Looking to upgrade

I have a Nikon P80 and im looking to get a nikon DSLR and im not sure where to start, I am looking for something that is about the value of the P80. Any suggestions?

a used d40 would be your best bet in that price range.

The Nikon P80 is a 10Mpix bridge camera with a 18x zoom that costs under $300. There is no DSLR with the same specification. A DSLR is much more expensive because:

- the sensor is much bigger to give better image quality
- systems like the focussing system, meter and viewfinder are much more sophisticated than a bridge
- it is not possible to build an 18x zoom to cover a big sensor, not at any price. But you can change the lens on a DSLR

The closest you could get with a new camera would be to look for a kit with a discontinued DSLR like the D40x and two lenses (18-55 and 55-200), but the lenses wouldn't be stabilised.

However a better approach would be to ask yourself what you want to do with the camera. Then choose a camera + lens that suits your needs. Why are you dissatisfied with the P80?

Well I dont like the time the P80 takes to focus on closer subjects. Even with the macro mode it still takes a lot to focus. and i would like something a little better for auto racing photos. The p80 is blurry a majority of the time. I know that i wont get the 18x zoom but i would like the better image.

I have the D60 which is basically the same body as the D40 and the D40x. The autofocus is quick and very accurate. On Sports mode it will follow a moving subject (like a car) as it goes across the image and switch from one autofocus sensor to the next.

Of course there are only three autofocus sensors spread out in a line towards the center of the image. It's not going to be as good at tracking the subject as the D300 with 51 focussing sensors but I think you'll find it very usable and much better than the P80.

Check out my User Gallery for the sequence I did of the Tour de France this summer using the D60 and a consumer 55-200mm.

Hi Speedracer 36
What you will appreciate the most by switching from a point and shoot digital camera to a DSLR is " Speed". Faster start up, faster shot to shot, faster auto focus, faster everything.
I would follow Charle's advice and find yourself a good used D40x ( not a D40 ) and the two lenses he mentioned.
The only issue with a DSLR is that you have more flexibility that you will have to learn how to master.

Hey Deanhanson-

Not sure if you've already made your purchase but I've been in the "I need to upgrade boat" for a while. I purchased a d60 about a year and a half ago and there have been some really great pluses and of course a few minuses. I've found, surprisingly, that I outgrew my d60 pretty quickly. The biggest fallback that I warn people about with the 60 that I've found is that the lack of an internal motor can become a problem as you buy more lenses. The 50mm F1.8 for example will have to manually focused. I've been looking at macro lenses and many of them (with any sort of reasonable price range) fall into this same category. A friend of mine has the d90 and absolutely loves it. So just figure out what lenses you think you may want in the future and just know that the d60 does have that little hiccup.

Overall however it is a wonderful start out camera. I've never had a problem with the 3-point focus either manual or auto. It's light and not extremely expensive. It will always be my back up even when I do upgrade because I've never had a problem in it's quality. My auto-focus issue is my biggest complaint; depending on what you're using the camera for this may not even be a big issue. Good luck!