Should I really choose the D40 over the D40x?

Question

Ok so I had my mind all conditioned to buy the Nikon D60, then I started thinking I would go for the D40x for a little less money. Now I have been reading this website about how those extra pixels are just card cloggers and only make the camera slower. I think the guy who own the website is a user on here, I'm not trying to put anyone down. I'm just a little baffled that if I took a picture and wanted to crop it to 1/4 of its origanal size, those extra 4 pixels would make no difference. I just want to get the fastest best quality of all those three cameras. I am not a pro and don't think I know better. Most of my photography will be children.

I found this kit on ebay that has a D40 and two lenses for about $490

Please tell me the best thing to do.....

Answer 1

There is power in pixels, believe me.  If you were stuffing 10 MP on a tiny little point and shoot sensor, it might be an issue.  This is a non-issue in a DSLR sensor, where there is plenty of real estate per pixel.

Get the D60, if money is not a factor.

Here's an old answer of mine about pixels, with links to some examples.  You are thinking correctly.  If you are cropping images, pixels count.

If you always plan and compose your pictures perfectly, you don't need a whole lot of pixels. These days, I'd say that 5 MP or even 4 MP is fine for the average snapshooter and this can be obtained without unreasonable expense.  7-to-8 MP is almost the standard on any entry level camera today.  If you want to allow for cropping, which means enlarging only a portion of your image, the more pixels the better.

Imagine taking a scenic view and then noticing that the middle 20% of the photo would make an even better picture. Suppose you take a picture of a whole group of people and Aunt Clara really, really looks great in the picture, but everyone else looks lousy. If you have the pixels to work with, you can still make a decent print of Aunt Clara that she would be happy to have.  If you buy an 8-to-10 MP camera and don't want to TAKE large photos, you can always set the camera to a lower file size.  You can never go the other direction, though. Unless the cost is a major issue, buy the camera with more pixels. You will never be sorry that you did, but you might one day be sorry that you didn't.

I have a few photos on Flickr to include in a discussion on how many pixels are enough.  Go to my page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstei...  Some of the pictures are from a 4 MP or even 3 MP camera, showing you what you might expect without any cropping.  I think they are quite acceptable.  Some of the pictures are from a 10 MP camera (the swan and the pansies), showing the value of having those large images so that you can crop a smaller image out of the original picture and still end up with a satisfactory image.  There is one VGA picture, just to show what you could expect from 640 x 480 pixels - not much.

I have purchased from Cameta in the past (D50, lens, P&S) and they seem to be a fine company.

Cameta Camera 8.72 of 10.0

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Cam...

Many of us trust and recommend B&H Photo.  I have been using them for many years without a single problem.  B&H Photo is available through a link at Yahoo! Shopping, www.bhphoto.com or at 1-800-622-4987.  See also:

B&H Photo 9.44 of 10.0

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/B_H...

Beach Camera is another excellent company.

Beach Camera 9.03 of 10.0

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Bea...

ALWAYS check http://www.resellerratings.com/ before buying a camera on-line.

Answer 2

Since you did not give us the link, we cannot comment, but it may be that the two lenses are NOT Nikon lenses.  The cost for a D40 with AF-S 18-55 mm ED lens is $470 on Amazon ... this is a good deal.  Many of the camera stores on eBay unfortunately are selling gray market cameras with the Nikon accessories stripped from the camera (battery, battery charger, Nikon CD's etc) and replaced by inferior third party components.  One of the signs you are dealing with a seller of gray market cameras is the offer includes a "free" tripod and lens cleaning kit..

Now back to your original question.  You can save some money and still get a great camera by buying the Nikon D40 camera.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/d40...

Answer 3

There is some legitimate argument that when you push more pixels on a sensor there is a break over point where less light gets to each and you lose quality. So we got the agument that the D40 actually gave you sharper pictures than the D40X. I personally think this is true for the D40 series.  Remember the D40 was designed for the lower megapixel sensor and when the changed to the higher they did not significantly change the image processor or firmware. I think this may have also contributed to the which is sharper discussion. So between the D40 and the D40X I would pick the D40

The D60 give you a number of things you want. It has newer firmware and image processors, designed for the 10 mp sensor. It has an "Active Dust Reduction System with Airflow Control ". Nikon not putting a system on the D40 to deal with dust is one of the biggest drawbacks I see to the D40 ( though I think its still a great camera for the money) If you change lenses dust will get in and the camera needs a system to deal with it. With the D60 you get a VR lens. That will help with low light situations ( they may offer that now with the D40 but originally it was not) . The D60 has Adaptive Dynamic Range. Nikon calls it "Active D-Lighting," it lets you save some highlights that my otherwise be lost.

If you can afford it I'd stay with the D60 if not I'd go with the D40 and you still will have a great camera at a great price. And for many people the cheaper camera may let you get a good lens or a good flash, they could not get otherwise. So evaluate your needs. I have a D40 and a D300 and still often find I grab the D40

Oh and BTW its 4 megapixels not 4 pixels. thats as many as they put on come complete sensors

PLEASE pay attention to what fhotoace said about grey market and the deals that seem too good to be true. Its a crime when new photographers get caught by that. You are better off buying from a reputable dealer knowing you get what you should and are covered by warranty

Answer 4

If you have the money, get the D60.

If you don't, the D40 will be just fine.

Megapixels do make the difference when it comes to resolution, and yes, more megapixels means less space on a memory card. But the D40 is rated at 2.5 fps, while the D40x, I believe, has 2.5-3 fps. So, no matter what, you're going to get about the same speed. If space is such a big problem, just get a 4gb SD card, or whatever will fit your needs.