07-24-2007, 05:19 PM
[quote vision63]volcs0 and I have a very similar experience. Including the get the friend the D40. I love my D80 (and it's 18-135) but her d40 (standard kit) is an AWESOME camera. No camera out today captures images better. It's a responsive camera that you take everywhere because it's so unobtrusive. Yet, if you hold it in your hand, the grip and where your fingers fall makes it seem to be an extension of your body. I still have and use the D70 volcs0.
Well, the true (and sad) story is that after owning and loving the D70 for two years, my family banded together and got me a D200 for a big present. After owning it a month, I fell while on the beach and it landed in salt water, effectively killing it. It was the first and last time I've dropped a camera. I was pretty heartbroken over this. What I ended up doing was selling my D70 for $440 and the dead D200 for $650 (yes, I was amazed too). With this money, I bought the D80 kit with the 18-135 lens. For the brief time I owned the D200, I realized that it is an amazing camera - a real step up from the D80 in terms of build quality and functionality, though the pictures are supposedly similar.
For now, I'm lusting after the 20-200 VR lens... but that $700 purchase will have to wait another year or two...
Well, the true (and sad) story is that after owning and loving the D70 for two years, my family banded together and got me a D200 for a big present. After owning it a month, I fell while on the beach and it landed in salt water, effectively killing it. It was the first and last time I've dropped a camera. I was pretty heartbroken over this. What I ended up doing was selling my D70 for $440 and the dead D200 for $650 (yes, I was amazed too). With this money, I bought the D80 kit with the 18-135 lens. For the brief time I owned the D200, I realized that it is an amazing camera - a real step up from the D80 in terms of build quality and functionality, though the pictures are supposedly similar.
For now, I'm lusting after the 20-200 VR lens... but that $700 purchase will have to wait another year or two...