Nikon 40x SD Memory Card Advice

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ServerKing

[H]ard|Gawd
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I am thinking about picking up this camera and wanted to get a good 8gig SD card. Which ones are the best fit for this camera. I am mainly concerned about write speed once taking a picture, not viewing or xfering it to a computer. Anyone have any good ones to suggest?
 
The SanDisk Extreme III is all you'll need. The II probably would have been OK but it doesn't look like they make those anymore

<edit>the II is called "Ultra" and is still available</edit>
 
Not to jack your thread, but since you said you are "thinking" of getting this camera, I wanted to throw this out there:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40x.htm

I think his advice is pretty dead on. The extra megapixels aren't really worth the cost, and the pictures won't in any other way be better. Better to put the money you save by getting a D40 towards a lens.
 
I will second the SanDisk Extreme III, it writes fast and, uploads to the computer fast. I have two of them.
 
I was reading the article and I already new that basically the human eye can only basically see 6 megapixels anyways. I currently own a Fuji S9100 thinking about selling it to get a real dslr. The only thing I read in this was the D40 doesnt seem to support anything higher then a 4gb card?
 
If there is a max card size of 4GB, it's not a huge deal. When I shoot RAW with an 8 megapixel 20D, I get a little over 400 shots per 4GB card.

Now if you're still considering cameras, I'm partial to Canon, but that's a whole nother thread ;)
 
ServerKing said:
I was reading the article and I already new that basically the human eye can only basically see 6 megapixels anyways. I currently own a Fuji S9100 thinking about selling it to get a real dslr. The only thing I read in this was the D40 doesnt seem to support anything higher then a 4gb card?
Click to expand...

As said, shouldn't really be an issue. Even shooting at the highest possible settings, you should get plenty of pictures on a 4GB card.

As far as 6mp vs 10mp, the scenarios where you would be able to see the different would be rare. If you are making huge poster prints or something then going for 10mp would be worth it. If you don't plan to make any massive prints though, 6mp is quite fine. I had some 11x15 prints made for my parents for christmas and they came out wonderfully.
 
The 40X has a slow burst rate. Even your cheapie SD cards will do fine. No need for 133x transfer or anything. Heck, when I'm in a pinch, I even use a cheapie in my D80, and it has never slowed me down. I just don't trust it for reliability, or I'd probably only buy them!
 
ServerKing said:
I was reading the article and I already new that basically the human eye can only basically see 6 megapixels anyways. I currently own a Fuji S9100 thinking about selling it to get a real dslr. The only thing I read in this was the D40 doesnt seem to support anything higher then a 4gb card?
Click to expand...

MP depends simply on print size. If you're doin on 8x10s and smaller, heck, 4MP will do you OK. Now, if you're printing something 12x18, you may want to make sure you have 6MP. I think 10-12MP only comes into play when you want to print a billboard :p.

However, your eyes don't see "MP" at all. In fact, they don't see pixels ;).

The D40 is not SDHC, AFAIK, so it will not take anything >4GB. And even some 4GB cards are iffy, from what I've heard.

FWIW, I like taking many smaller cards. I carry 10 2GB cards to every normal shoot. If I know I need more, I take my "case" of SD cards, which has 25 2GB SD cards, and various CF cards. I shoot RAW and get about 170 or so on each card 2GB card on my D80.

Also, a little birdie told me that PMA may be interesting this year. Look for the D40/x replacement, maybe called the D60 to be announced then.

I currently shoot mostly D80s though. They're excatly what I need. Though man, the new D300 has me by the balls.
 
I think the D40 would be nice for me I want to get the telephoto lens as well and maybe a horseshoe flash later. If the D40 takes good enough pics for 8x10 (I dont print bigger) it sounds like the money I can save would basically go towards the 200.00 telephoto lens I want. I think I may get 1 extreme 3 card for my primary and a few secondaries, I have 1 primary cpf 133x for my s9100 and 2 8gig microdrive for backup incase I run out of room. Think I might do the same just buy some cheaper secondary cards I am not really worried about the burst rate unless the speed is somewhat fast because its dead slow on my s9100.
 
ServerKing said:
I think the D40 would be nice for me I want to get the telephoto lens as well and maybe a horseshoe flash later. If the D40 takes good enough pics for 8x10 (I dont print bigger) it sounds like the money I can save would basically go towards the 200.00 telephoto lens I want. I think I may get 1 extreme 3 card for my primary and a few secondaries, I have 1 primary cpf 133x for my s9100 and 2 8gig microdrive for backup incase I run out of room. Think I might do the same just buy some cheaper secondary cards I am not really worried about the burst rate unless the speed is somewhat fast because its dead slow on my s9100.
Click to expand...
Burst rate on the D40 and D40x I believe is about 3 FPS. Not shabby, but not great for fast action shooting.
Realise, the D40/40x are both SD, not CF. I carry CF for my D200.
What's your overall budget?
D40 (used D50 would RULE!) for body
18-55mm "kit" lens, + 55-200mm VR lens (or 70-300mm VR if you can swing it) for lenses
SB 600 for the hotshoe flash.
Some cash for a decent bag.
If you get a VR (nikon) /OS (sigma) lens, you shouldn't NEED a tripod, but one is always nice to have regardless.
 
budget would be 1000.00, i have seen refurb from nikon with the 18mm lens for 400.00 the 55-200 vr lens for 220.00. I know about the CF/SD thats the reason I posed the question because I have used CF and I cant use what I already own from my other camera /sigh I already own tripod so that will not be an issue :)
 
ServerKing said:
budget would be 1000.00, i have seen refurb from nikon with the 18mm lens for 400.00 the 55-200 vr lens for 220.00. I know about the CF/SD thats the reason I posed the question because I have used CF and I cant use what I already own from my other camera /sigh I already own tripod so that will not be an issue :)
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If your budget is $1000, may I make a suggestion?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D40-Digit...yZ150130QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Whamola!
Nikon D40, 18-55mm, 55-200mm VR, 4GB SD, $700 ish shipped.
Cameta are good people. I turn to them when B&H doesn't immediately have what I need.
Could also do this, if you don't "need" the 200mm:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D80-Digit...yZ147174QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
D80, 18-135mm $955ish shipped.
 
As an eBay Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
Thanks for the suggestion once I get my funds that seller looks to include everything relavent, I hate it when they include crap you dont or will never use lol My friend has the D80 and I have used that and I really liked it alot.
 
ServerKing said:
Thanks for the suggestion once I get my funds that seller looks to include everything relavent, I hate it when they include crap you dont or will never use lol My friend has the D80 and I have used that and I really liked it alot.
Click to expand...
Cameta are good people. You can also call them and "customize" the auction. Add or take away things.
I love my D80. It's why I own two of them. One I keep a fast prime on, and the other I keep an 80-400mm on. Carry both with me to shoots, and I don't have to worry about lense swapping etc. One cam over one shoulder, one over the other.
I like the D80 for many, many reasons over the D40.
I suggest going to a local shop and holding/playing with both to find which one your hands like better.
 
Eulogy said:
The D40 is not SDHC, AFAIK, so it will not take anything >4GB. And even some 4GB cards are iffy, from what I've heard.
Click to expand...

A correction, if you will: the D40 is SDHC compatible. I know because I've got one and it accepts 4GB and higher cards. I believe anything over 2GB is "SDHC". In either case, it does accept SDHC.
 
mastercheeze said:
A correction, if you will: the D40 is SDHC compatible. I know because I've got one and it accepts 4GB and higher cards. I believe anything over 2GB is "SDHC". In either case, it does accept SDHC.
Click to expand...

Neat. Didn't know that. Thanks :).
 
mastercheeze said:
A correction, if you will: the D40 is SDHC compatible. I know because I've got one and it accepts 4GB and higher cards. I believe anything over 2GB is "SDHC". In either case, it does accept SDHC.
Click to expand...

Yep. The D40 is SDHC compatible. I don't use an SDHC card, I really don't need that much space... but I was looking at them and remember reading that they are compatible.
 
Don't forget that having more megapixels is good for being able to crop part of the photo... in addition to making larger prints.
 
I was starting to wonder If I'd gone insane. I carry around 11GB of SD cards whenever I shoot.

I took 700 pictures in one night at a hockey game. You can EASILY fill a lot of cards if you're shutterhappy.

Oh, OP. MP are not worth it. If you can get a D40 for cheap, and then spend the rest on faster glass, do that. I bought a D40x last month and I love it, but I should have thought a liiiiittle bit more about it :)
 
mwarps said:
I was starting to wonder If I'd gone insane. I carry around 11GB of SD cards whenever I shoot.

I took 700 pictures in one night at a hockey game. You can EASILY fill a lot of cards if you're shutterhappy.

Oh, OP. MP are not worth it. If you can get a D40 for cheap, and then spend the rest on faster glass, do that. I bought a D40x last month and I love it, but I should have thought a liiiiittle bit more about it :)
Click to expand...

Glass > Body, every time.
 
mwarps said:
I was starting to wonder If I'd gone insane. I carry around 11GB of SD cards whenever I shoot.

I took 700 pictures in one night at a hockey game. You can EASILY fill a lot of cards if you're shutterhappy.

Oh, OP. MP are not worth it. If you can get a D40 for cheap, and then spend the rest on faster glass, do that. I bought a D40x last month and I love it, but I should have thought a liiiiittle bit more about it :)
Click to expand...

What mode are you shooting in? I could see filling several gigs quickly if you are shooting in RAW, but thats about it. I used to shoot everything in raw, and when I saw how big my pictures folder was getting, I stopped that. I'm going to need to get another hard drive just for pictures. I've started shooting in Normal jpeg for most pictures, and I will bump it up to RAW only when I am taking a shot I know will be a good one. I carry around a 2GB card and a 512MB card just in case, and to date, I've never needed the 512MB card.
 
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