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Author Topic: D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi  (Read 43434 times)

jkrolleston

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #20 on: April 08, 2007, 04:29:27 pm »

Hi, I have had the 400D for a couple of months now, and its a superb performing camera, and the sensor cleaning option is an excellent user-friendly tool to have on board.I just dont think Pentax has caught up with Canon or Nikon yet. The D40 impressed me too, but the D80 is much better to my mind,. Go with what you feel happiest with, and get out there and use whatever camera you end up buying..making images...that's waht it all boils down to!
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byongsoo

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #21 on: April 20, 2007, 08:29:49 pm »

Hello
I am also having a similar debate for my first DSLR, but just between XTi and D40 (mainly due to budget constraint). I think I have decided to go with D40 and an extra lense. This may be a bit off topic, but I want to get a Sigma 30mm f/1.4. But I read some online posts that many of them are defect (hard to focus?). Is this true? I am only a beginner, and I don't not want to notice it and keep the defect. Can anyone verify this? Thanks for your help!
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robertwatcher

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #22 on: April 22, 2007, 12:45:30 am »

I purchased the D40 yesterday and love it. The kit lens is great quality, quiet, fast and accurate  focusing and small. The D40 is very small, fits great in my hand - has a beautiful large LCD screen and is far more sturdy feeling that the Canon Rebel in my view. If you are used to Nikon like I am - - - everything is in the right place. This little baby also has a much valued RGB histogram (you push the "OK" button 3 times to access it) which is  so much more useful than the normal single channel histogram thatmy D70's have. The D40 / kit lens package is so easy to carry around anywhere.

I also made the decision to purchase the Sigma 10-20 ultrawide for use on my D200 - although it works great on my D40 also. It is almost as quiet as the Nikon 12-24 when focusing, quite fast and accurate with Auto focus. The lens is very sharp and the extra 2mm of non-fisheye width at the extreme wide end of the lens puts it over the top compared to the really nice but expensive Nikon.

Tonight my wife and I were out on the beach on Lake Huron just walking around. She hates using my bulkier DSLR's but loved this little D40/18-55 combo as much as I did. Here are a couple shots we took tonight with it:

Anne's shot:
Model:NIKON D40  |  Orientation:Normal  |  Software Used:Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows  |  Exposure Time:1/400 seconds  |  F Number:F/10  |  ISO Speed:200  |  Date Taken:2007:04:21 20:14:48  |  Exposure Compensation:-4/6 Step  |  Metering Mode:Pattern  |  Flash Mode:No Flash  |  Focal Length:55 mm  |  Color Space:sRGB  




One of mine (it was rough finding nice content becuase of the time of year and lack of anything fresh and green):
Model:NIKON D40  |  Orientation:Normal  |  Software Used:Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows  |  Exposure Time:1/60 seconds  |  F Number:F/5.6  |  ISO Speed:900  |  Date Taken:2007:04:21 20:25:38  |  Exposure Compensation:-4/6 Step  |  Metering Mode:Pattern  |  Flash Mode:No Flash  |  Focal Length:55 mm  |  Color Space:sRGB




Another that Anne took as we were leaving in the pitch black night. I love the painterly look and will try a print on Art Paper:
Model:NIKON D40  |  Orientation:Normal  |  Software Used:Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows  |  Exposure Time:1/3 seconds  |  F Number:F/5.6  |  ISO Speed:1600  |  Date Taken:2007:04:21 21:07:20  |  Exposure Compensation:-4/6 Step  |  Metering Mode:Pattern  |  Flash Mode:No Flash  |  Focal Length:55 mm  |  Color Space:sRGB

« Last Edit: April 22, 2007, 12:50:48 am by robertwatcher »
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byongsoo

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #23 on: April 22, 2007, 01:02:28 am »

Quote
I purchased the D40 yesterday and love it. The kit lens is great quality, quiet, fast and accurate  focusing and small. The D40 is very small, fits great in my hand - has a beautiful large LCD screen and is far more sturdy feeling that the Canon Rebel in my view.

yea i agree. i went to feel for the camera today and liked D40/D40x's ergonomics MUCH better than XTi. I'm still trying to decide though. How much difference does 3 focus system and 9 focus system matter? It seems like a lot of difference at least in numbers.
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robertwatcher

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #24 on: April 22, 2007, 01:09:28 am »

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How much difference does 3 focus system and 9 focus system matter?

Only 3 auto focus points don't bother me at all as I was used to that with my Olympus E-500 that I used professionally for several months before purchasing a D200. I generally tend to only use the center sensor or one of the side ones for most of my shooting  anyway. I actually find the D200 very hard to use with its multiple points and awkward arrangement when moving from one to the other with the jog pad. I have had no problem getting "fast and accurate focus" with the 3 sensors of the D40 - even when shooting vertically. if there is a subject that is on the  extreme edge of my frame, that I want the focus point to be on - - - I just aim at the subject, push the shutter release down halfway to lock focus and recompose. I find I do that most of the time on my D200. Even with all of the sensors the D200 has there are many times that they do not fall on a place where I want sharp focus and so have to lock focus and recompose anyway.


The reasons I opted for the D40 over the D40x:
* The D40 is much cheaper and just as good - - - I have no problem with the D40's 6MP sensor and resulting images (same as I have been getting with my D70's) and easier to handle the smaller file size - - - the D40 has 1/500'th flash sync while the D40x has only 1/250th.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2007, 01:14:29 am by robertwatcher »
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Bobtrips

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #25 on: April 22, 2007, 02:35:50 am »

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Another that Anne took as we were leaving in the pitch black night. I love the painterly look and will try a print on Art Paper:
Model:NIKON D40  |  Orientation:Normal  |  Software Used:Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows  |  Exposure Time:1/3 seconds  |  F Number:F/5.6  |  ISO Speed:1600  |  Date Taken:2007:04:21 21:07:20  |  Exposure Compensation:-4/6 Step  |  Metering Mode:Pattern  |  Flash Mode:No Flash  |  Focal Length:55 mm  |  Color Space:sRGB


[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=113597\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'm thinking that the K100D, with its in-body IS, might have let you/Anne take that last picture without the motion blur.
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robertwatcher

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #26 on: April 22, 2007, 09:33:12 am »

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I'm thinking that the K100D, with its in-body IS, might have let you/Anne take that last picture without the motion blur.

Oh - we have shots of this scene without motion - and I have VR lenses I am able to take with me - -  I also have a tripod in the van if I wanted to use it. I like this painterly version and regularly use shots with motion or even induce motion in Photoshop.

----

One advantage of IS in the camera body is that you can purchase the normal inexpensive lenses and benefit - instead of having to purchase specialty IS or VR lenses. Olympus also has a new E-510 body coming out that has an IS body. So there should be lots of choices - - - and they will all provide the same great results.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2007, 09:36:25 am by robertwatcher »
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byongsoo

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #27 on: April 23, 2007, 04:44:17 pm »

okay~ after debating for a long time, i finally got D40 this morning!!
now whenever that sigma 30mm f/1.4 is available, i can spend the money that i saved by buying D40 instead of XTi!! =)
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robertwatcher

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #28 on: April 23, 2007, 06:19:35 pm »

I've thought about the Sigma 30 1.4 (45mm 1.4 equiv)


I have found that my 10-20 ultrawide fits beautifully on the D40, focuses quickly and accurately. I took it with me today for an updated room shot for one of my website clients. Before I got there around noon, I snapped a shot outside including some sky to see how the meter worked with everything Auto. Absolutley wonderful as expected. I love the extremes of lenses and will likely keep this baby on the D40 strung over my shoulder on event shoots. No problem with the 3 focus points either.




The room shots are upcropped and straight out of the camera with no corrections done yet (perspective and color). Auto ISO -3 and Aperture Priority Auto Exposure at f8.  The first shot is the angle that will be cleaned up, fine tuned and used on the companies  website - while the second one was playing with the extremes to see how much I could get in the shot and how much distortion I would get.




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byongsoo

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #29 on: April 24, 2007, 03:12:12 pm »

thanks for the suggestion robert. i heard that lens is great as well.
however, i placed an order today for 30mm f/1.4. I guess what I want is a prime lens that I could take at a low light. perhaps, i'll make a purchase on ultrawide lens later on. the lense is getting here in CA on friday. hopefully, it won't be a bad sample. i'll post some pics this weekend. =)
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robertwatcher

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #30 on: April 24, 2007, 03:55:12 pm »

Let us know what it is like when you get it. I'm curious.
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byongsoo

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #31 on: April 30, 2007, 12:09:27 am »

I got my 30mm on Friday night and took some shots yesterday mostly. I think my copy of the lens seems fine- I think... Yay! The build quality is pretty solid, and focusing is fast. Some of the images may be blurry becaues I didn't use any tripod. But most seem okay. So here are some of my test shots (no flash + none of the images have been processed other than converting from RAW to JPEG):


1/250 sec at f/1.4; ISO 800


1/30 sec at f/2.8; ISO 800


1/60 sec at f/1.6; ISO 400


1/30 sec at f/1.4; ISO 400


1/30 sec at f/1.4; ISO 400


1/160 sec at f.6.3; ISO 200

Seems like a fine copy, no?
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The View

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #32 on: May 05, 2007, 05:17:58 pm »

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Please spare us the references to K.R. This is a serious forum.
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Do you think Ken Rockwell gives bad advice?
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The View

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D40 vs. K100D vs. XTi
« Reply #33 on: May 05, 2007, 05:23:21 pm »

I truly like my Pentax K100D.

It lets me tweak the image as much as I want, and 6MP are enough as I am not planning to print A3 sized pictures.

I chose it over the Nikon D40 because of the cheap, plasticky feel of the Nikon, its poor ergonomics and the missing top LCD (even though I would have liked that programmable button of the Nikon on the Pentax).

I chose the Pentax for its great color reproduction, great image quality, and warmer image tone. Even though the automatic white balance was critisized by all reviewers, I hardly ever use it anyway, and so it's not a big deal.

I like the way the camera handles and feels. It actually looks twice the price it really costs. It is a real photographic tool.

The kit lens is good.
« Last Edit: May 05, 2007, 05:23:41 pm by The View »
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