Advise about 2 nikon cameras

<p>Hallo, I would like to have an advise from you about a Nikon camera, I have been using a Nikon D40 for one

year and I started to understand well the options in different uses. I have at the time the possibility to have a Nikon

D70 or D90 used in good conditions, I love lanscape, macro, details, street photography, Wich one do you advise

me to have please?<br>

Thank for your answear<br>

Kind regards</p>

<p>Definitely D90 because it was released later than D70, which means every aspect of this camera should be better than D70. (I owned D50 and D200, and now D3. I well understand the new products is better than previous version)</p>

<p>Paolo,<br>

The D90 is certainly better, but it also should be vastly more expensive than a D70. If it isn't, one of the two is priced wrong and that would worry me for sure if these were my euros. In some ways, the D70 is a step back from the D40 - I would not go there at all, by the way.<br>

However, for some of the things you mention, mainly macro/details, lenses really make all the difference; a dedicated macrolens, if you do not own one, is a much more interesting upgrade than a newer body. Before you upgrade, define for yourself what your current gear isn't doing - and fix that. May be a lens, may be a body, may be flash, maybe nothing.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>as you told the price of the D90 is higher than d 70, Suppose I bought a macro lens for my D40, wich lens would you advise me?</p>

<p>I have both a D70 and a D90. You can get good images from both. The D70, though, is not in the same league as the D90, and since I have started playing with the D90, I love it. It has 90% of the features of the Nikon "pro" models and is smaller and lighter. As was previously mentioned, the price difference will be significant, but if you can possibly swing it, definitely go with the D90...then do some research on good quality glass (as was also mentioned) to match. </p><div></div>

<p>By the way, forgot to mention. You can get great images from your D40, too, and it is a very convenient camera to use. So, keep it as a second body. As to a macro lens, it depends on what you want to do with it and how much you want to spend. I wanted the ability to stand off a bit and not get too close, and I didn't have a huge budget, so, after a lot of study, I chose the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 for around $730 or so (about 500 Euros??). I just got it, so I am still trying to learn how to use it. For lens reviews, try this link: <a href="http://www.imaging-resource.com/">http://www.imaging-resource.com/</a></p>

<p>A friend told me to look also about these 2 micro lenses for Nikon<a href="http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/lens/af/micro/af_micro60mmf_28d/index.htm">AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D</a> , <a href="http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/lens/af/micro/af-s_micro60mmf_28g/index.htm">AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED</a>. I would use the lense to capture mostly Flowers.<br>

Thanks for the advises, anyway I ll keep my d40 as a combact camera and maybe with macro all the time. </p>

<p>Well, good macro lens depends also a bit on how much you're willing to spend.<br>

For the D40, the main suspect for a macro lens (to me) would be the Nikon 85 f/3.5 VR Macro, and to a slightly lesser extend the AF-S 60mm and AF-S 105mm VR (the 60mm has a fairly short working distance, the 105 is quite a lot more expensive). The Sigma mentioned by Daniel also seems a very good choice; Sigma also has a 105mm lens with HSM if I'm not mistaken, and there should now also be a Tamron 90mm macro that can autofocus on the D40.<br>

For macro work, though, manual focus is often easier. If you're OK with manual focus, a lot more lenses come into play: for example Tokina 100mm, older versions of the Nikons, Tamrons etc.<br>

Typically, the ~100mm lenses are good all-rounders for macro work; they have a reasonable working distance, prices are OK and they can nicely double as portrait lenses.</p>

<p>While proposed AF-S macro lenses would do auto focus with D70 or D90, they will not auto focus with D40, but perhaps macro would require manual focus anyhow. You just need to know what to expect from a lens.</p>

<p>Frank, you are mistaken, any AF-S lens WILL autofocus on a D40. The AF lenses will not.</p>

<p>Right,<br>

I thought the other way... sorry.</p>

<p>The D90. For macro work, you need a camera with a good viewfinder since you should do all of your focusing manually. The viewfinder on the D 90 is better/clearer than the D 70's. If possible, you ought to consider a D 300s or a used D 200 so you can buy a used Nikon manual focus macro lenses that will meter with these lenses. Unfortunately, the D 90 will not meter with them. It will meter with the Nikon 60mm AFS G macro and the Nikon 105mm VR macro. However, you do not need VR for macro so I do not think this lens is your best choice just for macro. Joe Smith</p>

<p>The D90 will meter with both Nikon 60mm macro lenses, the newer G version and the older version. I have read reviews of both lenses and they seem to recommend the G lens over the older version in that it has better contrast. My guess is that for flowers, either lens would do a great job. Joe Smith</p>

<p>I was looking at the sigma 150 mm macro and Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Micro, the sigma new is aroung 700 dollar and nikon 550 dollar, The sigma give me the possibility to take the pictures with a major distance from the subject than the nikon, but for my idea is better to have major distance for insects, Flower is good a 60 mm too isn't it? and the 60 mm give also the possibility to take street photos as it has the quite same widness as the human eyes... check if i m ok or wrong?<br>

Still thanks all for the illuminant informations</p>

<p>The Sigma is an excellent lens and it has a tripod collar mount as I recall, an excellent feature. I prefer the extra working distance in that it helps to control backgrounds, a critical issue in macro work. Between the two, I would definitely recommend the 150mm Sigma over the 60mm Nikon. My preferred macro lens is my 200mm Nikon f 4.0. Joe Smith</p>

<p>Good that you're getting the D90. The D70 used is not a great choice these days. 60mm is great for flowers. longer working distance is easier to deal with for many things.</p>

<p>If you're only going to shoot flowers, you can do what I do. I have an old (and REALLY cheap and REALLY sharp) 55mm f3.5 (or 55mm f2.8). No metering, no autofocus. no matter, you can use your histogram (VERY useful on the D90, unlike the D70) for exposure (the flowers aren't moving) and I wouldn't AF macro shots anyway. Macro on the D90 with live view is an absolute JOY! It's actually my favorite lens to use.</p>

<p>If you can afford it, get both lenses. A 60mm macro lens serves many purposes--macro, portrait, landscapes, etc. A longer focal length macro lens, like a 150mm or a 200mm does the same thing--macro, portrait, landscapes, etc. Just make sure that whatever macro lens you get that it will accept extension tubes for your camera. This is what you will want next for macro work.<br>

Peter's suggestion for a 55mm lens is a good one. I use the Nikon 55mm f 2.8 manual focus macro lens on my D 300 either as a macro lens or as a general purpose 55mm lens. Joe Smith</p>

<p>Thank a lot Joseph, If I will find a D300 only body used with a nice price I will get it with Sigma 150 mm as you told me, I have a question for you, what does extension tubes give at the macro lenses? I have never used them yet</p>

<p> Pay close attention to the fact that there's a significant difference in perspective/working distance [for a given framing] between the 85 & 60mm focal lengths. There's no <em>better or worse </em>focal length. It depends on how you work and the kind of shooting you do. If you do a lot of macro, the much more expensive 70-180 Nikkor macro zoom might be an option to consider. As far as cameras, no contest, get the D90.</p>

<p>Anytime you add extension or length to a lens, it can focus closer and increase magnification. The more length, the more magnification. Extension tubes allow you to add length. But when you add length you lose light gathering capabilities so the widest f stop is effectively reduced. See here for more basic info on macro: <a href="http://www.photo.net/learn/macro/">http://www.photo.net/learn/macro/</a></p>

<p>Joe Smith</p>

<p>Here is another good link to learn about macro:<br>

<a href="http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/other/close-up_macro/macro_1.html">http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/other/close-up_macro/macro_1.html</a><br>

Joe Smith</p>

<p>you already have the best of the three cameras mentioned as an overall package. Going to a D90 will offer you no advantage whatever, so get the most out of the D40 before you move to something else. You haven't listed sport of wildlife as a preffered genre, so autofocus should have little bearing on your decision.</p>