This is an ergonomical, fast handling, very solidly built Digital SLR with many excellent features (like a 2.5 inch silky smooth lcd found on the $1600 D200). Pictures are beautiful. It uses the same excellent 6 megapixel sensor from the D50, D70, D70s. 6 megapixel is plenty, I get tack sharp 8x12 inch prints. Don't get stuck in counting megapixels. Sensors from DSLR-like or compact cameras doesn't come close to DSLR's image quality even if it's 6 or 7 or 8 mp. Especially if it's low light conditions. 6mp is 3008x2000 pixels. A 10mp is just 3888x2592pixels. Not as much difference as many people think.

A Nikon DSLR body only for $499 or $599 with the lens? Darn. The main drawback is you'd want to stick with AF-S or AF-I lenses if you want to get auto focus. You can still focus manually. I guess they did it so D50's resale value won't drop too much.

It has a 3 point auto focus system, thats good enough. I never cared for 10, 11 point or more focus systems.

It's got a bunch of excellent in camera processing which the D50 and D70 never had. Red eye reduction, D-lighting-automatically compensates for darker areas, image-overlay, trimming(new feature), b&w etc.

Very fast from power up to taking pictures. Continous mode fires at 2.5 frames per second.

The kit lens is adequately sharp and responsive. For $100 it is a really good everyday use lens. At wide angle 28mm distortion is minimal. Pretty sharp at the other end of the zoom.

For the price Nikon has really figured out how to built a solid , ergonomical , smaller sized DSLR.

I've had a bunch of digital cameras , Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Fuji, Sony 3ccd HD, Canon XL1 etc. The D40 is a superb camera for beginners or semi-experienced enthusiasts. Save the money and buy some lenses. Nikon also came out with a new flash SB400 for this camera but the built in flash is excellent(and accurate) for beginners.

This is an ergonomical, fast handling, very solidly built Digital SLR with many excellent features (like a 2.5 inch silky smooth lcd found on the $1600 D200). Pictures are beautiful. It uses the same excellent 6 megapixel sensor from the D50, D70, D70s. 6 megapixel is plenty, I get tack sharp 8x12 inch prints. Don't get stuck in counting megapixels. 6MP from a DSLR will blow the doors off a 6,7,8MP compact or even DSLR-like cameras. Especially under low light conditions. 6mp is 3008x2000 pixels. 10mp is just 3888x2592pixels. Not as much difference as many people think.

A Nikon DSLR body only for $499 or $599 with the lens? Darn. The main drawback is you'd have to stick with AF-S or AF-I lenses if you want to get auto focus. You can still focus manually with other Nikon lenses. I guess they did it so D50's resale value won't drop too much.

It has a 3 point auto focus system, thats good enough. I never cared for 10, 11 point or more focus systems.

It's got a bunch of excellent in camera processing which the D50 and D70 never had. Red eye reduction, D-lighting-automatically compensates for darker areas, image-overlay, trimming(new feature), b&w etc. The new menu is beautiful. Also zooming in during playback has been improved(one thing I always found slightly inconvenient on the D50, D70).

Very fast from power up to taking pictures. Continous mode fires at 2.5 frames per second.

The kit lens is adequately sharp and responsive. For $100 it is a really good everyday use lens. At wide angle 28mm distortion is minimal. Pretty sharp at the other end of the zoom.

For the price Nikon has really figured out how to built a solid , ergonomical , feature rich DSLR. Nikon really knows how to built solid SLRs.

For this camera, Nikon also came out with a new flash SB400(works on the D50 too) if you need a more powerful flash. The built in flash is excellent and accurate and powerful enough for most situations.

I've had a bunch of digital cameras , Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Fuji, Sony 3ccd HD, Canon XL1 etc. The D40 is a superb camera for beginners or even semi-experienced enthusiasts, or as a second camera. You can save the money and buy some lenses or strike some big prints.

The 6 Megapixel Nikon D40 is targeted for those who want a compact and light DSLR. The D40 is priced reasonably (reasonably cheap). In general, if you are still considering whether to get a point and shoot camera or a DSLR then the D40 will be a great choice (than a point and shoot camera, even those with 8MP or 10MP). But if you are already thinking to get a DSLR or you want more control of the picture taking experience, then I would recommend the D50 or D80 instead (e.g. The D40 doesn't have dedicated button to change quality, white balance and ISO, instead done through LCD menu function)

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. In addition to te P,S,A,M mode, the picture quality of the auto settings (and other pre-programmed settings like the child mode etc.) are very good.

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 egronomics). I personally believe that choosing a camera that fits comfortably with your hands is very 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 (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. Notice that with D40, autofocus function will not work for non AF-S or non AF-I lens, so if you already have non AF-S/AF-I Nikon lens and want a backup or replacement camera, you might be better of buying D50, D70s or D80. If you buy the D40, it will be convenient to stick with AF-S and AF-I type lenses.

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 (2 inch for D50)
5. 2.5 frames per second
6. B/W and Sepia mode available (not available in D50)
7. 1/500 flash sync
8. Noise is acceptable at high ISO settings. Auto ISO settings available.
9. Decent 18-55mm II AF-S kit lens.
10. Great battery life (400+ on a single charge. 1000+ if flash is not used).

Cons:
1. No direct button to change QUAL, WB and ISO settings
2. Grip comfortably (egronomics) but might be a bit too small for many 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 (5 for D50 and 11 for D80)
7. 6 Megapixel (More Megapixel needed to print larger than 12 X 18 at 300 dpi)
8. No night landscape mode in pre-programmed mode
9. No in camera image stabilizaton (like Sony and Pentax) but Nikon has lenses with it (VR).
10. No depth-of-field preview button

In conclusion, the D40 will be perfect for those who want better pictures, somewhat more control (than a point and shoot camera), and want to get a DSLR experience (better picture quality, instant power on and almost no shutter lag), without having to carry a bulky camera.

Happy Photographing!

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 great choice (than a point and shoot camera, 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 test the D50 or D80 first before deciding to buy the D40. I want you to make sure that you know what you will get (or 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 buttons to change quality, white balance and ISO (which only professional/enthusiast will care). Once you understand (and accept) the 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. In addition to te P,S,A,M mode, the picture quality of the auto settings (and other pre-programmed settings like the child mode etc.) are very good.

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 (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. Notice that with D40, autofocus function will not work for non AF-S or non AF-I lens, so if you already have non AF-S/AF-I Nikon lens and want a backup or replacement camera, you might be better of buying D50, D70s or D80. If you buy the D40, it will be convenient to stick with AF-S and AF-I type lenses.

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 many 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 will be perfect for those who want better pictures, more control (than a point and shoot camera), and have a DSLR experience (better picture quality, instant power on and no shutter lag), without having to carry a bulky camera.

Happy Photographing!

The Nikon D40 is a quite capable Digital SLR, that should deliver good picture quality, in a compact and affordable camera. It has all the basic features you'd expect (listed quite well by the staff at Amazon), so let me go into comparisons with other cameras.

First and foremost, the D40 lacks the focusing motor built into the body of the camera (like all previous Nikon DSLRs). Instead, it must have a motor built into the lens (Nikon calls these type "Silent Wave" or AF-S), otherwise, you lose autofocusing. While Nikon offers several AF-S lenses, they offer only a handful under $1,000. Additionally, the D40 will only be available in the US with the 18-55 kit, and most the other lenses under $1,000 over lap very much with this lens. Tamron and Tokina currently offer NO lenses with the motor built-in for Nikon cameras, and Sigma only offers a very few. If you want a zoom going to 300mm any time soon, be prepared to shell out about $600 for Nikon's new 70-300VR lens if you require autofocus. It promises to be a very nice lens, but you can get a basic Canon or Sony 75-300 for a bit over $200. Thus, if your considering the D40 because you have a bag full of Nikon AF lenses, then you might instead look at the soon to be disappearing D50.

Compared to other Nikon DSLRs, the D40 is much smaller, very similar to the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. While this results in a smaller, lighter camera, it also means it will have some of the same drawbacks that many Nikon owners have teased Rebel owners. The camera will have a smaller grip; a smaller, less powerful battery; will lose the top info LCD and use the rear 2.5" screen instead; and, the feature Nikon users typically point to when they refer to "ergonomics" is the viewfinder. While the D80 has a .94x viewfinder, the D40 matches the smaller .80x of the XTi.

The autofocusing points will also drop to 3, with 5 being the previous low on a Nikon DSLR.

The D40 will do very well, especially since Canon & Sony aren't currently offering a lower cost, 6 megapixel camera. The directly comparable camera would be Pentax's K110D, which retails for about $550 with lens and after rebate. It uses the same 6 megapixel sensor supplies by Sony as the D40. A bit heavier, is uses 4 AA batteries instead of the LithiumIon. I prefer the latter, but there are many fans of the inexpensive AA NiMH rechargables. The viewfinder is also larger, and has a very nice 11 point AF system. Pentax also offers the more popular K100D, which is the same as the K110D, but with SR ("Shake Reduction") built into the camera body. This retails, after rebate, for about $50 more than the D40.

So the D40 will be a very nice camera for the budding photographer, but not necessarily a good upgrade for current Nikon owners. Instead, they should look at the D50 (while supplies last), or consider the superb 10 megapixel D80.

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 that are fully compatible with the D40 (in addition to the 18-55mm II kit lens) such as:
- Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX
- Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF AF-S DX
- Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX
- Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX
- Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX
- Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR
- Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR
- Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S
- Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX
- Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S
- Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro
- And several other expensive prime tele/zoom lens like 200-400mm, 300m, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm.

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!

This is an ergonomical, fast handling, very solidly built Digital SLR with many excellent features (like a 2.5 inch silky smooth and bright lcd found on the $1600 D200). Pictures are beautiful. It uses the same excellent 6 megapixel sensor from the D50, D70, D70s. 6 megapixel is plenty, I get tack sharp 8x12 inch prints. Don't get stuck in counting megapixels. 6MP from a DSLR will blow the doors off a 6,7,8MP compact or even DSLR-like cameras. Especially under low light conditions. 6mp is 3008x2000 pixels. 10mp is just 3888x2592pixels. Not as much difference as many people think.

A Nikon DSLR body only for $499 or $599 with the lens? Darn. Nikon pricing strategy is so aggresive. With the D80 at $999 and 400DCanon at $799 body only. The main drawback for the D40 is you'd have to stick with AF-S or AF-I lenses if you want to get auto focus. You can still focus manually with other Nikon lenses. I guess they did it so D50's resale value won't drop too much. With the D50 you have access to Nikon's wide and prestigous range of lenses. Needless to say it makes a difference.

However, the kit lens is adequately sharp and responsive. For $100 it can't be beat as a good everyday use lens. At wide angle 28mm distortion is minimal. Pretty sharp at the other end of the zoom, no distortion.

It has a 3-point auto focus system, thats good enough. In fact I prefer it that way. I never cared for 7, 10, 11 point or more focus systems.

No more top mounted LCD display, so what? Just use the beautiful 2.5" color LCD display. It's fast to see from the eyecup to rear LCD.

It's got a bunch of excellent in camera processing which the D50 and D70 never had. Red eye reduction, D-lighting-automatically compensates for darker areas, image-overlay, trimming(new feature), b&w etc. The new menu is beautiful. Also zooming in during playback has been improved(one thing I always found slightly inconvenient on the D50, D70).

Very fast from power up to taking pictures. Continous mode fires at 2.5 frames per second.


For the price Nikon has really figured out how to built a solid , ergonomical , feature rich DSLR. Nikon really knows how to built solid SLRs. It is small in size but unlike the Canon 350/400d/xti(good picture and processor ,new dust reduction, but slightly less ergonomical and solid), you get a comfortable grip that doesn't make your hand feel cramped.

For this camera, Nikon also came out with a new flash SB400(works on the D50 too) if you need a more powerful flash. The built in flash is excellent and accurate and powerful enough for most situations.

I've had a bunch of digital cameras , Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Fuji, Sony 3ccd HiDef, Canon XL1 etc. The D40 is a superb camera for beginners or even semi-experienced enthusiasts, or as a second camera. You can save the money and buy some lenses or strike some big prints.

This is a great crossover product from a high end point-and-shoot to a low-end DSLR. It's exceptionally light and small for a DSLR. You can set it to "AUTO" and, without learning a thing about photography, be taking great pictures.

The single-screen readout of F-stop, shutter, aperture, ISO, and everything else is a handy way to get all the current settings at once. On the flip side, the UI is sometimes inconsistent. For example, pushing the "zoom" button repeatedly zooms in on an image you've taken. Pushing the "flash" button repeatedly does nothing - you have to push and hold the button, then turn the dial to change flash modes (for example to turn off the flash). That is unless you're in one of the manual modes, in which case pushing the button causes the flash to pop up. Hm.

There two non-obvious shortcomings as compared to a point-and-shoot that you may want to consider. First, most DSLRs (including this one) don't let you preview the shot on the LCD. You have to compose the picture through the viewfinder, then view the results on the (large and bright) LCD after you've taken the picture. Second, you have to manually put on & remove the lens cap. A minor thing that can become quite a pain, especially since Nikon didn't invest the $0.50 to include a little retaining strap - you're always mistplacing the cover.

On the whole, I'm delighted with this purchase after shooting with it for a few days. I can't wait to take it on the next family vacation.

I bought this camera as a compliment to my current professional system based on the Nikon D2X. It's a great "walking around" camera for a pro as it will do all the things that pros are used to asking of a camera, great nikon metering, kit lens is decent, programming and screen quality are par with the flagship D2X. All this makes it the perfect 2nd camera or "pro's snap shot camera". I would not consider doing pro work with it, that's the X is for, but as far as it shooting excellent quality, tough nikon build quality, superior metering and battery performance for, so far in my testing, over 600 shots! The downside is, and I say this as primarily a prime lens shooter, it will only AF with AF-S or AF-i lenses, or those with built in focusing motors. Yes, this kinda sucks, but really only to those who probably rely on AF too much anyways. The novices will probably only use AF-S lenses and the kit lens at that. As a pro, I tend to shoot the D2X full manual and often only turn on AF when needing a quick shot, the rest I still focus by eye. Most of the pros I know do this as well.
SO, if you are a pro and, like me, long for the days when you carried around that old tank of a film camera (FE2 for me!) but wish there was a digital equivalent that could do all it would do and more, then this is a perfect compliment to your system. If you are a beginner, and you started with this camera, it would open up a whole new world of professional digital photography for you and then you'd want to move up to the D80, D200, then possibly D2X or beyond (when available) but I guarantee you'd keep this one for fun even if you moved up.

The point is this camera is fun, advanced features for pros, ease of use for novices, and much more accessible, super lightweight camera for all.

This camera is AMAZING! From the first 17 pics out of the box to the 2200 that I am up to now (recharging ONCE!). The feel is amazing, and the time to focus is so quick I never miss a shot. I bought the 55-200 lens for outdoor shots and love it. My next step is a flash, after trying the XTi from Canon I am very happy with my decision to go Nikon.

I bought the Nikon D40 over the weekend and so far so good. The first time I saw it was at Best Buy. It felt nice, looked nice and had a fantastic LCD. From there I knew I wanted to buy it. The camera is one of the most affordably priced Digital SLR's on the market today. The one caveat to that statement is its only very affordable if the kit lens suits your needs. I personally take a lot of pictures of small items so the kit lens does not do the trick. I had to upgrade to a Nikon Macro lens which is very good but added $400 to the price of the camera for me. The cameras picture quality is fantastic and being able to switch back and forth from manual to automatic focusing is a great feature. The screen is big and bright and the camera is very responsive. There are tons of settings on the camera so that you can really get any type of photo you are looking for. One accessory I really recommend buying with the camera is the wireless remote. Its only $17 and can prove to be very useful in a wide array of situations. The sole downside to this camera (and every single other digital SLR in its class) is that there is no live preview on the LCD. You must use the viewfinder to set up a picture.

I would recommend this camera to any current point and shoot owner that wants way more control over their pictures at a very decent price. Enjoy.

I love this camera!

Frequently I carried two cameras: an old Nikon FG (SLR) and a Lumix digital point-and-shoot. I loved the quality and the fast response time of my SLR camera, but also liked the "instant gratification" of the digital. After years of juggling film and learning to use all the manual settings on the Lumix I finally decided it was time to look at DSLR cameras.

I decided on the D40 for several reasons. First and foremost was budget. I only have one lens for the FG (the basic one) so lens compatibility really wasn't an issue. The body style and weight was also important, as was the type of memory card (my laptop has a built-in SD card reader.

On a trip to a local camera shop, I tried out several makes and models. Some of them I picked up, and set back down before even taking a test shot. (A couple of models use AA batteries and are REALLY heavy!) After comparing them, and considering the pros and cons I settled on the D40. I understand that the D40 takes a special lens in order to use autofocus, and the type of add on flash is limited as well. But I am an "advanced hobbyist" photographer with no intention of going pro. This camera suits my needs NOW... and probably will for a long time.

I took over 200 pictures on Christmas Day with this camera. It was extremely satisfying to NOT have to worry about the shutter lag I experienced with the point-and-shoot... and still get the instant gratification I love about digital photography. All of the pictures came out beautifully. I am really looking forward to using this camera for many years to come!

WHAT A DEAL - an incredibly fully featured mini-digital DSLR. Grab this one and keep it for a decade and you just might double your money if you sell it in 2017. This wee gem will soon become a true photography collectors item as it will remain Nikon's EVER smallest DSLR and maybe best for the money ounce for ounce. Nikon cannot top this for the $$$ and will not try. Even the kit lens pleasantly surprises. Yikes! Be a part of Nikon history. Enjoy and happy shooting.

I go through lots of cameras. This was my third DSLR, and about 15th to 20th digital camera. THe D40 takes superb pictures. Don't let the reviewers mislead you into thinking this is just for newbies. It works great for newbies, and for serious advanced photo-enthusiasts. I fall in the latter category and like the camera for the following reasons:

1. Size and weight - easy to travel with.
2. Great image quality right out of the camera. It's nice to enhance photos in software like Photoshop. But it's even better to have a camera that doesn't require you to do that for every shot. I recommend setting the photos to Vivid or More Vivid. Contrary to popular perception, I found these settings actually give you a more accurate color portrayal of the scene.
3. I use the D40 with the 18-200mm Nikon VR lens. They work great in combination.
4. Changing settings is quick and easy even though many are not set with dedicated buttons.
5. I like the way you can review a series of photos zoomed in, and the camera keeps the same zoomed in setting for each photo -- just turn the rear wheel.
6. Camera has a high quality feel.
7. LCD screen is bright
8. Viewfinder is bright.

One thing I wish Nikon had included is grids in the viewfinder -- but can't have everything.

I've had the D40 for about three weeks now and have taken about 400 images, which I consider 200 are keepers. In the old days this would have taken me a year or so. This DSLR is not only a great tool for picture taking but a serious production tool as well. The build quality, image quality and ergonomics are all outstanding. I've been into photography since the early 70's and have never been so impressed with a piece of gear as I am with the D40. Just simply go out and buy one - you will not regret it.

Back in the day I used to pack a 4x5 view camera out into the woods. Now my 57 year old back says whoa! Are you nuts?
A D40 with the kit lens and say a 10-20 Sigma is a knockout combination for someone more photographer than pack mule.
6.1 megapixels is plenty to do flawless 13x19 prints and if you don't need bracketing or wireless flash then why pay for them?
This is a great dual purpose camera. A lot of pros will be taking these on vacation and hanging on to them as backups at work.
This is now the camera I recommend to friends who want more than a point and shoot but don't want to mortgage the house for a camera.
$600 for a camera that shoots like a D70 (maybe even a little bit better) with a good lens is amazing. NEF's off this are perfectly fine for 90% of the photography going on out there.
Nikon has hung the moon.

An excellent camera. The small size and weight make it easy to take with you. Even though it is small, I found the grip to be comfortable. Good performance, and at an excellent price point. Flash sync of 1/500th makes life easier on your flash when doing fill-flash on a sunny day.

The only reason it doesn't get five starts is the lack of flash exposure lock. This is where you can fire the preflash and lock the exposure values, so when you press the shutter it doesn't have to preflash. My wife blinks quickly, so every shot has her eyes closed. My solution was to get an SB-800 flash that can use an Auto-Aperture flash mode that doesn't need preflash, which works beautifully. It would have been nice to just use flash exposure lock, though. Other than that, though, I'm very pleased with this camera.

The D40, quite simply, is the camera I have been waiting for. I was into 35 mm SLR photography 20+ years ago. I got back into photography with the new digitals but held off on digital SLRs because they were expensive, but more importantly, so large. Not so the D40 on either count.

I compared the D40 side by side with the Canon Rebel XTi (EOS 400D in Europe) at a photo store. The XTi was slightly bigger. The XTi beat the D40 in features (it had more pixels, and more features, including the self-cleaning sensor and was a little faster) although it was more expensive. But in the end, I chose the D40 because it just felt better in my hand. My hands are medium sized and it fit very well. The Canon just wasn't as comfortable. Plus the overall build quality seemed better than the Canon and the sound of the shutter and flash pop-up was softer, more subdued, more quality sounding (and important for photographing wildlife or a sleeping baby). And the final selling point for me with the Nikon D40 was the view-finder was noticeably brighter than the XTi.

If you are stepping up to an SLR from a point-and-shoot, this is the camera to do it with at about the same price-point as a good non-SLR digital. You can finally get away from that annoying lag between button push and picture capture. It's not the fastest SLR out there but I have been very happy with it, finally actually capturing those shots within a split-second of pushing the button, though it slows down somewhat in low-light situations. It takes continuous shots at 2.5 frames per second in good light, which though again not stellar, is adequate for most situations. The 2.5 inch LCD screen is incredible - bright and clear. It has an excellent menu with built-in context sensitive help screens at the touch of a button.

Though it doesn't have as many features as it's much more expensive big brothers, and the 6mp max capability is a limitation, it is adequate for all but professional users, and there will be plenty of professionals buying one as a small back-up. It's not the megapixels that matter as much as the quality of the picture and the D40 doesn't disappoint there either - clear, sharp, excellent colors (it has the same image processor as the D80 and D200). There are a number of pre-set auto modes easily selected by the main dial that also work well. The built in flash does a fine job and I have seen no red-eye. One feature I like is the auto-ISO that you can set to only kick in at a certain shutter speed or slower. It also has a D-light feature which allows you to enhance an already-taken back-lit or shadowy picture in-camera to even out the shadows and highlights; it works very well. Two features that it doesn't have that I wish it did are f-stop bracketing and depth of field preview. I have been satisfied with the battery life so far, though it does use a different Li-ion battery than the other Nikons so you can't cross-use your batteries if you already have a different model Nikon DSLR.

The 18-55 kit lens is nice - light and small but quality construction (version II - nicer than the first one that came with the D50 that seemed lower quality). If you read technical reviews on the lens it is a solid performer for the price. You won't be able to use most older Nikon auto-focus lenses in auto-focus mode since this has no built-in auto-focus motor (not at this size and weight!). It requires AF-S and AF-I lenses, so most of the prime lenses will be manual focus only. This is a small price to pay I think for a small light-weight camera.

If you already are into digital SLR, the D40 is still a great camera, making for an excellent travel camera since it's small, light-weight and you aren't carrying around a two thousand dollar hunk of expensive hardware.

I am very satisfied with it; it is an excellent value - and offers something for the novice and pro alike. It makes me really want to carry this with me all the time and get out and take pictures again.

I've had a couple of Sony digital cameras, and I've always said nice things about them to friends and family. The small digitals are convenient to take most anywhere, and my most recent Sony is truly pocket sized. But I was often disappointed with the picture. And frankly, the Sony's (videocams and digital cameras) often broke well before I would have expected.

So, I bought the D40 because of the Nikon name and the relatively good reviews that Amazon and other sites publish. I recognize that it's only 6 MP, but for nonprofessionals, that's more than enough. (You can find plenty of articles that challenge ordinary and professional folks from distinguishing 5 MP from 8 MP from 13 MP; they said the quality of the camera and lens is far more important.)

The Nikon hasn't disappointed one bit. I'm happy with the pictures, and I'm floored that I truly can take 300-400 photos (half or more with flash) on a single battery charge. I mostly use the auto settings on the camera, but I hope to begin experimenting with the wide variety of settings available to the user. I even purchased the 55-200 zoom lens -- it was only $180.

I couldn't be more pleased with my selection, and in comparison to everything else, it seems like a great deal. Given the Nikon name and reputation, I feel like I got a Porsche for the price of a Honda.

Well, this is the point:

This is a great camera because is small, simple and you can do anything with this. Maybe this is not a great review, but if you are looking for a camera ready to use and get great picts, this is the right camera.

I must say I am beyond pleased with the D40. I have also used the D70 with its standard 18-70 lens and I must say I am far and away much more pleased with the D40. (IF they cost the same I would still buy the D40).
Again with Nikon and their lenses (and this new one with the D40 is no exception), the image will be bent towards the center. Be aware that this "flaw" is intrinsic to both of the Nikons I have used, and seems to be about the same with every Nikon lens under 900 dollars. Other than that, I just can't find anything else wrong with it. The CRI is wonderful with this camera. (I feel like I get the comfort and features of the Nikon with the vibrant colors of a canon).
Summary: light, comfortable, easy to use, great colors, lens bends at 18...cool by 30-35. Best camera by Nikon for the Dxx series.

The D40 is a hard camera to rate because for some, it will be a 5 star camera, but others will regret their decision to buy this camera. If you are in the 5 star group, you will LOVE the D40. But . . . because of a decision Nikon made to save $$$ by leaving out an autofocus driver out of the camera body, if you want to add a lens to shoot your kid playing soccer, the D40 is a very bad choice, and you may be a dead man walking. Let me explain:

The 5 Star buyer:

If you are moving up to a digital SLR, and want nothing more than to use the kit lens (which is very good), then you will LOVE this camera: it is light, feels good in the hand, and puts out better looking JPEG files than the more expensive D70 and D50 cameras. If you intend to use this camera for general travel and around-the-house kid pictures, the D40 is a great choice, and I think you will be very, very happy.

The 1 Star buyer:

You want a camera for sports or telephoto shots of nature. This is not the camera for you, and here is why: the D40 has a DIFFERENT lens mount than every other Nikon DSLR which came before it. To save costs, Nikon left an autofocus driver out of the camera body, which means you must buy special/more expensive add-on lenses with the autofocus driver built into the lens itself.

Why is this significant? Because of the 200 lenses made for Nikon DSLRs by Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, and others, only 20 or so work with the D40 with autofocus - something most amateurs will need to shoot sports and day to day photos. Many of Nikon's own consumer grade lenses, such as the 70-300mm G Zoom (Street price $150), will not autofocus with the D40. As a practical matter, this means that if you want an autofocus lens to shoot junior playing soccer, you must spend $525 for a zoom lens, the fantastic, yet pricey Nikon 70-300mm VR Zoom. That is almost as much as what you paid for the camera itself. The D40 is significantly limited in the number of lenses it will accept, and you really need to think about these limitations before purchasing. Moreover, what if your intentions change and want to pick up a cheap zoom for occasional use? With the D40, you can't, and I really think this is a significant limitation on this camera.

But hey, if you are in group 1, this is a 5 star purchase, and you will be a very happy camper. Good luck!

Good job, Nikon! The D40 is an ideal entry level DSLR. It is aimed at persons who want better quality images than a point-and-shoot pocket camera can deliver, who are willing to put up with the somewhat extra bulk of a true SLR, but who do not want to spend a lot more money. The D40 is an outrageous bargain at its price point. Only a tad bit more money than the high-end point-and-shoots, the D40 will produce better images with the kit lens, and more importantly, enables the user to expand the capacity of the camera at will, by buying other Nikon and compatible lenses. Or by equipping the D40 with one of Nikon's superb outboard flash units, such as the SB400, SB600, or SB800. You cannot do that with point-and-shoots.

Thus, it is a mistake, in my opinion, to spend a lot of time comparing the D40 to other DSLRs, because its real competition is the top-end point-and-shoot cameras, which are pretty good these days. Nevertheless, I will point out some of the advantages and disadvantages of the D40 vis'a'vis other low-end digital SLR cameras.

First-price. The D40 gives a lot of bang for the buck compared to any other DSLR on the market. Particularly for folks for whom its price is a bit of a stretch, the D40 is a howling bargain, in my estimation.

Second-ergonomics. Nikon got the D40 just right. It fits in one's hand in a solid and agreeable way. This is a camera most people will not mind carrying around all day. It is small, but has a wonderful "quality" feel that Nikon seems to get right more often than other manufacturers. The menus are pretty good. Yes, I miss the top LCD display (the D40 uses the big rear LCD for this information, to cut costs) but once you get used to it, it is OK. The control layout on this camera will appeal to most users.

Downsides: the focusing system is less advanced than either the D70s or D50, with three focus points. This may annoy some purists, but the user group to whom the D40 is aimed will mostly not mind this. The other downside is that the D40 does not have the built-in bayonet mount motor, which means that it can only autofocus with the newer Nikon lenses which have the motor in the lens. The older lenses will be autofocus only. In reality I doubt that many will mind this, as the targeted user group for the D40 will likely not own any older Nikon lenses, and will simply confine their subsequent purchases to the newer lenses. Lastly, the D40 is 6 megapixels (in common with the D50 and D70s) rather than the 10MP of the superb D80 and D200. This is probably not going to be a big deal to many D40 owners. You can take awesome pictures at 6MP, the differences as between 6 and 10MP are subtle, and not likely to make a difference to most users.

The D40 is a wonderful choice for someone who wants to be able to take high-quality digital photographs and take advantage of the Nikon system of lenses and flashes, but does not want to spend the kind of money involved in the higher-end cameras. And the wonderful thing is, that if you buy a D40 and get hooked on photography, the D40 can grow with you for quite a ways, since it can use the high-end Nikon equipment. And if you do upgrade the camera body, all the extra lenses and flashes will work with the higher-end model. This makes the D40 an excellent choice for many.

Nikon put a lot of thought in the design of the D40, and by doing so they produced an excellent product for a bargain price.

Many reviews of the D40 state that Nikon targetted the camera at first time buyers of DSLR. I fall into this category...exactly! I owned several point and shoot digital cameras, including a high end Cannon Power Shot. After a while I felt I was not fully satisfied with the point and shoot. I was especially annoyed by red-eye problems and with the relatively poor workmanship of the cameras despite their high price. But, I was not ready to spend money for an expensive DSLR.

The moment I learned about the D40, prior to its availability in the marketplace, I knew that I would wait until I could get one. The price was right. Now, after few months of owning the camera, I'll say it is a bargain. I am very pleased with the camera. It feels good in my hand and the workmanship is superb. The quality of the camera is immediately apparent.

The first photos I took with the camera were taken in Auto mode, no different than with a point and shoot camera. Results were much superior. No red-eye whatsoever! Magnificant landscapes and even some daring close ups of flowers. Of course these photos may not meet the standards of a real photography pro, but they were extremely gratifying to me. Moreover, I knew the camera would allow me to take better photos with time.

The D40 compelled me to learn more about digital photography, and photo editing on the PC. Ergonomics of the camera made it relatively easy to discover its rich feature set. Menus are organized in a logical manner. The innovative on-camera Help is very useful. Right there I can see how one setting differs from another and what effect it will have on the photo. On camera, granted limited photo editing is very nice and a good initial step for more advanced editing on the PC.

I am sure that Nikon will be glad to know that I am already thinking of purchasing another lense for the camera at some point in the not too distant future.

if you want a good camara buy the nikon d50 or canon xt this camera do not accept my sigma 18-125mm, nikon 50mm f1.8, and many lens nikon and generic brands, only 3 focus point the nikon d50 have 5 point, not iso100, not exposure and white balance bracketing.

The quality of our pictures jumped as soon as we received the D40. The auto setting are great, lots of control over everything, pictures look FANTASTIC!
No regrets about the price when we look back and add up the money we spent on what are now crappy, antiquated cameras this was a bargain. We love it!

The Nikon D40 is fabulous. Easy to use, small enough for my "ladies" hands, clear and beautiful photos. I'm still learning all of the features it offers.

I am also a newbie in the dSLR world. I contemplated for many months before i decided to commit to a particular camera, primarily between the cannon rebel xti, the sony alpha, the pentax k10d, and this little gem. I ultimately decided on the nikon d40 primarily because:

a. The price
b. I had no old lenses, so compatibility was not an issue
c. The Nikon quality

For those who are crying that old lenses are not compatible with this camera, i think it is a moot point, because the consumer this camera is aimed at most likely has not old lenses and is looking to start buying them. If you are already a Nikon user, then this camera is likely not suitable for you, and probably be more happy with the Nikon d80.

Anyways, as a new Nikon owner and user, I AM Thrilled to be the owner of this camera and am looking foward to many great years taking pictures with it.

Bought the camera to go with the 18-200 vr lens. Plan on leaving the lens on permanently and using the camera as if it were a high performance superzoom. Have had the camera for a few weeks now, and it, with the lens, have performed as I had hoped. Picture quality is great, and haven't missed a shot yet. I have a Canon 350d, and a bunch of Canon lenses, but got tired of carrying a bag full of lenses. Also have several P&S cameras, but none perform like the D40/18-200 combo.

I have drooled over an dSLR camera for the last year. I finally decided to take the plunge, and could not decide between the Nikon D40, the Pentax 100D, and the Sony Alpha. I really wanted image stabilization. In the end, I held them all in my hand, and the Nikon was the smallest. It did not feel heavy, and the grip was more comfortable. I did also try the D50, but I was much happier with the D40. The price is super. An SLR for under $600???

Right out of the box this camera takes the most awesome pictures. The manual is great, and very easy to follow and understand. The LCD monitor is large, and the menus are well organized.

I had originally not planned on getting any other lenses. I changed my mind, and was saddened at how expensive the AF-S lenses are. I am thrilled the Nikon is coming out with a 55-200 AF-S VR zoom. I was going to wait for them to make a prime 50mm lens, but went ahead and got it now anyway. It was not that difficult to learn, although I can see it will take time to master.

This is a perfect camera for someone who is moving up from a point and shoot, or for someone who already owns a "big" dSLR and wants something smaller. I Love mine and I am thrilled to finally be getting the kind of results I have wanted. Sharp pictures, bright, vivid colors, and no shutter lag! Who could ask for more?

I bought both... The d40 was going to my friend and the d200 to myself. When I recieved both, (...from Cameta Cameras by the way. No hassle purchase. I didn't have anything to say to them, they didn't have anything to say to me. I dislike having to order by phone or have anyone call me or have to call anyone. When I order online, that's all I want to do. Press a button and have the camera show up. Like Magic! LOL)I tried them both out. I keep trying to convince myself that I am happy with the d200! I really am! (sigh) The D40 was lighter, seemed to take brighter pictures with less hassle, my 11yr old daughter was having a blast with it. I understand that the d200 is the more 'professional'camera with more buttons and gizmos. So please don't email me or think that I don't know what all the buttons are for, or that I must be doing something wrong to not get the 'best' out of my d200. I CAN get the best out of the camera. It just seemed that the d40, out of the box, in auto mode, was more correct. I find myself having to 'fuss' with the buttons and gizmos on the d200 to get things right, even in auto mode, whereas the d40 was right on for light, movement and what have you. I take pictures of moving horses, people riding, etc., and it is just a wonderful camera that ANYONE can pick up in 'auto' mode and take bright, beautiful shots. I may find myself putting the d200 on the market and picking up that silly d40 instead that I thought I was too good for!!! Sometimes, we want the most expensive, the biggest numbers, (D200=10mps; D40=6mps), because we think that is what we need. And then sometimes what we need is perfectly packaged in a smaller size, for less money but without all the hoopla. Go figure. I guess my point is, don't be taken in by all the hoopla. The D40 is a very nice camera that is being 'sold'as a beginner DSLR. It's better than that. My only issue with the D40 is that the LCD could easily be scratched without a cover. Before I gave the camera to my friend, who is a notorious clutzs, I put a PDA protective, sticky plastic screen cover over it. I wish that there was some way of putting the same plastic cover that the D200 has over the D40.

And my other point . . . go have fun with whatever camera you buy! LOL It's all about getting those memories and images to print!!!

I am not a photographer by any sense of the imagination! I always was interested in it, but never got the chance to really do anything about it. I am into digital scrapbooking and my husband is a graphic arts designer. We wanted a camera that could work great for our digital work and our webpage designs.

And can I just say, "This camera ROCKS!"

It's so easy to use, its small, not at all heavy, and it can do soooo many more things than a simple point and shoot. If you want to get into photographing more or if you like to do things with photos, this would make a great upgrade for a novice. I am so happy I bought it.

One thing to think about, that I didn't do... GET A CAMERA bag! I didn't even think about it when I bought the camera, and I had to go out and get something to store the camera and the chords together. Also, remember that it doesn't come with a memory card. So, just remember to consider those things in your camera buying budget.

My wife keeps complaining the poor indoor picture quality of our Canon SD200 and SD600 - BTW these are great cameras but our subjects (3 kids here) keep moving around so it's quite challenging to get a good indoor pictures. I tried a Canon S3 IS and I love the 12x zoom lens (SD200 and 600 are only 3x). However the lens is as slow as SD200/600 even the high ISO performance is a *little* better. Another thing is the color tune of that particular S3 IS is way too cold.

(The following is mainly a comparison of Canon Rebel XTi and Nikon D40)

Then I tried a Canon Rebel XTi (EOS 400) - a good step up from point&shoot cameras. However the big hassle is that in P mode (which I believe most of people use with DSLR cameras), you have to choose ISO for each shooting situation. This is not very practical when you just want to quickly catch a moment. D40 (and D70/80) has the very very useful "AUTO ISO" here - it allows you set a Max ISO # (I'm using 1600) and shutter sheep and the camera will adjust the ISO accordingly in this preset range - in P mode. I found the pictures in 1600 are quite satisfactory - even though everyone else is saying Canon EOS has better high ISO performance. Also D40 is lighter and more compact than Canon EOS. I like the command dial of Nikon better - Canon's is too tight and locates at the front - means you have to life up your finger from the shutter button each time you want to use it. D40's at the back so is very accessible with your thumb. Yes Canon has more hardware buttons. But D40 has enough - I use the Fn button for white balance. ISO is not longer needed thanks to the Auto ISO. Then pretty much that's what I need in 90% of shoot situation. Of course more buttons are better - but hey - D40 is $540 and Canon XTi is $780!

I have had my Canon for almost 3 months but still can't decide to keep it. D40 was received just a few days ago and now I love it! I like how it feels in my hand and the picture quality. Besides, there are better lens options for Nikon. The good lens for Canons are too expensive. The kits lens of D40 is the second generation of its 18-55 and is said better than Canon's kit lens. Nikon's 55-200 is only $170. The legendary 18-200 f/3.5-5 (with image stabilization) is only $750 (if you can get hold of one).

The only down side of D40 for me is it only takes AF-S/I lens so the famous 50MM F/1.8 prime lens won't auto focus on it. I wish I could get one of those really fast lens to use indoors. I believe/hope Nikon will make a compatible cheap prime for D40 in the future.

D40 is 6MP but Canon is 10 MP. I'm OK with it because most of the pictures are viewed at computer. 6 MP is more then enough already.

Fun and easy to use.. this is one of the best DSLR's for a beginning photographer! Grand Canyon here I come!

Oh know that this does not have bracketing and the lenses are super pricey (new lens must have motor built in since the camera body does not have one)!

I am the D40 demographic. I came from a Canon point and shoot, I previously owned no SLR lenses, and mainly wanted to take high quality photos of my family. The D40 has fit the bill perfectly, allowing me to easily take beautiful photographs. Here are some points that prospective buyers may want to consider:

1. 6MP resolution. 10.1 MP is the current rage, but examine your needs before you buy these cameras. File size, especially if you shoot in RAW, for 10.1 MP is huge and the increase in print size allowed with the higher resolution is not that significant in a real world way. For me, the D40 provides plenty of real world resolution without getting caught up in the Megapixel war.

2. Auto-ISO. This is key. See the review below.

3. ISO 1600 shooting. If you are not into looking at every photo with a magnifying glass (and who does that?), the high quality of these photos will allow you to get great pictures that you otherwise would miss.

4.Before buying the camera, I owned no SLR lenses. If you own a buch of lenses already, this camera is probably not for you (unless the happen to be of the correct type).

5. Easy adjustability. Shooting with aperature or speed priority is very, very easy.

6. Lack of second information LCD. I looked at the D80 and thought I would miss that second display on the D40. Well, the D80 info display is pretty poor anyway and on the D40 all that info is a push of the button away. Maybe a bit of a negative, but not as much as I thought it would be.

7. No depth of field preview. A common complaint about this camera. If you don't know what this is, then don't worry about it. If you have to have this feature, look elsewhere.

In summary, this is a real world camera for the every day photographer that wants great photos and the speed and adjustability of an SLR. If you are deciding between this camera and the D80, get out a sheet of paper and write down all the ways the D80 will help you get a better photograph. Then make the decision and see if the extra cost is worth the price difference. For me, this list was empty, so I bought the D40 and could not be happier.

This camera takes great pictures and is very easy to use. I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in a digital SLR camera but doesn't want to spend too much money.

It got seriously wet when the canoe capsized, but kept on going. Not under the water, just well into it. Even the actually submerged 70-300 lens came back to life once it dried out.

I got this camera 'cause I was sick and tired of compact cameras that simply did not deliver quality photos.

When I first got it I pleasantly surprised, you simply put the lens on and the camera took great pictures for you! Everything I could only dream about from a compact camera came from this beautiful instrument.
The auto mode is perfect for everyday use, and the other modes are great for messing around with and getting great photos in the process.
I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone who's willing to step up and get their first real camera.

For a digital SLR and with the kit lens this is a small light weight camera that takes beautiful photos and is simple to use on auto. For a beginner SLR user I can't emagine a better buy.

This camera is wonderful. It is fairly priced and does everything I need it to. I had a d50 that was stolen and am almost glad because I could replace it with this one. The continuous shooting capabilities make for a more easy live action stop-motion frame capture. If you want it to do everything for you, it does so very well. It also allows you to have full control of the camera. I cannot say enough about the weight. I have decently sized hands, more large than small but still thin and the camera size doesn't feel small. I love this camera. I wish it had a guard for the screen, but you can't win them all. The only drawback to this camera is that I cannot use one of my brother's old lenses with autofocus because the body of the camera of course doesn't have an autofocus engine. I rarely autofocus anyway, so I'm fine with that. Plus it won't affect new lenses I buy.

This is a perfect cam for to begin with. The picture quality are simply amazing. Quite lot of things can be learnt from this.

I previously used mainly manual film cameras, but the cost of developing film made it difficult to take the hundreds of pictures needed to learn how to take good ones. I recently bought the d40 which is a great camera for learning with. I have taken about 1000 pictures in the last two weeks and probably have learned more in that time than I did with months of using a film camera. I have large hands, so I was suprised how this small camera fits as well as it does. The screen is large and very clear. The availability of a few new cheap lenses alson makes this easy on the wallet, while allowing a newbie like myself learn the basics. I highly recomment this camera.

I began as a child with brownies and graduated to instamatics, wondering at the wonderful new technology and the convenience of a contained drop in roll of film and a cool flash. In high school I progressed to dark room processing (whose magic and science later served me in a sweltering subtropical environment), but still with the most basic of cameras unless a friend lent me his Mamiya Seikor and hand held light meter. I have an old soviet all mechanical KGB 35 mm SLR camera laying around somewhere, but my main camera which became like a part of me, another organ of my body, was my Canon AL-1, with the wonders of a rudimentary Focus assist system and aperture priority photography. That Canon saw me across thousands of miles through Nicaragua and the heights of Machu Picchu, and finally gave up the ghost when twenty years came and went and duct tape couldn't hold it together anymore and the long lens fused to the body.

Being known as a photographer, or one who has taken pictures, has its draw backs, as people ask you about the latest technology. In the mountains of NIcaragua in the eighties new tourists asked me how their latest point and shoot knew which ISO to set to. I had no idea. More recently people handed me their digital point and shoots, tiny as cellphones, and I had no idea and a lingering commitment to a roll of film as true photography, and a full sized SLR as the only way to go. I cannot grasp the concept of parallax which point and shoots require, but must compose in the viewfinder as I cannot control the darkroom with commercial and color film processing.

Then I met this D-40

Being obliged to buy a digital as the price of film processing soared, I searched desperately here on the amazon, feeling unfaithful, comparing product details, etc. which are so generously given here on the amazon, and I discovered: This D-40 is all of the camera you will ever need forever, case closed (Of course I felt the same about my Canon).

I now once again sleep with my SLR literally, and its manual I commit to memory. This camera is really more than you will ever need, and since it is behind the latest wave its price is very reasonable and generous. The number of megapixels is more than sufficient for enlargement, and for cropping to details while recomposing. In fact, the camera is its own darkroom, as it allows you to crop and otherwise alter and adjust all aspects of images, including going sepia tones, and dump them to a printer or your computer, without the need for further graphics programs. The full functions of the camera quickly become intuitive, with its easily accessible and ergonomic buttons and switches and menu screens, and as one who used no more than a mainly mechanical SLR for years and loved it, this D-40 is truly magical and well beyond my needs, desires and imaginings. It can do everything and more.

I strongly suggest you get the very inexpensive 55-200 mm long lens designed for this camera series. Watch for the full description of the lens to be sure it is fully compatible with all of this camera's features. And before going outside, as you learned in your first photogrpahy class, be sure to get the UV lens filter, or other filter, mainly to protect the lens from scratches and the world and your fingertip oils. Be sure to get the semi-soft camera case which is ample enough to cover the surprisingly short long lens. Also hunt around for the best price on SD memory cards, of which you will want several, and which are very inexpensive here on the amazon. If you can afford it get an extra rechargeable battery to carry in your case, and get the plug in transformer for use where plug in is available and long service is required. Pick up the remote control device and all the rest of the bells and whistles while available, but essentially get the long lens, lens filters, SD cards, and semi soft case. Also get a great all around technique refresher book like Understanding Exposure (see my review there please).

One surprisingly expensive accessory is the Speedlight flash attachment. I got sticker shock at seeing the price on these nowadays, for one that angles, etc. We used to get these used for next to nothing, but now I'd get another lens instead! In any case the built in pop-up flash on the D-40 serves for most any flash situations without being annoying and with a red eye assist, etc., even at a good distance (ever seen those folks at a football game stand up and try to fill the stadium with their disposable flash or their CELLPHONE? Or stand more than twelve feet away?).

I normally go with ambient light no matter how long the exposure, for the suffused effect, and so rarely use a flash. So I was glad to learn the flash can be suppressed in the "fully automatic no flash" mode, as well as other modes, but having it there to pop up whenever people require you to "take my picture" under unfavorable conditions is very comforting. This is a great all around camera with also wonderfully implemented specific skills.

The only con mentioned elsewhere that I can agree with is regarding the three point automatic focus system which focusses on the nearest object. I lean on the law of thirds myself and so have to lock focus and recompose in the viewfinder, or think of cropping later. Obviously the focussing points were set up to favor the exact center, which is death to any photograph. But hey, work around this already!

You cannot go wrong with this camera. Did I mention the ample rear screen, full color, which permits zooming in very closely to check your focus, etc., and which scrolls through several functional menu screens? It has everything and more, including settings for aperture priority (and even if you do not have a manual aperture ring on your lens, you can do it through the camera itself), shutter priority, etc. etc. etc. If you feel there is something this camera CANNOT do, as mentioned in other reviews, just READ THE MANUAL (we used to have an interesting acronym for that in the early days of PC's) and you will discover this camera in fact can do it all and more.

You can set this up so that every iota of information regarding focal length, shutter speed, aperture, etc., etc., gets saved with the photo instead of jotting it down in a pad, and thus you can even see that the ISO is altered automatically to fit conditions. No more blowing off a roll of 100 ISO before nightfall just to take low light pictures by oil lamp with ISO 800 and using it up before daybreak. You can also set the ISO instead of automatically switching it from shot to shot as the camera wills.

I have not yet tried setting the ISO to 1600 to see if it comes out as ethereally grainy as that film did when first marketted twenty years ago. Got some great shots of people and places that way. I suppose in the DSLR it simply grants greater latitude in low light situations without flash. But I see no pressing need to have a button dedicated directly and only to adjusting ISO as mentioned in another review. I trust the D-40's processor to make the decision. That's what I pay it for. Me, I am too concerned with keeping those kids in focus and in frame, or that wild bird from spooking to soon, or that flower from getting lost in too great a depth of field, or holding my breath while soaking in that altar lit by candles and wishing I had brought my tripod, or at least a monopod.

Truly this is the camera to get, especially at this falling price, but be sure to protect it with lens filters and case, and READ THE MANUAL!!

For $540 or so, this is the best you can get! Excellent pictures, ease of use, compact and sturdy.... You won't be disappointed!

I purchased this camera some months ago instead of its slightly larger and more lens-friendly brother, the D50 (which I had coveted for over a year). Having had some time to play with it, it seems appropriate to provide a general review. More detailed reviews are readily available on the web; both Ken Rockwell and DPreview give well-balanced reviews.

In sum, the D40 is a terrific camera for general everyday photography. The D40 is probably not for you if you're looking to shoot more specialty shots, like sports or astronomy, due to contraints on the exposure time (max of 30s) and the comparatively slow 2.5fps speed. (The D200 shoots at 5fps, by comparison.) That said, I have taken some fairly decent shots with the kit lens in martial arts classes.

As noted in some other reviews, Nikon removed the mechanical AF servo in the D40 body. This means that older lenses generally won't autofocus. Those (like me) who are new to the world of Nikon won't really notice; the only lens I've particularly wanted to get for it that won't auto-focus is the Nikon standard 50mm f/1.8. For those who have older lenses, the D50 is probably a better bet, though the internals are a generation older.


My experience with the D40 has been extremely positive. The kit lens isn't professional, but it is fairly sharp, without overmuch distortion. It allows some fairly tight closeups. Shots are vibrant.

I generally don't use the camera out of the P (programmed auto) or M (manual) modes, but others may find the presets for action, portrait, and others to be more useful.

The controls are generally intuitive, though it might be nice to have more shortcuts to frequently-modified settings. (My function button is currently mapped to change the ISO.)

The image proce