| Product: |
Nikon D40 |
| Date: |
18/09/08 (74 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Great Pix
Disadvantages: Only 6mpx
The Nikon D40 was the first digital SLR camera I owned.
Since then I have used the slightly updated D40x, and currently have the D60, which features an anti-dust system.
All of the cameras mentioned above share the same size and design, but have varying internal features.
The D40 is a 6 megapixel camera. Now, this doesn't sound a lot in this day and age - however, image quality and megapixel count should not be confused. I cannot stress enough the difference in picture quality from a standard compact camera.
The images the D40 is capable of taking can be quite superb - rich, lifelike colours combine with sharp details to create beautiful shots.
The 'auto' mode, which sets shutter speed, aperture and ISO for you, compensates for exposure / white balance in an extremely accurate manner, and can be used if you're overwhelmed with the multitude of options a camera of this type has.
Noise levels are very low at iso 200 - 400, and even images taken at iso 800 - 1600 are more than useable. There's also a 'HI' iso setting which is equivalent to iso 3200 for use in low light situations, but this can be very grainy.
There are a couple of downsides (which are also present with the D40x and D60) - firstly, the D40 doesn't have an internal focus motor - which means older lenses won't be able to autofocus when used with this camera. There are still many lenses which will autofocus with the D40, and these are the ones with 'AF-I and AF-S ' in their titles.
Lenses designated 'AF, AF-D, AF-G, or AF-N' will still work, but will be manual focus only.
The newer 'VR' (vibration reduction) lenses have anti-shake built in - this can prevent blurring at longer focal lengths, and is a very useful addition when shooting in murky conditions.
The D40 only features a 3-point autofocus system (many newer SLR's have over 10). This doesn't really bother me, as I generally only use the center focus bracket anyway - so it's not a problem.
Overall, It's an extremely well designed and fun camera to use, and although the main body is plastic, it's strong and can withstand knocks and bumps. As SLR's go, it's small, lightweight and comfortable to hold, which makes it a joy to use and a very versatile machine.
For the DSLR novice - right through to more experienced users, I would highly recommend this camera - along with the newer D40x, due to it's fantastic image quality and ease of use.
In Summary, the D40 features:
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Sensor: Nikon DX format 23.7 × 15.6 mm CCD
Maximum resolution: 3,008 × 2,000 (6 million mpx)
Shutter speed range: 1/4000 to 30 seconds, bulb
Exposure Metering: 420 segment color meter
Metering modes : 3D Color Matrix, Center-weighted and Spot
Focus areas: 3 sensors, Multi-CAM530
Focus modes: autofocus: single (AF-S); continuous (AF-C); auto selection (AF-A); Manual
Continuous Shooting: 2.5 frame/s, 100 JPEG frames buffer
Viewfinder: optical, through the lens, 0.8× magnification, 95% coverage
ASA/ISO range: ISO 200-1600, ISO 3200 in high mode
Storage: Secure Digital, SDHC up to 4GB
Battery: 1,000 mAh lithium-ion EN-EL9
Weight: 475 g (16.8 ounces) without battery, 126 × 94 × 64mm (5.0 × 3.7 × 2.5 in.
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A great product - 4/5
Summary: Super Cam
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