mark_drutz

<p>Just because you have $3000 doesn't mean that you should spend it now. I suggest starting slowly and not spend the bulk of the money until you know based on experience what you really need. All you and we can do now is guess and that can waste a lot of money. I would start with the T1i and a good wide to short tele zoom. I'm a Nikon user so I'll let others recommend Canon lenses. Some good independent lenses are the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 Macro, and Sigma 18-125 OS (OS is their version of IS).</p>

<p>I know that it's tempting to get a lot of gear right away, but it's usually better to wait until you have a better idea of what you need for what you shoot.</p>

<p>Lenses must have built-in focus motors to focus on the D40 (and D60 and D5000). Nikon indicates this by the AF-S designation. VR just indicates vibration reduction. G just means that the lens lacks an aperture ring and the aperture must be set by the camera's controls. Neither VR or G indicates the presence or absence of a focus motor.</p>

<p>I just went to Adorama.com looking for a Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX and they clearly state that the lens is on allocation and that you can get in line. Read the web page for the item you want carefully and you'll know if an item is out of stock.</p>

<p>I like the second one. The sky has an ominous quality that adds a tension to the picture. The sky in the first picture is just there. It doesn't add anything to the picture. You might as well crop most of it out.</p>

<p>Of course it's all a matter of taste. That's the problem with contests. Different judges will pick different winners so winning is largely a matter of the luck of the draw. All that really matters is that you like your pictures.</p>

<p>I haven't noticed a difference and I prefer to deal with Adorama directly. I've done business with Adorama since the early 90's and B&H since the early 80's and I've never had a problem with either. I buy a lot from Amazon and their authorized dealers because I know that if there's a problem I can deal with Amazon instead of someone I do not know, but since I know Adorama so well, I deal directly with them. I think that it makes for a better relationship.</p>

<p>I would keep all three charged and rotate them. From what I've read these lithium ion batteries can be charged hundreds of times without any damage. They are more likely to lose the ability to hold a charge over time, not because of the number of times they are charged. I charge my batteries after each use (unless I've only shot a few shots). You should also charge them if they haven't been used for a couple of months.</p>

<p>I loved my N80 and I think that it's a great camera to learn on. It can be used auto or fully manual. It's light weight and compact, yet solidly built. You can use it after the course is over and not worry about outgrowing it very fast. It also feels and handles a lot like Nikon's lower and midrange DSLRs. I used a D75 as a second body and I liked it , but the N80 is only a little more expensive and well worth it.</p>

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<p>Adorama has a Nikon D60 refurbished by Nikon for $329.95 and a Nikon 18-55 VR refurbished by Nikon for $129.95. I have both the D40x and D60 and I much prefer the D60. It has Active D-Lighting and the new EXPEED processor which gives more accurate exposures with better balance between highlights and shadow areas. It also has 10MP, a sensor cleaning system, better noise control, and a useable ISO 3200 that the D40 doesn't have. If money is tight, I think that buying refurbished is a good idea.</p>

<p>What equipment do you have and what is your level of expertise?</p>

<p>Nikon, Canon, Pentax, and Sony all make roughly equal quality cameras in a given price range. I would go to a store that has a good selection (I know that's not always possible) and handle the ones in your price range. I would choose based on how it feels in your hands, whether you like the controls, and the availability of lenses that you want more than on the brand.</p>

<p>If you want an opinion, I did some looking and found a good deal on a Nikon D60 kit at Adorama. It included a D60, a Nikon 18-55 VR and a Nikon 55-200 VR for $700 after a $150 instant rebate. I recommend the D60 over the D40 because I have both a D40x and a D60 and I find that the D60's Active D-Lighting and EXPEED processor gives more more accurate exposures with better balance between highlights and shadows. The D60 also has 10MP, better noise control, a useable ISO 3200, and a sensor cleaning system that the D40 does not have. If you do go for a Nikon make sure that you get the VR version of the 18-55 and 55-200. Not only is the VR worthwhile, the lenses are newer and sharper, especially the 55-200 VR.</p>

<p>The quality difference between them is minor. The feel and handling is far more important. Many years ago I was trying to decide between two zoom lenses. I didn't like the way one balanced and felt, but I let the salesman talk me into it. I never got to like the lens, seldom used it, and got rid of it.</p>

<p>An easy to use and inexpensive program is Photoshop Elements (I think they're up to 7.0). You can use the Quick Fixes for easy but still very good edits. You can also get into very advanced editing. It's up to you. You can probably get 7.0 for around $100 or you can look for an older version for much less. I use 5.0 and I see no reason to move to a newer version. There are also good books available to help you use the program, and the built-in tutorials are mostly pretty good.</p>

<p>Elements will also let you organize your pictures and back them up on DVDs or an external hard drive. You have no negatives with digital, so if something happens to a picture and you have no back-up, it's gone forever.</p>

<p>As I said above, think of it as an insurance policy and ask yourself if you could afford a major repair even if the chances of needing one are small. If you could not afford a major repair and/or the warranty is reasonably priced, it may be worth it. The only time I bought an extended warantee was about six years ago when I bought one for a Nikon N80. It was a three year Nikon warranty for $20-30 (I don't remember exactly). I figured for that price, why not? I've seen 3-5 year (again I don't remember which it was) warranties for $40. That might be worth it. When I bought my D50 three years ago they wanted over $100 for the extended warranty. I passed.</p>

<p>It comes down to a risk management problem. In other words, a gamble.</p>

<p>I would call or email Sigma to be absolutely certain.</p>

<p>I agree with the buy for now philosophy. If you do get a FF in the future you can sell it if you sell the D80 or keep it as a back-up if you keep the D80. Consider the Nikon 16-85 VR, Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 Macro, Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, and Tokina 16-50 f/2.8. All are very good lenses and will not require taking out a second mortgage.</p>

<p>If you insist on an FX lens consider the Sigma 24-70 f/2.8, Sigma 28-70 f/2.8, and Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. Are these zooms as sharp as the best prime lenses? Probably not, but they are extremely sharp.</p>

<p>If you just want the camera for travel pictures and maybe family pictures and aren't interested in getting deeply into photography then I also suggest a high end P&S. There is a type of camera called a superzoom or digicam. They have zoom lenses that go from wideangle to long telephoto (most have image stabilization) and they have an electronic viewfinder similar to what a camcorder has. They can be used fully auto or manually, and you can get a very good one for less than $700 US. I got my wife a Nikon P80 for travel and family photography and she loves it. All of the major camera makers make superzooms. Go to a well stocked store where the sales help knows what they are talking about and handle a few and pick one that feels good in your hands and has controls that you like. Don't get one of the cheaper ones that doesn't have a viewfinder. You need the viewfinder outdoors in bright light. Also don't get one w/o image stabilization.</p>

<p>You can get one that takes AA batteries or one that uses a rechargable lithium ion battery. For travel I suggest getting one that takes easy to find AA batteries. You can use rechargable NiMH batteries, alkalines, or lithiums. Lithiums cost more than alkalines but last much longer. NiMH are the cheapest in the long run, especially if you shoot a lot. Always carry a set of lithiums as a back-up.</p>

<p>These cameras are not pocket size, but they are much smaller and lighter and a DSLR. If you do want to get seriously into photography, let us know and we can discuss DSLRs.</p>

<p>Another vote for the Sigma 10-20. I have one and its great for interiors. Try keh.com, B&H, and Adorama for a good used one. You can also try ebay but be careful and only buy if they offer a refund on returns.</p>

<p>I've never heard of them. You can check them with resellerratings.com and bbb.com to see if they are reliable. If they are reliable then consider the cost of the warranty relative to the cost of replacing or repairing the camera. Also consider that most things that go wrong do so during the first year when it's covered by the manufacturers warranty. Also consider how long you'll be keeping the camera. If you are going to upgrade in 2 or 3 years then the odds of something going wrong while it's not under the manufacturer's warantee is relatively small.</p>

<p>I look at an extended warranty as an insurance policy and weigh the risk against the cost of the warranty and the cost of most repairs. Personally I seldom get extended warranties and self insure instead. I've had a lot of Nikon and Canon cameras over 41 years and I've only had two repairs, both of which were under the manufactures warranty.</p>

<p>Underexposing does increase noise. You can get away with 1/3 stop at lower ISOs where noise is minimal, but at higher ISOs you will see the increased noise. Active D-Lighting works very well, but it does increase noise in dark areas at high ISOs. If you use the Active D-Lighting and underexpose at higher ISOs you will get noticeable noise. I suggest that you use the Active D-Lighting, don't underexpose, and fine tune in PP.</p>

<p>Tamron makes a 17-50 f/2.8 and Sigma makes an 18-50 f/2.8 Macro that sell between $400 and $500 and are very good lenses. However, before you spend your limited funds, do as Elliot suggested and master the lenses that you have now. If the problem is poor technique, no lens is going to help.</p>

<p>Michael, I knew that some older Sigma lenses need to be rechipped to work with newer Nikons, but I thought that some were also not backward compatible. I was half right. The HSM lenses are not fully backward compatible, but they can't be rechipped to AF. Thanks for the the info from B&H.</p>

<p>I suggest that you handle both cameras and see which feels better in your hands and has controls that you like. That's more important than any quality differences between them.</p>

<p>My choice would be the Nikon D90 with the 18-105 VR mostly because of the lens. In that price range I would prefer that over the 40D with the 18-55. But what I said above is far more important.</p>

<p>Not counting grab shots of my granddaughter I shoot generally once a week, but I try for two. A lot depends on the weather. June was a disaster. We got some rain on 23 days, but I managed to get in three outing between the raindrops.</p>

<p>Some Sigma lenses do not work with older cameras. They need a new computer chip. Sigma will do it for you. I seem to remember that at one time they did not charge for the new chip, but they may charge now. Contact them for more information on the cost.</p>

<p>Paolo, I wish you would have told use that you already had a D40 and was happy with it.</p>