After some research, I decided to purchase the Nikon D40x along with 2 lenses: the standard 18-55 II lens and the much acclaimed 55-200 VR DX lens.
The best deal I found was at Henry’s which offered a bundle with everything I wanted. Nikon also offered a $50 mail in rebate for the lens… sweet! And to complete the package, a 2GB memory card. I can’t say I truly shopped around. But was satisfied with this deal in comparison to the handful of others I checked out.
Reason I chose the Nikon D40x over the Canon XTi? … Both have similar ratings. I was told by a Black’s salesperson that the Canon was known for portraits while the Nikon more for scenes. Though I’ve already taken some nice portraits with the Nikon. From my research, the lens the Canon XTi comes with is mediocre. So I would have had to buy the body and lens separately. While the Nikon 18-55 is a solid lens. But it really came down to the way it felt in my hand. A lot of the posts I’ve read recommended holding both before deciding. The Canon felt awkward while the Nikon was more comfortable. Although the D40x doesn’t have a lot of AF compatible lenses to choose from out there in the market, I figured if I’m that into photography, by the time I will require the larger variety of lenses than those available for the D40x, I will likely upgrade the camera. Though I heard from the Henry’s sales rep that Sigma is coming out with some compatible lenses, wide-angle in particular, by spring 2008.
I’m not a D-SLR critic, but as a beginner I’m impressed with the camera so far, especially with the 55-200 VR lens. I would say it’s a must when you purchase the D40x. The quality of the picture’s with the lens is amazing.
Be sure to check out my Flickr page for my SLR photos coming soon!
