Nikon DSLR (Sort of to do with Azz) D40 & D40x

When Azz was on about about a Nikon D40 and how it compares to a 400d I joined in.

Somebody (Borderdawn perhaps) had been on the side of the Canon which is fair enough but I've just realised I'd been (when I said I found it small) talking about the Nikon D40X.

I should have twigged when (again borderdawn I think) talked about the 'lower' Mega pixels compared to the canon.

Azz you have justified your reasons for going for the D40 and I see why (different prices) but I'd have to say if was now choosing between a 400d and the 'same price' Nikon (which would be the 40X model) then apart from them both being a bit small it would have to be the Nikon for me.

They do make me laugh though - Nikon and Canon - it's like they've agreed not to have the 'same spec camera available at the same time. They keep leapfrogging each other !

Perhaps they have some sort of British Airways / Virgin type agreement going on.

The D40x actually won a recent head-to-head with the 400D (practical photography magazine)

Although the 400D does have more features than the D40 and D40x, the kit lens isn't very good, and you need to be looking at getting a new lens - so really the price of a good quality 400D is around £650 in my opinion. But then you are looking at the D80 price range which is widely acclaimed as even better than the 400D :smt101 the D80 and AF-S DX 18-70mm kit lens is £649. Even with the Canon cashback, it's about £50 in it - so it's a very tough choice.

I do like the 400D's, I just wish their kit lens were better!
However I like the Nikon D80s too!

But I am very happy with the D40, the quality is miles better that what I had before, and it will help me see what it is that I want from my next DSLR, although I must say I have no plans or feel a need to upgrade right now - this one does everything I want and it will help me leanr thanks to it's beginner friendly help menus

Azz you said one word then 'Quality'. Although I've had (as per previous posts) Canon all my life I last bought Nikon because I found the build quality to be better.

I still haven't made my mind up overall about Nikon or Canon but why should I.

My choice was a Nikon D50 or a Canon 350D

I went Nikon.

Give me the the 400d or the Nikon D40 ? I'd perhaps go with Canon but at the end of the day (I think that was your choice) there's a big difference in price.

Take the 400d £ for £ against Nikon and it's not the D40 that squares up. It's the D40X and that's better than the Canon in my opinion.

If they were the same price and they both came with equally good lens then I'd get the Canon as it has more features But if the D80 was put in as well then I'd have the D80 lol ....and so on and on..

I think it's important to factor budget in because you could keep going higher and higher - for the money, there's nothing that comes close to the D40 - and the D40x too (of course I am factoring in kit lens) I think that's why they have been selling the most in Japan for the last 6 months.

However I heard a rumour that Canon will be shipping better lens with their 450D.. if that's true it will be a wicked package.

Ps, another reason I got the D40 instead of the D40x is because there wasn't a big enough jump in features to justify the cost - I'd prob still want another DSLR further down the line, because of some of the limitations such as 3 point autofocus, no depth of field preview etc - so figured the D40 was the perfect camera for me for right now really, as as my skills develop (if they ever do!) I'll want a more advanced camera, and that would have been true of both the d40 and the x version.

I HAVE to say (no, honest I do ) that it depends which magazine you pick up and read as to which one wins ...I have countless mags here where the Nikon wins and lots where the Nikon wins

after a LOT of research, and having been a lifelong fan of Canon (although I admit to never having had a digital Canon - my bridging digi was the fuji fs500) I finally made the leap into the world of dslr with..........the Nikon D40x, and I am loving every minute of it

If you google 'cameralabs', they do a side by side comparison of any camera you care to learn about and have some excellent articles to help you decide.

So the Nikon wins all round then

TBH, even though I prefer Canon, Nikon are a decent company and the only other one I would recommend for people looking at DSLR's (after Canon obviously ).

So - when are you going to experiment with the different modes then Azz

Thought i'd pop this link here as it's a good 'manual' as it explains everything in a way that's easy to understand. I used it a lot when I got my D50. There's guides to loads of different things if you select 'technical' from the home page but

Here's the D40 page

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40...s-shooting.htm

I think they are both excellent companies and you really can't go wrong with either - and at the end of the day it will boil down to how you like the feel of the actual models, it's features for price, along with a touch of how many people you know who has one brand or the other

GH... err, don't scare me now Maybe soon?

Thanks for the link Phil, I think I already have it bookmarked

this is very true I think, and certainly is what is came down to for me.
I thought that as soon as I picked up the canon, I would know it was the right one, but actually it didnt feel right at all.
No one was more surprised than me that I went for the Nikon - it just felt more comfortable all round.

horses for courses