Bought first DSLR(Nikon D40)..now what?

[coffeenerd]

Well after thinking it over the past few months I ended up getting a D40. I was originally thinking of just a decent point and shoot(canon sd880)but for the pics we want indoors of our son I just went with the SLR. Set on Auto, it takes waaaay better pics than our waaay outdated kodak easyshare dx4330

I am a newer than new noob when it comes to camera's. Thru much research the D40 seemed like a great first SLR. Best Buy had a good deal on the camera which comes with a lens and also the 55-200mm VR lens for $599.

So I got the camera but I would now like to get a bag, a couple 2gb sd cards, and a couple uv filters for the lenses.

Any suggestions? For a bag I don't want to spend alot of money. It just needs to hold the camera with attatched lens and the extra lens and misc. sd cards, charging stuff etc.

As for SD cards I just don't know anything about them. I was thinking the 2GB ultra II sandisk cards would be fine.

Don't have a clue on the filters, again I don't need the best out there as I'm just learning.

I will also be getting the sb-400 flash.

If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it,
Thanks
Ron

[fionndruinne]

Don't need to splurge on UV filters - they aren't strictly necessary at all, and some use them, some don't. They have little effect on the resulting image (barring poor quality/dirty ones), and are usually there to aid in protecting the lens (a good idea, but less necessary when you're talking about a consumer-grade lens in the $100-$200 range).

I second the SB-400 though, a good choice. I'd also suggest a large-aperture lens if you're serious about getting lots of indoor shots of your kid. The best option would be the new Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, but it is a costly one. Perhaps a future consideration.

[K1W1]

I agree about the filters. In the digital age the requirement for a UV filter has all but disappeared and unless you know why you need specialist filters you don't.
Filters for protection IMO are not required others will disagree.
Any SD card you buy today from a retailler with a good warranty policy will work fine. You do not need the latest and greatest there will be no benefit to you. Just buy from somewhere you have confidence in in case something happens to the card. DO NOT buy memory cards on ebay.
For the bag it really depends on preferences. Something like the Crumpler 5 million dollar home will work well for camera, spare lens, flash and accessories but there are a heap of options out there and virtually everybody has their own opinion. Try this site (http://www.cambags.com/) as a place to tart looking at different models.

Oh, and welcome and don't forget to pop over to the NIKON DSLR section of the forum now that you are a member of the dark side owners group.

[tizeye]

First thing I would suggest is free! Go to the NikonUSA site and bring up the D40. That line of photos, last on the right says "digitutor." Sit back, watch the movie(s) and learn the camera and techniques. While they tended to make it very elementary for the D40, look at other models and will begin to discuss more advanced techinques - such as lighting and composition.

I have a small Lowepro bag that holds camera with either lens attached and the second lens inside the case. While the SB400 is a good flash, I got the larger SB600 that has it's own case with "belt loops" that I use to attach to the strap of the camera case.

2 SD cards is a luxury and ony useful if doing on an extended trip and not taking a laptop along to transfer photos. I have never filled a single 4GB SD card.

Kow go out and use it, pizels are free.

[K1W1]

2 SD cards is a luxury and ony useful if doing on an extended trip and not taking a laptop along to transfer photos. I have never filled a single 4GB SD card.

There we disagree.
All media is fragile and can potentially be damaged or lost. I always carry several cards with me, heck they don't cost much more than a coffee these days. I rotate my cards so I start with card 1 and at the end of the day I upload the images and put card 2 into the camera and format card 2. That way the most recent images (on card 1) are still accessible if I find I need them for any reason. At the end of the next session I take card 2 out of the camera and insert card 3 (card's 1 and 2 still have data). When session 3 is finished card 1 goes in camera and those images are then gone.

[coffeenerd]

Thank you all so much.

Yeah the UV filters (for me) were going to just be for protection of the lens. I have no idea what they are for(yet). If they do protect the lens though it seems a worthwhile investment. Even though the lenses are "consumer grade", it is still my $$$. So do you just use the lens cap when the camera is not in use?

Best Buy did have a deal that included the sb-600 but it was more than I wanted to spend. Since I'm newer than new I figured the sb-400 will suffice. If I end up getting a little more serious I'll be back here for more info and what to upgrade to!:)

FWIW, I ended up getting the D40 based on reading this site and www.kenrockwell.com. That guys site is just awesome for a newbie. Very informative and in plain ole' english.

Going to check out a few things you all suggested. Thanks again,

Ron

[fionndruinne]

I never take my card out of the camera. Just sync with the cable. Don't cough up a lot of dough for an expensive card, either. The D40 ain't going to go any faster than it already does. It's like computer hardware/software interaction: the thing was created to take advantage of then-speedy technology. Well, it has been a couple of years, and now everything out there short of something archaic is at least on the same level. But buying a super-fast card won't improve the core functionality of the machine itself.

These accessories are not where you need to drop your hard-earned dough. Lenses and (perhaps) editing software are much higher on the list if you want to go pretty far. If you're comfortable keeping it at a more leisurely pace, stick with what you've got and learn to use it well.

[fionndruinne]

(just read your last post) ... You use the lens cap all the time. A UV filter will still scratch, and ruin your pictures if you leave it on in such a state. They're really only good for accidents. And you don't want to drop your D40 anyway.

As for Ken Rockwell... no comment.;)

[coffeenerd]

about editing software...

Which software is decent for a noob? I never even thought about that...

Does everything have to be edited? I mean in the ol' days it wasn't possible to edit at all right?

ron

[toriaj]

No, you don't need to edit your photos if you like them as-is. You can start with Google's free Picasa program. If you eventually feel limited and want more functionality, Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro are both good budget options for software.

[jcon]

Nikon ViewNX would be a good basic editing program if you dont plan to use it alot(its free). If you want to spend some money on a more advanced program, look at Nikon Capture NX2

[coffeenerd]

I should have mentioned I'd also like to get a good beginner book. A book that "talks" to someone as if they have never owned a camera before and that is more/less written in plain english.

I checked out www.bythom.com and he's got a book available for beginners(I think it was based on the D40 also). Would this be a good place to start?

Thanks again,

Ron

[fionndruinne]

Picasa is a good recommendation. It's a very slick and streamlined program, and lets you do the basics pretty well. It's also way convenient for cataloging.

[K1W1]

I checked out www.bythom.com and he's got a book available for beginners(I think it was based on the D40 also). Would this be a good place to start?

Thom Hogans ebooks are great. Get the D40 book and not only will you learn all the things that the owners manual didn't tell you but you will get plenty of general photo advice as well.
The standard recommendation for a paper book is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. This book will give you plenty of advice and information about the exposure aspect of photography and once you get that sorted you are well on your photographic path.

[napnip]

Some people here might disagree with me, but if you're wanting a really nice photo editing software package, check out the Gimp. Granted, there's somewhat of a learning curve, but if you don't mind jumping in and learning a new program, it's got tons of great features.

And best of all: It's free!

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Welcome to the forum Napnip.

I hear what you're saying about Gimp (I started with it) but to be honest I wasted days learning an interface (Gimp) I'll never use again. Paint shop, Photoshop, Lightroom or Capture NX are just so much better.

Understanding exposure is a must read for someone picking up this hobby.

[KevinMelody.net]

I should have mentioned I'd also like to get a good beginner book. A book that "talks" to someone as if they have never owned a camera before and that is more/less written in plain english.

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Books 1 & 2 are very good for the beginner; vol 3 is due out one of these days also.