Nikon D40 with stock lens sample pics from Disney?

[JeffGoldblum]

Hey everyone. I've been searching this forum for an hour or so reading as much as I can and was wondering if anyone could help me out. I'm thinking of taking the dive and getting my first DSLR. I'm leaning on the Nikon D40 now.

I'm trying to find some sample pics of things I've seen, and taken pictures of myself, to compare. Does anyone have pics around Disney World (Fireworks and night shots too) using the D40 with the kit lens (18-55)? just to give me an idea of what kind of shots I might be able to take once I learn it, without starting off with a new lens right away?

Thanks for any help. I couldn't find any Disney pics on review sites.

 

[ukcatfan]

Are you trying to stay inexpensive? If so and you are concerned with low light, then the D40 might not be the right camera for you. The cheapest wide aperture (low light) lens that will AF on it, the D40x, and D60 is around $400.

 

[JeffGoldblum]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah cost is in it for now, so I was hoping to see "The best Disney pics" the D40 kit on it's own, without any add-on len's, could take. Anyone have any to share?

 

[11290]

Just go to smugmug.com and type in nikon d40 in the search box and you will see a lot of galleries with pics of different conditions. Didn't see any Disney but a lot of good ones none the less.

My daughter has the D40 and loves it. I just got a new Canon Xsi and in some ways I like her Nikon better.

 

[JeffGoldblum]

Thanks, but i've seen a lot of D40 pics and I do a lot of my photo taking while at Disney, so I was hoping to find some Disney World Shots using the stock lens and everything like that. Hope someone can help

 

[5 for WDW]

I don't know when you are looking to buy the camera but, I just bought the D40 last week with the base lens and the 55-200 lens.
I leave on Monday and will be taking lots of pics with it. We are only going for three days so, I can pm you some on Thursday if you still haven't seen any.

I have been taking lots of pics with it of the my kids, Little League games, dogs, etc. I am very happy with it.

 

[er3465]

Here are a few night shots from my D40 and the 18-55 lens.

There are more in my flickr accout, the link is in my signature. Hope it helps!

 

[ukcatfan]

Thanks, but i've seen a lot of D40 pics and I do a lot of my photo taking while at Disney, so I was hoping to find some Disney World Shots using the stock lens and everything like that. Hope someone can help

Any brand's kit lens will be fine for everyday photography and low light shots of stationary subjects. It would be a good idea to have a tripod and remote shutter release though. You will not get very good shots in dark rides like HM and POTC with a kit lens. You might not even get one usable shot. Those lenses were just not designed for that purpose. You have to use a fast (i.e. wide aperture) lens for low light shots with motion. Some fast zooms "might" be good enough, but you normally need a prime (no zoom).

 

[JeffGoldblum]

Any brand's kit lens will be fine for everyday photography and low light shots of stationary subjects. It would be a good idea to have a tripod and remote shutter release though. You will not get very good shots in dark rides like HM and POTC with a kit lens. You might not even get one usable shot. Those lenses were just not designed for that purpose. You have to use a fast (i.e. wide aperture) lens for low light shots with motion. Some fast zooms "might" be good enough, but you normally need a prime (no zoom).

Thanks for all the info. I don't think I'd use it on dark rides, so that should work for me. I currently own a Panasonic DMC-FZ5. It has the options to change the aperture and shutter speed, so I've brought it with me a few times and used a tripod and got really good results. So I've been looking for pics to see if the D40 would be a big enough jump in quality for just my avg. shooting around Disney

er3465, thanks for the great samples! And 5 for WDW, I'd love to see some pictures when you are back! Thanks

 

[SC Mouse Fan]

Here are a few i took in November.

I braced on the railing from Tomorowland for this.

Hand held shot.

I braced myself on a trash can for this, no tripod.

I think this one was taken with the 55-200mm lens and a tripod. I was across the lake around Italy for this shot.

 

[PixieDust32]

Those are great shots. I was thinking about getting the same camera, the D40. I already have lens that i use with my old nikon 35mm N55, the brand is Quantaray 28-200MM F3.8-5.6 Lens, but I don't know if I can use them and if I need better lenses, or what to get.
Any tips?
thanks

 

[SC Mouse Fan]

Those are great shots. I was thinking about getting the same camera, the D40. I already have lens that i use with my old nikon 35mm N55, the brand is Quantaray 28-200MM F3.8-5.6 Lens, but I don't know if I can use them and if I need better lenses, or what to get.
Any tips?
thanks

I don't really know. Maybe experts will know. I think they probably will not autofocus with the D40 but I am not sure. The D40 is my first SLR so I had nothing old to match a camera with.

 

[heatherbelle]

These are fantastic photo's, just like the ones I want to take, hence my thread asking for a recommendation

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Here are a few i took in November.

...

I think this one was taken with the 55-200mm lens and a tripod. I was across the lake around Italy for this shot.

Here is a similar shot, or simply another example from a D40

from the FW side of Epcot with the stock lens 18-55 hand held~

IOW...It's all good


[size=-2](I'm a little bias but must say I Love My D40 )[/size]

 

[JeffGoldblum]

Awesome shots everyone!! Thanks. Keep 'em comin! I went to the camera store earlier and checked out the D40 and I'm hoping to take the plunge in the next month or so

 

[PixieDust32]

Awesome shots!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I checked the details on the photos...

the difference between SC mousefan and mine is that they used a 2 second exposure, probably on a tripod at 200speed/f8. I do Hi or 1600 auto and click and run.

For the price, the nikon d40 is totally worthy.

I also bought the 18-55 and 55-200 kit.

It's perfect for all my theme park photographic needs

 

[SC Mouse Fan]

I checked the details on the photos...

the difference between SC mousefan and mine is that they used a 2 second exposure, probably on a tripod at 200speed/f8. I do Hi or 1600 auto and click and run.

For the price, the nikon d40 is totally worthy.

I also bought the 18-55 and 55-200 kit.

It's perfect for all my theme park photographic needs

I did use a tripod for that shot but the other ones were hand held. i have really enjoyed the D40. It is the right size and not too complicated. I have been trying to learn to use the manual settings sometimes but that takes practice. Almost all of the pictures i took in November were on the Auto setting. I was just not comfortable using manual and I think I still would not be if I went today. Here is a shot of the Spectro parade. I probably took 200 picture that night but only about 25% were OK. That parade is hard because of the movement. This one is pretty good and you see the castle lights in the background.

 

[Josh'sDad1974]

The Quantaray lenses should work. If they worked on a previous autofocus Nikon then they will work on the digital version. Nikon mount type G or D are accepted by the new cameras. Type G don't have the aperture ring. If you have a Type D lens then you need to lock the aperture ring and let the camera control the aperture.

All those shots are great. I would watch the digital noise at high shutter speeds but I couldn't tell any from those shots I have viewed. On those parade shots, if you have an external flash on the camera, you can bounce the light onto the subject sort and still get the effect of the castle, etc. Sometimes panning with the floats work out pretty good. I would recommend playing with the settings during the first parade of the night and then shooting for real on the second parade.

I have the Independence Day fireworks coming soon and usually make my first few shots my test ones. After about two to three, I just sit back and fire away. Here are some of my general fireworks shots from 2007. Copy the link and click on a picture.

shutterfly.com/progal/album.jsp?pg=1

 

[handicap18]

The Quantaray lenses should work. If they worked on a previous autofocus Nikon then they will work on the digital version. Nikon mount type G or D are accepted by the new cameras. Type G don't have the aperture ring. If you have a Type D lens then you need to lock the aperture ring and let the camera control the aperture.

All those shots are great. I would watch the digital noise at high shutter speeds but I couldn't tell any from those shots I have viewed. On those parade shots, if you have an external flash on the camera, you can bounce the light onto the subject sort and still get the effect of the castle, etc. Sometimes panning with the floats work out pretty good. I would recommend playing with the settings during the first parade of the night and then shooting for real on the second parade.

I have the Independence Day fireworks coming soon and usually make my first few shots my test ones. After about two to three, I just sit back and fire away. Here are some of my general fireworks shots from 2007. Copy the link and click on a picture.

shutterfly.com/progal/album.jsp?pg=1

The bolded statement is not correct. The Nikon D40/40x/60 do not have focus motors in the body. If they worked on old film bodies, they will mount to the new digital bodies and the body will be able to control the f/stops and meter through the lens, however, auto focusing will be an issue. You will only be able to manual focus. There maybe some new Quantaray lenses with the focus motor in the lens, but the old Quantaray lenses wont auto foucs.