Customer Reviews

Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera + Nikon 18-55mm AF-S Lens + Nikon SLR Gadget Bag + Transcend 4GB SDHC SecureDigital Card + USB Card Reader

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The 6 Megapixel Nikon D40 is targeted for those who want a relatively compact and light camera yet having most of the important SLR features. The D40 is priced reasonably (cheaper than D50/D80 and Canon Rebel XTi). In my opinion, if you are still considering whether to get a point and shoot camera or a DSLR, the D40 will be a better choice than any point and shoot camera, by far, even those with 8MP or 10MP. But if you are already deciding to get a DSLR or you want more control of the picture taking experience, then I would recommend you to also test the D50 and/or D80 first before deciding to buy the D40. I want you to make sure that you know what you will get (and not get) with the D40. Don't get me wrong though, the D40 is an awesome camera, and I don't think you will regret buying one. There are some limitation with the D40 which shouldn't bother most people, for example, the D40 doesn't have dedicated button to change picture quality, white balance or ISO settings (which generally only professional/enthusiast will care). Once you understand (and accept) its limitation, the D40 is a potent and exciting photography machine.

Just like all its (DSLR) siblings, the D40 powers on instantly and take pictures with almost no shutter lag which are the major advantages of a DSLR over a point and shoot camera. In addition to the P,S,A,M mode, the picture quality of the auto settings (auto, child mode, landscape etc) are also very good. With 2.5 frames per second you can capture movement progress in sports like football, basketball, baseball etc. Also great to photograph your family or child (child mode). The D40 is a great all around camera.

Some notable new features:

1. Auto (no flash) mode. Without this mode the flash will pop-up (on all other pre-programmed mode) even when you don't want to use flash (which can be annoying). The internal flash will not pop up automatically with the P,S,A,M settings.

2. In camera editing capability such as black and white, sepia and some filter effects etc. While sounds gimmicky, these features are useful especially for those who doesn't have Adobe Photoshop (or other image editing software).

To date, D40 is the smallest and lightest among all the Nikon DSLR (even smaller than the Canon Rebel XT/XTi, however the D40 is more ergonomics). I believe that choosing a camera that fits comfortably with your hands is important. Therefore, I recommend people to test the camera before buying (even if you want to buy online, please do go to a physical store and test the camera first whenever possible).

The D40 has only 3 (horizontal) autofocus point (5 for D50 and 11 for D80). If you know "The Rule of Thirds", the additional AF points above and below the center focus point (available in D50 and D80) are handy to help create the horizontal third line. However, the 3 horizontal AF point in D40 is still helpful to create the vertical third line. Also one can focus with the middle AF point and after the focus is lock then move the frame upwards/downwards to create the horizontal third line. Just make sure the exposure level is still accurate when you move the frame after you lock the focus.

About the 18-55mm II AF-S kit lens: A good lens producing sharp photos (though not a very fast lens). Also decent for close-up/macro photography. Lens uses internal focus technology and focusing operation is silent. A very decent kit lens.

Lens compatibility: Notice that with D40, autofocus function will not work for non AF-S/AF-I lens. If you already have non AF-S/AF-I Nikon lenses and want a backup or replacement camera, you will be better off buying D50, D70s or D80. If you buy the D40, it will be convenient to stick with AF-S and AF-I type lenses. I'm not sure why Nikon choose this route for the D40 (whether to enable smaller size camera or from now on Nikon will only make AF-S lens compatible camera). There are a lot of good Nikon AF-S lenses (price range added: low, medium, high) that are fully compatible with the D40 such as:

- Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX (L)

- Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX (L)

- Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF AF-S DX (L)

- Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX (L)

- Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S DX VR (M)

- Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX (L)

- Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX VR (L)

- Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR (M)

- Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED IF AF-S DX (M)

- Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S (H)

- Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX (H)

- Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S (H)

- Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR (H)

- Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro (M)

- And several other expensive prime tele/zoom lens like 200-400mm, 300m, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm.

High priced lens ($1000+) are usually pro level lens which usually have better construction, faster (f-stop), and produce better quality picture. However, often times, lower price lens will serve your needs just fine. I think it is important to know what you want to use the camera for before deciding which camera and lens to buy.

Image quality of the D40 is very good which is #1 factor that I look for in a digital camera.

Here are the pros and cons of the D40 in my opinion:

Pros:

1. Nice out of the camera result picture quality

2. Affordable price

3. Compact size and light weight

4. Large and bright 2.5 inch LCD

5. 2.5 frames per second

6. B/W, Sepia, several more in-camera editing features.

7. Instant power on, fast autofocus and no shutter lag

8. Noise is acceptable at high ISO settings. Auto ISO settings available.

9. Great 18-55mm II AF-S kit lens.

10. Great battery life (400+ on a single charge. 1000+ if flash is not used).

11. Auto (flash off) mode available

12. 1/500 flash sync

Cons:

1. No direct button to change QUAL, WB and ISO settings

2. Grip comfortably but might be a bit too small for some people

3. No top LCD and no front command dial

4. Autofocus will not work with non AF-S or non AF-I lenses (such as the 70-300m G and 50mm f/1.8D lens)

5. No AF/MF switch (have to use the switch on the lens)

6. Only 3 autofocus point

7. 6 Megapixel (More Megapixel needed to print larger than 12 X 18 at 300 dpi)

8. No night landscape mode in pre-programmed settings

9. No in camera image stabilization (like Sony and Pentax) but Nikon has lenses with it (VR).

10. No depth-of-field preview button

In conclusion, the D40 is perfect for those who want high quality pictures, more control (than a point and shoot camera), and have a DSLR experience (instant power on and no shutter lag), without having to carry a bulky camera. And unless you are shooting sports/actions professionaly (which faster focusing processor, faster frames per second and larger memory buffer might be needed), the D40 is pretty much all you will need.

Happy Photographing!

The Nikon D40 kit is a great buy for SLR newbies like myself. Being able to experiment with shutter speed, ISO, and aperature without worrying about wasting money on film and development has been the most liberating feature in terms of familiarizing myself with this camera's capabilities. The camera itself also provides visual clues through graphic representations, which has proven handy as well.

It's hard to beat the price to value ratio for this kit. I bought this for my sister-in-law as a college graduation present. She's produced some stunning photos (as has my brother...he keeps borrowing it from her.) Before I bought this, I had taken her window shopping. She had held a number of cameras and this one was the only one small enough for her hands. She's a little woman...not even five feet tall.

If you're reading this, you're probably trying to figure out if this is the camera for you or someone you know. Here's a handy rubric for figuring that out.

Let's talk about the person for whom this camera purchase is intended.

If the person doesn't want to bother with carrying lenses, don't get a DSLR.

If the person is not a beginner to photography and already has an SLR, then don't get this camera. Get a DSLR BODY ONLY that takes the lenses they already have at a price point of about $800-$1000. For Nikon/Canon/Sony-Minolta/Pentax, get a D90/40D/A700/K20D.

If the person is a beginner to photography and does not have an SLR, then consider this camera. Across the board for Nikon/Canon/Sony-Minolta/Pentax, consider a D40-D60-D80/XTI-XSI/A350/K200D-K2000D. Have them hold the cameras in question if you can. Find the one that they like holding. Find the one that doesn't weigh too much. If you can't get them to hold the cameras, then...

If they have big hands, consider the Nikon D80, Canon Xsi, or the Pentax K10D or K200D. I'll stop here since people with big hands won't want the product being reviewed.

If they have small hands, consider the Nikon D40 and D60, the Sony A350, and the Pentax K2000D.

If they have tiny hands, consider only the Nikon D40 and the Pentax 2000D.

If they have access to Nikon or Pentax lenses, they should choose the camera to which they have available glass.

If they don't have access to lenses, have small or tiny hands, are beginners to photography, then you can't really go wrong with either the Nikon d40 or the Pentax K2000D.

The megapixel count, the pictures per second, the start up time, the available ISO, and about two dozen other metrics won't mean squat until well after their capabilities have outgrown both these cameras - at least a year or two of concentrated study.

This camera feels good in your hands. It takes great pictures if used by someone who knows what they're doing. The Nikon brand has some unbelievable lenses available - granted, some are at unreal prices. However, this camera will take those pictures at the ball game, on the soccer field, at the park, at the canyon, at the relative's barbeque, and at most places and times people will want to capture the moment. Is it professional grade? No, but so what - if you were a pro, you wouldn't be reading this review.

I purchased the Nikon D40 about a month ago and I am ecstatic with the camera. It is light, easy to use and takes great pictures. Go to Ken Rockwell's site and download his D40 manual. This is my first SLR camera and I highly recommend it. 6.1 pixels is plenty. A great value.

Kit comes just like it says. The D40 is a great camera for someone who is just deciding to go beyond their point-and-shoot. I recomend this kit.

I shopped around for weeks for the perfect starter SLR camera, finally settled on the D40 and then finally found this package. The camera is awesome, the accessories are all high quality, and the service was stellar. I have used everything they sent. The price can not be beat. Trust me, I looked everywhere. I was reluctant to order from a non-recognized vendor (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc) but I am SO glad I did.

This is a great camera, it takes amazing pictures. Makes me feel like a professional. I did not know what to expect, been using point and shoot cameras for a while and got used to their quality. Now i realise that i was getting crap!. It night versus day. The first picture i took i realised the quality and the display is incredible.Wow! The flash does what it is supposed to, not like the ones on the point and shoot cameras. It really lights up the room and brings warmth to the photos.
I have large hands and it fits well and is super light.

The only problem i had was getting the strap in, but who cares!!.

The camera bag is spacious and is made of quality materials(waterproof). This is a great package. Thanks to Ken Rockwell & Cameta!!

(February 2009)Shooting in manual mode now, manipulating apperture and shutter speeds. It is amazing the type of photos one can get without using flash. The manual mode gives alot of flexibility and variation to photographs.

The battery lasts very long (over 1000 shots) even when using flash.

A good start for anyone moving up to DSLR's, for professional jobs go with the D300 and above.

[...]

All i can say is that i love this camera. I have had alot of experience with Point&Shoots before, but an SLR is WAAAAY better than any Point&Shoot. If you want to really see what this camera is capable of, go to flikr.com and see the results for yourself! i love this thing!

Worth the money
great device for first DSLR users
buy it and you will start develope your self and become a pro ...

A+

Love this camera and all the stuff that came with it. It's very easy to use right out of the box and it takes great pictures. Now if I ever learn all the other stuff that this camera is capable of I will be picture taking genius. Thanks Nikon.
Ray