Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Full Review
21 September, 2008
The 6 Megapixel Nikon D40 is targeted for those who want a relatively compact and light camera yet having most of the important SLR features. The D40 is priced reasonably (cheaper than D50/D80 and Canon Rebel XTi). In my opinion, if you are still considering whether to get a point and shoot camera or a DSLR, the D40 will be a better choice than any point and shoot camera, by far, even those with 8MP or 10MP. But if you are already deciding to get a DSLR or you want more control of the picture taking experience, then I would recommend you to also test the D50 and/or D80 first before deciding to buy the D40. I want you to make sure that you know what you will get (and not get) with the D40. Don’t get me wrong though, the D40 is an awesome camera, and I don’t think you will regret buying one. There are some limitation with the D40 which shouldn’t bother most people, for example, the D40 doesn’t have dedicated button to change picture quality, white balance or ISO settings (which generally only professional/enthusiast will care). Once you understand (and accept) its limitation, the D40 is a potent and exciting photography machine.Just like all its (DSLR) siblings, the D40 powers on instantly and take pictures with almost no shutter lag which are the major advantages of a DSLR over a point and shoot camera. In addition to the P,S,A,M mode, the picture quality of the auto settings (auto, child mode, landscape etc) are also very good. With 2.5 frames per second you can capture movement progress in sports like football, basketball, baseball etc. Also great to photograph your family or child (child mode). The D40 is a great all around camera.Some notable new features:
1. Auto (no flash) mode. Without this mode the flash will pop-up (on all other pre-programmed mode) even when you don’t want to use flash (which can be annoying). The internal flash will not pop up automatically with the P,S,A,M settings.2. In camera editing capability such as black and white, sepia and some filter effects etc. While sounds gimmicky, these features are useful especially for those who doesn’t have Adobe Photoshop (or other image editing software).
To date, D40 is the smallest and lightest among all the Nikon DSLR (even smaller than the Canon Rebel XT/XTi, however the D40 is more ergonomics). I believe that choosing a camera that fits comfortably with your hands is important. Therefore, I recommend people to test the camera before buying (even if you want to buy online, please do go to a physical store and test the camera first whenever possible).
The D40 has only 3 (horizontal) autofocus point (5 for D50 and 11 for D80). If you know “The Rule of Thirds”, the additional AF points above and below the center focus point (available in D50 and D80) are handy to help create the horizontal third line. However, the 3 horizontal AF point in D40 is still helpful to create the vertical third line. Also one can focus with the middle AF point and after the focus is lock then move the frame upwards/downwards to create the horizontal third line. Just make sure the exposure level is still accurate when you move the frame after you lock the focus.About the 18-55mm II AF-S kit lens: A good lens producing sharp photos (though not a very fast lens). Also decent for close-up/macro photography. Lens uses internal focus technology and focusing operation is silent. A very decent kit lens.
Lens compatibility: Notice that with D40, autofocus function will not work for non AF-S/AF-I lens. If you already have non AF-S/AF-I Nikon lenses and want a backup or replacement camera, you will be better off buying D50, D70s or D80. If you buy the D40, it will be convenient to stick with AF-S and AF-I type lenses. I’m not sure why Nikon choose this route for the D40 (whether to enable smaller size camera or from now on Nikon will only make AF-S lens compatible camera). There are a lot of good Nikon AF-S lenses (price range added: low, medium, high) that are fully compatible with the D40 such as:
Lens compatibility: Notice that with D40, autofocus function will not work for non AF-S/AF-I lens. If you already have non AF-S/AF-I Nikon lenses and want a backup or replacement camera, you will be better off buying D50, D70s or D80. If you buy the D40, it will be convenient to stick with AF-S and AF-I type lenses. I’m not sure why Nikon choose this route for the D40 (whether to enable smaller size camera or from now on Nikon will only make AF-S lens compatible camera). There are a lot of good Nikon AF-S lenses (price range added: low, medium, high) that are fully compatible with the D40 such as:
- Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S DX VR (M)
- Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX VR (L)
- Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR (M)
- Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED IF AF-S DX (M)
- Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S (H)
- Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX (H)
- Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S (H)
- Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR (H)
- Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro (M)
- And several other expensive prime tele/zoom lens like 200-400mm, 300m, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm.
High priced lens ($1000+) are usually pro level lens which usually have better construction, faster (f-stop), and produce better quality picture. However, often times, lower price lens will serve your needs just fine. I think it is important to know what you want to use the camera for before deciding which camera and lens to buy.
Image quality of the D40 is very good which is #1 factor that I look for in a digital camera.
Here are the pros and cons of the D40 in my opinion:
Here are the pros and cons of the D40 in my opinion:
Pros:
1. Nice out of the camera result picture quality
2. Affordable price
3. Compact size and light weight
4. Large and bright 2.5 inch LCD
5. 2.5 frames per second
6. B/W, Sepia, several more in-camera editing features.
7. Instant power on, fast autofocus and no shutter lag
8. Noise is acceptable at high ISO settings. Auto ISO settings available.
9. Great 18-55mm II AF-S kit lens.
10. Great battery life (400+ on a single charge. 1000+ if flash is not used).
11. Auto (flash off) mode available
12. 1/500 flash sync
Cons:
1. No direct button to change QUAL, WB and ISO settings
2. Grip comfortably but might be a bit too small for some people
3. No top LCD and no front command dial
4. Autofocus will not work with non AF-S or non AF-I lenses (such as the 70-300m G and 50mm f/1.8D lens)
5. No AF/MF switch (have to use the switch on the lens)
6. Only 3 autofocus point
7. 6 Megapixel (More Megapixel needed to print larger than 12 X 18 at 300 dpi)
8. No night landscape mode in pre-programmed settings
9. No in camera image stabilization (like Sony and Pentax) but Nikon has lenses with it (VR).
10. No depth-of-field preview button
In conclusion, the D40 is perfect for those who want high quality pictures, more control (than a point and shoot camera), and have a DSLR experience (instant power on and no shutter lag), without having to carry a bulky camera. And unless you are shooting sports/actions professionaly (which faster focusing processor, faster frames per second and larger memory buffer might be needed), the D40 is pretty much all you will need.
Labels: Amazon Products, DSLR Camera, Nikon, Nikon D40
posted by admin @ 11:29,
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Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD VC For Nikon Review
18 September, 2008
The fourth version of Tamron's popular 10.7X superzoom since 1999, this 28-300mm ($600, street) is the first Tamron to offer image stabilization. Called "VC" for "Vibration Compensation," the system is the industry's first to use a three-coil design (up from the usual two) that theoretically can compensate for vertical, horizontal, and diagonal shake.A full-frame lens that scales up to a 43-465mm on most DSLRs, it has been internally coated to suppress ghosting and flare off digital sensors. Like most superzooms, it's targeted toward amateurs, so we tested it on both the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi, with an APS-sized sensor, and the full-frame EOS 5D. Packed with specialized optics, the lens has hybrid and molded glass aspheric elements, plus low- and anomalous-dispersion glass to control chromatic aberration. All this helped Tamron make the lightest, closest focusing, and most favorably priced superzoom in its class
HANDS ON: Despite the 5 ounces and 0.75 inches added (we suppose) by the VC mechanism, this lens is surprisingly light and compact for a high-ratio zoom. It's so trim that it casts no shadow at any focal length when used with the Rebel XTi's built-in flash.
Its attractive, matte-black barrel is made of polycarbonate material; the lensmount, metal; and the generously sized and well-placed zoom and focusing collars are rubberized. The manual-focusing action is well-damped across a conveniently tight turning radius, but it produces a scratchy sound. Zooming action is slightly stiff, with an uneven drag.
The well-marked barrel houses three easily operated switches to activate VC, achieve autofocus, and lock the lens in its 28mm, retracted position. One disappointment: Autofocusing on both test bodies was noisy and slow.
Its attractive, matte-black barrel is made of polycarbonate material; the lensmount, metal; and the generously sized and well-placed zoom and focusing collars are rubberized. The manual-focusing action is well-damped across a conveniently tight turning radius, but it produces a scratchy sound. Zooming action is slightly stiff, with an uneven drag.
The well-marked barrel houses three easily operated switches to activate VC, achieve autofocus, and lock the lens in its 28mm, retracted position. One disappointment: Autofocusing on both test bodies was noisy and slow.
IN THE LAB: SQF tests of the lens when used on the Rebel XTi found sharpness and contrast in the Excellent range at all tested focal lengths. Typical of high-zoom-ratio lenses, though, full-frame SQF numbers started at Excellent at 28mm and 70mm, then went to to Very Good at 200mm and Good at 300mm. (See the full-frame SQF charts at www.PopPhoto.com/february2008.)Distortion tested on the Rebel XTi was amazingly well controlled, as measured by DxO Analyzer 2 tests, with Visible barrel distortion at 28mm (0.35%), and Slight pincushioning at 70mm (0.12%), 200mm (0.11%), and 300mm (also 0.11%). To compare, in 2002 a Tamron 28-300mm showed distortion in the Very Visible range (1.40-2.73%) at four focal lengths.
As for vignetting, the new lens produced no measurable light falloff at any focal length when used on the Rebel XTi. As a full-frame optic, light falloff left the corners by f/8 at 200mm and 300mm, and by f/6.3 at 70mm. At 28mm, the lens vignetted at all apertures.
Its macro performance carries on the tradition of Tamron's earlier 28-300mm zooms -- top notch. At the uniform close-focusing distance of approximately 16 inches (tested), maximum magnification ratios ranged from 1:10.36 at 28mm to 1:2.33 at 300mm -- significantly more power than Tamron's 1:3 published spec.
With VC engaged, the lens showed a 2- to 3-stop handholding advantage in tests by four different users -- a welcome and valuable addition to the Tamron toolkit. Unlike some camera-based IS systems, Tamron's lens-based VC provides a visibly steady viewfinder image.
CONCLUSIONS: This is not the lens for fast-breaking or active subjects, due to its sluggish AF, nor for full-frame shooters worried about light falloff at wide settings. But this new VC superzoom should reward everyone else -- macro shooters and DSLR users of all persuasions -- with its excellent distortion control and remarkable sharpness, even in low light, across a one-size-fits-all zoom range. And all in a conveniently compact, affordable package.Review by: Julia Silber
Source: www.popphoto.com
Source: www.popphoto.com
For more Tamron Len visit Tamron Lens Store
Labels: DSLR Lens, Nikon, Tamron Len, Tamron Lens for Nikon
posted by admin @ 21:39,
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