Nikon DSLR Cameras
Nikon currently has about 5 different Digital SLR cameras on the market, with many different older ones. Each is designed for a different market segment ranging from serious amateur to professional.
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Nikon D40 and D40X
The D40 series replaces the slightly older D50. Compared to the D50, they've upgraded the internal computer but downgraded the mechanical parts of the camera in order to sell it for a cheaper price. The D40 runs around $550, and the D40X is around $650. The difference between the two is that the D40x is a 10MP camera (Digital Resolution of 3872x2592 pixels) vs. the D40 at 6mp (3008x2000 pixels). The D40x also has a better ISO meter, which lets you simulate from 100-1600 with 3200 boost instead of 200-1600, which is good for those super bright days or subjects. It can also shoot pictures slightly faster. On continuous mode, a D40x can shoot 3 frames per second instead of 2.5. The main downside to both D40 models is that it does not include an auto focus drive in the camera so you're stuck with lenses that have the drive built in. This means that you're stuck with AF-S or AF-I lenses only. Since one of the advantages to owning an SLR camera is the ability to change lenses, this is a major drawback.
Here are more opinions of the Nikon D40 (http://www.thelensflare.com/review/nikon/d40-slr-digital-camera-kit-with-18-55mm-55-200mm-lenses-6-1-megapixels-iso-1600-sensitivity-2-5-lcd).
Nikon D50
The D50 is all but discontinued; however, since I own one, I'll mention that it's a great camera for any serious amateur to semi-pro. It's a 6MP camera, which will allow up to 20x30 prints in JPG mode and 30x40 prints when using the RAW (NEF) file format. It has good color, and you can get about 1000-1500 pictures per battery charge, which is a major advantage over point and shoot cameras. The 200-1600 ISO settings are good for most situations except for when it's really dark or really light.
New cameras in the relative price range of the D50 include the D40x and the D80, and since the D40 series doesn't include an auto-focus drive, I'd heavily consider the D80.
Here are more reviews for the Nikon D50 (http://www.thelensflare.com/review/nikon/nikon-d50-dslr-digital-camera).
Nikon D80
The D80 represents the best Nikon DSLR camera for under $1000. It's a great camera for amateur to pro, although some pros might disagree with me here depending on the type of photography that they do. The D80 is a 10MP camera and allows an ISO setting of 100-1600 with 3200 boost, which is essentially the same as the D40x. Also, like the D40x, it can shoot 3 frames per second, but starts to choke after 23 consecutive images. When this happens, you'll have to wait for some of the images to save to the card, and then you can shoot again. The D40x doesn't have this limitation. The big advantage and reason to buy the D80 instead of the D40x is that it includes an auto-focus drive so any Nikon lens will work on this camera; therefore, the extra money spent now will be saved in the long run by being able to purchase a larger variety of cheaper lenses
The D80 kit comes with a rather nice lens that retails for around $400. It's a well made 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S lens. Typical kit lenses have a focal length of 18-55 (wide to normal) or 28-70 (around normal), but the 18-135 allows you to shoot from wide to semi-telephoto which is what 80% of your photos will need. The 3.5-5.6 apertures are fairly good as well and will be good enough for most situations. Later on, you can get lenses with bigger apertures and longer focal lengths, but this lens will be one that you'll likely keep in your inventory (where the other kit lenses are eventually swapped out for better quality ones).
If I bought a camera today, it would be the Nikon D80. For other's opinions, check out the Nikon D80 reviews (http://www.thelensflare.com/review/nikon/d80-slr-digital-camera-kit-with-18-135mm-70-300mm-vr-lenses-kit-bundle-savings) here on The Lens Flare.
Nikon D200
The D200 is where the professional cameras start. It's a 10 mega pixel digital SLR camera with 100-1600 ISO (and 3200 boost). It can shoot faster than the D80, with 1/8000 of a second shot instead of 1/4000, which is good for stuff like hummingbirds and baseball players swinging their bats. It can also shoot faster than the D80 at 5 frames per second instead of 3. Therefore, the D200 is probably the cheapest Nikon camera for the sports photographer, and runs around $1500. This camera also has the ability to do time lapse, where the less expensive ones can't do that. It's also a lot heavier than the D80. It's 32.5 ounces instead of 23.6 for the D80. This puts it at a slight disadvantage for the nature photographer that needs to lug around cameras and telephoto lenses for great distances (an extra 1/2 pound over 20 miles becomes a big deal).
More information on this camera can be found on the Nikon D200 Review (http://www.thelensflare.com/review/nikon/d200-slr-digital-camera-camera-body-kit-bundle-savings) page.
Nikon D2Xs
At 12 mega pixels, this is probably Nikon's best camera currently on the market. It's also $4,250, has a range of 100-800 ISO (with 3200 boost), can shoot an image in 1/8000 of a second, can shoot 5 frames per second (8 frames in a special cropped version), and weighs a lot more than the other cameras at 40.6 ounces. This is your typical studio Nikon camera that stays mounted to a monostand or tripod and isn't moved around too much. This would also be a great camera for the sports photographer, especially where the final image isn't going to be printed very big since the cropped setting can shoot at 8 frames per second. It doesn't have its own flash; instead it has everything needed to connect to external lights. It'll also do time lapse, which would be cool for flowers, insects, or anything else that could be put into a controlled setting. (It would do a great job out in the wild, but I wouldn't want to let a four thousand dollar piece of equipment sit around doing time lapse unless I babysat it, would you?)
Nikon D300
This camera was released after the original article was written; however, there are reviews for this camera listed on the Nikon D300 Review (http://www.thelensflare.com/review/nikon/d300-slr-digital-camera-camera-body-12-3-megapixels-dx-format-cmos-sensor-3-0-lcd-display-live-view) page.
About the Author
Brian Broderick (http://www.brianbroderick.com) is a semi-pro nature photographer and the creator of The Lens Flare. His hobbies include hiking, skiing, and computer graphics, and is currently a web programmer.
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