After about a year of fumbling around, I now have both of these lenses along with a Nikon D40. On the way, I learned a great many things, so I’ll start off with the story.

Last year, after buying my Nikon D40, I was delighted at the image quality of the camera and at the same time, a bit frustrated with the standard kit lens, the 18-55mm G-ED II.

My previous camera was a Sony H-1, a big-zoom compact. The image quality was obviously quite poor compared to any DSLR, but the large zoom range, the vibration reduction system and the DSLR like click and scroll control were brilliant.

The kit lens at first frustrated me mostly because of the missing vibration reduction. I had grown so used to it that it felt at first very hard to take sharp pictures. This had mostly to do with the fact that I had gotten sloppy handholding. The limited focal length range was also somewhat hard to get used to. On the plus side, the kit lens was very light and made the D40 very easy to handle. I found the pictures I made with it to be excellent in good light and ok in low light. A very good kit lens, but a shame that it has no VR.

The focal length limitation I could easily live with, but the lack of vibration reduction not so much. Call me lazy, I know, but it makes it much easier to have sharp photos, even in low light. So I started looking at the options:

The Nikon 18-200mm VR

I had at first decided on this ultimate travel zoom, thinking that while it is expensive, this would be the only lens I would ever need. Things were not so rosy however, when I went to try it at the camera shop. While the size seems to be OK on paper, this lens is very front heavy and it feels completely unbalanced on the D40. Using the camera one handed with this lens on it is out of the question, at least for me. With the 18-200mm out of the running, it was time to look at the alternatives.

The Nikon 18-55mm VR

The great thing about the 18-55 VR is the size and weight. It is fractionally larger and heavier than the 18-55 kit lens but just barely enough to feel the extra weight. Since the focal length is the same as the kit lens, this felt like a bad deal to me. Of course, the fact that the normal retail price is ridiculuously high makes it a doubly bad deal. I thought it would be silly to spend so much money just to have vibration reduction.

The Nikon 18-105mm VR

This lens is in an interesting middle ground. Price wise, it is much closer to the 18-55 VR than the 18-200 VR. In terms of zoom range, it lies right between them. I found this to be an attractive alternative, it was affordable, doubled the zoom range of my kit lens, and had vibration reduction. After trying it on my D40, I found the size and weight much more reasonable than the 18-200VR. Yes, it is larger and heavier than the kit lens, but not dramatically so. One handed operation is a bit trickier, but still ok.

At the beginning, I was really happy with the extended zoom range and the vibration reduction. After some months though, some of the shortcomings became obvious.

I’ll start with the most frustrating: The minimum focus distance is far too long on this lens. Sometimes, when you want to take a close up of something, you’ll get near it and the lens will simply refuse to focus because you are too close to your subject. This happens so often that it gets really annoying after a while.

Another niggle: The focus ring has no feel and too much travel. Although you can override the focus at any time, you can’t easily tell in which direction you are shifting the focus because the travel is far too long. Since there is no distance scale or anything, I can’t ever really tell what I am doing. Well, I know I am not the best photographer in the world, yes, but I manage to shoot with manual focus cameras and that works out fine. All of this caused me to practically not ever attempt to adjust the focus manually. Which kind of takes some of the fun away.

The final straw: While I was never dissatisfied with the pictures from the 18-105VR, I was not really satisfied either. For a long time, I couldn’t tell why and it took me a really long time to understand the reason. Some of my pictures with my kit lens the 18-55mm, especially those shot in good light, had an almost magical “pop” to them. They looked really, really good. Not that I am a good photographer, I am just talking about the technical quality. You just looked at them and said “wow”. I realized that none of the images shot with the 18-105 were like this. So I started examining the kit lens pictures more closely. The thing that these pictures had in common was: Kit lens, shot with an aperture of f8 or f11. Hmm, OK I thought, this is kind of obvious, any lens needs to be stopped down a bit to get optimum quality.

So I started looking at the photos from the 18-105, picking out the f8 or f11s. They looked fine, OK, there were no obvious problems. But they did not have that “bite”, that “pop” that something extra that the kit lens pictures had. This is the point at which a better photography site would put up comparison test shots between the two lenses. Since I am lazy and can’t bother to shoot pictures just for testing, I will just say the following: The 18-55mm kit lens spanks the 18-105mm VR in image quality, period. Will you notice the difference? I always thought “Lens sharpness is way overrated, it’s for pixel peepers, normal people can’t see the difference”. Well, even with my lowly 6 megapixel D40, I can tell the difference.

On with the rest of the story:

Armed with this information, I snagged a second hand 18-55mm VR to try out. Within minutes, it made me smile. What I had forgotten was how much fun the D40 is with a light lens on it. While the 18-105 is not enormously large, it still is noticeably heavier. The 18-55 VR, on the other hand makes the D40 handle like a dream. The close focusing distance means you can get much closer to subjects and the maximum magnification for macro shots is larger than the 18-105. The image quality is also much better, I think pretty much same as the kit lens, in other words: very good. All of this makes this lens a lot of fun. On paper, this lens looks awkward and expensive, but on a camera, it feels absolutely wonderful. It’s a case of the whole being more than the sum of its parts.

The conclusion, then:

The Nikon 18-55mm VR

It doesn’t do everything, this one. Zoom range is limited, there is no instant focus override. It is a simple, light, cheap lens with vibration reduction. Doesn’t promise you the world. But it does what it does very well. It is a brilliant little lens.

The Nikon 18-105mm VR

This one promises a bit more. Double the zoom range. Instant focus override. Looks a bit more serious as well. In the end: the niggles take a lot of the fun away from this lens. On paper, this is a much better lens, shame that it doesn’t work as well in the real world

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This camera is a Nikon D40 Digital SLR. It is Nikon’s entry level, thus cheapest DSLR. I have recently bought this camera, my previous being a ‘big zoom’ compact. Below are some of the impressions of the D40 coming from a compact camera.

Coming from a compact camera, the first thing that I noticed was the speed. Sure, the D40 is not quick by DSLR standards, but coming from a compact camera, it feels like the shutter is instantaneous. The 2.5 frames per second continuous shooting rate is years ahead of most compacts. While other DSLRs may be even quicker, I never found the D40 to be sluggish in use, except for moments where the autofocus did not react fast enough.

The autofocus system on the D40 is fairly simple, with only 3 focus points. I had some trouble adjusting to this in the first days. You have to have one of the autofocus points somewhere near a contrasty area in the picture. This is quite unlike compact cameras, which focus, slowly, but they do in the end. If you point the D40 somewhere with no contrast at all, it will often not be able to find focus.

One of the most pleasant surprises was the shutter noise of the D40. I had feared a loud shutter noise because I had gotten used to the almost nonexistent shutter noise of my compact. It was great for taking pictures without being noticed. The shutter noise of the D40 is very quiet and smooth for a DSLR.

Of course, having real parts move inside the camera every time you take a picture has another effect as well: It is somehow much more satisfying to take pictures. Every time you take a picture, you get a little klinkity klank, and that feels good. You get the impression that what you did was more than just shuffling electrons around.

The usability of the D40 is exemplary. I specifically mean the playback functionality, looking through the pictures, zooming in, out and deleting them.

The buttons on the left of the screen include the playback, zoom in and out. The directional pad on the right allows you to scroll around in the zoomed picture. It also navigates through the pictures when not zoomed in.

Simply use the left thumb to zoom, right thumb to scroll in picture and to move to next/prev picture. This works like a dream and it takes hardly any time to get used to.

Deleting pictures is so easy, you wonder why not all cameras have the same functionality? Push the delete button twice. Done.

Probably the biggest plus over my old compact camera was the colors. While I was pretty happy with my compact in good light, the colors from the D40 are on another level. It is very hard to describe this in words, but the colors just look so much better. Another good thing is that you don’t get blown out skies so often. This happens when the camera cannot recognize the really light blue of the sky and renders it completely white, a common problem for many compacts. This was one of the most annoying things on my old camera

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The Nikon ML-L3 is a small remote control that works with the Nikon D40 and many other Nikon cameras.

I guess the main purpose for getting one would be to appear in photos that you take. It is also useful when you are shooting on a tripod and you do not want to introduce camera shake by touching the shutter button. Yes, it is also possible to set the timer function on the camera to 2 or 10 seconds to do this, but this remote control makes it somewhat easier. You can also capture exactly the moment you want, which you cannot do with a timer.

There are two modes on the Nikon D40 for using the ML-L3. The first is the instant remote triggering. In this mode, the camera takes the shot as soon as it receives the signal from the remote. This is good for shooting something when your camera is on a tripod or similar. The second mode is 2 seconds delayed triggering. In this mode, the camera takes the shot 2 seconds after the signal from the remote. As you can guess, this is meant so you can be in the picture without your outstretched arm pointing at the camera. You point the remote at the camera, press the button, the camera then gives you 2 seconds to tuck your arm away.

If you have just bought an ML-L3 and it doesn’t work with your Nikon camera, don’t get upset, it is very probably not broken: The camera settings need to be changed to use the ML-L3. For the Nikon D40, simply go into the Custom Setting menu (pencil icon) and then to 04 – Shooting Mode. Choose Quick-response remote or 2s Delayed remote. To set the time duration in which the remote is enabled, go to the Custom Setting Menu, item 17: Remote on duration. You can choose between 1, 5, 10 and 15 minutes, after this time, the camera will go back into the previous shooting mode. If only items 1-6 are available in the Custom Setting Menu, then your Setup is set to the Simple mode. To enable the full menus, go into the Setup Menu (wrench icon) and then CSM/Setup menu. Choose Full to display all of the available options.

This remote control works using infrared, and therefore the infrared receiver on the camera needs to “see” the infrared light on the remote control. This means normally it works only when they have “line of sight”. Since the infrared receiver is on the handgrip of the D40 pointing to the front of the camera, normally you can only trigger it from the front side of the camera. Indoors, you can often trigger it from the back because the infrared light will bounce off the walls

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To begin with, special thanks go out to my friends at B&H Photo Video for loaning me this camera to review. I am not going to spend time going through every menu and button on the camera. There are plenty of sites you can go to get the technical details of each of these items. My intent is to give my overall impressions of the camera and features I found useful.

What’s in the Box:

1. Nikon D3000 10.2 Megapixel Camera Body with Body Cap
2. The Kit sent to me included an AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 VR Lens
3. Battery and Wall Charger
4. Neck Strap
5. USB cable
6. Instruction Manuals and Quick Start Guide
7. Nikon Software Suite CD ROM
8. Reference Manual on CD ROM

Initial impressions:

After using Nikon D3000 for a week or so, I can say this is one nice camera. The size of the D3000 reminds me very much of my older Canon Rebel XT and a side by side comparison shows them to be very close in body dimensions and weight. It is light and easy to carry around for extended periods. I have heard others comment negatively on the small size of the DSLR’s in this category, but I have never found them uncomfortable or less secure to hold than some of the larger camera bodies. The grip and button layout is very natural and it did not take me very long to get comfortable with the controls.

One aspect of this camera that is really nice is the 11 point auto focus system. I found it focused fast and most important accurately. This is the same focusing mechanism found on the much more expensive Nikon D90, and more advanced than what is available on the other cameras in the D3000’s segment. As for the buttons available, there are not many. Most of the commands are found in the menu system. There are buttons for exposure compensation, auto exposure/focus lock and a user programmable function button on the left side just above the lens release button. It can be set to control ISO, Timer, Image Quality, White Balance, Active D-lighting or to Set Framing Grid (allowing you to choose the one you use most). Another control layout feature I really like is the adjustment wheel that is accessible using the right thumb; it just feels natural and intuitive to me. The Active D-lighting option is used to increase the dynamic range (usable information in the darker and lighter areas). I tried this and found that while it does show more details in the shadows, it comes with a price. Which is slower file write times and a little more noise in the shadows.

The 3 inch LCD screen is large and easy to read. I had no problems reading it in bright conditions. One item on the screen that I thought might be useful to the photographer just starting out is the graphical representation of the lens aperture. It shows the opening and closing of the aperture blades as each different aperture is selected. Now, you may ask why this is useful. Well let’s say you are just starting out in photography and can’t remember which F-stop gives you more or less light. This graphic shows you exactly what to expect. Go from F5.6 to F6.3 and you see the aperture close down.

Also, with beginners in mind, the Nikon D3000 has a new mode called “Guide”. This is in addition to having the normal modes of Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Full Auto and Scene Modes. By the way, scene mode is where you can choose action, portrait, landscape, etc. and the camera automatically selects settings for that type of photo. I tried the new guide mode and think that it might be helpful for beginning photographers or those just switching to a DSLR from a compact camera. When you choose Easy Operation in Guide Mode it asks you simple questions about the shooting situation you are in and explains which scene mode it is going to use and why. When you choose Advanced Operation it uses aperture and shutter priority modes and explains why you would use them. You will soon outgrow this mode, but it is nice to have when you have trouble remembering which mode to use in a certain situation.

The Nikon D3000 has an ISO range of 100 to 1600 plus Hi 1 which is 3200. I tried out different ISO’s and found that it is acceptable up to about ISO 800. ISO 1600 could be used in a pinch if you really needed it and the image really degrades when you hit 3200. I used a 4GB SDHC card and found it hold the following quantities:

Fine/Large JPEG – 524
Fine/Medium JPEG – 922
Normal/Large JPEG – 1000
RAW NEF files – 228

Some Other Nice Discoveries:

The menu has a Recent Settings option which allows you to quickly get to camera settings you have used in the past. It holds the last 15 menu selections you have used. Great if you want to get to an item you use frequently that is buried deeper in the menu structure. There is also a framing grid option that is kind of nice. It super imposes a black grid, using the rule of thirds in the viewfinder. This grid flashes red when you half press the shutter release button and can be used to help you properly frame your subject.

The Nikon D3000 also has in camera retouching that allows you to make some adjustments to your photos right in the camera. Such as Red Eye Correction, Cropping, Filter Effects, Color Balancing, D-Lighting (which opens up shadow areas) and other fun stuff.

The kit lens that came with the D3000 package I tested is the AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 VR. This is a pretty good lens to get you started out in photography. I found that it was sharp and clear in the short time I spent with this camera. The VR (Vibration Reduction) that is on this lens really helps when hand holding the camera in low light situations. In case all the numbers and letters in the lens name do not make sense to you let’s talk a little about what they mean. The 18-55mm refers to the lens focal length meaning it zooms from 18mm to 55mm. The 1:3.5-5.6 refers to the available apertures for this lens. This means the lens opens up to a maximum of f3.5 at 18mm and progresses to f5.6 at 55mm. At the intermediate apertures, say at 35mm it opens up to f5.0

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First off, I have a confession. Yours truly is a Canon user.

“OK,” you might ask, “what’s up with the article about a Nikon D90?”

“Excellent question,” I might respond. It’s actually about an admiration I have for Nikon and Canon in general.

The fact is, both Canon and Nikon are great digital SLR camera manufacturers, and no matter which one you have, it is probably a fantastic unit. Both companies are heavily into improving technology and providing photographers with a first class experience.

Competition is wonderful, especially when the results are as obvious as they are in the recent improvements in DSLR equipment.

So, enough with the double-speak. Most photographers are true to their brand. If they own one major brand, they will uphold the virtues of that brand and many times degrade the other. Not so for me. I like ‘em both, and I have used ‘em both.

Here’s my question of the day: “What makes a good camera great? In particular, what makes a Nikon D90 great?”

I will give you my best answer below, but first a little insight into why I think the way I do about this subject.

I am a high school yearbook adviser for a small private school. This is my first year doing this gig, and I am learning as I go. One of the major hurdles that I am becoming painfully aware of is that there are not enough “picture takers” at my school. I have struggled getting photos of events.. no, not true.. I have struggled getting photos that are “good enough” to print in the yearbook.

I can’t go to every event myself, so I have asked many students, parents, and staff members to help out. The results are disappointing. Mostly there is no photo coverage because the people are just not interested in getting them. And when they do take pictures they are not of good enough quality.

That is until this week. I encountered a student in the hall who said, “Hey, I have some pictures of the track meet. Do you want to use some of them?”

Obviously, I said I did. However, I was not all that enthusiastic about getting them considering what I had seen in the past from students and parents.

Boy, was I surprised when I uploaded those 210 photos to my computer. They were excellent! And some were just downright amazing.

So I went to find this budding young photographer to find out how she did this. “Oh, I really like taking pictures with my Digital SLR,” she told me. “I have a Nikon D90, and I have been getting a lot of really cool pictures with it. The more I use it the more I’m getting to like photography. I love this camera.”

I was so impressed with her that I enlisted her as a “Certified Yearbook Photographer.”

She was thrilled, but not as much as I am.

Now, the answer to the burning question of the day: What makes the Nikon D90 a great camera? It’s user enthusiasm. Pretty simple, huh?

If that student leaves her camera at home, it’s not worth anything. But, armed with her beloved DSLR and a passion for the results she knows are sure to come when she views her photos on the computer, she IS a Certified Yearbook Photographer.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the features that most photographers are impressed with in the Nikon D90

• 12.9 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor (effective pixels: 12.3 million)
• 3.0-inch 920,000 pixel (VGA x 3 colors) TFT-LCD (same as D3 and D300)
• Live View with contrast-detect AF, face detection
• Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
• Illuminated focus points
• Movie capture at up to 1280 x 720 (720p) 24 fps with mono sound
• IS0 200-3200 range (100-6400 expanded)
• 4.5 frames per second continuous shooting
• Expeed image processing engine
• 3D tracking Auto Focus (11 point)
• Short startup time, viewfinder blackout and shutter lag
• Extensive in-camera retouching including raw development and straightening

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The camera world is all about comparisons. If you look at user forums, you will see that each camera is compared to every other camera that has similar features.

And of course, the Canon – Nikon debate is at the top of many of these arguments.. er.. comparisons.

Most recently, there is a discussion about the merits of the new Canon Rebel T2i (aka 550D) versus almost any other model including some of its own siblings. However, with this writing, we will take a peek at some similarities and/or differences to compare the Canon Rebel T2i vs the Nikon D90, since the Nikon also boasts having video capabilities, as does the Canon model.

At the top of everyone’s list is the sensor size. In this case we compare a brand new (for the Rebel line) Canon 18 megapixel sensor with a Nikon 12.9 megapixel sensor.

When we discuss pixels we generally think that more is better. However, this is not always the case. When you get to a certain level in the pixel count, you need to take into consideration the quality of the pixels rather than the quantity. Canon has added an additional 3 megapixels to the same size sensor found in the T1i, and they have done a good job of re-engineering the pixels so that they are of better quality. This has improved the image quality as well as the possible image size. But how many people actually print a photo that is 17 x 11.5? This is the size you could print at a resolution of 300 ppi (pixels per inch).

In comparison, the Nikon has a sensor size of 12.9 megapixels. Add to this a sensor that is actually physically larger than the Canon sensor, and you have the possibility of an image that prints with better quality.

This is very highly technical in nature, but suffice it to say the the Nikon D90 will produce images that are quite large and are considered by some to be of better quality than those produced by the Canon T2i. Now, that information is based on some very discerning technical evaluations. To the casual viewer, there may be no difference at all between the two.

Next, let’s consider the movie mode, since this is the biggest marketing point for the new Canon. Right up front, there are no critics that will not admit the movie mode is superior on the Canon Rebel T2i compared to the Nikon D90. You can capture video at a whopping 1920 x 1080 which views beautifully on your HDTV. Add to that the new stereo sound input and the ability to attach an external mic and you have some pretty impressive video. The Nikon will capture 1080 x 720 at 24 frames per second. Not quite as impressive, but still good quality. Now, the only drawback to the larger format is the memory required in the camera and on your computer once you download. So, is it really necessary to go for that large format video? Your choice.

Another feature that you may want to consider in your choice is something called Live View. Both cameras have this feature, but the Canon has added something not available in the Nikon. Actually two things. First, you can turn on a grid that divides your screen into thirds. This is a handy feature for composing your photos using the Rule of Thirds to get a more pleasing photo layout. Additionally, with the Canon, you can zoom in Live View to 5x or 10x size to check the focus of your shot. You can only imagine how much this can help eliminate out of focus shots.

There are other features to look at, and I suggest that you do before making your choice.

A major consideration is whether you already own a previous model of either brand. If so, you will definitely save money by simply upgrading to a newer model so you can continue to use your lenses.

However, if you are buying your first Digital SLR camera, you can’t go wrong with either model. Image quality leans toward the Nikon, but the Canon (as with all the former Rebel models) is recognized as having superior image quality as well….. Read more

D5000 is the newest offering from Nikon which is supposed to be a replacement from the D60 and the D40. This can be attributed to the growing popularity of DSLR and as manifested by the recent boom of manufacturers releasing either bulked-up or stripped-down products to make sure that they will not lose their market. However, this strategy has caused confusion among consumers. For instance, when Nikon released the D40 and D60 series (this is before the D5000 was released), many were surprised that the auto-focus motor feature was removed. This simplification of the models made them inexpensive but some customers were dissatisfied because their choices of lenses that can be auto-focused are now limited.

Fortunately, Nikon has now decided to create an upper-entry-level DSLR that sits below the likes of D90. It is then safe to assume that the D5000 is a crossbreed of the D60 and the D90. The D500 has the imaging assembly capabilities, AF module Live View and HD video recording features of the D90. It also has the info panel-based navigation of the D60. In a way, the D5000 is on a higher level than the D60 but not that cutting-edge as the D90.

As mentioned, the D5000 is a crossover between the two former models in terms of its features but it also has its own functions that are unique to this particular model. First of which is the LCD display that can be readjusted. All previous Nikon DSLRs do not have a positionable LCD display and this feature of the D5000 is definitely a plus. You can rotate the LCD display of the D5000 into a number of positions and it can also be flipped to protect the screen display when the D5000 is not in use.

Apart from a positionable LCD display, the D5000 also has an articulated rear LCD and a mirror feature that well fits the small size and inconspicuous appearance of the D5000. However, because of these features, one major setback of the D5000 is that it does not have the best anti-glare coating which is very important when the lenses are exposed to a very broad daylight.

The D5000 also has the capability to set your photos with more scene modes choices…… Read more

First off here’s why I like this camera so much and why it’s my favorite:

The D90 has a very solid tight feel that is well balanced with the included 10-105 VR lens. This camera once turned on is ready to go and shoots very fast. The direct access buttons are easy to press and provide very good feedback feel to the touch. This helps a lot as your not digging into the menus which means you can work much faster.

I kind of thought that the lens which came with it would be average at best, it actually turned out to be a nice surprise. Everything comes out very sharp and crisp looking.

The size of the camera is a perfect fit for me and I’ve heard from others the same comment. Ergonomically it fits really well in your hands and is very comfortable.

The LCD which is a hi resolution screen is pretty amazing. Everything is so bright and clear and easy to see all the details.

The AF is a little slow but very accurate.

One of the things which I don’t like about it, is the video quality is not that great. I didn’t buy the camera for video and hardly use that function anyway so it’s not that big of a negative in my opinion.

Having owned the camera for over a year now I can honestly say I have no regrets with my purchase. This wasn’t the case with my old camera (which is why I bought this one). I’ve seen other pro cameras that cost a lot more money and this camera has no problem keeping up with them. The pictures that it takes are just as good as the more expensive cameras too.

There are a couple small points that if you are a pro and looking at this camera that are a little irksome. If you’re going to shoot with studio lights there isn’t a sync port so you’ll have to shell out $20 for an AS-15 sync adapter. The other point is that flash sync speed is 1/200 not 1/250 like some of the more expensive models. This only really matters if you’re shooting in a studio and using studio lights to get rid of as much ambient light as possible….. Read more