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Originally Posted by martook /img/forum/go_quote.gif
My opinion is that if you want a DSLR, you should get one that you can really grow with, otherwise you are actually much better off with an expensive P&S. The people you call P mode shooters get a DSLR because they think they need it - they don't. Buying a DSLR and one lens is buying yourself trouble - you need more PP, you get less DoF (correct focus more important), you get less reach with the lens, and you still pay a lot more. And for what?
Sure, the camera house is the least important part of the equation :: lens, skill and post processing is a lot more important. Those shots are taken with a lens that costs 4 grand and by a good photographer, it's going to look good. And sure, you could think they are taken with a D3, since you only get a small version (which could be compared with a small print of course) of it. But not a lot of people that buys the D40 will buy a lens for $4000, are they?
And since you wont get the focus motor, you will not be able to use (well you will without AF of course, but manual focus on crop cameras sucks anyway) the great Nikon prime lenses, you wont be able to buy a lot of the Nikon second hand lenses, so you'll just end up wasting money when you have to get a new house or buy more expensive lenses in the end. So save yourself the trouble and get a proper camera right away, or just get a good long zoom P&S.
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You can grow with D40, it just takes a bit more press of a button. The thing is, the OP is a young man with other hobbies (to spend) beside camera, and he clearly stated he's unlikely want to upgrade and want something good and affordable. The sample shots I posted is just to illustrate that D40 is by no means a crap camera that you can quickly 'outgrow'.
I've seen too many of these "I-think-I-outgrew-my-camera-and-it's-time-to-go-pro-body" people and they still take same old crappy shots and all they do to justify it is to 100% pixel peep it in order to see this 'improvement'. Yes, apart from IQ, more expensive camera gives you more feel, more convenience, but the poster has a budget and don't even sure what sort of things he wanna get yet, I don't think it's wise to recommend something even more expensive.
He's not gonna shoot high-paced shots, so no need to recommend D3, for something basic and you can go walkaround with, within tight budget, D40 is just right. But if you don't mind spending extra 200 bucks or so, by all means get the D80 - yes it's a much better camera in terms of handling (relative) and viewfinder, but the thing is, if you can be happy with a D40 why not? And if you wanna get a lowlight performer, get a 50mm 1.8 used. Yes, it doesn't AF, but hey, if you practice it can still take great results.
In my case, when I was buying my DSLR, what I actually feel better with was the D200, I could afford it but I didn't wanna spend that much, so I opted D80, with the spare money, I got lenses. I shoot MF lens 95% of the time, so yes, it's inconvenient, but the image I got is excellent and I'm happy with it. Don't mind manual everything, for me it's fun and for what I shoot, it's perfectly fine. So yeah, instead of going all out, buy smart and get what you can afford and can tolerate.
PS: Haibane: Cameras and Ipods is very different thing altogether. In audio, crappy gears give you crappy result no matter what but you can still make great pictures with limited gears in photography. It's all about balancing your budget and what you can do and what flaws you can tolerate.