Nikon D40 SLR Review

Click to take a QuickTime tour of the D40

Nikon's D40 is the latest addition to its comprehensive line of digital SLRs. Designed to bring the performance, excitement and experience of Nikon’s dSLRs to more customers than ever before, the D40 is an ultra-compact, lightweight 6.1-megapixel dSLR that offers simplified new features, exceptional speed and a redesigned, visually-intuitive menu system, bringing consumers a whole new level of simplicity in a digital SLR.

The D40 combines sophisticated exposure automation with options for complete user control to help make it the ideal camera for anyone ready to explore their creative potential. Using Nikon’s exclusive 3D Color Matrix Metering II, the D40 assures accurate exposure control, even in difficult lighting conditions. Its frame- wide 420-pixel sensor instantly and automatically assesses and compares each scene’s brightness, contrast and color with a built-in database of information from over 30,000 real-world lighting scenarios, before setting the accurate exposure. For those who want more control over their shots, alternative metering options, such as spot and center-weighted metering as well as exposure compensation, are also available.

Once you've captured a shot you can check sharpness, exposure and focus on the large 2.5-inch, 230,000-dot high-resolution color LCD monitor, which provides the ability to enlarge your shot up to 19 times. The operating menus have been carefully designed with color schemes and large fonts for quick, easy navigation through the camera’s options. Also, the newly introduced assist images help you select the appropriate settings for many camera features by showing illustrative end-result images typical of that setting.

The D40’s innovative information display can be shown in Classic format or with the new Graphic and Wallpaper formats for Digital Vari-Program modes and Program Auto, Shutter-priority Auto, Aperture-priority Auto and Manual (P/S/A/M) exposure modes.

The D40’s 3-area autofocus system also adds to the camera's overall speed, delivering fast and precise focus under varying shooting conditions. Incorporating Nikon's advanced Multi-CAM 530 AF Sensor Module, the three-area AF system, with central cross-type sensor operation, adds effective new focusing options and ensures greater ability to capture that perfect shot.

Photographers will enjoy the camera’s Image Optimize menu options that tailors results to the scene at hand, the intended use of an image or to the photographer's custom preference. Sharpness, tone (contrast), color, saturation and hue optimization are controlled by the user-selected choice of Normal, Softer, Vivid, More Vivid, Portrait, Custom and Black-and-White.

The D40 also features an image Retouch menu, with exclusive in-camera editing functions that promise to keep D40 shooters engaged when they’re not busy shooting. Options within the Retouch menu include:

• D-Lighting: Automatically balances underexposed portions of an image to enhance detail in these areas, without affecting the highlights of the picture

• In-camera Red-eye Correction: Automatically removes the annoying red-eye effect sometimes caused by flash.

• Trim: Images can be trimmed within the camera to produce smaller files with reduced display sizes for easy sharing or greater efficiency for specific end purposes.

• Image Overlay: Merges a pair of selected RAW files taken with the D40 to create a composite image within the camera as a RAW or JPEG file. This feature is especially useful when trying to create a soft-focus effect with two similar images

• Monochrome settings: Monochrome settings can be applied to any color image in the camera, to convert it to a pleasing monochromatic picture, either in black-and-white, sepia or cyanotype

• Filter Effects: Can be used to emulate and apply the effects of a Skylight filter or a Warming filter to any image stored on the inserted SD card. A Customized Color menu within filter effects can also be used to make subtle shifts in color to any image in the camera.

• Small Picture: Create a smaller version of any image in the camera for easy sharing and faster download.

The D40 is compatible with all Nikon AF-S and AF-I Nikkor lenses*, and comes packaged with a new 3X zoom 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens that incorporates cutting-edge Nikon optical technologies, such as ED glass and aspherical lens elements. This lens offers users a popular 3x zoom range, which conveniently covers picture angles that meet the needs of everything from tight portraits to wide-angle landscapes.

The D40 is also compatible with Nikon’s range of i-TTL technology enabled Speedlights including the SB-800, SB-600 and the recently introduced SB-400. A perfect companion for the D40, the SB-400 is an ultra-compact, lightweight Speedlight which is ideal for photographing subjects at extended distances or illuminating subjects with a softer, more natural appearing lighting effect with its bounce flash capability. With a guide number of over 98 feet the SB-400 provides all of the power and coverage that a D40 customer may demand for shooting group shots and reducing harsh shadows. All of the SB-400’s settings can be controlled automatically by the camera’s metering system or manually from the camera’s built-in menus. Keeping with the D40s remarkable ease-of-use, using the SB 400 Speedlight is as simple as sliding it on, turning it on and shooting.

Nikon D40 Features:

• 6.1-Megapixel CCD imager yielding 3008 x 2000 pixel images
• Kit includes new 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens
• Slimmer and more compact body than its predecessors
• Accepts Nikon F mount with AF coupling and AF contacts Type G or D AF
• Compatible with Nikon i-TTL technology enabled Speedlights
• Digital Vari-Program, Program w/shift, Shutter priority, Aperture priority and Manual
• Exclusive Nikon 3D-Color Matrix II metering
• Compressed RAW and JPEG formats in three quality levels and sizes
• TTL auto white balance, presets and custom set
• Shutter speeds from 1/4000 to 30 seconds, flash sync to 1/500
• Continuous drive at 2.5fps with dynamic buffer
• 3 area AF with Single Area AF, Dynamic Area AF or Closest Subject Priority
• 2.5-inch color LCD with 230,000 pixels
• Onscreen menu for Playback, Shooting, Custom functions and Setup
• New Retouch menu for in-camera editing of stored photos
• Review with zoomed-playback & pan, RGB histogram and highlights
• ISO sensitivity from 200 to 1600
• Noise Reduction circuitry for long exposures
• SD/SDHC memory card storage
• Selectable video output with NTSC or PAL format
• USB data and control interface
• High-capacity EN-EL9 battery and compact MH-23 Quick Charger

The D40 camera and the new 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens will be packaged together and are available now for an estimated price of US$599.95**. Check our Buy box below for current online retailer pricing.

Nikon D40 Specifications