Going from using point-and-shoot digicams to the D40x is a nice 1st step. I love taking pictures and have always wanted an easy to use 1st-time dSLR. The D40x fits the bill. The differences with the D40 may be minor but the 10 Megapixels surely will benefit those who tend to crop pictures later, as I do. The 18-55 mm lens that I got with the camera is limiting. I take a lot of close-up shots so its fine now but I already have my eyes set on the 55-200 AF-S DX VR Lens.

The built in tools make the D40x very easy to use and quite intutive. I didn't even read the manual yet and feel like I can just use it for reference later.

SD memory does not come with the camera, it should I think. I got myself a 2GB Kingston Ultra which works like a charm. An extra battery comes in handy too.

The D40 is a fine camera by itself, about $200 cheaper than the "x" but I prefer to have 10 MPs to work with (personal preference). I will invest in better lenses later. I will use this time to master the camera first.

It was either the Canon Rebel XTi or the Nikon D40x for me. In the end, I settled on the Nikon. Accessories/Lenses are a bit on the cheaper side. Also, I have lots of SD memory so didn't feel like getting new CF just for the XTi.

I am very satisfied with my purchase and you will be too.

Good luck.

This review to let customers aware that the NEF (Nikon Raw format) is not recognized by iPhoto 6.0.6 running under Mac OS X 10.4.9. I returned the camera back to Amazon without any problem.

Now, about the camera. I was surpised by the small size of the body itself. It felt good in the hand. The screen is very bright. However, I cannot say anything about the quality of the pictures in RAW since my software was not recognizing it.

We needed a new digital camera when my Sony DSC-W1 focusing system developed complications after sending it thru the X-ray system. Did my searching online, and I liked detailed comparision of the entire Nikon digital camera line-up at the Nikon USA website. Decided to buy this camera over the D40 because of the 10+ mpixel capability, and the Canon line-up because I had other lenses from my other Nseries Nikon's that I could use.

Pros: Light, easy to use and master. Good quality glass element lens. Excellent picture quality.
Cons: The 2.5 inch viewer is for playback only. Does not work as a viewfinder.

The D40x is a 10 megapixel upgrade to their popular D40 camera (6mp), and this package features the same 18-55 zoom.

As with it's 6mp twin, the D40x is one of the smallest DSLRs on the market, but is shaped as well for the hands as any of the smaller series (such as the Canon XTi). Trade-offs for the smaller size are a less powerful battery and a smaller viewfinder.

Another strong feature is the editing you can do in the camera itself after you've taken the picture. This is truly handy if you're on the road but need to make some prints for clients or family.

Compared to the slightly more expensive Canon XTi, the D40x's AF system is a very simple 3-point system vs. 9-point for the Canon. Since focusing a metering are also tied together, this might give the Canon an edge in more difficult lighting situations. Additionally, the Canon offers a sensor cleaning feature lacking on all Nikons. The Canon, however, does not have the editing featues of the D40x. These two will be joined at 10mp, very small DSLR, by the Olympus Evolt E-410.

The only catch for the D40x is that it does not feature a focusing motor inside the body. That pretty much limits your selection of autofocusing lenses to some Nikon and a few Sigma lenses today. Nikon's own 55-200 VR is a terrific value, if it's enough range, but there are no $200 AF 75-300 zooms that will work in autofocus today. If you have older Nikon AF lenses, you might look at the larger but superior D80, which still features the motor in the body.

A very nice, small DSLR, at a very reasonable price. And the pictures are pretty darn good, too!

I always amazed that essentially no electronics company has ever heard of epilepsy or the Americans with Disabilities Act. Many epileptics can not tolerate blinking displays, etc. ( I wonder if there is anyone in the world, epileptic or not, that likes these unnecessary, infinitely annoying blinking icons? )

With this camera, the Nikon D40X, any time there is some sort of out-of-range exception or problem, the help icon starts blinking furiously. I was having seizures with the very first use of this camera and I still can't use it because of seizures. There is no way of disabling this, naturally. ( I guess you could tape over the area where the icon is? )

Blinking anything is a relic from the dark ages of electronics where there was only a single LED or a seven segment LED to indicate status. With modern LCD panels there are infinite alternative implementations such as a reverse video over the help icon, changing the color to, say, red, placing a "forbidden" ( the circle with the diagonal slash ) over the setting in error.

At least Nikon could either provide an option to disable this "feature" or to provide an alternate display as mentioned in the previous paragraph? Anyways, I am tired of having my brain scrambled so this will probably be returned. I did not spend a thousand dollars for a camera that I can not safely use.

With the Nikon D200 and the Nikon D80, you can configure them so that they are essentially epilepsy friendly. I have few problems with these two cameras and, if you are an epileptic, these are better cameras, too.

BTW, the Canon Digital Rebel XTi ( which I, unfortunately, also have ), is also not suitable for epileptics as it has a similar problem to the Nikon D40X ( in it's case values blink and the EV display blinks if out-of-range ) The Canon is a more solid camera but it has fewer configuration options that the Nikon D40X.

In the introductory paragraph I noted that essentially NO electronics company cares less about epileptics or the ADA. I have a whole box of advanced Texas Instruments calculators that I can't use. ( I requested accommodation a long time ago. No response, of course ) Considering that a couple of percent of the population has epilepsy, why won't these companies provide epilepsy friendly equipment?

BTW, the one exception ( this is software ) is MatLab ( Math Works ). These people have gone out of their way to provide epilepsy friendly software and I would like to thank them for that.

The 10 Megapixel Nikon D40x 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. In my opinion, if you are still considering whether to get a point and shoot camera or a DSLR, the D40x will be a better choice than any point and shoot camera. 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, D70s and/or D80 first before deciding to buy the D40x (or the D40). I want you to make sure that you know what you will get (and not get) with the D40x. Don't get me wrong though, the D40x is an awesome camera, and I don't think you will regret buying one. There are some limitation with the D40x which shouldn't bother most people, for example, the D40x 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 D40x is a potent and exciting photography machine.

Just like all its (DSLR) siblings, the D40x 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 3 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 D40x 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).
3. 10.2 Megapixel sensor for 3782 X 2592 on large image size settings. This is enough to print larger than 13 X 19 Inch.
4. 3 frames per second (vs 2.5 for D40)

To date, D40 and D40x are the smallest and lightest among all the Nikon DSLR (even smaller than the Canon Rebel XT/XTi, however the D40 and D40x 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/D40x 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/D40x 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/D40x, 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/D40x (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/D40x 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 D40x is very good which is #1 factor that I look for in a digital camera.

Here are the pros and cons of the D40x in my opinion:

Pros:
1. Nice out of the camera result picture quality
2. 10.2 Megapixel sensor
3. Compact size and light weight
4. Large and bright 2.5 inch LCD
5. 3 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 battery life (500+ on a single charge. 1000+ if flash is not used).
10. Auto (flash off) mode available

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. ISO start at 100 which is slower than the D40's 200 ISO
8. No night landscape mode in pre-programmed settings
9. 1/200 flash sync (which is slower than D40's 1/500)
10. No depth-of-field preview button

Comparing D40x with the D40. I personally prefer the D40 over the D40x due to only minor improvement on the D40x. If you will do a lot of cropping and print larger than 13 X 19 Inch then it might make sense to get the D40x, otherwise use that $200 (price difference) to invest in SB-400 flash or better/more versatile lens (such as upgrading the kit lens to 18-70mm AF-S or 18-200mm AF-S VR or add the 55-200mm AF-S VR zoom lens). If you shoot sports or fast action (in continuous/burst mode) and need more than 3 frames per second then get the D200 with 5 FPS. For enthusiast, 2.5 FPS (D40) or 3 FPS (D40x) is good enough in my opinion.

In conclusion, the D40x 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 D40x is pretty much all you will need.

Happy Photographing!

I bought the D40X in Israel since Amazon will not ship it outside of the US (still can't understand why).
I went for the kit (18-55) and added the AF-S 55-200 VR and the tiny yet impressive SB-400 flash.
I was instantly amazed: perfect colors, always in focus (and I mean always, even in zero light conditions), fast, easy and most of all, fun!
Many friends asked me why I bought this model instead of the D40 - claiming that these two cameras are exactly the same (since more MP don't make a difference).
So here are the main reasons:
1. MP can make a difference, when you crop pictures. I must say that sometimes my compositions are not exactly exquisite (yeah...they sometimes suck...) so I need to crop pictures to make them look as I want them to. the extra 4 mp can make that difference (and they already did for me!)
2. The D40X lowest ISO is 100 (200 for the D40). Again, not a big difference. However, ISO 200 may sometimes result in overexposure of white surfaces while the rest of the picture looks just great and that is so annoying!! I checked both sensitivity settings and 100 just looks better. Furthermore, why did Nikon decide to change this feature? I am sure that it has something to do with feedback they received from customers.
3. It's newer than the D40. Yes, people may say that I am a victim of good marketing, but I strongly believe that Nikon released this version with improvements based on usage.
I don't write Pros and Cons since I can't compare this camera to anything else at this level and price.
Go get yourself one, you just can't go wrong.

Avi

If I could rate this camera using 10 stars, I would. This is absolutely the best digital camera I could ever hope to own. I have had it for only one month, but have taken pictures of flowers, animals, people and collectibles. I am so amazed at the details of each picture when I view it on my computer screen. There is so much more for me to learn about the Nikon D40x features, and I am certain that it will provide me with even more breath-taking photos as I become familiar with those features.

First let me say, this camera is exceptional in the quality of image, feature-set, etc. I am writing this review only to warn others who are not aware: the autofocus feature in the D40 and D40x is different than all the other Nikon models.

We purchased the Tamron AF 18-200mm 3.5-5.6, fully expecting the autofocus to work as witnessed/experienced on my friend's D70. Not so. My bad for not uncovering this little-written-about fact. (I would think, after having read hundreds of reviews, this would have been revealed). I knew the D40 & D40x required a Nikkor DX lens, but third party lenses don't have this specific identifier, and assumed "Autofocus Lens for Nikon" would meet that requirement on the D40(x) as well.

Therefore, I am entering this tidbit for the record. Camera is a 5, (when coupled with the somewhat limited quantities of, and somewhat more expensive, lenses with autofocus built into the lens). Coming from the point-and-shoot world, I absolutely love this camera!

Also for the record, I am sending the D40x back, (Thanks Amazon, your return policy and service is outstanding.)and upgrading to the D80 instead which works with all autofocus lenses, and besides, whats a couple hundred extra bucks when your buying this quality of camera. Can't wait to get the shipment, I fell in love with this camera the moment I started shooting.

For almost 2 months now, I have been using my D40X and I love its outputs. The camera is well built, very handy and produces sharp beautiful images. I am very happy with Nikon D40X, it boosts my ego also. What else can I say?... Try and see the difference.

I bought this camera for my boyfriend for his birthday. His last digital camera was nowhere near as extensive but this one has proved to be perfect for him. He's been reading thru the manual learning things here and there. It's his first digital SLR. It's not too complicated to take out of the box and begin shooting but it does have the bells and whistles to grow into for a beginner. I don't know that much about SLR cameras either but he's estatic and that's all that matters.

Easy for my wife to use as a point and shoot with convenience of the small footprint. Has all the features I would hope for as an experienced protographer and are intuitive to use- don't have to keep going back to the manual. Probaly did not need the 10 mpixel. Get the VR zoom as it will probably be your primary lens

I did a dumb thing last Tuesday - while at the airport, I had my fully outfitted Canon D20 rig - battery grip pack, 4 batteries, several lenses, remote trigger, external flash, 3 GB CF mini hard drive card and a case full of other stuff. While on the shuttle train to my gate it was on my shoulder on the seat. When the train stopped, I jumped off with my laptop, but the camera bag had slipped off onto the seat - I didn't notice the weight change on my shoulder. As the door was closing, I saw my camera drive off in an empty train to pick up more travellers. $3000+ in camera gear soon to be in the hands of a new owner :-( I called Lost and Found, but let's face it - it's gone for good. Oh well - I make good money, and it's just 'stuff' - what else can you do, ya know? I can only say I'm glad I didn't have my GPS, point-and-shoot, 700p PDA cell phone and car keys in the same case like I normally do when I travel (I fly a lot). This one day, all the other stuff was in my laptop case.

Soooo.... today I bought the Nikon at Costco in a 2 lens kit for about $970. I fully knew it wasn't the pro grade that my Canon was. But I just wanted to 'get back in it' as I take a LOT of photos for work and pleasure.

The D40x takes GREAT photos - but I quickly found a few limitations that I have not seen posted. There is no direct entry for color temperature. Since I shoot semi professionally, and use a color temperature meter on a regular basis, I feel this is important. With the Nikon, you can only set the 'lighting type' - outdoors, tungsten, flourescent, etc. No direct entry of color temp in Kelvins. Also, there is no instant access to ISO - another important feature the D40x lacks. There is no external sync PC connection for pro flash gear (I use Novatron flash packs in manual mode). You have to buy a hot shoe adapter to get this - no biggie, but it's more money and not included.

But I will say it's WAY faster than the Canon D20 was - very quick to start, and no lag between shots. The ergonomics are better in some ways - it's WAY lighter, but a little small. There's no LCD on top, and only one encoder wheel (which limits how many changes you can make quickly). The built-in editing and such are fine if you want that stuff in the camera. I don't - I use Photoshop and do all that stuff on the computer. Also, I normally shoot RAW + Large JPEG - the D40X only allows RAW + 'basic' JPEG - you cannot do 1:4 large JPEGs and RAW at the same time - I consider this a limitation, as it means I must do the conversion in the computer instead of just dumping both formats onto the editing disk. For point and shoot, it isn't an issue.

I think it's a great semi-pro camera - if you are looking for a GOOD 'point and shoot' this might be the ticket. If you are looking for a GOOD DSLR, I'd go for the Nikon D80 instead. I chose the D40X on the thought that next year, the D80 class will be 20 Megapixels, and I'll just hang on until then to move back into a pro-class DSLR. So my issues really relate to the fact I didn't want to jump right back in with another $3000 to get to where I was on Tuesday. I did NOT expect the D40x to be pro grade - it's a VERY good camera for what it is.

Oh, and if you happen to have 'found' a Canon D20 camera and bag on a train to the south terminal of the Seattle airport on May 22 at 7:30 AM, I'll happily give you a VERY generous reward for returning it to me :-)

As long as you know what you're buying, it's hard to go wrong with Nikon's digital SLRs. They all take beautiful photographs. Even the basic D40 will give you professional-level clarity, color and focus. When I started using a Nikon digital to shoot travel-guide photos at Walt Disney World about five years ago, I would often get stopped by guests wanting to ask about my camera. Now I never do, because so many have one that looks just like it!

There are four Nikon digital SLRs in the consumer market. Here's how they compare:

The entry-level camera is the Nikon D40. It's a basic SLR camera that takes high-quality 6.1 megapixel (MP) photos. It has an automatic flash, eight programmed exposure modes, three focus areas and a self-timer with four settings (2, 5, 10 and 20 seconds). The D40 can shoot about two-and-a-half images per second and take about 450 photos on each battery charge. Its ISO range is 200-1600. On the downside, it has a plastic body, a semi-mechanical shutter and only accepts Nikon's newer AF-I or AF-S lenses unless you want to manually focus each shot. It weighs about a pound. The basic D40 kit is Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens.

One step up from the D40 is the D40x, shown on this page. Using the same body as the D40, it shoots 10.2 MP photos. It can take about three images per second, get about 500 photos out of a single charge, has an ISO range of 100-1600 and has a fully electronic shutter. As shown above, Amazon offers the D40x as body-only and in a variety of sets.

A major step up is the D80. About a third-inch wider and four ounces heavier than the D40, it uses the same processor but works fully with any Nikon SLR lens. It has 11 focus areas, a depth-of-field preview in its optical viewfinder, white-balance bracketing and a self-timer that can be set for any time between 2 and 20 seconds. Incredibly, you can get up to 2000 shots on each battery charge, assuming you don't use the LCD screen much. This is the camera used by Disney's PhotoPass photographers. Amazon sells the D80 body separately (Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only) and in various lens-package deals.

Finally, the D200 is simply one of the best cameras Nikon has ever built. A half-inch taller and a third-inch wider than the D80, it weighs nearly two pounds thanks to its all-metal body. Designed for more advanced users, it does away with all but the standard programmed exposure mode and instead shoots 5 frames per second, outstanding for a 10 MP ISO 100 camera, especially at this price. It uses Compact Flash cards. In many ways the D200 is a professional camera at a consumer price. This is the camera I use for all but my most demanding shots. From a professional standpoint it really increases your productivity compared to the far bulkier D2 models, as it is so much easier to carry and position. Amazon sells the D200 body by itself (Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) and in various package deals.

I'm not including the professional D2 models here, as explaining all their features would drag this review on forever. Besides, from what I've heard the new D3 should be released this fall.

-- By Mike Neal, photographer for The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World.

This camera takes really nice pictures and I am really content with my purchase. So far the pictures have been amazing and the camera is very easy to use. I considered the Canon Rebel XTI as well, but I'm glad I selected the Nikon.

I am very satisfied with this product and the Amazon system. I bought by internet by Amazon and receive the equipment without problems. I happy.

I have been into photography about forty years. I decided to move up to a digital SLR. Checked all the data I could find on the Canon xti and the Nikon D40x.It seemed to me the cameras were about the same, with the Nikon having the edge on lens quality and the spot meter which I have always liked. My next step was to try them on for size, so I went to my local Sam's Club. To me, the Nikon felt much better in my hands. You should try the same test, after all you are spending a fair amount of money and probably intending to keep the camera for awhile. In the past, I have owned both Nikon and Canon cameras, and usually judge them about the same. I would strongly suggest that you purchase the 55mm-200 lens for this camera. After owning this camera for about two months I would tell you I am very satisfied with it in every way, picture quality, weight, feel, and performance. The only way I would recommend the Canon xti is if you already have Canon lenses that are compatible with it. The older Nikon lenses are not compatible on the d40x. Hope this review helps your decision.

The camera is fantastic! Picture quality wonderful, speed incredible, battery lif almost infinite (over 35o pics this charge and still showing full!). Recommend it and the lens to everyone!

I love the size and weight of the D40x. It feels good in my hands and hanging around my neck, even after a long day. The pictures are great and the user interface is relatively easy to use. My only complaints are the auto focus and the lens. When set to 'closest subject' (the default) the auto focus seems to focus on the wrong thing fairly often. I can switch to one of the other auto focus modes but these are less "automatic". My only other gripe is the lens. For the price delta between the D40x and the D40, I think it should have come with a bit better lens. I replaced the 18-55 with a Nikon 18-70 and now I've very happy.

The D40x 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 D40x. 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 D40x is a potentially 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, and rivals the D80 at half the cost. At 10.2 megapixels, there is plenty of resolution to crop and still have a great image to print.

Also, this is a very light weight camera which feels great in the hand, and is extremely easy to set up and use.

Digicam upgraders will love the ability to shoot at 2.5 frames per second, meaning you can set up the camera to take multiple exposures if you hold down the trigger. Digital exposures are free, so shooting in this manner gives you a better chance of hitting the perfect shot when photographing the kids.

If you intend to use this camera for general travel and around-the-house kid pictures, the D40x is a GREAT choice, and I think you will be a very, very happy camper.

The 2 Star buyer:

You want a camera for sports or telephoto shots of nature/birding. This is not the camera for you, and here is why: the D40x 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 D40x 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 D40x. As a practical matter, this means that if you want an autofocus lens to shoot junior playing soccer, you must spend $515 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 D40x 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 D40x, 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!

I got this D40x as a birthday gift. Ever since, I fell in love with it! The shots are just amazing, even if you took a photo of something useless, it still looks amazing! I didn't used to like taking photos of kids before because they move and jump around a lot. But with this, everything works great. I get very good 10MP clarity and very stable shots. I suggest this for beginners and pros..!

I am an owner of Nikon D80 and bought D40x to my girlfriend. D40x is very handly and lightweight D-SLR I've seen. Image quality is identical to D80.

I have been a serious photographer for 58 years, most of these as a professional. I have seen some awesome cameras, but the Nikon D40x is by far the most phenominal I have ever used. I can't even imagine what would make this any better.
My only complaint was that when I received my camera it came without a memory card. I should have picked up on this before it arrived, but I supposed that a camera "kit" would include everything I needed to get started. Not a big problem, but inconvenient.

I've had this camera for 1 month now. The funny thing is that I purchased the same one from [...] and wound up returning it. Here is why:

[...] sells a kit with the D40X, a Lexar 1 GB memory card, the Nikon Bag, 2 instructional DVD's, the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses.

The problem was that I wanted the 55-200 VR lens (which is a much better lens). New it's not that much more money...but to sell the kit lens and buy the VR version would have put me out extra $. Also the Lexar memory card is not as good as the Extreme III card that I wanted and ultimately got from Amazon. Last was the warranty. [....] changed their return policy now after 90 days you're on your own - they do not offer any extensions or service contracts, even at an additional cost. I checked with Nikon and an additional 2 years of coverage would have been $100. I ultimately got 3 additional years through Amazon for considerably less.

In the end I picked out all the components from Amazon and built my "kit" much better than the [...] version for basically the same money.

As far as the camera itself there are some features that I wish it had, such as:

Drawbacks:
No Exposure Bracketing
Limited to 3 focus points
No Depth of field preview

Knowing that I would miss these features I still purchased this camera (twice) because:

Positive:
It feels/handles great
The lenses (although limited) offer a great bang for the buck
The menu system is user friendly and a pleasure to use
The results - This camera allows me to take great pictures

Conclusion:
If you have a lot of film SLR experience consider the Canon XTI
If you are moving up from a digital point and shoot and do limited or no photo editing - get the D40 & if you crop your images for print get the D40X

This is the first true DSLR that almost fits in your pocket (and easily fits in a purse).

My main camera is a D200 (fantastic).

But the D40x is very similar to the D200 EXCEPT with the D40x both the camera and the SUPERB kit lens are very very small and very very light. Wow.

There are major differences between the d40x and the D200, but they are small enough that for most people the difference in size and price will lead you to the D40x.*

Plus, the lens itself is so great that I often pull it off the D40x and use it on my D200 as a great walkaround lens.

Here are the differences between the D40x and an essentially pro camera like the D200. The differences are in ease and flexibility, not necesarily the resulting pictures. The D40x is smaller and lighter, and thus much more practical to carry around. (Realistically a bunch of this difference is in the lightweight 18-55 lens, so if you already own a different camera you may just want to grab this little lens.) This camera lacks some great external controls on the D200 that let you change stuff more easily. I also feel the matrix metering on the D40x misfires, as it were, sometimes, as I understand is a "hidden feature" of the otherwise-lovely D80. (if this happens, switch to spot, constantly shoot at -3; it's not the end of the world).
----
*Note that there is a major focusing issue with many great lenses and the D40x. In a nutshell, the lens has to have auto focusing built into it or it will *not* work with the D40x. But you have some superb options available with the D40x nonetheless.

Here are my favorite lenses that *will* work with the D40x:
--the kit lens it comes with
--the huge and glorious Nikkor 70-200 2.8 vr lens
--sigma 30 mm 1.8 prime lens
--sigma 50-150 2.8 lens


The much hyped 18-200 nikkor VR lens I'm still on the fence about. Honestly so far I've gotten better results with the d40x kit lens and lugging around an additional lens as I feel the need arises, than I have with the "all in one" 18-200. Stay tuned.

I am, of course, sad that my nikkor 50 mm prime lens and 85 mm prime lens won't work with the D40x. That, plus the manual controls mounted externally on the D200 are what make me favor the D200 when I can stand the added weight and bulk. But if these aren't issues for you, then enjoy!

Really enjoying using this camera -- it was easy to set up and start shooting -- love the lack of shutter lag! Gorgeous shots, resolution. Getting used to using the viewfinder again -- it's really better and beats using a monitor in bright sun! Got the big lens also but now I need one for wide angle. The main complaint I have is that the specs never made it clear the type of memory card required, and now I have to try and deal with making a return to Amazon (never a fun experience). Also it didn't say that a battery charger was included, so I had to return the one I bought at Best Buy. Other than that, I'm completely happy.

This Digital SLR is the most incredible camera I've ever used. I was a SLR user, big into Minolta in the 90's. Sony seemed the way to go to be able to use my old Minolta lenses. Well, I am not disappointed that I went with my gut and bought this Nikon. The quality is second to none. The shutter lag is non-existent. It starts up in less then a half second. Is light weight and super comfy. I also bought the 55-200mm lens here on Amazon, with the VR (vibration reduction)and it is a great addition to the camera (remember you can't get the VR with the kit lens that can be bought with this camera. So, stay away from that as the VR zoom lens is a much better compliment to the Nikon D40x. And 10megs is incredible and the reviews in all the magazines are true... "this camera is the baby GENIUS".

A very nice, small DSLR, at a very reasonable price. And the pictures are pretty darn good. Nikon has always been known as a leader at the high end of the photo industry, but the words "inexpensive" and "Nikon DSLR" have never been close companions. The Nikon D40 is a natural fit in most hands. Its controls are where they should be for easy use, and the D40 is a well-behaved guest at parties with its pleasantly soft shutter sound. A big, bright LCD is great for reviewing photos from a wide variety of angles; though we do wish they'd put some kind of eye detection method to prevent glare while you're looking through the viewfinder.

I bought the D40x in June 2007, and learnt the use of the cam, and it is a brilliant great first DSLR camera, but when you are faced with certain shots you would like to have, you would start thinking of how to capture that shot, and when you find that your camera does not support that function, you can either live with it, or it is time to upgrade. Before I go on, I must say that the D40x is a really brilliant camera for the price you pay. The adverts would tell you all that it can do, but here, I'll tell you more about what it cannot do that I would like it to have. You can read other reviews on all the functionality and great stuff the D40x has.

1. It is limited in the types of lenses it can use, i.e. the AF-S lenses. Because Nikon took a focusing motor out of the camera body (which makes it lighter), it now needs lenses which has an internal focusing engine. The Nikon range with this is the AF-S lenses.

This would mean that you cannot use the AF or AF-D lenses for focusing. It can still do metering, but not focusing. Tamron and Tokina (at the writing of this review) do not make lenses that can focus on the D40/x cameras, and Sigma has a HSM range that can work. These AF-S lenses are more expensive, so you may spend less on the body, but more on the lenses, unless you are satisfied with the kit lens or the lower range of Nikon DX lenses.

The AF-S fast lenses (i.e. lenses with large aperture) are very expensive, and they are the f/2.8 range. There are no AF-S lenses that are lower than f/2.8. One of my gripes is that I cannot fully use the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 lenses on this camera.

2. It cannot support auto bracketing. In the Nikon web page, the specifications for the auto bracketing looks misleading. When I searched for it, I found out that it does not support it. Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) takes a number of consecutive shots at different exposures (e.g. -2EV, 0, +2EV) and when you go home, you can do a post processing on these 3 shots. This is the same for Auto White-balance Brackting (AWB) where it takes multiple shots with different white balance settings.

This mean that to do bracketing, you would need to do it the old traditional way of taking one shot, change the settings, take another shot, change the settings, then take a 3rd shot. by doing this manually, you are more prone to error or shifting the camera when you make the manual adjustments.

Why do you want such a feature? Basically, imagine a picture of a great blue sky and a clear foreground of a subject you are taking. Without different exposures, you would either get the blue sky you want but a drak foreground subject, or a right exposure of the foreground but not the blue sky you want. The 3 pics taken in the bracketing allows you to do post processing on Photoshop to join the 2 exposures together.

3. The white balance adjustments are presets with +/- 3 for each preset. It does not support the kelvin color temperature scale in manual white balance adjustment.

The D40 is Nikon's entry level DSLR. The D40X is an improved version with a 10 Megapixel sensor instead of the 6 MP that the D40 has. I haven't used my D40X much yet, but like what I've seen.

Picture quality is great, as good as any 10 MP camera and better than most, thanks to Nikon optics. I can take 3 frames/second, which is a big help for rapid action. Most controls are easy to get to, but knowing which button does what involves a fairly steep learning curve.

On the down side: One display, on the back. This means that menus can be crowded and it can take a while to find the setting you're trying to change. While bracketing is easy, it cannot be automated like the more expensive cameras can.

It only uses AS lenses. This may be a temporary problem, but I think is's a minor one. I have the 18-55mm and will soon add the 55-200mm. If I want a longer lens, I have to use manual focus until longer AS lenses are produced. In my case, If I need longer than 200mm (equivalent to 300mm in 35 film cameras), I'm shooting long distances anyway, so I'll focus on the hyperfocal distance and have everything from 20-30 ft to infinity in focus (depending on focal length and f/stop).

If I could afford twice the price, I'd probably spend it. As it is, this is one of best values on the market today.

I am no pro photographer but I love to take pictures of vacations, some nature and my family. My grandson stated T-ball this past year and the old Coolpix was just not good enough for distance and fast paced action. Boy am I glad I purchased this camera, it's easy to use, small, light and it is attractive to say the least. The extra lens is perfect for a beginner like me as it's all I'll ever need. And, most importantly or certainly just as important, the pictures are excellent, no make that outstanding Quality. Is there such a thing as a "Professional Point and Shoot Camera"? I don't know but if there is such a thing the Nikon D40x is it!

Originally, I had purchased the Olympus e volt 500 because I had read the reviews and most seemed very favorable. I'm very new to photography and I didn't exactly know what I was buying exactly, I thought Olympus camera seemed simple enough for me to use and was a great price. After shopping for a camera for over 4 months, I ordered the evolt500. What a mistake! The camera took less than stellar photographs and was larger and looked like an older model camera with little to no modern edges. They were good but not WOW. After a few days of use, the Olympus began malfunctioning by shutting down randomly and the lcd screen would static. I shipped that back and amazon was wonderful enough to reimburse me for my shipping when the vendor didn't.

Side Note: and another thing. I feel better when I purchase from Amazon as opposed to the other vendors. I may pay more (like I did for my Nikon d40x) but I think it's money well spent when I know that is something goes wrong past the first 15 days, my expensive investment is protected by someone other than the warranty.

On a whim, I ordered the Nikon d40x. I had read the reviews and even walked over to best buy to test it out the camera. I still wasn't sure about the camera or what to expect. As soon as my camera arrived today (thanks, Amazon!) I opened the box and starting shooting. The pictures are amazing! Clear, crystal, sharp, and beautiful. The Olympus Evot500 (broken or not) does not hold a handle to the quality of shots the Nikon has to offer.

Bottom line in any camera is the lens. The Nikkor has a higher quality lens, therefore the camera itself is an excellent choice.


Nikon d40/ d40x VS. Canon RebelTi:
I thought the canon would be easier to use because I have a powershot camera which makes me familiar with the format. The good news is that Nikon is also simple to use, if not a better format than canon. I couldn't be happier.

The price is a bit more than what I wanted to pay for a dslr but I am very excited to start shooting, a feeling I never had while I owned the Olympus even before I discovered the defects in the merchandise. The camera itself did not inspire me to go out and capture photographs.

The Nikon is fun, light, and sexy. Yes, I said sexy.

As a beginner, I am thrilled about my purchase. I can't explain it... I feel like I have my creative juices boiling and I cannot wait to get started.

If anyone is a beginner and is looking for the next step-up with as much quality, price and ease- you cant go wrong with a Nikon or its family of lenses.

Happy Shooting!

I'm a fairly experienced photographer with an old Nikkormat package and a Leica package. When I updated to digital, I didn't want to throw my old lenses away, and I didn't want to spend $6000 on a Leica back.

With the D-40X, I've been able to keep my classic lenses (although the packaged 18-55mm lens wasn't bad) and move into fairly high-end (great image quality and 10mp!) digital photography.

I'm a bit disappointed that there's no metering of my old manual lenses through the viewfinder. I have to take a couple of test exposures in a lighting setup to determine my aperture and shutter speed, but once I've shot and deleted those files, I'm good to go until the light changes.

Other than that, no complaints.

Having been an enthusiastic (old style, but highest quality) SLR user for many years and having then switched to several digital compacts, from the disappointingly basic (circa 2000) through to the brilliant latest versions (in my case, a 7.0 megapixel Panasonic Lumix), I was intrigued when a professional photographer friend said I should check out the new generation of low cost digital SLRs and, in particular, the Nikon D40x... you'll enjoy it she said... and she wasn't wrong.

First off, the price was only £150 or so more than a top end compact with the same 10 megapixel rating and, in the shop, it turned out to be smaller and much lighter than the old, dramatically more expensive SLRs I used to lug around... so, worth the plunge?

A resounding yes, not only does it deliver the most beautiful, high quality photos but the control options over virtually all aspects of shot selection, including a powerful built in flash unit, are quite incredible - far better and much, much more comprehensive than I'd expected - with the ever present, wholly effective, compact-style "point & shoot" option if you can't be bothered. Plus, you get a large preview screen and extensive "in camera" editing features that allow a wide range of post-shot manipulation if you don't have access to your PC. Just amazing... everything, plus a huge amount more, that I got from my previous SLRs.

Could it get any better? Well yes, because the stock Nikon autofocus zoom lens that comes with the camera (rated at 18-55 mm new digital style and equivalent to a just about perfect 26-83 mm old style) is now matched with Nikon's new, low cost, autofocus DX VR lens (rated at 55-200 mm new digital style and equivalent to 83-300 mm old style) which really does cut out camera shake to allow genuine "point & shoot" at its higher focal lengths. In other words, for a total cost of well under £600 I got a stunningly powerful and flexible camera plus a "tripod-less" combination of two lightweight autofocus Nikkor lens covering a full 26-300 mm range... which is nothing short of sensational for any "old style" SLR user like me.

SLRs are a different world from compact cameras - you definitely can't fit them in your pocket - but for anyone wanting to move up to a different level for not much more, or for anyone wanting to rediscover the lost joys of their SLR past at an incredibly cheap entry price, the Nikon D40x is a "must have" option... certainly it's got one more very happy user.

I went to a camera store and it came down to this and the Canon and the sales person told me to get the Nikon. She said the d40x was really only if you wanted the extra pixels otherwise the d40 was fine. It's been a great camera and takes amazing photos. No shutter lag like on my point and shoot. I recommend getting the package with the telephoto to get close up to objects. I'm still learning all the features, but in "auto" mode you can use it like a point and shoot and already take better photos. I'll be happy to take it on many trips and look forward to testing it over time. In addition to the camera, I bought a 2GB SD memory card, camera bag and both a UV and polarizer filter (all highly recommended with the camera).

I will assume if you're looking at buying this particular camera model, then: a. You are looking at upgrading from a point-N-shoot. Or, b. An intermediate to advanced photographer looking for a decent backup camera. Since I have owned this camera, I have been doing a lot of shooting with a friend of mine who happens to do photography for a living. My friend uses a Fujifilm S3 pro dSLR. Let me tell you, there isn't much difference in picture quality between the $700 d40x or $2,300 S3 pro when using the same lens. Both cameras are capable of producing almost identically amazing pictures. The main difference is when buying the d40x, you can get about the same quality photos for more than 3x cheaper than an average pro-level SLR camera.

If there was one thing I would do over again, I would definitely buy the d40x as a camera body only. Not that the kit lens is bad, but it's rather limiting to your d40's potential. Having the chance to use Nikon's 18-200mm VR lens has made me a real believer of how important a really good lens is for great photography.

My only major gripes about the d40x is the lack of adjustment buttons and no aperture dial the higher end dSLR's have. It can be somewhat annoying having to go into the camera's menu screen to make simple adjustments.

The PRO's for sure outweigh the few CON's this camera has. It's a great dSLR camera to start out with. The only real limitations of the d40x will be the skill level of the person behind it.

Excellent SLR digital camera. Initial shipping report was in fact delayed a few days as camera was not in stock.

Excellent camera in combination with 18-200VR lens. It does
not autofocus with non AF-S lenses, but I consider it an asset since it makes the camera significantly lighter for walking around. Also, AF-S lenses are focusing significantly faster and quieter than the old screw-type ones.

To use older AF lenses, consider getting Katz-eye for this camera to assist with manual focusing. I personally prefer manual focusing with prime lenses as it's faster and would get you exactly the results you want.

I have owned, and still own Nikon equipment since 1965. I have taught Photography for 40 years, I get to see every camera on the market through my adult students (post college). I recommend Nikon cameras most often, but not this one, this camera only focuses with lenses that have a motor within the lens. That renders all "D" series lenses obsolete for auto focusing. This Camera has no Depth-of-field preview button, which is vital to understanding focus. Kit lens is to "slow" to allow you to take a photograph without camera shake, in your kitchen, unless you use a flash,(no hand holding). Your kitchen is usually the brightest room in your house. Look elsewhere, with photographic equipment, You get what you pay for. Try Nikon's D80 with a 50 mm f1.8D lens.

I have always love photography but I never had the chance to buy a good camera (I live in Colombia and buying a camera is really expensive). Before my Nikon D40X I had two digital cameras (canon and kodak), and I was always dissapointed because of the limited features they have. Nowadays, with my Nikon d40x I finally found out a camera that helps me to take the pictures that I want to, and no those that the camera is able to.

It has several features that are easy to use, even for an amateur like myself. I have tried in both landscape and inside pictures and the result is always amazing. The only issue that may be dissapointing for amateur digital cameras users (after using this camera you get use to it) is that you cannot see the picture in the LCD screen while shooting. You have to shoot and wait til you can see it in the screen. It is not a big deal, when having a camera that takes such perfect pictures.

When I was planning to buy a new SLR camera I did not know for sure how to choose between the Canon Rebel XTI and Nikon D40X, but after reading a thousand comments in so many web pages,I made my decision and fortunately it was not the wrong one.

If you want to get into photography, I am more than confident that this camera is an excelent choise.

A must have SLR for the picture taking rookie or the mom or dad who wants to capture those precious moments with style and class. Easy to use and takes wonderful pictures. Plus it has many different settings so that the aspiring photographer can grow into the camera. Takes pictures quickly and the quality and ease of transferring them is effortless.

The price tag is a bit steep for a camera but we looked at it as an investment into the memories of our life in regards to our family and most importantly... our children! Now we no longer have to worry about that wonder pose or just right picture turning out poorly because of a mediocre digital camera.

The included picture software isn't great but it does the trick if you're not into a lot of frills. The battery on this is very good but I'd recommend a 2nd just in case. Purchase the matching Nikon bag for this camera... it will hold just about all you'll need to take great pictures.

Nikon makes excellent product.

Could anybody comment if the battery charger, software and other accessories are included in Amazon's dealNikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens?

This camera control buttons and menu are so intuitive. Much easier to learn and use than my last one. The hand grip is a good fit and the key buttons easy to find and use while holding the camera in shooting position.

As I am writing this, there are 43 reviews of the D40x that cover just about every feature of this camera (and one very important non-feature: lens compatibility). I agree with most positive reviews: this is a very fast, light, easy to use DSLR with a great battery life.

The D40x is a very good camera, and a good choice as long as you do not have a large collection of old Nikon lenses. As many other reviewers have noted, this camera only autofocuses with Nikon AF-S or Sigma HSM lenses. (In Nikon-ese, "AF-S" means "has a built in motor to focus." "HSM" means the same thing in Sigma-speak.) Unless you take lots of shots of inanimate objects, you'll probably find manual focus a huge inconvenience. Luckily, there are a good selection of AF-S lenses. Sigma makes a fixed-focus 30mm f1.4 lens if you need to take indoor pictures without a flash; Nikon makes a fantastic selection of other lenses. Don't worry about this limitation unless you already have a lot of Nikon lenses.

However, when I bought this camera a few months ago, I was faced with an important question: which lens should I buy with this camera? Amazon offers at least four different options: (a) body only, (b) body plus Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens, (c) body plus Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens and 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens, and (d) body plus Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras. What is a buyer to do?

I went with option (b), and later bought the extraordinary Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. Today, I might buy the body alone. Let me explain why:

When I bought the camera, the difference in price between options (a) and (b) was about thirty dollars. I felt that it was certainly worth that amount of money to get a small, light general purpose lens. This way I could buy the camera, figure out how I wanted to use it, and upgrade lenses later. You can certainly take some very good pictures with the cheap kit lens, and you may like having a fast-focusing, lightweight zoom lens anyway.

I considered option (c), the two lens package, but decided against it for two reasons. First, Nikon makes two 55-200mm zoom telephoto lenses: the one included in this kit, and a second version with vibration reduction. The VR version is only slightly more expensive. I find that VR is an essential feature in a long zoom lens; it helps a lot in taking long distance shots that stay in focus. Furthermore, because of the way this kit is priced, you may find that it is actually cheaper to buy the body and lenses separately!

I also considered option (d), but decided against this after reading reviews of the Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. Reviewers were often disappointed with this lens.

So, in a nutshell, here is my advice to prospective buyers:

(a) Check prices, carefully. Sometimes, the kits are great deals. Sometimes they are not.

(b) The cheapest kit lens is a great lens for the price, but not a great lens. It focuses quickly, and it's very light, but the zoom range is a little short and it has some significant optical flaws.

(c) If you can afford it, get the Nikon 18-200mm lens. It's better than any of the lenses that are included in the kits.

(d) Consider a cheap lens kit and a flash like the Nikon SB-400 AF Speedlight for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras. If you take lots of indoor pictures, a bounce flash will do more for your pictures than a pricier lens. (Incidentally, I love this flash: it's small and light, and the battery life is terrific.)

(e) I decided to buy the cheapest body available and more expensive lenses. Cameras, unfortunately, have turned into computers: they are replaced by new models that are twice as good every 18 months. Lenses, on the other hand, have not. Spend your money on lenses, not cameras.

(f) There are good reviews of lens options on different web sites. In particular, check out http://www.cameralabs.com/, who did a review comparing all the Nikon kit lenses. You can also try typing "nikon lens review" into a search engine.

I hope that helps. Happy shooting!

the only downside is the number of lenses that are compatible with auto focus is very limited (the lens need to have its own motor) however if you are comfortable with manual focusing you can attach almost any nikon compatible lens to it. then use it as a manual camera, also I found it difficult to add a lens with low fstop (1.4-1.8) to the camera unless you attach an extension tube or a tele converter between lens and camera. generally speaking I am having fun with it still I prefer my canon ftb 35 mm camera! be aware that the sensor in DSLR cameras are smaller than 35 mm so the actual area that is covered is much smaller, however you can review the picture adjust and do thousands of changes before printing it, also you have great control over flash power.....makes life much easier.

There is no better camera with this kind of balance between: good price, easy to use and reliable, for the common user. Sure it's not a Hasselblad, but not everyone can afford to drop $40,000 on a camera. Auto focus works well. From turning it on, to focusing and taking a picture in good light it takes about 2 seconds. It's not like a regular non-SLR digital camera where you only get the dolphin's splash after he jumped or your kid after he's already run to first base. You can stop the action perfectly and at a reasonable price. I would recommend this to any standard consumer without hesitation.

Delivery was a little troublesome. UPS deliver it during the day when nobody was at home so I had to pick it up at their wharehouse the next day. Why they did not phone before to make sure somebody was at home or why they did not deliver it after 5PM?
Apart for that glitch, everything was according to expectations.

Some of the other reviews here and online have found fault with the kit lens and the lack of add ons like depth of field preview. If you need those upgrade to the D80. This is not a Pro camera and people should not look at it as such. It is an entry level DSLR designed for those moving from a point and shoot digicam.

The controls are intuitive and easily mastered. I was up and running with full features after two hours of fiddling and that is the beauty of this camera. It is ergonomically perfect and your finger will naturally find the shutter button unlike the heavier Canon XTi. No it doesn't have an auto focus motor in the body and you must buy the Nikon auto focus lenses but my sense is those who buy this camera aren't the type who are willing to drop $500 - $2000 on a lens anyway.

Bottom line is it creates great pictures with the kit lens and the quality of photos are leaps and bounds beyond the basic point and shoot digicam. If you're a Pro don't buy it, if you're not you can't go wrong with this little beauty.

I was never very good at math so I am not surprised that I feel the need to write this. Maybe somewhere on the Amazon site it has all the appropriate shipping times and disclaimers but my shipping time seems a little on the side of extraordinary. I ordered this Camera on the 15th of October. My estimated delivery date is between the 29th of October and the 2nd of November. Granted, I did take advantage of the Free Super saver shipping but I still can't seem to get all the 'allow 3-5 additional days for this and that' to add up to the half a month. It is currently the 19th and it still is noted as not yet shipped. At this point I could walk to the fulfillment center, pick it up and walk home and have it before the 29/02. I guess the point of SuperSlower shipping is "you get what you pay for".

Chris

This is a high-quality digital camera.

Pros:
- 10.2 megapixel resolution
- Nikon quality
- reasonably priced
- LCD screen is large and bright
- Lithium battery charges quickly and lasts

Cons:
- Full functionality is limited to AF-S lenses (still, they are very nice lenses and come in a reasonable variety)
- Manual control is shared on a single dial, unlike fancier (if pricier) Nikon camera bodies which have separate dials for shutter speed and aperture.

Marketing material carries on about "on camera" editing, which is kinda neat (the color balance, in particular seems useful), but for my part, I prefer editing digital images on the computer.

This review is for anyone (like me) who has SLR vs. anything less.

--- Get the SLR.

While you may not think the extra price, all those features & controls, and lens choices would be worth it - they are. You may not think you'll use it to it's full potential -- in the begining , you won't - later you might. At the very least, this camera will make you better at photography, even if you do not move off auto for the first month.

Consider the following:
With lightning quick response and 3 frames per second & - you get the frame you want. No more tracking in low light, praying your subject stays still long enough to capture that killer shot you saw when you pressed the shutter release. No more cringes when you press the button & an even better shot presents itself while your camera recovers. (my daugther is 2 - you can imagine). It's just - frame up - click, you got it, and repeat as fast as you can or want to..... you can delete them as fast as you take them so relax and focus on content.

Picture quality -- no contest. This camera is outstanding. In Auto, it has enough smarts to get a frame which includes color and depth far exceeding any expetations. I am also having fun with the 10.2 MP - zooming and cropping so-so shots into great ones, without losing anything. In other modes, you can easily get more impact (depth of field, exposure, yada, yada), and I have found this camera compensates far better for poor choices by the user than anything I've experienced previously.

Ease of use - beyond auto. I am certianly new to this, but I'm finding that this camera is incredibly intuitive for all those features you feared on an SLR. Nikon has done a great job making this camera feel like a small accordian - all functions you need are next to a finger or thumb & useable, so there is no interuption while your playing. It just fits... and the light wieght plus solid grips just inspire confidence.

If there was one negative - well - my niece couldn't figure out how to make the zoom work (couldn't find the thumb switch). She also wanted to use the LCD to frame up the picture. What can I say, I'm hoping it's a generational thing, but that was a bit scary considering she is legally an adult.

Conclusion - I love it. I have already expanded. I got the SB 400 flashNikon SB-400 AF Speedlight for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras, which is a great add. The pop up did well & the i TTL keeps the light as right as it can. However, when you add the ability to bounce, you get great indoor shots, and you'll wonder why you didn't have this before. Next - I'll get a longer lens. The 18-55 has been flawless & the 10.2 MP allows me to zoom after it's been downloaded - but I can already see I need more reach.

Read the others for more technical analysis, but I can say you will not be disappointed by anything with this camera. Maybe this time next year, I'll sound like them - the D40X will certainlyhelp me get there.

I am quite pleased with the camera. After all , it is Nikon. I have had various Nikons since 1973. The delivery was quick and easy. However, a few days after I purchased the camera, I saw the same camera (and additional lens) is being sold for a whopping $ 215.00 less. So, buy the camera but not from the Amazon stores.Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens

I purchased the D40X as a birthday present for me replacing my 35 year old Canon. The dealer delivered exactly what I ordered promply with no upsell. I have only had the camera for a month but so far it is everything I had hoped for. It is simple to operate, thinks for me (thank goodness), its built in settings have handled every situation I have used it in so far. The lens optics are not as high end as my previous camera with Zeiss lenses, for my uses they are fine. I think this is a great high quality camera that is very non-pro user friendly.

First let me say, this is not a 'professional' camera. This is a prosumer camera, or a camera a professional might use as a backup. At 10.2 MP, the image quality is very good and you can blow pictures up and crop them, and still end up with a good image.

I researched DSLRs for 2 weeks, reading about them and playing with them at Circuit City. I chose the Nikon D40x for the following reasons...
1) Heavier construction, more durable than the Canon Digital Rebel XTi
1a) Also feels better in my hand, which was a personal perference.
2) .1 MP higher than the Canon
3) 4.1 MP higher than the Nikon D40
4) $350 less than the D80 (I would have preferred the D80, but I wasn't trying to spend $1500+ after getting more lenses and accessories).
5) $632 for the D40x with the 18-55mm kit lens, which is much better than Canon's 28-55mm kit lens (which has horrible reviews).
6) Nikkor Lenses-- cannot say enough about how important it is to have a good lens. Nikon seems to have the best lenses on the market.
7) Takes an SD card-- the Canon takes a CF card. SD cards are cheaper for the same GBs
8) Nikon has a better warranty situation and I heard they are very customer oriented.
9) Nikon name is legendary in photography, and has the best and most easily available equipment.
10) For $975 (several purchases on Amazon), I got the following: D40x with 18-55mm lens, 55-200mm VR (vibration reduction lens), Nikon ballistic bag, extra battery (2 total), Nikon guide to photography, 2GB Sandisk Extreme III SD card, Sandisk USB card reader, (2) different Nikon Lens protective padded pouches, Nikon Microfiber lens/screen rag, Nikon Pen style brush lens cleaner, Digital Recovery Software, and Digital Photo Editing Software. Also included was a free trial of Photoshop.

All in all, this is a perfect camera for someone who is interested in DSLR photography but doesn't know squat about Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed, F-stops, Manual Focusing, Bokeh, etc. This camera makes it easy to get introduced to DSLR photography without feeling overwhelmed. It additionally is great for someone who is on a budget-- such as a college or high school student who wants to pursue photography as a career. The quality of pictures is absolutely amazing for a $632 camera (and that includes a GOOD lens).

I've owned digital cameras since 2000, all of which have been point and shoot. DSLR's have been out of my price range until as of recently. I did tons of research on on DSLR cameras and boiled it down to the Nikon D40X. I did consider the D40 which is a 6MP (the D40X is a 10MP) but opted to spend the extra cash and get the beefier of the two. The only differences between the two is other than the mega pixels is that the flash sync is 1/500 on the D40 and 1/200 on the D40X, the D40 has a frame rate of 2.5fps and the D40X has a frame rate of 3fps and the lowest ISO on the D40 is 200 and 100 on the D40X. The picture quality is excellent. I would highly recommend getting the Nikon SB-600 flash with this camera. Using this flash and bouncing it off the ceiling greatly reduces or eliminates the harsh shadow that the pop-up flash which is included with the camera creates.
I bought the D40X with the 18-55mm lens. I also bought the Nikkor 55-200 lens that is compatible with this camera. In my opinion, I think the optimum lenses to have would be the 18-135mm and the 70-300mm. Of course this will greatly increase the cost, but the 18-55 doesn't have much range and it would have been nice to get that extra distance that the 18-135 would give. The same holds true with the 55-200. I would like that extra distance the 70-300 would have given me. I guess I can always do some cropping in PhotoShop to get that extra "zoom" that the 10mp gives me.
All in all, I love this camera it's very comfortable and feels sturdy. I'm sure the more I learn about it and how to use a DSLR camera the more I'll like it.

This camera is the perfect camera for the savy consumer that wants to have most all the discernible features of an expensive SLR digital camera without the enormous price. I have always been a Nikon fan and if you try out this camera you will see why. I've been putting it to task for about a week now and see almost no weaknesses in its functionality. The only thing I would like to have is maybe a few more preset programs for different conditions but that's just because I'm lazy and want the camera to do the all the work for me. I believe any of you making this purchase will have no regrets afterwards.

I Love this camera!!! It works so good and is so much fun!!! Came exactly the day it said! Very fast!!

For thirty years we've always had a good SLR camera. By comparison, the D40X is absolutely too good and easy to be true. The automatic mode is virtually flawless. The in-camera editing is easier to use than computer photo programs. The 18-135 telephoto lens is just right for most shots. Professional photos are now possible for any user!

This camera is everything I had hoped for. I wanted something easy to use, but with lens I could change out. This does it beautifully! Only thing I didn't check on, since I purchased just the camera body - and bought the lens seperately - was there was no sd card - so had to make a special trip to town to buy one,,duh!! should have read more closely!!

My wife and I were tired of the point and shoot "shutter lag" and "processor focus delay". We don't want to be great photographers but we would like good pictures. The D40X delivers!!! Turn it on, set it on auto, and shoot. Yes, at some point we might be bold and venture into advance settings. But for now we get great pictures and the shutter works when you press the picture button. I knew when I went looking at a camera that my wife who takes most of the pictures would be turned off by all the dials and buttons. She has other hobby's and although taking pictures of the grandchildren is important, she's not going to want to spend the time to become a photo nymph. I gave her the camera she set it up and good pictures happen. Guess what? I can even take good pictures with this camera. IMHO.

Just a short review since all of the good feature have been catalogued before. The picture quality is great. It is easy to use, makes a good bridge between point and shoot and "creative" photography, and it is an outstanding second field camera for big events.

Now for the two points I feel everyone should be aware of that are not quite as good:


ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH CPU LENSES! Although it will accept older Nikkor lenses, they WILL NOT AUTOFOCUS unless they are an S type with CPU contacts (AF-S or AF-I). Contrary to what customers have heard (and I get these questions frequently,) there is no firmware