So for this year, I got myself a Christmas gift, something that I’ve held out on for a long, long time.. a “proper” camera, aka a digital SLR.

I picked up an older (ca. 2007) model, the Nikon D40, a highly-rated 6-MP 2.5fps light camera that has everything I think I’ll need for the foreseeable future, for the primary uses I have for it: family/kid/vacation photos and occasional landscape/portraiture.

This is an upgrade from the point-and-shoot models that we’ve had for years, including the most recent “bridge” ultra-zoom Panasonic DMC-FZ28 camera that I picked up on vacation as a replacement for a lost camera earlier this year.

Out of the box with the decent kit lens, the main advantage of the D40 over point-and-shoot cameras is its ability to take photos fast without hesitation or delay.  That was fun enough, but honestly, not really enough to fully justify the extra size & expense of an SLR.  But my first accessory, a 35mm (equiv. 50mm) f/1.8 “fast” prime lens, has made me love this camera.  It’s allowed me already to take a number of wonderful photos, in available light indoors (no flash) and with shallow depth of field, that I don’t think would’ve been possible with any of our previous cameras.  In addition, I picked up an SB-400 flash that enables me to use a bounce flash technique to avoid harsh glare when in situations requiring a flash.  Here are a few examples from just the past few days, that are my favorites.  Looking forward to more chances to snap & post on the blog.

39mm on kit lens, 1/60, f/7.1, ISO 1600 with bounce flash

35mm, f/1.8, 1/125, ISO 1600, no flash

35mm, f/1.8, 1/60, ISO 500, no flash

35mm, f/1.8, 1/60, ISO 1600, no flash

This last photo is one of my personal favorites.  Calissa was just lying back on my legs, as I was resting on the floor.  I picked up the camera and just started shooting and got this great shot of her beautiful big eyes.

35mm, f/1.8, 1/60, ISO 1400, no flash

UPDATE: Here’s a photo taken tonight (12/18) at our annual outing to San Jose’s Christmas in the Park feature.  If you look closely, Lois’s face is ever so slightly out of focus due to the very shallow depth of field (focus is on Bethany’s hat/face), but that’s a small price for capturing this shot with barely any ambient light (8:30pm, street lighting) and no flash.

35mm, f/1.8, 1/25, ISO 1600, no flash