Nikon D40 for D2h needed for a High School

[lokerd]

I know this is a long shot, but I am wanting to put a D2h in play in my classroom. And am hoping somebody has a well used D2h just sitting on the shelf.

I have a Nikon D40 I can offer as a trade. I keep the D40 at the school, but it is just sitting there. I don't even use it as I tend to use the same camera that the students use to model and demonstrate.

However, when it comes to shooting group projects, particularly portrait shooting, the students REALLY need a better camera than what they are using, which is a base end Pentax k100d, which does fine for the outdoor shooting they do, but does not focus well under the dim illumination of modeling lights.

Here is a page explaining the project that I am needing the camera for. Each student gets to shoot, model and be a lighting assistant as the work in small groups. Portrait Poster Assignment Details It is a big project as I get a guest speaker to come in and talk about portrait lighting, etc. Clem Webb Presention Notes and we spend a good bit of time on this. It is the first part of the school year when the students really start to get a since of being a shooter.

Why a D2h? Well, I shot with one. Even stored it up at the classroom for a while after getting a D3 and would let students shoot with it on trips, and for this exact project. But, I decided to put the D40 up there and sell the D2h a couple of years ago when it was still fetching a little. Now that the D3 and other cameras have continued to cause older cameras to plummet, and my disappointment in the small compact DSLRs (D40 or any of the Pentax cameras we have in the classroom) to provide the students with a rich camera experience, I think the D2h would make the perfect classroom camera. It produces the right sized file that I won't have to make sure the Pentax k100d is on a smaller image size, and it will focus in the dim light.

I also have a Pentax *ist that I can trade. And, if necessary, and you drive a hard bargain, I might even be able to trade TWO Pentax bodies. Or, better yet, a Pentax body with a lens.

Or, if you are feeling EXTRA benevolent, and want to just donate a D2h outright, I can provide a nice letter of donation from West Brook HS in Beaumont, Tx.

Thanks for your consideration!!

[acscarrow]

Wouldn't be an immediate solution, but have you considered using donorschoose.org?

Might be an option for continuing to upgrade the class equipment, too. Just submit your proposal and get people to donate $$ a little at a time.

[lokerd]

Very interesting. I just registered and attempted to create a project, but didn't have enough points to start a fundraiser. Also, no used D2h cameras. The best I would come up with was a D7000. And, the fees associated with using this process were almost 30%...or right at $500. OUCH!! That is kind of like me spending an UNCOUNTABLE number of personal after school hours to facilitate a fund raiser that I could have just donated the money myself and saved the countless hours. The problem is that I have already donated a TON of money to the classroom over the years.

[acscarrow]

Wow, I didn't realize the fees and policies had changed that much! I guess with national recognition, prices go up...haha

I work in a school as well and know about those countless hours. Just knew that I had heard great things and actually know some teachers who have used them in the past.

Who's up for a car wash??? JK

[lokerd]

Well, I couldn't request a used Nikon D2h, but I was able to submit a project to get 40 small camera cases and memory cards. So, it has been submitted! Thanks for the suggestion. IO will put a link here if and when the project is approved.

EDIT: Actually, interesting you mention the car wash. We used to be able to sell chocolate...like snickers. And it would generate enough revenue to buy a camera a year, or other various pieces of equipment AND pay for all of the students supplies with plenty of money for incentives, etc. Now, we can not sell but a VERY small range of items that can not weigh too much, nor have too much sugar, nor too much fat, etc. Basically, we are reduced to selling sacks of snacks that don't raise crap! (pardon the language). In fact, the fundraiser we do each year barely raises enough to cover the students darkroom supplies.

[lokerd]

Ok, thanks Allen, a project was approved...

Teacher Page: Mr. Drew Loker (teacher)