First Digital SLR question?

Question

So, I've been thinking on getting the Nikon D40 as my very first Digital SLR, but I got a question.

Would it be better to buy just the body?

Or the kit?

I want to get just the body, because it's cheaper. But if it's less (or more) of a hassle to get the kit it would be cool to know. :)

What's your opinion?

Thanks!

Answer 1

The D40 is a great entry DSLR at a really good price. Get the kit lens and then from there add or change lenses as you need to. The kit lens will do much of what beginning photographers want to do.  

Answer 2

If you're in the U.S., I believe the D40 is only sold with the 18-55mm kit lens, battery, and charger. If you can get the body only (without lens), then the camera is probably gray market which means you are dealing with a shady distributor and you may end up with junk or nothing at all. Go to http://www.bhphoto.com/ , http://www.adorama.com/ ,  your local camera store, or some other reputable distributor.

The 18-55 mm kit lens is a decent lens. It isn't a sturdy lens, but will do for casual shooting. The camping/hiking trips I've taken, which are hard on SLRs, I haven't broken the lens yet. 18-55mm range is very handy and it will close focus up to 11 inches (as measured from the sensor plane, not the front of the lens). Play around with the 18-55 lens and then make a decision on additional lenses. You may want a wide angle or something with more zoom.

Answer 3

The D40 is a great starter camera. You should buy the kit that will best fit your shooting style. I have the Sony A-100. The newer A-200 is about the same price as the D40 and is worth a look.

Answer 4

Do you already have Nikon fit lenses?

If not you are going to need to get a kit purely for the fact it makes it very difficult to take photos without a lens (",)

Lens kits are good value for money and their quality has improved a lot over the recent years.

If I were you I'd try and find the extra cash for the kit, but don't settle for the first kit you find, there are several different kit set ups out there that push towards different styles of photography, i.e. macro, etc.

Good luck and happy shooting!

Answer 5

Hi

I recently bought a Canon EOS 400D with a 18-55 lens kit. The bundled lens kit was very good, however I found that it didn't have a big enough zoom. I had to choose whether to get an additional zoom lens (and have to keep switching lenses) or get a replacement lens that covered the range of my standard lens kit aswell (meaning I wouldn't have to keep swapping lenses). I chose to go for an 18-200 kit which I'm really pleased with.

If you just want a point and shoot without the need of a big zoom, get a camera with a bundled standard kit.

If you want a decent zoom, then you MIGHT be better off buyinga camera and lense kit seperately. You may actually find a bundle deal with the camera and lense you really want. Worth hunting!

I hope this makes sense and helps