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Position:Home>Visual Arts> I just purchased a Nikon D40...do I need anything else?Question: I just purchased a Nikon D40!.!.!.do I need anything else!? I just purchased a Nikon D40, and it came with everything you need to get started (lens, battery, etc!.) I am mainly going to be taking pictures of my children!. Is there anything else I need!? I know next to nothing about photography, but I want to learn enough to take pretty pictures!. Can you recommend any different lenses or filters or anything else!? Thanks for your help!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: You'll probably want some sort of photo editing software, you don't need the professional version of Photoshop, Photoshop elements will be just fine!. *Do not buy the 50mm f/1!.8 for your D40!.* It will not auto focus, you will have to focus manually, which is incredibly difficult on a DSLR, even for an experienced shooter!. Nikon just announced a AF-S 50 f/1!.4 that will work for your D40, though it is somewhat expensive!. Any non AF-S lens will not autofocus on your D40!. Try out the lens you got, its most likely fine for taking pictures of your kids!. The D40 has a built in flash that is useful for many things, though a 'professional' flash isn't absolutely necessary!. The only difference between a professional level flash and a consumer level flash is the amount of power the flash can put out (distance it can reach), and the speed at which it recharges!. A Nikon SB-400 or SB-600 will be more than acceptable!. External flashes are useful for "bouncing" flash light off a wall or ceiling to avoid the unnatural look common in photos taken with flash!. Stay with a Nikon brand flash, as that they communicate best with Nikon cameras!. The transfer speed off the camera (without a dedicated card reader) isn't *that* slow!. Its not as if it takes hours!. Unless you're a professional shooting hundreds or thousands of frames a day and need to maximize your time management, a card reader isn't necessary!. I don't know how young your kids are, but most young children don't enjoy sitting in front of a tripod while mom or dad set up the camera!. The great thing about the D40 is how portable it is!. Some of the best family shots are taken on the fly 'in the moment!.' You won't want to drag a tripod out with you on a day to the park or museum!. A tripod is great to have, but I'd get an external flash first!. I encourage you to invest a few dollars in a UV filter to protect your lens!. If you got the 18-55 lens, you need a 52mm filter!. The UV filter is effectively clear!. Its alot less expensive to replace a $30 scratched filter than a $200 scratched lens!. Try not to get too 'gear crazy,' more stuff wont make you a better photographer, especially for candid shots, less (lighter) can be better!. Happy shooting!Www@QuestionHome@Com You may want a card-reader and a photo-editing program like Photoshop Elements!. A card-reader is a $10 gadget that connects a memory card from your camera to your computer so you can transfer the images!. You can also do that with a cable, but it much slower!. Photoshop Elements or a similar photo-editing program will allow you to greatly improve pictures through cropping, sharpening, etc!. Other than that, just learn to use the camera by shooting lots of pictures and reading!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Get a UV filter to fit the lens you have!. The filter will protect the lens from getting scratched!. You will need a UV filter for every lens you buy in the future!. Get a padded camera bag to keep everything in!. Get one large enough to hold another lens and extra battery and everything that came with your camera!. You will also need a microfiber cloth to clean the lens/filter!. I wouldn't buy any other lens till you become more familiar with your camera!. Read your manual and practice!Www@QuestionHome@Com The two things that will make a big difference in the quality of your photography are a good Nikon flash and a book on beginning photography!. (And a class or two if you can manage it!.) To start, you can put the camera on program or even auto and snap just like a point and shoot!. As you learn your camera and progress in skill, you can begin to shoot manually and use a hot shoe flash to good advantage!. Then you can start thinking about a new lens!. For a great start in low light portraiture, I would recommend the 50mm f/1!.8!. At a little over $100, it is possibly the best bang for the buck available!. You won't learn all about photography and making great images in a day, or even weeks or months, but you will progress and learn to produce great shots whenever you choose, and not just by accident, Have fun with your new camera! It is a good one!.Www@QuestionHome@Com There are many things you *can* get for your Nikon, but if you're only taking photos of your children, then there's a few things that you might *need*!. 1) Tripod 2) Ultra SD Card (reads/writes faster) 3) Remote (to take pictures remotely) 4) Basic understanding of how digital cameras work 5) Basic understanding of photographic composition (like having the light behind the camera instead of behind the subject)!. 6) Photo editing software This list is in order by importance!. GET A TRIPOD!Www@QuestionHome@Com YES! Oh most definitely yes! You need the following: A USB Hard Drive Extra Media Cards A Tripod Circular Polarizing Filter and a Nikon 50mm F/1!.8 lens!. Maybe an SB600!. Awesome question!. I hope everyone that reads your question marks it as interesting!. Star Power!Www@QuestionHome@Com the first thing you need is software to develop the images you take!. this will include adjusting white balance, slight expsure corrections and of course sharpening for either screen or print!. i recommend Adobe Lightroom 2!. Then a tripod (Manfrotto 190 XPROB), a Nikkor 50mm 1!.8 and a flash unit (sb-800)!. All the best!. PS!. the software is important!. if you do not wish to spend time on the computer editing digital files, then shoot film!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Read the manual!. Try this website by Kodak, as well http://www!.kodak!.com/eknec/PageQuerier!.j!.!.!. Www@QuestionHome@Com A professional flashWww@QuestionHome@Com the white pad that comes with it is actually really usefull it teaches you things most people dont tend to read themWww@QuestionHome@Com |