Photography - question on cameras

[hoffman912]

Loved the photog thread going on, and i had a couple of questions for the field, and felt it would probably be better suited for a new thread..

I have a Nikon D40 i purchased back around 2006 or so, and the lens broke last year. I am debating on either buying a new lens or perhaps buying a good used or refurbed higher quality camera to upgrade a bit.

one of the frustrations with the D40 was the AF-S lens, where the auto focus motor was in the lens, and not the body. This was new at the time and made getting good 2nd hand lenses available through out the Nikon range difficult.. if i had gone for a D80 for example, where the motor was in the body, i would have a huge option of 2nd hand lenses that were available for years for film and digital slr cameras.

i figure a new lens will be expensive anyways, so i have a few options..

1) just get a new lens for the d40

2) go for a better camera with the same motor in lens style slightly used (looks like i can get a D3100 and lens for a few hundred or so)

3) go for a better camera with the af motor in body, like a D80 or D90..


i have heard great things about the d3100, but my concern would be that are there enough lenses on the market that makes it affordable to but more lenses either 2nd hand or new or off brand like tamron or sigma. Or has enough time passed that this is no longer a concern and that lenses with AF-S are widely available and prices arent bad?

would i be better off with a used/refurb d80 or D90 where lenses are readily available in all flavors and types?

[davep]

Get a D7000. A superior camera, but discounted (CDN$ 800 now w/o lens) a bit now by the arrival of the D7100. It has the built in motor so it can work with most lens. I bought a 1.4x extender that has a built in focus motor so many of my AI lens can also autofocus within a range. I still have my old F2 and the newer F90X. A D7000 will last me my lifetime I think; 40 years since I bought my F2 and started building a system. It is the system that counts, and the lens are a major portion of that.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/

[davep]

Harry, what did you decide? I just got a D7000, and am learning how to use all my old lenses as well as the new lens with the camera.