Camera Labs

Hello,

I'm (hopefully) going to get a new Nikon D40 pretty soon, but i've been thinking if its really worth it for me?

I'm currently using a Fuji S304. Its okay for what I do, but I really do want more flexibility with things like the ev, as I'm into HDR photography.

I think i've about reached the limit of what my current camera can do, with these 2 images:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/55757776/
and
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/55751651/

I'm selling prints of these images - so I really need more than the 3.2 mp i have now, but would 6.1 be enough? Would I really benefit from having a camera like a D40? Or would I be better off carrying on with my Fuji?

Cheers,
Jack McIntyre

Hi Jack,

with an artists eye like yours, you should upgrade your equipment. And if you think the D40 is fine, why not consider the D40x?

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

The main problem is budget.

I'm currently a student with little/no income. Its taken me a good few month's to save up the £200 i have now. So i'm really looking for some cheap thrills.

Great pictures! Actually, I think you have chosen the single DSLR that doesn't support exposure bracketing, which could help you a lot with HDR. Pentax K10D supports up to 5 frames with a 0.3 - 2 increments, the other brands usually support 3 frames. But I guess it's not the camera that matter the most...

The Olympus E-400 seems to be a good value which support exposure bracketing of 3 frames and has 10.1mp. You can also take a look at this thread

hehe, It would be very good to have a camera with exposure bracketing. But the camera I use now doesn't. So i'm not too worried about that.

I have been looking at a 350D. It seems to be one of the best all around camera, so I think i'm swaying towards the Canon end.

Hi Jack, welcome to the forums!

The D40 is a wonderful beginners DSLR, but I think you might find its controls and functionality a bit restrictive - and same for the D40x which has the same controls, but just a higher resolution sensor. I enjoyed using both cameras, but found them slow to adjust settings like white balance and ISO.

The 350D is a great camera, but I agree with Rune that the Olympus E-400 is pretty amazing value right now - discounted now the E410 is on the shelves... it's important that you also go into a store and pick up your shortlisted cameras in person as one which looked great on paper (or on-screen!) may not feel right to you - whereas another could really stand out.

Gordon

I've actually had a small go with a 350D, my Grandad has one so i've heald it and had a little fiddle around with it. Very good camera, but still a little too pricey for me at the moment.