Anyone that buys a D40, D50, ect. with Tamron or Sigma lenses is insane IMO. Tamron and Sigma have nothing comparable to the 18-55. Sigma has a lens that is cheaper and I like better than Nikon's 55-200 but it is not HSM of course and not of enough difference optically that I wouldn't still choose the Nikon over it. Even for an amateur I think the 55-200 choice is kind of insane now that the 70-300Vr is on the market.
That's a pretty wild statement for you to make. How accurate it is depends on the user. Yes it's tunnel like and a bad choice if wide apeture work is what you need but even I can work accurately with a tunnel finder at f/2.8 with the 35mm 2.0D for instance. It depends on each individual user. Personally I think even the vf of the D200 isn't good enough to rely on for that type of work.
There are a couple of Sigmas. But they aren't "competition" for the cheap AF-S lenses. They are more expensive (and better). Competition would be cheaper lenses.
Even if they did meter, they still wouldn't couple to the aperture, so you'd be in stop-down mode. And they aren't AF. For the typical D40/D50 buyer, they want meter coupling and AF. With the D50 you had the choice of any Nikon or third party AF lens made in the past 20 years. With the D40 you have the choice of a few used AF-I and AF-S Nikon lenses (most quite expensive and out of the D40 consumer ballpark) and a bunch of new cheap AF-S lenses. That is removing the used market from D40 consumers.
That doesn't change the fact that a whole bunch of SLRs are sold with 3rd party lens kits. It's an easy sales pitch. Buy this camera + 1 lens for $x, or the same camera with 2 lenses for $x + $25. What a steal!
No, it isn't.
Actually, it depends mostly on the screen.
The tunnel has very little to do with it.
On what viewfinder?
1) (D)SLR can't be without mirror. Single Reflex Camera. Take out mirror ant it won't be (D)SLR;
Is some respects, yes.
Did I miss any or do we have different definitions of inexpensive or
Ist off I am not anti nikon..or anything else for that matter. This
is a nice camera..at a cheap price (not as cheap in the uk...)
No problems with the IQ...noise etc...better VF..great.
But I urge all ist time buyers to consider what you "may" want to
use lens wise. And if you want more variety, and price
ranges..avoid the D40 like the plague.
Sorry to beat the drum...but removing the in camera AF motor is
plain daft. Complete deal breaker for many. You have been warned.
Dumbed down controls etc also not welcomed. If Nikon had the sense
to slap this out at £299 instead of £399..then maybe it could be
overlooked....but sorry this isnt convincing..
Call me a sceptic, but this smells like a ploy to sell Nikon lenses..
If it doesn't bother..then fire away. Myself well I would like the
option to use 3rd party lenses..and all of them. And s/h ebay jobs.
So enjoy, but if the handcuff system approach doesn't
appeal...check out something else..there have been better 6mp cams
on the market.....
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Its a bit odd to say the least. Can you imagine a D200 with no pin drive AF? And how bad that would be? I could...dead donkey. Point here is that if you have the doesnt cost sod all pin drive motor...you can use either..If it isnt there you cannot. So my question to Nikon is what is so smart about your choice?
Yes it is.
It depends on much more than that. Even with a better screen or with an old style screen the viewfinders are marginal at best. Even with a standard matte the F100 viewfinder is better than that of the D40, D50, D70, D80, D100, D200.
It is small making it hard to tell when things pop into focus. Add to that the fact that the in focus dot has alot of slack from focusing coming from the infinity side and vice versa with no arrows for assistance (such as the F100 or D2X).
I've done that with the D100, D70, and D200 quite a bit. I can work at f/1.4 with a 35mm or 50mm but my speed slows down as does my keeper rate slightly. Keep in mind I also have a selection of f/1.2 to f/.75 macro lenses I can also work with on the same bodies. On those I must bracket focus though.
That's interesting but has nothing to do with what apeture I can work at with said DSLR's.
It is an issue with you. No offense, some folks can and some can't. You aren't paying attention in these forums if you haven't seen the evidence of those that can or spending too much time in Open Talk.
I don't use DOF preview on any DSLR. For my own use it's a useless feature. I've always considered it a feature for amateurs or those learning.
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IMO anything below $1000US with decent optics still is inexpensive. I think for most folks even 4-500US is still pretty inexpensive. It's not like they are buying new optics every few weeks.
Hmm despite the fact all the top end cameras have it?
You could still use them as the camera would close the apeture when the shutter is released. Set the apeture, (make sure easy exposure comp is set), dial down a full stop for each stop you are at below maximum on your apeture setting, then take your image. Not to mention those who like to experiment and build their own lenses. I know the average user could care less but why cripple the bodies this way? It's not like Canon, Pentax, or Oly does.
I'm agreeing with you on that point.
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Neither. A better viewfinder with a real rangefinder. Metering of the open hole like Pentax, Canon, and Oly allow. That's it.Hmm despite the fact all the top end cameras have it?
No use to you maybe...sure I don't use it a lot..but I do use it,
and one reason I didn't get a D50 and got a KM5D...one reason that
is..
You can live without it sure..but it is handy...esp if you do a lot
of macro work etc. I would't class it as a newbie thing..not at
all...
Let's put it like this...ask me what I would rather have..DOF
preview of D40 "wallpaper" option in the camera...eeerrrr! lol
Sigma4less has it as a body only. I wonder if every retailer will eventually. For me it would make more sense as I've already got more 18-55 kit lenses than I need.
