Why does Ken Rockwell love the D40 so much?

Question

Is it because it's a cheap camera and he can get more money from his links when a bunch of newbie photographers buy it? He also swears by the 18-55 kit lens it comes with. The lens is a variable aperture, plastic, rickety, POS! Anyone else agree? What about the horrible noise handling? or how hard it is to change the ISO and shutter? or the Horrible slow autofocus? It's an all around laggy and unresponsive camera. The rebel cameras have much better focusing and kit lenses...and I'm a nikon guy saying that. ken Rockwell, I think it's time for you to give up and get a real job.

Answer 1

Yeah, I'm not a Rockwell fan, either. However, he does have it points. The only problem is, like everything on the internet you have to separate the good from the bad.



As far as the D40 goes, if you think of it as the next step up from a P&S, you sort of get where Nikon is going with this. We're in a time where photography seems to be booming with new people, and this is a very decent camera that will give you good pictures at not too much more than a good P&S price. 6 megapixels? Again, better than a P&S of any amount of megapixels, not nearly as good as other DSLRs. I love the fact that you don't notice the poor quality of (large) enlargements if you stand far enough away. No sense in taking the picture in focus, either, or doing a good job in photoshop because all you need to do is stand farther away. That is a little tongue-in-cheek because none of the D40 owners I know have any 20x30 prints hanging in the house, which is probably the point of Ken's recommendation. Most pictures taken these days are on computers: web sites, email, etc. Print is way down.



As far as the 18-55mm, I'd still say decent - better than most P&S, but yes there are loads of better lenses out there (Canon is in a similar position with their kit lens). There was a time when you couldn't find a Tamron or Sigma lens better than a Nikon but the practicality of things has changed, and if you want to sell inexpensive DSLRs, you need to be able to make the unit inexpensively.



I'm a Canon user.

Answer 2

I don't see why it's of any consequence to you what Mr. Rockwell thinks -- if you know of a camera that's better suited to your style of photography, then buy that camera. Rockwell never said that the only camera you can use is a D40, he just finds the D40 to be a decent compromise between functionality and price.



And that's just the thing he's getting at. Most newer photographers don't know what they need, so they end up buying more camera than they'll use. I've found his stance to be that the D40 is a small, easily-carried DSLR that offers all the basic features that drive people to move towards a DSLR system at an absurdly low price. The vast majority of users don't print at 20x30 and they don't need to shoot 7fps. They don't need an autofocus motor in the camera because they'll buy the newer AF-S lenses sold at Best Buy, et al. The camera is small and light, which means it'll be carried more by the user, which means more photographs. This is exactly why he likes the 18-55 as well -- it may be plastic, but it's insanely light.



While I've used the D40 quite often, my personal DSLR system is either Canon or Sigma SD (with Nikon F mount). If there's anything that I love to collect, it's old MF lenses. The Canon EF mount accepts numerous lens systems with simple adapter rings, and what it doesn't accept, the SD (Nikon Mount) typically does. That was the main reason that I chose to go with these camera systems. Perhaps you have your reasons for owning the camera that you do. If this is the case, then you obviously don't need someone telling you which camera to buy and you can move beyond Rockwell's recommendation. But for everyone else, the D40 seems like the smart place to start.

Answer 3

The Nikon D40 is a great camera. Firstly, the 18-55mm lens is very sharp, and is an absolutely great lens to have. Great for landscape photography. Just because it's ' variable aperture, plastic, and rickety ' doesn't mean it's not a good lens. It doesn't have the best build quality- but it's a good lens nonetheless.



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The D40 Line of cameras are very simple to operate, and that is what people starting out appreciate. Oh, and it is not hard to change the shutter speed of the aperture. I change both in the Manual ( m ) mode, and i do not find it a problem at all. The A/F is only slow on the 18-55mm lens, but of course you can get another, faster lens. I do not find the camera laggy or unresponsive either. I really do not know where you are getting your information from.



I own a Nikon D40, and a Canon eos 30d, which is a prosumer camera. I really think that in SOME cases, the D40 is better to use. The colors you get are better with the D40, and the light meter is much more accurate. The D40 is a very good camera. I do admit that the 30d is better in a lot of cases, obviously. The D40 is a very good camera, not worthy of you talking down to it.



You have to remember that the camera is an entry-level camera, and is not appealing to a professional buyer. It is marketed towards people just started, and looking to get the best results for their money.

Answer 4

I'm an Olympus user and I think that people just getting into DSLRs would do good with a D40 after being point and shooters. For the price of a 2 lens kit you can go and shoot in most general photography elements. Would it be better if he told them to go and buy a D3 or a Canon 5 whatever the model is? Then all yo would have is a newbie with very expensive toys and still don't know Jack!



He recommends entry level cameras for the novice... the lenses aren't their top of the line on these cameras and neither are the ones on the Canon's.



And as far as autofocus... I like manual glass and manual settings on a camera.



It make more sense to me to make a camera with high megapixels, and no auto stuff. Get retro... think of it... full frame with all manual controls for the PRO photographer... that would be a better camera on all levels

Answer 5

> Why does Ken Rockwell love the D40 so much?



It is easy to say that when he has other better camera to switch to when needed. I am also a Nikon DSLR user. But I also carry around a tiny Canon S3. It is a great camera. And for many photographs I can use the S3 for convenience (my Nikon bag weight about 15 pounds with 2 bodies, 2 flash and 2 lens + many miscellaneous accessories).



But I can always switch to my Nikon DSLR. So it is easy for me to rave about the S3 because where it lacks, the DSLR picks up the slack.



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But if I had to pick JUST ONE CAMERA, it would be the DSLR. That is the part he is NOT saying.





Good luck.......



P.S. Don't get me wrong. I like MUCH of what KR has to say. I like that he is not a party liner.



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P.P.S. KR is NOT sponsored by Nikon. He is NOT sponsored by anybody. (a) he states that (b) how can he be sponsored when he even recommends Canon?

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> ken Rockwell, I think it's time for you to give up and get a real job.



P.P.P.S. Why does it matter what he loves? Why the negative statement?

Answer 6

KR is rather a polarizng type of figure, people either like him or not...

But he does what he does very well and has a good amount of success at doing it.



I think you will find yourself pretty lonely in your opinion of the Nikon kit lens, as it is generally considered to be a decent lens. Of course there are better, but for the D40's target audience the kit lens is very serviceable. Canon's kit lens is no walk in the orange grove either.



Everyone is entitled to an opinion.If you were an experienced photographer with a few years under your belt your opinion might carry more weight than KR's and you might have as big an audience.

Answer 7

Ken's pretty good about facts when he rates cameras and equipment. Have you tried looking on Craigslist or Ebay for a used D70 or D50? It will allow you to use more lenses in AUTO FOCUS

Answer 8

I know several people who have D40s and at that price point it's a great camera. None of them say what you say here.

Answer 9

One thing he likes is the flash synch speed- 1/500. And the base ISO is 200, which he prefers.

Answer 10

Well for starters he is sponsored by Nikon.

Answer 11

i dont know ken rockwell that well, im guessing hes a photographer....hes prolly doing it because hes getting paid to promote it...i mean cmon can you really take him seriously? a 6 megapixel camera thats like lower then amateur.