Nikon D40 or Samsung Pro815

[snapshot]

I enjoy photography, not too clued up on all the gadgets or lenses. I would like to upgrade my digital to something, ..well, something decent.

I have the choice to buy either one at a very good price. Iv tested the Nikon D40 out this weekend, and i was very pleased with the quality of the pics.

The Samsung looks stunning, it has a massive 3.5 inch LCD - ill be testing it out later in the week.

Anybody care to point me into which one i should be taking and why.

Thx

Link to the Samsung
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/samsungpro815/

Link to the Nikon
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/

[bwana]

Do you want the flexibility and expansibility of a dSLR or the convenience of a point and shoot?

[snapshot]

Probably convienience of digital.

but the D40 was so nice, so really nice.

[bwana]

Probably convienience of digital.

but the D40 was so nice, so really nice.They're both digital.

Personally I'm not that fond of the all in one advanced point and shoots.

[snapshot]

Isnt the D40 considered a SLR and the other a digital?

[PostmanPot]

Isnt the D40 considered a SLR and the other a digital?

The Nikon is a digital SLR (or DSLR). You will not be able to use to LCD to take pictures as with point and shoots. Only the more expensive DSLRs have this ability (Live View). You'll have to use the viewfinder.

[bwana]

The Nikon is a digital SLR (or DSLR). You will not be able to use to LCD to take pictures as with point and shoots. Only the more expensive DSLRs have this ability (Live View). You'll have to use the viewfinder.I can understand how some might enjoy or even benefit from some form of live view but I cant even buy a point and shoot if it doesn't have a optical viewfinder.

From the best I can tell the Samsung doesn't have an optical viewfinder.

[snapshot]

The Samsung does on the side.

[bwana]

The Samsung does on the side.Where?

It's not mentioned in the specs as far as I can tell.

[koffiejunkie]

Do you want the flexibility and expansibility of a dSLR or the convenience of a point and shoot?

Given the size of that Samsung, the convenience is debatable.

@snapshot, unless you absolutely need the low-res video, I'd say the D40 is the better buy.

[bwana]

Given the size of that Samsung, the convenience is debatable.

@snapshot, unless you absolutely need the low-res video, I'd say the D40 is the better buy.Its miniscule compared to the camera bag I lug around :D

Come to think of it I'm going to need a new one of those now too . . . .

[snapshot]

Should i be concerned with the Nikon D40's low 6MP rating compared to other higher spec MP digitals?

Also, is there any way i can check if a camera is faulty. I can get the D40 for R3500 - it looks fairly brand new actually.

[koffiejunkie]

Should i be concerned with the Nikon D40's low 6MP rating compared to other higher spec MP digitals?

No. Here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/koffiejunkie/2357669956/in/set-72157604369752684/) is a picture I took with the 6MP Pentax K100D Super with the kit lens. For your pixel peeping pleasure, here (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3163/2357669956_89642ab36b_o.jpg) is the full size version. Try getting that out of an 8MP+ point&shoot.

Now, I took the same picture with my 10MP Canon 40D with 24-105L lens (the lens on it's own costs three times as much as the Pentax camera and lens together). Here (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2701062218_4c22af58df_o.jpg) is the full version. They were taken with the exact same parameters except ISO (the Pentax can only do from 200 up, the Canon from 100). I did no post except in the Canon's case bring up the exposure slightly, since I forgot the ISO difference. And I got the focal length wrong with the Canon, so it looks a little closer, but the images were taken from the exact same spot.

To view these images with true colours use Safari on a Mac (doesn't work in windows, AFAIK) or FireFox 3 with colour profiles enabled (http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2007/08/color-management-support-added-to-firefox-3/). Instructions here (http://lifehacker.com/396742/tweak-firefox-to-display-richer-colors).


Also, is there any way i can check if a camera is faulty. I can get the D40 for R3500 - it looks fairly brand new actually.

Take pictures with it. And make sure you can return it if it's secondhand - even if just for a few days.

[bwana]

Should i be concerned with the Nikon D40's low 6MP rating compared to other higher spec MP digitals?

Also, is there any way i can check if a camera is faulty. I can get the D40 for R3500 - it looks fairly brand new actually.By MP you mean?

[koffiejunkie]

Mega Pixel?

[mercurial]

By MP you mean?

Megapixels.

[snapshot]

Yup, mega pixels.

So i just got back from Game now. They are selling the Nikon 40D for R5300 but they can do a price beat and bring it down to R4999 cos of the Makro promotion.

They brought my attention to the Canon 350D that is on promotion for this weekend. It comes with a 2gig card and a Canon printer.

I felt both cameras and the Nikon felt more comfortable. How does the Nikon 40D match up to the Canon 350D?

Went to another store and they said they dont stock the Nion 40D or the Canon 350D. Cos they are both discontinued. Also they said that the Nikon 40DX is what they stock, its the newer model.

What are the implications of buying a camera that is discontinued?

[koffiejunkie]

They brought my attention to the Canon 350D that is on promotion for this weekend. It comes with a 2gig card and a Canon printer.

For how much?


I felt both cameras and the Nikon felt more comfortable. How does the Nikon 40D match up to the Canon 350D?

Nikon is D40, not 40D - 40D is a Canon semi-pro camera. No idea on the 350 - it's in-between the old 300D and the 400D. 8MP but I'm not sure about the features. Have a look here:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_eos350d.asp


Went to another store and they said they dont stock the Nion 40D or the Canon 350D. Cos they are both discontinued. Also they said that the Nikon 40DX is what they stock, its the newer model.

What are the implications of buying a camera that is discontinued?

It's cheaper. Unless they change the lens mount or something drastic, there's no downside to buying a discontinued body new, except maybe bragging rights/prestige, if that matters to you.

[iDenTiTy]

Very nice topics being raised...

:)

Also looking for Camera...

Am considering either a 400D or D40. Whichever is cheaper.

:)

Keep chatting guys. Very informative.

[snapshot]

The Canon 350D is on special for R4999 - so it is the exact same price as the Nikon.

what to do?

[snapshot]

Very nice topics being raised...

:)

Also looking for Camera...

Am considering either a 400D or D40. Whichever is cheaper.

:)

Keep chatting guys. Very informative.

The D40 is way cheaper.

[mercurial]

I'd much rather go for the Canon 400D.

[iDenTiTy]

^^

:D

Debate please.

Why?

[iDenTiTy]

Sorry for double post.

@ OP.

There's a 400D for sale HERE (http://johannesburg.gumtree.co.za/c-Stuff-for-Sale-tv-audio-music-Canon-EOS-400D-W0QQAdIdZ62683513).

Cheaper than both....

:)

[bwana]

It's cheaper. Unless they change the lens mount or something drastic, there's no downside to buying a discontinued body new, except maybe bragging rights/prestige, if that matters to you.Isnt that being a bit simplistic? Technologies change - new sensors, new firmware, updated image processing, better feature sets . . . its not all about bragging rights its also about advancement.

[koffiejunkie]

Isnt that being a bit simplistic? Technologies change - new sensors, new firmware, updated image processing, better feature sets . . . its not all about bragging rights its also about advancement.

No, it's not simplistic. Neither the Nikon D40 nor the Pentax K100D Super are simply old models. Both of them were introduced fairly recently as entry level models, and they do benefit from technological advancement. The D40 was introduced well after the D200, D2X and D80. The K100D Super came about almost a year after the K10D and it inherited a number of its features. These two are about as mature and modern as it gets in the sub 10MP market. If I was simply recommending older cameras, I would have included the Canon 300D/350D. Well, I might have, if I had any experience shooting with them, but I don't.

[snapshot]

So which is best then?

350D or D40?

The 350D feels way heavier than the D40.

[bwana]

No, it's not simplistic. Neither the Nikon D40 nor the Pentax K100D Super are simply old models.Who's talking about the K100D Super? I certainly wasnt.

As for progress has Nikon not made any since the D40?
So which is best then?

350D or D40?

The 350D feels way heavier than the D40.I think they're both adequate. I considered the 350D as a backup while my 400D was being repaired but it lacked several features - most importantly the sensor cleaning - that I was used to.

[koffiejunkie]

Who's talking about the K100D Super? I certainly wasnt.

No I did, as I always do when the topic of entry-level/budget DSLRs come up.


As for progress has Nikon not made any since the D40?

I'm sure they have but there aren't any other Nikon bodies in this price range available. My point was the D40 and K100DS are in a different class to older 6MP DSLRs (300D et al) since they have benefited from the technology in the newer, higher-end cameras from their manufacturers.

But if you want me to draw a comparison, they both out-feature the 400D and 1000D on several grounds, I've made my case for IQ vs pixel count (and said "if this important to you" enough times), so I think it's fair to say price is really the only differentiator.

[bwana]

But if you want me to draw a comparison, they both out-feature the 400D and 1000D on several grounds,We're reading different reviews in that case.
I've made my case for IQ vs pixel countCare to make it again? Does one preclude the other. Is Canon sacrificing image quality for pixel count? Did Nikon do the same with the 10.1mp D40X? :confused:

[koffiejunkie]

Here (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_eos400d%2Ccanon_eos1000d%2Cnikon_d40 %2Cpentax_k100dsuper&show=all) although this is slightly incomplete

But we're mixing two threads. snapshot's question was about a D40 vs a higher MP point&shoot.

[koffiejunkie]

Does one preclude the other. Is Canon sacrificing image quality for pixel count? Did Nikon do the same with the 10.1mp D40X? :confused:

I never said that. I said, and I'll stick by it, fewer pixels doesn't mean worse image quality, and vice versa. Sure, it means a little less detail, but that's all.

[iDenTiTy]

My dad always told me:

"The racket does doesn't make the player, the player makes the racket"
Was Bjorn Borg great because of his racket? I think not.

So I suppose the same could be said of cameras.

An expert-level camera in an amateur's hands, will still only produce an average picture...

So it boils down to how you use it then...

Am I right?

:)