If wanna shoot without flash indoor, you'll have to use bigger aperture or slower shutter speed.
Slow shutter speed will cause your pics to be blur though, so make sure your subject is not moving and you have a steady hand or mount your camera on a tripod.

You can boost up the ISO for easier to shoot indoor just like szyap said, but ISO more than 800 will make your pics looks grainy though.

If wanna shoot object with blur bg, then you can either use bigger aperture or zoom in more to your subject.
Just my 2 cents!


This post has been edited by pac1: Oct 30 2007, 01:58 PM

Happy trying and enjoy shooting there!

Wonder if he'll sell it after boring shooting with it! Then maybe we can grab it cheap cheap!

If you want an 70-300mm auto focus lens for your D40, you got no choice but the 70-300mm VR. The rest you'll have to manual focus with it. Nothing is hard if you've used to it. Just my 2 cents!

This post has been edited by pac1: Oct 30 2007, 07:36 PM

Fui....scared the 'sai' out of me too!

I think if kena lottery also will buy lens for own usage loh, 500mm or 600mm!

Fast fast go buy lottery ticket starting tomorrow!

The 70-300 G lens just about RM250-300 for a used lens while the ED lens is 2 times the price. The differences are:
- G lens = plastic mount x ED lens = metal mount
- G lens no aperture ring x ED lens got aperture ring.

Both lens also can be mount on D40, but cant auto-focus with it. If you dun mind manual focus, there are 2 more 3rd party 70-300mm lenses that you can consider, Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro or Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro.

This post has been edited by pac1: Oct 30 2007, 11:58 PM

All other 70-300mm lenses which below RM1k cant AF with D40, just the 70-300VR can. Below are some price of used lens for your reference and may varies according to the market or the seller.

Nikkor 70-300mm G = ~RM 250 - 300
Nikkor 70-300mm ED = ~RM 700 - 800
Nikkor 70-300mm VR = ~RM 1.5k - 1.6k
Tamron 70-300mm macro = ~RM550 - 650
Sigma 70-300mm macro = ~RM550 - 650

If you wan cheap long reach lens that can AF on D40, go with what xandman suggested, 55-200mm VR is a good lens too, got VR, can AF on D40 and its below your RM1k budget.
Just my 2 cents!

I think you should bring your camera back to the shop where you bought it and ask them to check for it.

Bring it back to them ASAP, if really something wrong with your camera, maybe they'll exchange a new one for you!

55mm f1.8??? I think you are refering to Nikkor 50mm f1.8D, right. Just to let you know, this lens too cant autofocus with your D40. My suggestion is stick to your kit lens first and save to buy a flash. Just my 2 cents!

The Nikkor 50mm is not a 'must have' lens, just its the cheapest prime lens with big aperture f/1.8 which can produced quite decent result, therefore many Nikon user owns them.

If you wan a decent lens for potrait, just look for any lens with big aperture such as f/2.8 lenses, as it will help to blur the background easier. But the cheapest lens that is compatible(means can AF) with your D40 is Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 HSM. Or you can get other lenses like Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 or Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR!

If you are thinking of shooting your gf's pics at some event, then I would advise you to get a flash. Because camera build-in flash are too harsh when directly fired to your subject. Kit lens + SB600/SB800 spped light will produce much promising results compared to build-in flash + 50mm f1.8 (manual focus summore).

Just my 2 cents!

Yes, it can AF, but dun go think about any brand of 70-200mm f/2.8 lens so early, it cost more than RM3k. Most own it for shooting events, if you are just normal shooter, then just get the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 HSM for more flexible shooting, wide enough for landscape or group photo and can zoom in for potrait also. You can search online for 'D40 compatible lens' to see which lens you can AF with your D40.

Yeah, it overlap with your kit lens but with constant f/2.8, so you can consider selling your kit lens after getting the Sigma. You can look up for the price here, ShaShinKi.

Yeah, I know, its quite costly compared to other f/2.8 like Tamron. I din heard anything bout the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 stop manufacturing. The price is about RM350. Din know bout AFS 50mm, since Nikon already have another one Nikkor 50mm f/1.4.

And you'll burned a hole in your pocket with it!

Eat biskut and drink plain water everyday!

I just own a motorbike, cant afford to sell it. Even sell it off also cant buy that bazooka!

Welcome to the photography world!

1) Dunno your location, so cant answer you this!
2) Just get the whole kit, its should be enough for normal shooting. But if you have the budget, get just the body and 18-200mm lens, perfect for normal shooting and traveling, cover the entire range from wide to tele!
3) Just check the camera thoroughly when buying from 2nd seller, it should be ok, since a lot just buy and sell after few months.

Just my 2 cents!

This post has been edited by pac1: Nov 2 2007, 05:40 PM

1) Well, since my location isnt in KL, so I'm not so sure bout shops over there. But I've heard +ve feedback from others regarding J-One at Amcorp Mall and YL Camera at Pudu Plaza. You can go there to survey.
2) Just the lens, Nikkor 18-200mm VR = RM2.5k ; Sigma 18-200mm OS = RM2k
3) A lot bought D40/40x already just to find that the camera din have built-in focus motor drive, lenses compatible with it were narrow down to Nikkor AFS and Sigma HSM lenses. But still I saw many produced great pics with these camera.

I personally think that having a D40 + 18-200mm + 10-20mm lenses, practically covers everything for a normal shooting! You should do more research and read more reviews about it, b4 diving blindly into DSLR!

This post has been edited by pac1: Nov 2 2007, 06:11 PM