tell you when advice others have given is wrong...

There's 99k members and last time I checked, there were 2,388 on.

Edit: Article on using a flash http://photography.about.com/library/weekly/aa071403a.htm

why has someone on here - on this thread given me neutral or negative rep ?