pros and cons of nikon d40x and canon 400D

vincent1989

vincent1989

vincent1989

Soldato
Joined
3 Oct 2006
Posts
8,537
hoping to buy a camera on friday, going into the shop tomorrow, hopfully to have a look and a play. i've narrowed it down to the cameras mentioned in the thread title. all i want is a list of pros and cons for each model from people who have preferably had/used both, but any will do. i have done a lot of research, but would rather get some ideas from the community on OcUKers :)
 
Only issue I can think of is the lack of an AF motor in the D40 body. This means you *may* have to pay more for the lenses...otherwise I'd have a look/touch/feel of both and decide which is better for you


:-)
 
/gets popcorn

There are fans of both but really its down to what feels best to you. Just have a feel of both and see what feels most comfortable for you to use.
 
3dcandy said:
Only issue I can think of is the lack of an AF motor in the D40 body. This means you *may* have to pay more for the lenses...otherwise I'd have a look/touch/feel of both and decide which is better for you


:-)
Click to expand...

already noted that, but the price difference isn't astoundingly great, ie i can get the nikkor 55-200mm f/4.-5.6 AFS DX VR Lens for around £250, which i think is a really good price for the type of lens (considering it also has a built in vibration reduction system as well) and would be about the maxim (distance wise) i would need as a beginner.


also to consider is i will be stuck with the kit lens of either camera for up to 2 months, so would like to know which performs better (i had heard the nikon)
 
as theknat says, it's down to which system you will feel most comfortable with, most 'pro's and cons' are subjective as in i'd choose the 400D over the D40x because i'm used to the canon system and am ignorant towards the nikon system, same as say messiah kahn would recommend the D40x as that's what he's used to. in reality, both cameras are as good as each other and both have a fantastic system and range of lenses and accessories and support.
 
There's nowt in it really.

go to a shop and see which camera you like the operation of best. Know that once you buy into a system (with more lense/glass/speedlights etc), you pretty much tie yourself in for long time without taking a big hit.

Fortunatley both Nikon and Canon are producing excellent models at the moment and we can choose on what we like the most.

If I was choosing now, and had not been in Canon's pocket for about 20 years, i would go Nikon with a D300, as it is I am 6 weeks into a 40D
 
Throw a second-hand D50, a second-hand D70 and a second-hand 30D into the mix to jazz things up. Also remember that you're buying into a system and that glass is a much better investment than bodies.

I'd go for a second-hand D50 and an 18-135mm, personally.
 
wez130 said:
same as say messiah kahn would recommend the D40x as that's what he's used to.
Click to expand...

Now you would have though I would wouldn't you. But it aint as simple as that. When I bought my camera, I narrowed it down to the Canon 350D and the Nikon D40. I had the opportunity to try both here at work, and specwise they both had positives and negatives. In the end I decided on the Nikon D40 due to the feel of it. The Canon 350D simply felt 'wrong' in my hand. Do not underestimate ergonomics. Ergonomics can't be listed in stats and specs, but if your using a camera all day long, it quickly becomes a very important factor.

When it came to buying my camera, I accidentally (Thank you incompetent shop staff) ended up with a D40X instead of a D40. However If I was to buy now, I doubt I would pay the extra money for the D40X, and would instead push that little bit extra towards a D80 (Or even a second hands D70s as robmiller suggested).

But if your keeping it to Canon 400D vs Nikon D40X, I would say try both and if you genuinly feel comfortable with the Canon, then go with thta, if not then go with the Nikon. Having said that, it really is 6 and 2 threes as both are more than capable cameras with very comprehensive systems to back them up. :)
 
one of my mine gripes with the D40/x over the 400D is the very menu driven operation.....get caught out in the wrong part of the menu and an ISO change can be like 20 button presses away!

Also, the restriction of af-s only lenses is more than just price, it's the more specialist lenses too.....try finding a nice prime lens, where as if it had an AF motor inbuilt they'd be a lot of choice for not much money.
 
well, i've been into the shop, and had a go with both and i'm still stumped :( both feel good (although fit slightly differently) and i can not fault either. i was hoping that going and having a look would help me decide which to spend the money on (the most i have spent on a single object in my life).

think i'm going to go with the d40x though, as it will be an investment, and the more lenses i buy the more i am going to have to stick with that brand, and as i like the nikon lens results over the canon i think thats going to be the decider. although who knows, i may have a change of heart at the till :p
 
rG-tom said:
one of my mine gripes with the D40/x over the 400D is the very menu driven operation.....get caught out in the wrong part of the menu and an ISO change can be like 20 button presses away!

Also, the restriction of af-s only lenses is more than just price, it's the more specialist lenses too.....try finding a nice prime lens, where as if it had an AF motor inbuilt they'd be a lot of choice for not much money.
Click to expand...



Just set the ISO up on the function button. then its always 1 click away at the most. ;) 20 clicks is a might exaggeration as I thing I can get to all my setting with about 3-6 click in the menu. Just set up all your most used settings in the shortcut menu so their all grouped together.

As for the lack of internal focus motor, this is one feature (or lack of) that really hasn't bothered or affected me as much as people make out. I now have 3 prime lenses (300mm f2.8, 150mm f2.8 and 30mm f1.4) all of which are the ones I would have gone for even if I wasn't limited to AF-S/AF-I and HSM lenses. All new lenses being released are also likely to end up being AF-S/AF-I/HSM. The features that I would like to see on the D40/D40X though are; Auto exposure bracketing and a AF/MF switch on the camera body. Other than that its a superb camera.

Oh, and I wish the sensor hotmirror wasn't so damned effective. Make IR photograhy a bit tricky. :(
 
Gotta be honest, I picked up a 400D for the first time today. OMG what a plastiky POS. It's just horrible, the control dial is stiff, the buttons hard and nasty.

All in all I'd take a Nikon any day. Canon's 400D is built to a price. Unfortunatly that price is bargain basement. Yes the D40/D40x are cheap, but at least they dont feel cheap.

Personally I wouldnt get either, i'd get either a late D70s or a D50. Far better although lower megapixel, all IMHO of course.
 
AndrewPE28 said:
Gotta be honest, I picked up a 400D for the first time today. OMG what a plastiky POS. It's just horrible, the control dial is stiff, the buttons hard and nasty.

All in all I'd take a Nikon any day. Canon's 400D is built to a price. Unfortunatly that price is bargain basement. Yes the D40/D40x are cheap, but at least they dont feel cheap.
Click to expand...

i think in the end that will be the only thing that really persuades me either way. the nikon felt far better quality wise (although both sat right).


edit: thankyou for all your useful comments so far guys, keep em up though, still got 16 hours till i will have made my choice :D
 
I own a 400D, and yes it is somw plastic feel. However picture quality is on par with New canon 40D which is about £850. The 400D is only £350 ! ?
As for lens, I can use any canon EF lens, of which there are plenty to choose from, eBay is a good start. Not to mention the Sigma & Tamron fir lens as well. A friend of mine has the D80, and that really is a love camera. However he paid a lot more for it than what I paid for the 400D. In the future I would like to trade in my 400D and get the 40D. I just brought what I could afford at the time, the 400D which is a very good piece of Kit. Which ever camrea people choose in the Canon & Nikon range you can not go wrong. As they both make great cameras, it comes down to cost, and how it feels in the shop on the day of purchase, and of course what deals the shops are offering at that point in time.
Buy either off these makes and go enjoy the fun of SLR !
 
Tysonator said:
I own a 400D, and yes it is somw plastic feel. However picture quality is on par with New canon 40D which is about £850. The 400D is only £350 ! ?
Click to expand...

Glass tends to dictate image quality far more than bodies do. You'd be silly to think that people get more expensive bodies because they think they're going to get increase IQ, though.
 
robmiller said:
Glass tends to dictate image quality far more than bodies do. You'd be silly to think that people get more expensive bodies because they think they're going to get increase IQ, though.
Click to expand...

another reason forcing me in the direction of the nikon over the canon, i have heard nikon lenses are better/more well built in the budget consumer range. is this true?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom