In the days between film and the mainstream take-up of digital, traditional companies like Nikon were doing what they could to persuade people to finally make the jump to Digital SLRs. We’re now a long way from the days of the Nikon D40 – featuring 6.1 megapixels and an APS-C sized sensor – but it can still surprise with excellent image making. And after going out with a number of Finepix cameras recently, the D40 feels fantastically Nikonian, which is to say that the ergonomics are comfortable and familiar.
Note the lovely reds of the car body and the blue of the chrome preserved in the above photo. Plenty of detail with this old sensor too. I was using the 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 Nikkor kit lens, version 1. Plastic feel for sure, but decent optics, especially for a 6.1 megapixel sensor, where any shortcomings of the glass aren’t a deal-breaker. It turns out that the shutter mechanism isn’t faulty at all, as I thought last week, just my inability to note that the Exposure Compensation goes in reverse on these Nikons! That’s some good news at least, and rather makes up for the Finepix 602z I recently purchased, with a bent CF pin and non-working EVF. At least it was cheap!
I was fortunate to have some great sunlight late in the day. These old CCD cameras definitely love the light, and I’m looking forward to also receiving my Olympus E1, even if it does have some usability issues. I’d heard a lot about the colour of the D40 and it doesn’t disappoint in this kind of light. I won’t say there’s something magical about CCD colour, like others do, but these photos do make you wonder whether image making has really advanced as much as we’re told?
My Nikon D40 settings: JPG Fine, base ISO of 200, Exposure Compensation often set to -0.3 or -0.7, and Vivid picture mode. There’s barely any noise at 200 ISO and reputation has it that noise is not much of an issue up to 800 anyway. Old forums also suggest that the D40 has a tendency to overexpose, so I did often dial in a touch of negative Exposure Compensation just to preserve highlights.
The above photo was one that I made in Nikon’s native NEF Raw format. The Raw files from the D40 definitely have more latitude than the JPGs and it’s easier to tame highlights and shadows, but there’s certainly less editing potential in these files compared to the NEF files from modern Nikons. Nevertheless, the photo is pleasant, and working with NEF does provide the option to use a different White Balance setting and fine tune any sharpening.
The D40 was one of Nikon’s most popular early consumer cameras and I can understand why. I like that it’s so small and fits easily in a smallish camera bag. I’ll have to seek out the G version of the 50mm 1.8 lens for it, as the D version requires a screw drive motor, and the D40 lacks this feature. Really, the D40 proves that picture quality wasn’t a problem for digital cameras even in 2006.
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This was the camera I started with! I was just given a kit by a friend. It’s plastic fantastic. I one burned a hole in the LCD screen while smoking a cigar! These pictures prove the quest for megapixels is a fool’s errand!
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I really enjoy how light the D40 is. I really should go and get the 50mm DX G lens for it, as I know the old D type won’t autofocus on it.
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I liked both the 35mm and 50mm 1.8 lenses for that camera. They are very sharp and light. I remember starting with the 18-55 and 55-200. There is more to the story of that camera. My daughter died from the swine flu at the age of 12. I was a complete mess. I turned to photography to give my mind a break. I found that from getting engrossed in the process of taking pictures, for a short time my mind was able to rest. Time has softened the blow, but photography is still there when I need to quell the memories. Another back story, after I burned a hole in the viewfinder with my cigar, I could not get the camera serviced in the US because of its origination. I had to send it to Japan. Not knowing any better, I did. Then Japan got hit by a momentous tsunami and the facility was decimated. So I bought a used Nikon D200 which ended up being a good thing because I could use D type lenses, and it was just plain better. When the D40 was returned and the gargantuan repair and shipping costs were paid, I sold it. As I said, another was just gifted to me. I shot in the rain today and will be making a pot about it. I have decided to expand the nature of my blog with more personal thoughts about my life and photo journey. I doubt it will gain much traction, but it will serve as a personal diary that will be there for my daughters. I did get recognition on 35MMC as a “blog to follow” a few years in a row mainly because I have become a friend of the Down the Road blog. Fighting my insecurity, I think just maybe the imagery has something to do with it. I am in a process of finding out what I want to accomplish with my photography. What is it that I want to express? Looking at my images, there is no real sense of cohesiveness or purpose. Perhaps from the process of thought and experimentation something good will come of it on a personal and creative level. Where are you located? Do you have family? As I said, I have a beautiful wife of 33 years and 2 beautiful daughters and 2 great dogs. I feel like we are cut from at least a part of the same cloth. Cheers, Louis.
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Hi Louis. I’m sorry to hear about your daughter. I imagine that it would have been extremely difficult, and it sounds like photography provided you with a way to cope with the tragedy. It can do that, can’t it? When we immerse ourselves in the moment, as framed through a camera, it can seem as though all else dissolves, just for a short time. As much as gear talk can be interesting, I think it’s often wise to remember that the foundation of photography is seeing and experiencing the moment.
You raise an interesting point which, for me, has often been at the forefront of my photographic practice – why do I do it? What am I seeking? I used to have a blog some years ago and garnered a small number of subscribers, but I’ve often found in recent times that many people are stuck in their own bubbles, seeking followers or likes or some type of fame, without giving much in return, if anything. For me, any art practice is really for myself. Whether it’s photography or painting or writing, I’m the one that needs to be happy and satisfied. If someone else likes it, then fine – that’s a nice bonus, but not essential to the practice. I’ve often felt discomfort at the intersection of money and art. Money is a requirement for survival but art cares nothing for money. The creative urge essentially is uninterested in profits and fame. So, do I worry if I myself don’t gain traction? Not really. I think the one thing I do enjoy is interaction, as we’re doing right now. Communicating with someone else who may share similar ideas and interests. And isn’t that the basis for our human lives? We’re social creatures, after all! And yes, insecurity – it’s always there, of course.
I can’t say I have a cohesive photographic practice myself. I don’t overthink it. Lots of people like to specialise in a niche, but I’ve never felt like that about making photos. If I feel moved to press the shutter, then it doesn’t matter what kind of photography it is. And maybe that makes for a messy set of photos rather than a saleable portfolio, but it doesn’t especially matter to me. If I had to characterise a theme that tends to run throughout most of my photos, I’d say I have an interest in the passing of time and the contrast between the smallness of a human life and the vastness of the world and the universe. That can reveal itself in ruins, wall textures, and street photos. Perhaps it’s pompous, but it’s the best way I can describe it.
I like your idea of the diary. Often, I don’t have anything specific to say. There may be a few photos to post, but the rest is just a train of thought.
Well, we’ve 2 daughters also! Did have 2 great dogs, but recently had to say goodbye, I’m afraid. Located in lovely South Australia. And you? Good to connect, Louis. Regards, Steve,
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We are in Rhode Island. I have a great photo friend Karlene Herdman in New Zealand. She took some of the image in the photo project I started after Victoria passed. Check out the site I keep it active. My plan at the moment is to tackle the difficult process of 4×5 film. I am not sure what shape this project will take, but at this point I feel the need to do something cohesive and hope to publish the images in a printed book or zine. It will be very challenging, but most importantly it will be fun. We are in Rhode Island in the USA. Louis.
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I remember driving through Rhode Island when I lived in the US. Sadly, did not have the time to stop but looked a lovely state with some great scenery! And if CT is anything to go by, some great Fall colours too. I could only admire and wonder about the darkroom process back in the day. I missed out repeatedly on trying my hand in that room, as it was reserved for students who had more influential parents. And so, I was never able to afford anything approaching quality in terms of photography back then. Thank you for sharing, it’s a wonderful site and great way to keep her memory alive.
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