Rep Power: 745

We are looking to get a D-SLR for my mom for mothers day and her b-day. I know a few of you are great with cameras and was looking for some advice. She wants something thats quick, and obviously takes good pics. Right now Best buy has a nikon d40 with 2 lens'. For like 799. The lens' are a 18-55, and a 55-200. What exactly does that mean? How can I tell the zoom on the camera? Im fairly knowledgeable about cameras, but not slr's or anything with different lens' and ****. If anyone has any suggestions please say something, we need to get this by Thursday.

 
Rep Power: 817

don't know what it means but i think that is the one my mom has and yeah it's pretty good and i don't even know how to use it to its full capabilitites

 
Rep Power: 745

Shoot, I did some more research and found that the d40 only uses lenes that have the focus servo in the lens, not the camera. And I have had problems finding those types of lens', kinda makes me wonder. Now im leaning twards the Digital Rebel xti.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16830120070
But I dont know what other lens we would want, mostly for my sisters softball games and some action shots up north. Any info would help.

 
Rep Power: 755

The d40 with those two lenses is about all the camera your mom will ever need. If she's going to get really deep into photography she may need to upgrade to a better lens at some point, but those two lenses do a great job at just about anything. Read this review: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40.htm

The lenses that are provided in that kit have the zoom motors in them. It's not an issue. If you're going to upgrade over those lenses, chances are that any lens you'll buy will have built in zoom anyway. From that review, I've seen that the LCD is far and away many times better than what else is out there right now. I'd say that she'd be completely happy with the d40. I know I would be.

And as far as 18-55 and 55-200 mm, those are the focal lengths of the lens. The lenses with high numbers (200, 300, etc) are going to be more of a telephoto lens than, say, the 18-55. And also; as a sidenote, Ken Rockwell is not endorsed or sponsored by any of the Camera manufacturers. He buys his own cameras with his own money. The reviews he gives are largely unbiased. He is a bit of a Nikon fanatic, but I don't believe that gets in the way of his reviews.

 
Rep Power: 819

yeah i was looking at that same camera at work the other day. looks super nice

 
Rep Power: 1088

yeah I saw it was on sale the other day too... Its a decent camera, and I think for your mom it would be just fine.