Nikon d90 or d40 Which should I buy?

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I really want to start a small photography business shooting weddings,seniors, families etc.... I am strapped for cash and have my heart set on the Nikon d90,my question is will a cheaper d40 do the same thing.What are the biggest advantages of the D90? Better image quality?And what other equipment will be absolutely necessary?

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Nikon d90 or d40 Which should I buy?

I really want to start a small photography business shooting weddings,seniors, families etc.... I am strapped for cash and have my heart set on the Nikon d90,my question is will a cheaper d40 do the same thing.What are the biggest advantages of the D90? Better image quality?And what other equipment will be absolutely necessary?



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Mere Mortal by Mere Mortal

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You may not be ready. You need a good sensor and good glass. The D40 is a nice camera but what happens when the bride orders a 16x20 or 20x30? Anyway, I suggest the D80 and invest the balance in excellent glass.



Many consider this set-up the minimum for wedding work.



24mm-70mm f/2.8 (fixed)

70mm-200mm f/2.8 (fixed)

50mm or 80mm f/1.8 or f/1.4



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http://photo.net/learn/wedding/wedding-p...



http://photo.net/learn/wedding/equipment

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Voice of reason by Voice of reason



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I have a D80 which I LOVE.



But my sister has a great D40 that I also love.

The D80 is more intricate, but for what you want I would buy the D40. Invest in different lenses, that will make all the difference in the camera.



Nikon is a great product, IMO. Try to get them to throw in the instructional video ($25 value) it is very helpful in learning all about your camera.

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Jt C by Jt C

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The D40 is a great entry level camera. I recommend it all the time to people as thier first DSLR. But I have to agree with mere mortal. Its not the camera of choice for someone looking to make photography a business. I know some folks that do use the D90 as thier backup camera and in the short term you could use it as a primary camera. The lenses meremortal suggested are good also but I would also recommend speedlights, extra memory cards, extra batteries or better yet the MB-D80 Multi Power Battery Pack. Remember when you shoot weddings you are taking shots of one of the most special moments in someones life and its a situation where you cannot come back later and recreate all the shots so maybe the best investment would be classes on wedding photography or even investing time to work as an assistant to another photographer and learn the craft.



I don't worry when someone says they want to start with senior pictures and portraits as these can be redone ad

Answer 2

The D40 is a great entry level camera. I recommend it all the time to people as thier first DSLR. But I have to agree with mere mortal. Its not the camera of choice for someone looking to make photography a business. I know some folks that do use the D90 as thier backup camera and in the short term you could use it as a primary camera. The lenses meremortal suggested are good also but I would also recommend speedlights, extra memory cards, extra batteries or better yet the MB-D80 Multi Power Battery Pack. Remember when you shoot weddings you are taking shots of one of the most special moments in someones life and its a situation where you cannot come back later and recreate all the shots so maybe the best investment would be classes on wedding photography or even investing time to work as an assistant to another photographer and learn the craft.



I don't worry when someone says they want to start with senior pictures and portraits as these can be redone ad nauseum if needed. Weddings are much higher stress to get the shot right the first time, often with a very demading client



Added: Actually screwdriver the D40 can use any lenses from AI on. No you don't get full features but they can still take great shots. It can also use DX format lenses ( those for APSc sensors ) or FX format lenses I routinely us AI and AIs lenses I bought for MyFM, FA and F2on both my D40 and D300. Still the D40 is not the best choice for a business ( as was said above). Another option may be the D5000 that just came out.



Of course I may not have ever used a proper camera ~lol~



Good advice about the need for a good tripod I should have included that in my list



vicseo we have had this discusion before the EVF camera you mention is not in the same class as the D90 and I doubt anyone paying a wedding photographer would be happy to see someone they paid show up with this camera. While its not a bad point and shoot it has a sensor thats only 1/2.5-inch so the entire sensor is about 6 X 4 mm while an APSc sensor is about 23 x 15 ( there is a slight difference between manufacturers) for a visual of how much difference there is in these sensor sizes and exact measurements look here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SensorSizes.svg. That gives it a pixel density of 36 MP/cm² cpmpared to a D90 pixel density of 3.3 MP/cm². Larger pixels and lower pixel density yields better dynamic range, better tonal range, more accurate color and lower noise.



Add to that the camera you talk of has contrast based instead of rapid phase change autofocusing, image processors and metering that is no where near the quality of the D90. The D90 has 12 positions, 5 manual preset and Kelvin white blanace the panasonic point and shoot 5 positions, plus 2 manualWB settings I will give you that the zoom range is not as large on the lenses for the D90 but the optics are so much better, wider aperatures are available, and I assure you its not the same quality as the M series leica lenses. You are just not comparing apples to apples. don't take my word for it look at the DXO benchmarking data



http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/eng/Image-Quality-Database/Compare-cameras/(appareil1)/294%7C0/(appareil2)/256%7C0/(onglet)/0/(brand)/Nikon/(brand2)/Panasonic

Answer 3

Its a no brainer the D90 is what you need. The D40 is cheaper until you want to add lenses to your kit as they have to be APS types, the D90 can take the cheaper un motorised lenses.



On top of that the D40 has very limited functions, only 3 focus points, no cable adapter socket, everything is controlled by menus, so they are a pain to use, only 6Mp .... the list goes on.



I can only assume that the people who recommend the D40 on this site have never used a 'proper' camera.



Other absolutely essential equipment? A dedicated flash for a start, may be a Metz, cheaper than the Nikon and has more functionality.



A decent tripod. avoid cheap ones something like a Manfrotto 055 or 099 with a decent ball head. Ball heads are quicker to use than Pan & Tilt heads.



Some wide aperture lenses for low light shots such as pictures in churches that don't allow flash, a 50mm f1.4 is the cheapest option, and they are a fine lens, you'll use it all the time.



Chris

Answer 4

Wedding photography isn't something you can just jump into... if you don't believe me, try going into a building and see how well you can shoot under mixed lighting situations.



Don't worry about the business aspect of it right now. Get a D40 and learn how to use it (it's perfect for a beginner), then work on getting additional lenses and other accessories.



I'm not going to go into the details of the lenses and accessories right now, cause I know that you still need to learn how to shoot properly on a DSLR, so focus on that!

Answer 5

I have a D80 which I LOVE.



But my sister has a great D40 that I also love.

The D80 is more intricate, but for what you want I would buy the D40. Invest in different lenses, that will make all the difference in the camera.



Nikon is a great product, IMO. Try to get them to throw in the instructional video ($25 value) it is very helpful in learning all about your camera.

Answer 6

if you need to ask such a basic question you are not ready to be paid as a photographer. this is especially true for events such as weddings where you only get one chance to get it right and there are no do-overs. do you really want to chance ruining someones most precious memories because you dont have the camera skills to consistently get great photos?



learn to be a great photog first. then worry about being paid for it.



go with the d90

Answer 7

There's even a better choice than a D90 .....



If you are really on a budget and want the best quality for the money, check out the P&S Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 [with a Leica lense] which has more features than most pro DSLRs that require auxiliary lenses not even equal to the single initial full-range lense that comes with the FZ28. It is reviewed at:



http://www.steves-digicams.com/2008_reviews/panasonic_fz28.html



It just came out on November 4, 2008.



It's an all-in-one 10.1 megapixel digital camera which includes (i) built-in image stabilization; (ii) HD720 quality video [Quicktime] which permits zooming while videoing skateboarding, action sports; (iii) a 18x zoom [27 - 486 mm (35mm equiv.)] "Leica" lense for nature and concert photography; (iv) up to 0.39 inch macro option; (v) up to 6400 ASA; (vi) takes up to 380 pictures per 120 min. battery charge; (vii) has a "burst speed" of 13 fps; and sells new for $270 at amazon.com. in the U.S.



Here's an actual handheld picture of the moon:



http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/bf/1b/a83ac060ada0881604bad110.L.jpg



Good luck!

Answer 8

You may not be ready. You need a good sensor and good glass. The D40 is a nice camera but what happens when the bride orders a 16x20 or 20x30? Anyway, I suggest the D80 and invest the balance in excellent glass.



Many consider this set-up the minimum for wedding work.



24mm-70mm f/2.8 (fixed)

70mm-200mm f/2.8 (fixed)

50mm or 80mm f/1.8 or f/1.4



.