kenneth_yahiku Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Let me give some background first...I am just about to break into dslr cameras.I have experience with SLR so the Digital aspect is new to me. I am not toofamiliar with raw, but I know it is a big plus. Im currently wondering about the extra software you have to pay for with theNikons. Is it neccesary? Or if I buy photoshop will it be just as good. If it is an extra hassel should I just go for the Cannon Rebel xt? Thanks for your time! KY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_spahn Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 I've tested one in the store and took the SD card home. The file size and quality is not as good as my Nikon 7600 P&S. I decided that it wasn't a $600.00 step up from the 7600. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffrey_kempster Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Your saying that a P&S camera is better looking file than the D40. I would like to see those pictures for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_olander1664878205 Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 You don't need Nikon Capture. Photoshop or Elements is all you need, and if you shoot RAW, you can use Adobe Camera Raw. I use Nikon View (a free download) for transfering and as an initial browser, and then use CS2 and ACR for the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshall Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Alan's right. If you have another raw converter and editing program, you do not need to spring for the Nikon software. I also would question the idea that the D40 isn't the equal of the p&s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyMason1 Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Ken, as Alan said the extra software is not necessary...have you read the initial review at DPpreview? the D40 got a 'Highly Recommended' http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/page25.asp...if you think that you might use older AF lenses that don't have the "S" designation you might want to look at either a D70s, D50 or D80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitas Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Are you sure the camera was set to its maximum capability? I doubt very much that ANY P&S could beat the D40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Jeffrey, My Coolpix delivers superb images up to 8x10. In fact for awhile I wondered why I didn't shoot with it all the time, but the shutter lag is a deal killer. In fact it delivers good enough results that I've got a shot with it in my street portfolio (not online). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliot1 Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 I had an Coolpix 8700 that I bought when the d70 came out - same reason as mentioned above - the 8700, in my opinion, gave better results than the d70. What you don't find out until you use the camera for a while is that P&S cameras focus slow (you will miss a lot of important shots unless you are taking landscape pictures) and have a lot of noise in the pictures above ISO 400. Six month later, I traded up to a d70, and now have the d200. A $150 P&S can give images as good as a camera that costs many thousands of dollars, but you have to work at it. RAW is not a big plus, but is good to have. You only need it if the white balance or exposure is off. My d200 is almost always right on the money so I never have to worry about it. Basic adjustments to exposure and white balance can be made with many 'free' programs. Nikon View is a great FREE program you can download from the Nikon website. Stick with a DSLR, whichever you choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph_smith3 Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 I would not limit myself to just AF-S lenses which is what is required for the d 40. I would get a d 50, d-80 or other DSLR model. Joe Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juan_parm_nides Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 All of oyu know that the Nikkon D40 has lens limitations. So better go for D50 or D80. My best regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew robertson Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 "The file size and quality is not as good as my Nikon 7600 P&S." With all respect, this is undoubtedly your fault and not a problem with the D40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew robertson Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 "RAW is not a big plus, but is good to have. You only need it if the white balance or exposure is off." Raw is a huge plus. In addition to better white balancing and exposure adjustments, most RAW files contain more data than in-camera JPGs. Also, noise reduction can be quite profitably done in RAW along with many other adjustments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_skomial Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 "A $150 P&S can give images as good as a camera that costs many thousands of dollars" - all of you who believe this, please bring your Nikon D200, D70 or more expensive cameras to me, and I will trade them for coolpix 8700, no questions asked. Your sanity will not be challenged, promise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Keep in mind that there are people who only shoot JPEG basic on their DSLRs. Under that situation, maybe the result is indeed not much better than that from $150 digicams. For example, JPEG basic on the D2X is 2144x1424 pixels, which is roughly 3MP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuri_sopko Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 If I could roll back the clock I wish I would have bought a Canon Digital Rebel when they first come out vice my Olympus C-8080. After I bought the vertical grip and batteries it was about the same and I got a screaming good deal at the time on the C-8080 itself. My C-8080 still makes some awesome pic's even at 11x14. But, their are other things to consider like AF ability, write times between shots (C-8080 is a long time, 11 seconds for RAW), etc. Ultimately, I went with a D50 yesterday as it was on hand at my local Ritz with lens for $550. I also looked at the D40 but I wanted the AF lens flexibility and exposure bracketing. I would start off with PS Elements or whatever NIkon provides to start and as your skill grows looks into something like PhotoShop... I would strongly advise against becoming techno-paralyzed by buying too much technology at once (I also have an addicition to computers and tech). That's another thing I did with my C-8080. I got a decent printer and screen calibrator to "maximize" my camera's potential. Only to spend a lot of time on the learning curve to get all to work right. And, to find out that the color space (range of colors) that most printers can print is small compared to what a screen can show and is optmiized for sRGB (some for Adobe RGB but are upper end). I do not neccessarilly regret the time I spent except for the fact that I could have stayed safe and sound within the sRGB color space of the JPGs and spent more time taking photo's. As soon as I become acclimated to my D50 I will probably use the potential of Photoshop as much as I did with my C-8080 when I got used to it: very little. As for D40/D50/XTi... I would buy a SD card and CF card and handle each camera and take photos with each camera in JPG and look at them at home and decide. See which camera is the most intuitive for you and pleases you the most. My choice of Nikon was for my own reasons and I won't push them on to you. Buy your DSLR, shoot pics, and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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