Here is the link for the D40 on Best Buy. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Nikon+-+6.1MP+Digital+SLR+Camera+-+Black/8139169.p?id=1158323379076&skuId=8139169

 

kenrockwell site is the one I was trying to think of to post for Watusi, thanks coldweatherfan. I believe you are the one that gave me that site sometime ago. I know he is very high on the D40.

Also check ebay, you can get some goods deals on camera plus accessory bundles on there.

:thumb: Anytime.

Canon and Nikon are fantastic. A good zoom lens will help too.

We put the camera on hold a while back and I didn't purchase one.

 

I'm thinking of buying one for her for Christmas now.

 

Has any of the above changed? I've looked for the D40 but had little luck. I'm seeing the D40X though.

 

I've noticed Ken Rockwell is highly recommending the D3100, and that may be my best bet????

 

Thanks in advance.

If she's using a Nikon, then stick with a Nikon. If she has a Canon, then stick with Canon. The main reason I say this is that she's already familiar with the menu layout. We cuurently have a D90 and we're looking on upgrading to a D300. We bought the D90 off of eBay as a package with multiple lenses. The lenses aren't high end, but they were a good learning tool. As we got a better understanding of the camera and photography, we sold the lenses and upgraded to higher quality lenses.

 

I am going to second this advice. If you use Nikon or Canon now its easier to keep using the same manufacturer. Nikon and Canon are both great but there approach to controls is different and switching is just not worth it. I am a Canon SLR user and always have trouble helping people with Nikons even though they do the same thing.

 

Low end DSLRs are now great. The Canon Rebel is a great starter. All the newest ones have at least 10 Megapixals. That is plenty. The standard lens along with the 70-300 mm lens (telephoto zoom) for sports are great for starting. Best Buy usually has a deal to add the 70-300 for a special price. $600 should get you started. But the upgrades to lens can get expensive real quick. A 70-200 zoom with 2.8 aperture (big/fast glass for low light condition) is great for indoor sports or under the lights outside. But it is around $1,200 minimum. And the drawback of an SLR is you can not put it your pocket. So hold on to or upgrade your pocket digital if you do not want to carry the SLR all the time. I keep a high end Canon Powershot for that purpose.

Again it is time to stress: It is not the camera but the lenses that take the pictures you want. The 75-300 zoom will not take the pictures you want in a gym at 5.6 at 300mm. Outdoors in the daylight it is great. Any 10 megapixel DSRL will do what you want, spend the bucks on the lenses.

If you are shooting in dark gym or night sports and want to stop action, make sure the camera will allow a high ISO rating. Also if you are buying a used camera on ebay from a photographer, remember this quote, "Buying a used camera from a photographer is like buying a used car from a NASCAR driver.

Murphy's Camera (stores in Lexington and Louisville) ad in today's Courier-Journal has several Tamron lenses on sales with 2.8 apertures. Well worth the money and may serve your needs without breaking the bank.