I'll make this quick....

Wife bought me a D40 kit + 55-200mm lens for xmas. I love it! I had been looking at that as well as a Canon XTi (about $200 more for an equivalent setup). My only issue with the D40 camera is at I need to purchase AF-S and lens to be able to auto focus (there is no motor in the body). One of the main lenses i wanted to purchase was a Nikkor prime 50mm F/1.8....well lucky me, that is only an AF lens so i wont get auto-focus. Now I am torn, return the D40 and buy a XTi? just get the 50mm F1.8 and manual focus? Just wait and pray that Nikon relases a 50mm AF-s lens?

this sucks, the camera is great, i just don't want to regret it down the road.

 

return the D40 and get D80 =)

 

^ i have thought about that as well, I just really like the size of the D40 and XTi.

I really want to keep the D40, I just don't know if manually focusing the 50mm will be that big of a pain in the ass. I don't know if it would be that bad since it wouldn't be my walk around lens.

 

You can also use Sigma's HSM lenses with the D40, so perhaps you should look at the Sigma 30mm f/1.4.

 

thanks dan. that is good to know.

I think I might go the 50mm f/1.8 and see how i deal with manually focusing before i consider shelling out $400 on a lens when I am not sure how much I will use it.

The main reason for wanting a fast lens is for taking bokeh shots.

I feel the D40 is plenty capable (for now) and it's just this one lens that is causing me grief (and I have heard others complain as well) so hopefully nikon will come out with an AF-S. I am just happy to have more control over my pictures

 

return it and buy a d50 even know it is discountinued it is still an amazing camera and in my opinion better than the d40 by a lot or even get the d80 if you want to spend that much.

 

Remember, it's not just a lenses widest aperture that determines how much depth of field you'll get, it's also focal length and proximity to your subject.

Point being, with that 200mm zoom lens, you don't need it to be fast. Back up and zoom in, and you'll have all the shallow DoF you need, because telephoto lenses specialize in shallow DoF. Something to consider. The D40 is getting solid write-ups. Give it a spin.

 

excellent point waTSX, I guess I should play with what I have before thinking it won't work. I have been reading up on reviews on both the D40 as well as the 55-200 lens I have and everything sounds good for where I am at in photography right now. I definitely need to throw on that 200mm and see what kind of pics i can take.

thanks everyone for your words. I think I am going to keep the d40 (which will make the wife happy) at least for now and see what I can do with it, with the lenses I have.

I really don't know if I could go from the d40 to the d50, I LOVE the 2.5" screen. That's why I had been looking at the XTi & D40.

I'll be sure to post some pics of in the next few weeks.