Ep. 3 - The best DSLR ever made? The Nikon D40
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- The Nikon D40 is one of the best DSLRs ever made!
Find out why I think it is a fantastic camera in this first part on a series on one of the most underrated cameras in 2023.
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I'm a fan of old Nikon and Canon DSLR cameras. We live in a golden era of cheap photography tools.
The D40 is my first Nikon purchased when it came out. I have a D610 now but I still have my D40 I use along with it. Great little camera!
I got a lot of photos that I took with my D40 published on various web sites and magazines. I upgraded to a more modern camera and gave it to a friend who has not spent any time using it, just collecting dust. I might ask for it back... :D
Thank you for the video.
New generation photographers will raise their eyebrows but not me. I’m 67 using Canon DSLRs for the last 15 years as a hobbyist photographer and I know darn well what old DSLRs are all about. All my bodies are of older models the latest one belonging to 2013.
Looking for a Nikon D40 with kit lens. Despite never using it before; I know for sure it’s a great one, it has to be. The CCD sensor and the large pixels are main temptations for me. Hope to find one in good condition soon.
Thanks again.
That was my first proper camera ever. Love it. Now days I got the Z8.
I love to shoot with my old D200. 10mp CCD and an ability to use a very wide range of old lenses. A bit chunky but it produces lovely results.
The rendering of this camera is beautiful. I got all the considered clasic Nikon cameras, the D40 is my favorite . I bought two just in case I need a backup.
Good idea!
I took memorable pictures of my Angkor Wat and Vietnam trips with my wife. Then safari in Tanzania. Unfortunately, it was stolen at the Tanzania airport. These CCD images are just magic, to me, at least.
I still kept my D40 after all these years. Wonderful little camera.
Nikon DSLRs were my first cameras. Then in 2015 I tried different mirrorless systems. And in 2023 I sold everything and bought an old Nikon DSLR again (used but in mint condition and cheap) and quite happy with it! :)
For my hobby needs it's more than enough and my skills are improved. So the results are quite pleasing.
Thank you for this video. it is very informative and well presented. Keep on posting more videos, you have a talent for keeping it relevant and interesting. In the vast ocean of content on photography this stands out. Good luck!
Thank you so much!
Great points, all! This was my first "real" camera, back in 2008, and I still use it. It's lovely and small and just a good all around camera. Thanks for sharing!
Totally agree, my first and best camera I ever had, definitely going to get another.
🙏 thanks for a great detailed video.
I had that camera for a few days when it came out, didn't like it, returned it, and went with Olympus.Who i still use to this day.
Give the D40 another try. It's cheap today :)
I have a d40X, and bought a d40 just for the hell of it. It is a pig to work fully manually, but for any other mode, it is a nice experience.
I have a Pentax K200D which is also a CCD sensor camera and has 10mp plus full weather sealing and IBIS
In my next video I have a look at Pentax. It's coming in the next few days :)
Like my k-10d
Awesome video. Keep it up!!
Thank you so much!
thanks for the informative video, some beautiful shots coming from an otherwise overlooked camera.
Thank you very much for your comments. I appreciate it.
Nice video about a wonderful camera. I bought mine in November 2023 with the 18-55 VR II for very little money ($30). The results speak for themselves. The camera was on my radar back in 2006 when it came on the market. At the time, I didn't buy it because of the lack of an autofocus motor and because I was looking for a digital SLR to use my Contax Carl Zeiss and X-Fujinon lenses. It took many years before I was able to reuse these lenses with the Sony A7II.
this was my first DSLR and replace my Nikon N70! long time ago!! love it then and it looks great today! I sold it several years after buying it, and my friend still has it!
Exact same thing here. If I remember right it was only 6mp but I got amazing pictures out of it.
I just picked up a D40X with two lenses, a AF S 18-55mm and AF S 55-200mm for a $100 bucks and looks like new and takes beautiful shots. Great landscape camera, which I'm into.
D40 is my first camera. I bought it brand new and I still have it today.
That is awesome! It is a great camera.
I love my Nikon D40! Outstanding breakdown, thank you !!!
I just bought a D80-10.2MP and I believe it came out the same year as the D40. I just got it 2 days ago so I still have to get used to using it. Enjoyed tha video and I'm a new subscriber.
Thanks and welcome to my channel! Enjoy your D80!
Excellent video - Just subscribed
Thank you!
I got the Canon 30D recently for 30€ and it's such a nice well built camera and in conjunction with the ef-s 24/2.8 a perfect street and travel combo for 120€. For pure photography nothing more is necessary.
Great video.... thanks for sharing...I still have & use my D70s and love it's workability & results...my best lens is a Tokina 12-24mm lens for general photography as well as my Tamron 18-270mm lens.. cheers from Australia 🦘🦘😊
Thanks for watching! Greetings to Down Under :)
My first DSLR camera ❤ now shooting with the ZF
Try the D50 it’s really cool as well.
Great video! I just found mine and will be selling it. I did a walk around with it and a manual focus lens and it still takes excellent photos. I'd love to keep mine but I just don't use it any more.
I would argue that the D50 is better. It has all the functions (minus the graphical rear screen) plus the ability to auto focus the AF-D lenses. I love my D50 for that reason. Also, the D50 can use the same batteries as the D100, D200, D300, and D700 (and more).
Very nicely done video.
Indeed, esp. using AF-D lenses is an advantage. You may get them at more than just affordable prices. I own D60, D40 and D50. With AF-S, I prefer D60/D40; using AF-D, my D50 is THE preferred choice.
Having standardized battery sizes would be cool. Having a D70. D300. / D7100.
But.. I wanted to have the smallest lightest Nikon CCD possible for special use.
And I prefer the bigger pixels in the D40 over the D40x. Better low light. HDR. 💁🏻♀️
I also love my D40 and have taken some wonderful images with it.
I have a D90 too, but still love the simplicity of the D40.
I changed out the focusing screen and it helps a lot with using older lenses.
The 35mm/1.8 you show in the video is excellent and the perfect combination. A joy to shoot with.
Still plenty of life in the old dog yet (in 2024).
I have been looking at a used D700 too, those things also have that special Nikon magic.
Changing the focus screen with a split screen is a great idea. They are getting harder to find, though.
D40 vs d90 whihc winner?
@@imam-icereyan5471 For specs, the D90 is much better in every way.
D40 was entry level, D90 was prosumer.
I prefer using my D40 as it is smaller, lighter and simpler to use.
Both can take excellent photos.
The D90 had many technical issues. It was one of the most encountered DSLRs in our repair shop. Otherwise it's a great camera.
I prefer the D40 because of its size. It fits in a Thinktank Mirrorless Mover 10 with two prime lenses.
Love the D40
It's my first dslr, get it for $160 with 18-105 lens
It's never about megapixels, i've been using S mode (1500x1000) just fine for social media
Some of my D40 photos were published in books, magazines and catalogues. I have seen movie posters printed from 6mp files. Megapixels don't matter, sensor size does.
If you mount a flash that the D40 does not recognize, it will allow flash sync to 1/4000 and the image will not black out.
Will try that! Love it! I learn something new everyday.
Very great video I'm having problems with learning my settings can't seem to get it right to take night time photos...
Hi there,
there are many situations at night, so you have to be a bit more specific on what you are trying to do. Action photos? Stills of a city or landscape? Most problems at low light settings are solved with increasing your ISO settings and/or getting a different lens with an aperture that opens wider.
I love all old Nikon DSLRs.
You didn’t have to tell us about the handsome man in the foreground, we noticed before you said anything 😁 great review my friend
The D40 has a synchronizing speed of 1/500 of a sec when using a Nikon flash or third-party flash. If you use a manual flash then you can go all the way to 1/4000 of a sec which is the max speed of the D40 - a real magic camera. The D70 and D70s can go to 1/8000.
The D40 is so light be careful leaving it on a windy day it might blow away!
The Nikon D40 synchronization for flash is up to 500th of a second.
I use a Nikon 18 70 afs on mine. Very fast autofocus and lovely background bokeh at 70mm f4.5
Yeah I agree,photo I was most happy with was a 6m pixel one Pentax in my case.I ve recently bought a D60…..and own a few brands.Just getting into “adapters” at mo so can put a few Pentax primes on full frame Sony…Weak willed and FOMO (fear of missing out) upgraded ? To more and more pixels when I was perfectly happy with 6 - 10…m.
I'm thinking of grabbing one or a D70. I want a smaller CCD camera to go with my D200 and that Sync speed of 1/500 is still a worthwhile feature.
you can sync at any speed with a non nikon flash if you want
I believe my friend was doing 1/8000 on her D70
@@Koji-888 I think the 1/8000 is electronic, and the 1/500 is mechanical.
@@Koji-888 My D200 can fire at 1/8000 sec in Auto FP Sync
Excellent.... Already have D70 and I will have to blame Herb for the temptation to buy a D40 ! P.S. Great photos by the way....
Thank you! The D70 has the same great sensor. I'm sure you will love the D40 :)
@@HerbsVintageTech 😊
얼마 전 D40 중고를 싸게 샀는데 좋은 카메라였군요.
저는 디자인이 예쁘고 크기가 작아서 마음에 들어했는데 이미지센서가 좋은 모델이었군요.
잘 아껴 써야겠어요.
영상 작성 감사해요.❤❤❤
Thanks for this very useful video. I just bought a D40 and the results look great. Now I just have to be patient until I can find a vintage manual 28 mm lens to match 40mm which is my favorite focal lenght. I'm sure that the DX lenses are excellent but I find them a bit expensive. I'm just wondering if nailing the focus isn't too difficult for large apertures. I have two questions. Do you shoot Raw or Jpeg and what's your favorite color profile in the camera settings ?
Thank you for your nice comment. I always shoot raw and develop the images in Lightroom 5.7 to taste. If I should jpg, I shoot in muted (standard) colors to have a bit more options in post processing. Check for the Vivitar 28mm 2.8 Ai lens in Nikon mount. They are excellent value. As for focusing large aperture manual lenses. They can be a bit tricky, but that's the same with mirroroless cameras. I always "focus bracket". Take a shot whent the focus confirmation dot in the camera tells you to, another a (tiny) little bit in front and another a bit behind. You will usually end up with one that is spot on. It takes a bit of practice, but is very rewarding when you have it down. Have fun :)
@@HerbsVintageTech Thanks a lot. I never thought about this technic. It's simple and smart.
Herb - Thank you for the great videos and older camera recommendations like this D40. I found a low cost D40 in excellent condition but the lenses are all expensive. More $ than the D40 body. Is this typical? I'm not able to locate the low cost lenses like you show or what others have found. Even the manual lenses are more than the camera.
Hi there. What country are you in? Sometimes you have to be patient with lenses and you have to look for samples that are not in mint shape. Also look for older analog bodies that come with lenses. Especially on local classified ads. The Nikon lenses with the plastic mounts can be had for really cheap.
I still have my D40X which I bought new several years ago
It was my first DSLR and still has its rubber eye piece
The only draw back is the the LCD screen, it's only playback and not live ( Handy for landscapes)
However not having video doesn't concern me as I only shoot stills 📷👍
Thanks for your comment. I truly appreciate it. Live view is more of a habit. Every option a camera gives you can be handy at some point. That's why modern cameras are loaded with features, buttons and settings, flip screens and on and on. Yet - for me personally - I can't remember any instance on a DSLR where it really would have improved the final outcome of my photos.
I like the D40 but they should have retained the screw drive. It was a deal breaker for and people are still using AF-D lenses twenty years after the D40 came on the market.
It was just a different concept. Nikon had the D70 on the market at the time (same sensor), so people had a choice if they would like autofocus with AF-D lenses. The D40 was designed for a certain clientele and this concept proved to be very successful. Yet, personally I don't really care what something was designed to do. I'm interested in what I can do with it. Also - a lot of people don't want to hear it - the D40's kit lens outperformed many much more expensive AF-D zooms. That being said, you can still use AF-D lenses on the D40, you just have to manual focus. Nikon's "cheap" DX lens line (18-55, 55-200 and 35mm 1.8) is EXCELLENT optically and you will have a hard time finding AF-D lenses that outperform them optically.
@@HerbsVintageTech yeah I get it but back then I never saw the D40 as any kind of significant upgrade to my D70 - yes it had a better resolution LCD, higher top end ISO performance ( not a problem for me ) - but it lost the top LCD and the screw drive as I said....and I also owned the 18-55mm and 35mm DX too. Back then (2007) these cameras weren't cheap so you had to think long and hard about what you lost or gained. From the D70 I went straight to the D200 in 2009..now that was an upgrade ! 😁
❤
I have a question, does this camera work in the sports range?
Yes, with the right lens. For sport you want a fast (as in a big aperture) zoom lens. The D40 has a sport setting that sets a fast shutter speed for you if you are new to photography. That being said, there have been quite a few advancements in autofocus speed for newer cameras since the D40 came out. Depending on your budget a newer model (like the D3300/D3400/D3500) might be the better choice if you are mainly interested in sports. Also calculate the cost of a good lens first, as it is more important than a camera body.
The older Nikon D50 was held in higher regard than the newer D40 at the time. The D40 was actually a sales flop back then.
We couldn't keep the D40 in stock back then. They have been a huge sales success in Europe and North America and the number of them still on the used market today speaks volumes. How do you get the idea it was a "sales flop back then"? The Nikon reps at the time would disagree with you :)
Different animal. I prefer the small and light D40 any day. When I don’t want to lug gear.
Don’t need a screw drive motor and the big top plate with LCD display.
Sometimes I just want to get away from all that. Plus the big CCD pixels 6.0 are kinda cool.
The d300s takes some beating
Yes it can.
Did you try the D5000?
Yes, I used most Nikon DSLRs up to the D810. The D5000 uses basically the same sensor as the D300, which is a good thing. For me the 5000 series didn't add a lot of value compared to the "entry level" Nikons. Same lens compatibility, same sensors, same image quality.
D40 vs D40x…. Which one will you choose!!!
The D40. The sensor of the D40x is noisier and I like the colors of the D40's 6mp sensor better. I plan to make a video on the 6 vs. 10 mp sensors and cameras.
I would prefer at least the D70s for it's built in motor , for the AF-D lenses, or D80 for better resolution, and D200 for faster shooting and full compatibility with MF lenses. Good video, though
Thank you for your comment. The D70 is a good camera, but has a smaller screen, is bigger and heavier, uses harder do get CF cards and has problems with it's card slot when they age. The difference in resolution between the D80 and the D40 is neglectable in my opinion, and the 6mp sensor in the D40 has better colors. But that's a matter of taste. I also love the fast flash sync of the D40 (same as D70). The D200 is heavier still. It's the D40's size and handling that I like so much. Plus, it's the fact that the D40 doesn't meter with MF lenses that I find intriguing. It sounds strange, but it's exactly the challenge I like.
For me they all have LCD screens, and built in motors, for the FF AF-D lenses. That's why I would prefer them, since I have a several AF-D lenses. The colors on all are great. @@HerbsVintageTech
How about the D100, I don't have one, but it's a pro body? I really like to have the top LCD screen, and the body AF motor@@HerbsVintageTech
@@petepictures They are all great cameras and in the end it comes down to preference. If you already have some AF-D lenses, it makes sense to pick a body with build in AF motor. Most of these bodies can be picked up for incredibly cheap prices nowadays. Whatever you choose, please share your photos with us :) All the best! Herb
@@HerbsVintageTech Perfectly said. In a nutshell.
When you add up all the little reasons together, it’s truly priceless.
The D40 has a special place in my collection.
Nikon D6 was and still is the best dslr.
The D6 is great. But a tiny bit heavy for many :)
I would say the D3 is the best but the 40 is great s well.
1. All DSLRs should have the option to use 1/3 stop ISO and Exp Comp. 2. 6MP is definitely below the sweet spot for APS-C sensors. 10 or 12MP is more like the sweet spot. 3. Please sort out your voice audio or turn off the music.
1. You don't need 1/3 stops to create good images. Millions of fantastic photos from cameras that don't offer it, proof it. 2. How do you define the APS-C "sweet spot"? 3. I will work on my videos and hope to continuously improve them :)
@@HerbsVintageTech The optimum ratio of photo-sites to sensor surface area, obviously! And I prefer to have finer control over ISO than the "blunt instrument" whole stop increments.
And another reason the D40 is a fail, like many other budget Nikon bodies, is that they don't put a focus motor in the body. They are the only manufacturer who does this and it's a chickensh*t way of saving them money.
@QuicknStraight That blunt instrument delivers great photo after great photo. That's good enough for me. You can never please everybody. Have a great day and I hope you continue to check out my videos.
@@HerbsVintageTech I picked up a near mint D200, with only 14k shutter count, for $100 and gave the gut an extra $30 for an 18-105mm lens. A far superior camera to the D40.
@@QuicknStraight Good for you. As long as you get more life out of this vintage tech. That's what my channel is all about. Please do share some photos you take with it. The D200 is also a lot bigger than the D40. I might do a video with the D200 at some point.
Please, buy a lav mic or something like that.
I second that. And turn off the music in the background.
Music in a video, fcuk!
Very similar to the D3200.
Yes, but you get a different look from the sensor. I will do a comparison video between the D40 and one of the newer iterations of the D3xxx series eventually.
I saw in your lightroom camera profile that you also own a Nikon D3300. What's your take on that camera. I am about to buy after buying the d40, which is a real joy to use with the SB400 flash.
@@armingutschick9105 The D3300 is a good camera. I consider it the best of the D3000 series, because after it Nikon deliberately left stuff out. The 24mp sensor has a bigger demand on the lenses used. If you want to see a difference to the D40 in resolution, you have to use good glass. the 35mm 1.8 AF-S for example. Honestly, though, if you think you will take better photos with the D3300 compared to the D40, you will be disappointed. The ease of the D40 is its biggest asset. If somebody would tell me I can only keep the D40 or the D3300, I would choose the D40 without hesitation.
@@HerbsVintageTech Thank you for your answer to my question. I really enjoy using the D40 I must say. I also have a D700 and a d200, which are both quite chunky for traveling. And I actually prefer the output of the D40 sensor to the CCD-sensor of the D200! I think at 800 ISO the D40 has cleaner files. Just one more thing about traveling light: I have a Fujifilm xe2 (similar to your xe2s). When do you decide to go "mirrorless" when you plan a trip, for example. Do you take one DSLR and one mirroless with you. What would be your thought process on that?
@@armingutschick9105 The 6MP CCD sensor is definitely cleaner at 800ISO compared to the 10MP CCDs. I will make a video about a travel setup sometime It's something I'm really passionate about. It depends a bit where I'm going and what I plan to do. If I go on a city trip, I sometimes just end up taking my Ricoh GR3. It's such a versatile camera and on a crowded subway I just don't want any camera bag. The rest depends purely on my mood. Sometimes I pick the D40, sometimes the K100D, sometimes the XE2s. I also really like the Sony RX1. I have several travel setups in small bags that I just grab and go. The secret for travel is a small bag. Years ago I decided on a bag size and if the gear doesn't fit, it stays home. Another very important step for a travel setup is to know what focal lengths you use the most. I lot of people try to cover every focal length from super wide to telephoto for travel "just in case". That leads to a lot of gear that is just heavy and in the way.
You must have never heard of the Canon 5d.
The 5D is great. If you like big cameras. There many great cameras out there. Get me a 5D for $40 and we are talking.
I paid €250 for my 5D with a shutter count of only 3000 last year. But I use my good old D70 as well.
The only gripe have have with using these older penta-mirror cameras is the small image in the viewfinder.
(There was a debate about the D70's viewfinder. DPReview says pentaprism . Even then it is small.)
The rear screen on the D40 is really good and much larger that on my D70.
And it's a lot better than 5d's screen.
Thx for sharing your & Beths' great shots.
А 850 цвет луче.
I'm open for examples. Photography related tech is only fun when we see examples taken by yourself. Show us these better colors :)
Have a great day!
D80 is the best
That constantly looping background musak is very annoying. You don’t need it in the video. If you have information to pass on then I would rather hear your voice clearly instead of struggling to pick up what you’re saying. If I want to listen to musak I’ll visit the nearest shopping centre or phone a call centre.
Thank you for your input. I appreciate it.
I agree, I don't like musak either.
this guy lost his mind
"From all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most" - Ozzy Osbourne
Close, my D60 is better
Lol. How so?