I've been using film and an old olympus OM10 for a while and I'm thinking of moving into digital. I've played around with some of my friends' cameras and I'm thinking of getting a canon D40. Seems to be a good camera and there's quite a few used ones around. I'm not sure whether to buy just a body and then get some lenses or just get one that comes with the 17-85mm lens (seems like a good lens, but would sometimes prefer a lower aperture than it provides). If I just got the body, any advice on a good starter lens?
Advice for first dSLR
- Thread starter JennyO
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Hi Jenny
The Canon 40D is a very good camera and you won't be disappointed. Personally, I'd get one with the 17-85IS lens if it's available - I have this lens and am very pleased with it.
You can then see where your photography takes you and look to lenses for your needs then.
Good luck
40D is a great workhorse. I kinda miss mine even though I have a 7D now (40D had shutter failure). They sell for peanuts (maybe because they don't have video or AF microadjust) but nothing wrong with the IQ.
Starter lens depends on the budget.. Canon 17-55/2.8 IS, Canon 15-85 IS , Tamron 17-50/2.8, .. list goes on. The best deal is probably the Tamron 17-50/2.8 but the focus ring rotates the wrong way for Canon users
Starter lens depends on the budget.. Canon 17-55/2.8 IS, Canon 15-85 IS , Tamron 17-50/2.8, .. list goes on. The best deal is probably the Tamron 17-50/2.8 but the focus ring rotates the wrong way for Canon users
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Yes go nikon, otherwise you'll regret it at a later date.
Is this just not the old canon vs. nikon debate? Why will I regret it?
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Welcome to the forum, Jenny
I've got a 40D that's semi-retired as it was getting too heavy to carry around. (So I bought a Nikon D5100 which is so good that I can hardly bear put it down.) My 40D came with the 17-85 kit lens and I really liked that lens a lot until it suffered from what people have told me is a 'known problem' - something to do with the focus circuit; it just stopped focusing and now won't even work on manual focus. I've heard of a fair number of other people suffering from this problem on the photography forums and, equally, a fair number who have had a working 17-85 for many years.
It isn't a fast lens. Most of the cheap Canon lenses aren't. But there is one that's very good value for the money: the 'nifty fifty', aka the EF 50mm f/1.8. It's sharp in the centre throughout the range and sharp all the way across from about f/2.8 upwards. If you search Flickr for 'nifty' you'll see some examples. You do have to zoom with your feet, though.
The 40D is a great camera if you're young and fit. Or old and fit. But it's getting a little long in the tooth now and the sensors on modern cameras blow it out of the water. You might end up having to battle against luminance noise a fair bit. Or you could just call it 'grain' and live with it.
I've got a 40D that's semi-retired as it was getting too heavy to carry around. (So I bought a Nikon D5100 which is so good that I can hardly bear put it down.) My 40D came with the 17-85 kit lens and I really liked that lens a lot until it suffered from what people have told me is a 'known problem' - something to do with the focus circuit; it just stopped focusing and now won't even work on manual focus. I've heard of a fair number of other people suffering from this problem on the photography forums and, equally, a fair number who have had a working 17-85 for many years.
It isn't a fast lens. Most of the cheap Canon lenses aren't. But there is one that's very good value for the money: the 'nifty fifty', aka the EF 50mm f/1.8. It's sharp in the centre throughout the range and sharp all the way across from about f/2.8 upwards. If you search Flickr for 'nifty' you'll see some examples. You do have to zoom with your feet, though.
The 40D is a great camera if you're young and fit. Or old and fit. But it's getting a little long in the tooth now and the sensors on modern cameras blow it out of the water. You might end up having to battle against luminance noise a fair bit. Or you could just call it 'grain' and live with it.
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You can get OM - EOS adaptors very cheap as well if you want to keep on using some of the lenses from your OM-10. Might be a nice way to experiment with fast primes and things on a digital body without dropping a lot more cash.
A lot of old primes still produce gorgeous images on digital bodies.
A lot of old primes still produce gorgeous images on digital bodies.
Ok, I went to a camera shop today and had a play around with what they had to offer and found I really like the Nikon D90 which I wasn't expecting! Seems like a really good camera for the price you can get it now. Wondered if anyone uses one and what they thought of it?