UKC

I am wanting to get a get lightweight and cheap DSLR to take on routes. The two main choices are the Nikon D40 and the Canon 400D.

Mostly I prefer the D40 but it only has three point auto-focus. On my bigger DSLR I use the corner points most often and I think I would miss them if I didn't have them. Do D40 users mostly focus and re-frame? Is this a good reason not to buy the D40?

In reply to alex_th:

erm, if you make a lot of use of corner points then I'd guess that you'll miss them.

the D40 is my first SLR and the focus and re-frame thing has never bothered me, and I wonder if focus and reframing is in fact any slower than selecting between 5, 7 12 or whatever focus points. Greater minds than mine will comment further on this point.

In reply to alex_th:

See if you can pick up a D50, which has now unfortunately been discontinued. It has five focus points (in a cross), and a number of other features which were dummed down in the D40(x).

There are a few knocking about on ebay, and given that you want to take it on routes where its likely to get a rough ride, second hand shouldn't really be a problem. Worth finding out how many shutter actuations the camera has had though, as all dSLR's tend to require a service after a certain amount, although from the D50 users group on flickr some are well into > 20000+ territory without any problems.

In reply to alex_th:

can you do the thing that I do on my canon 350d, which is to focus on a spot using the centre point, then hold the shutter half down and move the camera so that the spot is to one side? I'm sure that probably has implications for the way the metering works for the lightmeter, but it seems to be okay so far. That said, I don't use my digi as much as I could, so there might be a better way round it.

just realised that what I've suggested is your 'focusing and re-framing' - d'oh.

In reply to slacky:

wait a minute - 20,000 shutter actuations is bugger all! especially on a digital. I'd hope they'd do a bit more before requiring a service.

oh, and is there something in-camera that will tell you how many shutter actuations it's had? (I've got a secondhand 350d)

In reply to CJD:
image file name would tell you the first 4 digits. Unfortunately you won't be able to tell from this whether you're in the first 10,000 or the second, etc.

In reply to Jon Read:

bah.

cheers for that though!

In reply to Jon Read:

I don't think that's the case on my D50. I've taken well over 2000 shots but I can't find any files that start with DSC_2. (Maybe the count is a per-card thing and gets reset when you reformat).

In reply to Swig:

hmm... now you come to mention it... I shall have a look when I get home.

In reply to CJD:

Depends on the Camera doesn't it? Many de-couple the AF and AE locks, or have an option to do so somewhere. I think mine has them independant as a default but allows me to couple them.

In reply to alex_th: I think it depends what you are used to. I just moved from one focus point to five and have just turned them all off cause I'd rather focus and re-frame.
Iain

In reply to CJD:

Canon might do things differently

In reply to Swig:
A bit of internet research reveals that only Canon can read how many shutter 'actuations' have occured for a particular canon dslr. Bums. Apparently the camera could change its numbering of files depending on whats on the card you put in it too. I've got a fairly good idea that my 20d is now on about 10,475 as I had it from new and it's always been consistent with numbering of files, except for reseting counting to 0,000 once I reached 9,999.

So in short CJD, there's no way you'll be able to know with a 2nd hand camera unless you take it to canon (£££).

In reply to Jon Read:

okay - good to know. I got my old manual slr secondhand in 1996 - it was already 15 years old (or thereabouts). I've used it for around 10,000 pictures, and have only had to do one bit of 'servicing' which involved putting new batteries in it. Progress, schmogress

<wanders off in search of loom to smash>

In reply to CJD:

Yep, I'm up to around 18000 and have only had my dSLR since January. Some have reported problems around this mark, others have had no problems at all. But by finding out how many actuations a second hand camera has had you get an idea of how used the mechanics inside are.


No idea about Cannon's, but if its going to be anywhere then it'll be in the EXIF data.

In reply to Swig:

It depends how you have your D50 set up to number pictures.

Two options (can't remember where they are, but its in the menu somewhere, check the manual for details of how to change)....

1) Start from zero each time the card is wiped

2) Keep on counting after the card is wiped.

(I'm currently around DSC_5***)

In reply to slacky:

You're right, just found the manual buried on desk.

"File No. Seq." it's called.

In reply to slacky:

It looks like both Canon and Nikon put this information in the EXIF data:
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-7893-8309

However, Canon only do this for the 1d series of cameras...

J

P.S. You can use most exif viewers to find this information, you don't specifically need the software above.