Nikon D40 Digital Camera with 18-55mm lens
- Camera Type: SLR/Professional
- Weight: 1.06 lb.
- LCD Screen Size: 2.5 in.
- Resolution: 6.2 Megapixel
- Optical Zoom: 3x
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Is this camera for real?
Pros
Small, light weight, beautifully realized images. Price Point.
Cons
Inability to AF with all Nikon lenses. Consumer quality build.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
For the absolute beginner or someone who wants more features than those in a point and shoot.
The Nikon D40 with 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AF-S AF lens is this company's bare bones entry level offering in the extremely volatile digital SLR market. As the two giants of the industry, Canon and Nikon vie for an ever increasing slice of the dSLR pie, Nikon has taken a calculated marketing gamble by introducing this stripped down and tiny (even when compared to the Digital Rebel XTi) camera and lens combination.
As someone who is very accustomed to using such large Nikon film bodies (especially with vertical grip/battery packs added), as well as the fairly large D200 with the MB-D200 vertical grip attached), picking up this camera for the first time left me wondering if the product marketing team at Nikon had finally lost their collective minds. This really is a SMALL and lightweight camera, even with lenses attached.
Serious photographers, and by that I mean everyone from advanced enthusiasts to jaded professionals will look at this camera and ask one question, why?
From discussions I have had with Nikon reps and retailers who are just now getting these cameras in, Nikon believes that this camera will appeal to folks with limited photographic knowledge and skills and who are accustomed to (and limited by) their point and shoot digicams. Nikon believes that that entire market segment 'needed' to have a "step-up" entry level dSLR that would provide them with features not available to the point and shoot user, while also offering the new user/buyer the convenience and possibilities afforded by interchangeable lenses. This camera is also targeted to first time dSLR buyers who have not yet made a significant investment in another system and/or other Nikkor lenses for other models of Nikon cameras.
Sound like a good marketing strategy? Well, it did to me. That is until I picked up the camera and was told that this new little marvel will ONLY autofocus with those Nikkor lenses designated as AF-S lenses. Lenses so designated are those equipped with Nikon's Silent Wave Motors and these ultrasonic motors are actually located within the body of the lens itself, not in the camera. The concept is a good one and works well with Nikon's higher end cameras. It is a severely limiting factor with the newly introduced D40.
Why?
The answer is quite simple, really. The D40 camera body does NOT contain the usual autofocus motor found in other Nikon, Canon, Pentax, SONY, Olympus, etc. bodies. The very same motor that uses the camera's internal batteries to drive the auto-focus motor, thereby relieving the user of the need to manually focus the lens. So, you can use non-AF-S lenses with this camera, but what you then have is a camera that may meter per its design, but YOU will have to manually focus the lens prior to snapping the shutter.
Given Nikon's target market, this may seem like a pretty good plan, but it completely leaves out other Nikon users if they do NOT possess any of the several AF-S designated lenses. And of the entire stable of available Nikkor lenses, those with AF-S capability are but a small minority.
The above having been said, below are my in-use observations as well as some technical specifications that potential buyers need to consider when looking at a camera barely one rung above the point and shoots they are now using.
First, remember that simplification is the order of the day. This camera is designed for those folks confused by all the menus, buttons, control dials and wheels. There is a minimalist approach to design and feature sets found in and on the D40.
CAMERA DIMENSIONS:
Approximate: 5" x 2.5" x 3.7 " (W X D X H)
WEIGHT:
Approx. 17 ounces without battery, body cap, strap, or memory card. In its kit configuration, even with SD card, lens and strap, this camera will generally not exceed 2 lbs.
EFFECTIVE MEGAPIXELS:
Like the D70, D70s, and the D50 before it, the D40 is a 6.1 MP digital SLR. The sensor is an RGB CCD sensor measuring 23.7 mm x 15.6 mm and the senor contains 6.24 million total megapixels.
ISO SENSITIVITY (film equivalent):
ISO 200-1600 in steps of 1 EV (Exposure Value). There is 1 additional step above ISO 1600.
STORAGE MEDIA:
SD and the camera is also SDHC compliant.
STORAGE SYSTEM:
Compressed NEF (RAW) 12 bit compressed JPEG, JPEG baseline-compliant. The user can set their image size and quality as follows: RAW or JPEG Fine (LARGE), JPEG Medium and JPEG Normal.
WHITE BALANCE:
Auto (Through The Lens [TTL] white balance with 420 pixel RGB sensor); six manual modes set by user with fine tuning available and a pre-set white balance.
LCD MONITOR and Playback:
The monitor, for a camera this small is HUGE! it is 2.5 inches and has a resolution of 230,000 dots, low-temp polysilicon LCD. The user can view their images in full screen, thumbnails (4 or 9 segments), magnifying playback, a slide show, histogram indication, highlight indicator, and auto-image rotation for vertical shots.
This LCD has a 170 degree field of view, is incredibly bright and easy to see and depicts colors quite faithfully.
COMPATIBLE LENSES:
Like all Nikon SLRs, film and digital, this camera utilizes the world-renowned F lens mount. That means virtually all lenses manufactured since 1959 will attach to the camera. It doesn't however, mean they will all meter, focus or work properly.
For all practical purposes, the buyer of this camera is effectively limited (if he or she wants Auto Focus capability) to those lenses designated as AF-S lenses. All other AF-D and G lenses will work, but they will need to be focused MANUALLY due to their not having the Silent Wave Motor (SWM) built into their lens barrels. This also means that there are less lenses available overall to the buyer of this camera because AF-S lens capability is NOT found throughout the entire line of Nikkor lenses.
Non-CPU lenses can be used in Manual mode (not just focusing - but where the user selects the shutter speed and aperture setting) but the lenses will NOT meter. This means you will need to use a light meter or use the Sunny 16 rule.
CROP FACTOR:
As a Nikon digital body, using lenses not specifically designed for digital means means the lens will crop 1.5x the indicated focal length. Great on the long end of a telephoto, not so great for those seeking true wide-angle imagery.
VIEWFINDER FRAME COVERAGE:
The viewfinder covers approximately 95% of the image area in both the horizontal and vertical axes.
VF MAGNIFICATION:
The magnification is approximately .80x with a Nikkor 50mm F1.8 lens set at infinity. This is for test purposes only as this lens WILL not autofocus and mounting it on the camera will mean that you will have to focus it manually.
VF INFORMATION (Viewable):
Focus indications, Auto-Exposure/Auto-Focus Lock, Shutter Speed, Exposure/Exposure Compensation Indicator, Aperture setting, Exposure Mode, i.e. P,A,S,M or Automatic, Flash output compensation, flas ready indicator, number of remaining exposures on SD card.
FOCUS AREA:
This is another less than satisfactory cost-cutting measure utilized by Nikon to make their price point. In the view finder, you will see THREE AF sensors. They are arranged in a horizontal line. There is NO, repeat NO cross hatching of sensors and there are NO sensors arrayed vertically. Your focus points, which can be selected are smack dab in the middle of the viewfinder. This is a backward move in my opinion, almost all the way back to the split screen focal point found in older manual focus cameras.
AUTOFOCUS:
Once again, I'll drive this home. Full AF is ONLY available with AF-S equipped lenses. The system uses Nikon's TTL phase detection with a Nikon CAM 530 AF module. The ability of the module to detect your subject ranges from EV -1 to EV 19 at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. While a wide range, this is generally not the range you'll be using this camera in, especially on the Plus EV side.
LENS SERVO (how it operates):
With AF-S lenses, the camera will AF in Single Servo AF (stationary subjects), Manual Focus, Continuous Servo AF and Focus Tracking with lock-on (for moving subjects) will automatically engage provided the camera is set in the AF-Continuous mode.
FLASH COMPATIBILITY:
Nikon released a new flash unit concurrent with the release of the D40 digital camera. It is known as the SB-400 and is a low-profile flash (meaning it sits lower over the top of the camera than other Nikon flash units).
The D40 is also completely compatible with the other recommended flashes for digital SLRs, namely the SB-600 and the top-end, professional SB-800 flash units.
I did NOT test the SB-400 flash, so I cannot comment on its efficiency or quality. For my flash photos, I used my own SB-800 and benefited from Nikon's systems approach to total quality imagery. My flash exposures utilizing the SB-800 were beautifully and naturally lit and it was obvious that the complete integration of camera and strobe unit means you will get the best possible pictures in low light, with fill flash on bright days and during sports events.
The combination or use of the SB-400, SB-600 or SB-800 will enable the user of the D40 to avoid those annoying re-eye shots, will permit multiple flash units fired from the commander SB-800 unit and other quite effective and innovative lighting scenarios. All three flashes used on the D40 also permit rear curtain synchronization for those events when you want to see a noticeable light trail. On all three flashes there is a setting to prevent red-eye as well. Nikon did do a fine job of insuring complete camera/flash compatibility. This camera is also configured to accept future generations of flash units that Nikon might develop and market.
FLASH COMPENSATION:
-3 EV to +1 EV in 1/3EV increments.
ACCESSORY (HOT) SHOE:
Standard hot shoe contact point with synch, signal, ground and safety contacts for whichever Nikon strobe units you choose to use (provided they are the SB-400, SB-600 and SB-800 or the various close-up strobe attachments recently introduced by Nikon.
Nikon does not recommend using OLDER flash units (even their own) due to the increased possibility of circuitry and power dissimilarities. In other words, using an older generation Nikon strobe could fry the camera.
From a personal standpoint and given Nikon's caveats about their own older units, DO NOT USE AFTER-MARKET, NON-NIKON strobes with the D40!!!!
EXPOSURE MODES:
Auto (Flash pops up), Program (P), Shutter priority (S) - you set the Shutter speed, the camera selects the aperture to obtain a correct exposure, Manual (M) you make all selections, Aperture priority (A), you set aperture, the camera selects the shutter speed. This is THE setting when you want to control Depth of Field (DOF) for image sharpness or blurring, Portrait, Sports, Close-Up, Child, Landscape, Night Portrait. The latter are the idiot settings that Nikon and other manufacturers like to add to their entry-level and consumer cameras for those folks who can't seem to grasp photographic and lighting concepts. These settings are annoying in that on almost every camera so equipped, using them cancels out one or more other features that you might desire to use.
REMOTE CONTROL CAPABILITY:
is available by using Nikon's optional ML-L3 remote control (sold separately and no, batteries are not included).
EXPOSURE METERING:
This camera meters in 3D color matrix metering II(suitable for most occasions) with D and G lenses, Color Matrix metering II with other CPU (non D or G) lenses, Center Weighted (where the camera meters 75% of the viewing area with primary balance at the center of the image and the remaining 25% in the periphery of the viewfinder and SPOT metering using a 3.5mm circle based on the active sensor selected in the viewfinder. This is ideal for portrait work.
MAXIMUM FRAMING RATE:
2.5 frames per second depending in part on the speed of the SD card in use.
SD MEMORY CARDS APPROVED FOR USE in the D40 (after testing by Nikon):
SanDisk 64MB, 128MB, 256Mb, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB
TOSHIBA: 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1 GB, 2GB
PANASONIC: 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB
LEXAR: 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB
ACCESSORIES SHIPPED WITH THE D40:
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL9, Quick Charger MH-23, USB-Cable UC-E4, Picture project Software, Rubber eye-cup for View Finder, body cap, Camera strap, Accessory Shoe cap (to cover hot shoe).
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES:
Nikon has a complete listing of the available optional accessories that include flash units, video cables, semi-soft cases, AC Adaptors and so on.
The KIT LENS: i.e. the 18-55 mm F3.5-5.6 AF-S lens.
The name says it all, this is a KIT lens. It is also an introductory lens designed for entry level digital cameras. It has also been packaged with the D50 6.1 MP dSLR. It is not an expensive or well constructed lens. It provides adequate photos without possessing any truly major flaws other than a limited focal length.
As a separate purchase, I would not consider this lens because it does not meet my needs for speed, image quality or focal length. This is NOT one of Nikon's sharpest lenses, nor is it robustly built. If you own one, make sure you attach, at the minimum, a UV filter to the front to protect the front lens element.
WHAT DID I LIKE ABOUT THIS CAMERA:
The 2.5 inch LCD on a camera this small.
The end product! I used many of my Nikkor lenses with this camera and not one is an AF-S lens. That means I had to focus manually every picture I took (other than those where I used the 18-55 kit lens and a 24-85 mm f-3.5-5.6 AF-S lens that I borrowed from the Nikon rep).
This camera, as small and limited as it is provided incredibly high resolution pictures in RAW and JPEG Fine, Large file pictures. Even at lesser settings, I was quite please with all of the photos I received back from the lab. When using Nikkor lenses with ED (Extra-Low Dispersion glass) lenses, the results were quite breathtaking.
In this area, I had absolutely NO complaints. Should you buy this camera, as limited as its capabilities are, you will not be ashamed to show your pictures to friends and family.
I liked its light weight and small size. This is a pretty fine "grab and go" camera, especially if you have a do-it-all lens attached. It is an ideal camera in many respects for children and men and women with smaller hands.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE:
The fact that it was designed with AF-S lenses in mind and the immediate loss of capabilities with other than AF-S lenses. This REALLY ANNOYED ME!
The limited menu on the LCD.
A fairly dark viewfinder, especially when compared to the D200 that I own or even the bright viewfinders on my older Nikon film camera bodies.
The need to manually focus when AF-S lenses are not mounted on the camera body.
The lack of a vertical grip.
The smaller amount of gripping area.
The odd placement of the main command dial in the middle of the top deck.
MY TAKE and RECOMMENDATIONS:
This is a camera for the complete novice or a person moving up from a film or digital point and shoot who wants the immediacy of digital without having to understand what goes into making a beautiful image. This is a camera for people who do not intend to do anything but take snapshots and have no intention of really developing their photographic skills.
This is a true entry level dSLR for people who want to remain at the entry level.
This is NOT a camera for someone who wants to grow. If you do and are considering buying this camera, there are better options available to start with and they include the D50 which has more and better capabilities that will allow you to grow photographically before you outgrow the camera body.
My recommendation is CONDITIONAL and is directed for the types of photographers I mentioned above.
I do NOT RECOMMEND this camera to anyone with ANY degree of photographic skill. Despite an attractive price point, even for those transitioning from film, there are better choices.
As someone who is very accustomed to using such large Nikon film bodies (especially with vertical grip/battery packs added), as well as the fairly large D200 with the MB-D200 vertical grip attached), picking up this camera for the first time left me wondering if the product marketing team at Nikon had finally lost their collective minds. This really is a SMALL and lightweight camera, even with lenses attached.
Serious photographers, and by that I mean everyone from advanced enthusiasts to jaded professionals will look at this camera and ask one question, why?
From discussions I have had with Nikon reps and retailers who are just now getting these cameras in, Nikon believes that this camera will appeal to folks with limited photographic knowledge and skills and who are accustomed to (and limited by) their point and shoot digicams. Nikon believes that that entire market segment 'needed' to have a "step-up" entry level dSLR that would provide them with features not available to the point and shoot user, while also offering the new user/buyer the convenience and possibilities afforded by interchangeable lenses. This camera is also targeted to first time dSLR buyers who have not yet made a significant investment in another system and/or other Nikkor lenses for other models of Nikon cameras.
Sound like a good marketing strategy? Well, it did to me. That is until I picked up the camera and was told that this new little marvel will ONLY autofocus with those Nikkor lenses designated as AF-S lenses. Lenses so designated are those equipped with Nikon's Silent Wave Motors and these ultrasonic motors are actually located within the body of the lens itself, not in the camera. The concept is a good one and works well with Nikon's higher end cameras. It is a severely limiting factor with the newly introduced D40.
Why?
The answer is quite simple, really. The D40 camera body does NOT contain the usual autofocus motor found in other Nikon, Canon, Pentax, SONY, Olympus, etc. bodies. The very same motor that uses the camera's internal batteries to drive the auto-focus motor, thereby relieving the user of the need to manually focus the lens. So, you can use non-AF-S lenses with this camera, but what you then have is a camera that may meter per its design, but YOU will have to manually focus the lens prior to snapping the shutter.
Given Nikon's target market, this may seem like a pretty good plan, but it completely leaves out other Nikon users if they do NOT possess any of the several AF-S designated lenses. And of the entire stable of available Nikkor lenses, those with AF-S capability are but a small minority.
The above having been said, below are my in-use observations as well as some technical specifications that potential buyers need to consider when looking at a camera barely one rung above the point and shoots they are now using.
First, remember that simplification is the order of the day. This camera is designed for those folks confused by all the menus, buttons, control dials and wheels. There is a minimalist approach to design and feature sets found in and on the D40.
CAMERA DIMENSIONS:
Approximate: 5" x 2.5" x 3.7 " (W X D X H)
WEIGHT:
Approx. 17 ounces without battery, body cap, strap, or memory card. In its kit configuration, even with SD card, lens and strap, this camera will generally not exceed 2 lbs.
EFFECTIVE MEGAPIXELS:
Like the D70, D70s, and the D50 before it, the D40 is a 6.1 MP digital SLR. The sensor is an RGB CCD sensor measuring 23.7 mm x 15.6 mm and the senor contains 6.24 million total megapixels.
ISO SENSITIVITY (film equivalent):
ISO 200-1600 in steps of 1 EV (Exposure Value). There is 1 additional step above ISO 1600.
STORAGE MEDIA:
SD and the camera is also SDHC compliant.
STORAGE SYSTEM:
Compressed NEF (RAW) 12 bit compressed JPEG, JPEG baseline-compliant. The user can set their image size and quality as follows: RAW or JPEG Fine (LARGE), JPEG Medium and JPEG Normal.
WHITE BALANCE:
Auto (Through The Lens [TTL] white balance with 420 pixel RGB sensor); six manual modes set by user with fine tuning available and a pre-set white balance.
LCD MONITOR and Playback:
The monitor, for a camera this small is HUGE! it is 2.5 inches and has a resolution of 230,000 dots, low-temp polysilicon LCD. The user can view their images in full screen, thumbnails (4 or 9 segments), magnifying playback, a slide show, histogram indication, highlight indicator, and auto-image rotation for vertical shots.
This LCD has a 170 degree field of view, is incredibly bright and easy to see and depicts colors quite faithfully.
COMPATIBLE LENSES:
Like all Nikon SLRs, film and digital, this camera utilizes the world-renowned F lens mount. That means virtually all lenses manufactured since 1959 will attach to the camera. It doesn't however, mean they will all meter, focus or work properly.
For all practical purposes, the buyer of this camera is effectively limited (if he or she wants Auto Focus capability) to those lenses designated as AF-S lenses. All other AF-D and G lenses will work, but they will need to be focused MANUALLY due to their not having the Silent Wave Motor (SWM) built into their lens barrels. This also means that there are less lenses available overall to the buyer of this camera because AF-S lens capability is NOT found throughout the entire line of Nikkor lenses.
Non-CPU lenses can be used in Manual mode (not just focusing - but where the user selects the shutter speed and aperture setting) but the lenses will NOT meter. This means you will need to use a light meter or use the Sunny 16 rule.
CROP FACTOR:
As a Nikon digital body, using lenses not specifically designed for digital means means the lens will crop 1.5x the indicated focal length. Great on the long end of a telephoto, not so great for those seeking true wide-angle imagery.
VIEWFINDER FRAME COVERAGE:
The viewfinder covers approximately 95% of the image area in both the horizontal and vertical axes.
VF MAGNIFICATION:
The magnification is approximately .80x with a Nikkor 50mm F1.8 lens set at infinity. This is for test purposes only as this lens WILL not autofocus and mounting it on the camera will mean that you will have to focus it manually.
VF INFORMATION (Viewable):
Focus indications, Auto-Exposure/Auto-Focus Lock, Shutter Speed, Exposure/Exposure Compensation Indicator, Aperture setting, Exposure Mode, i.e. P,A,S,M or Automatic, Flash output compensation, flas ready indicator, number of remaining exposures on SD card.
FOCUS AREA:
This is another less than satisfactory cost-cutting measure utilized by Nikon to make their price point. In the view finder, you will see THREE AF sensors. They are arranged in a horizontal line. There is NO, repeat NO cross hatching of sensors and there are NO sensors arrayed vertically. Your focus points, which can be selected are smack dab in the middle of the viewfinder. This is a backward move in my opinion, almost all the way back to the split screen focal point found in older manual focus cameras.
AUTOFOCUS:
Once again, I'll drive this home. Full AF is ONLY available with AF-S equipped lenses. The system uses Nikon's TTL phase detection with a Nikon CAM 530 AF module. The ability of the module to detect your subject ranges from EV -1 to EV 19 at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. While a wide range, this is generally not the range you'll be using this camera in, especially on the Plus EV side.
LENS SERVO (how it operates):
With AF-S lenses, the camera will AF in Single Servo AF (stationary subjects), Manual Focus, Continuous Servo AF and Focus Tracking with lock-on (for moving subjects) will automatically engage provided the camera is set in the AF-Continuous mode.
FLASH COMPATIBILITY:
Nikon released a new flash unit concurrent with the release of the D40 digital camera. It is known as the SB-400 and is a low-profile flash (meaning it sits lower over the top of the camera than other Nikon flash units).
The D40 is also completely compatible with the other recommended flashes for digital SLRs, namely the SB-600 and the top-end, professional SB-800 flash units.
I did NOT test the SB-400 flash, so I cannot comment on its efficiency or quality. For my flash photos, I used my own SB-800 and benefited from Nikon's systems approach to total quality imagery. My flash exposures utilizing the SB-800 were beautifully and naturally lit and it was obvious that the complete integration of camera and strobe unit means you will get the best possible pictures in low light, with fill flash on bright days and during sports events.
The combination or use of the SB-400, SB-600 or SB-800 will enable the user of the D40 to avoid those annoying re-eye shots, will permit multiple flash units fired from the commander SB-800 unit and other quite effective and innovative lighting scenarios. All three flashes used on the D40 also permit rear curtain synchronization for those events when you want to see a noticeable light trail. On all three flashes there is a setting to prevent red-eye as well. Nikon did do a fine job of insuring complete camera/flash compatibility. This camera is also configured to accept future generations of flash units that Nikon might develop and market.
FLASH COMPENSATION:
-3 EV to +1 EV in 1/3EV increments.
ACCESSORY (HOT) SHOE:
Standard hot shoe contact point with synch, signal, ground and safety contacts for whichever Nikon strobe units you choose to use (provided they are the SB-400, SB-600 and SB-800 or the various close-up strobe attachments recently introduced by Nikon.
Nikon does not recommend using OLDER flash units (even their own) due to the increased possibility of circuitry and power dissimilarities. In other words, using an older generation Nikon strobe could fry the camera.
From a personal standpoint and given Nikon's caveats about their own older units, DO NOT USE AFTER-MARKET, NON-NIKON strobes with the D40!!!!
EXPOSURE MODES:
Auto (Flash pops up), Program (P), Shutter priority (S) - you set the Shutter speed, the camera selects the aperture to obtain a correct exposure, Manual (M) you make all selections, Aperture priority (A), you set aperture, the camera selects the shutter speed. This is THE setting when you want to control Depth of Field (DOF) for image sharpness or blurring, Portrait, Sports, Close-Up, Child, Landscape, Night Portrait. The latter are the idiot settings that Nikon and other manufacturers like to add to their entry-level and consumer cameras for those folks who can't seem to grasp photographic and lighting concepts. These settings are annoying in that on almost every camera so equipped, using them cancels out one or more other features that you might desire to use.
REMOTE CONTROL CAPABILITY:
is available by using Nikon's optional ML-L3 remote control (sold separately and no, batteries are not included).
EXPOSURE METERING:
This camera meters in 3D color matrix metering II(suitable for most occasions) with D and G lenses, Color Matrix metering II with other CPU (non D or G) lenses, Center Weighted (where the camera meters 75% of the viewing area with primary balance at the center of the image and the remaining 25% in the periphery of the viewfinder and SPOT metering using a 3.5mm circle based on the active sensor selected in the viewfinder. This is ideal for portrait work.
MAXIMUM FRAMING RATE:
2.5 frames per second depending in part on the speed of the SD card in use.
SD MEMORY CARDS APPROVED FOR USE in the D40 (after testing by Nikon):
SanDisk 64MB, 128MB, 256Mb, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB
TOSHIBA: 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1 GB, 2GB
PANASONIC: 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB
LEXAR: 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB
ACCESSORIES SHIPPED WITH THE D40:
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL9, Quick Charger MH-23, USB-Cable UC-E4, Picture project Software, Rubber eye-cup for View Finder, body cap, Camera strap, Accessory Shoe cap (to cover hot shoe).
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES:
Nikon has a complete listing of the available optional accessories that include flash units, video cables, semi-soft cases, AC Adaptors and so on.
The KIT LENS: i.e. the 18-55 mm F3.5-5.6 AF-S lens.
The name says it all, this is a KIT lens. It is also an introductory lens designed for entry level digital cameras. It has also been packaged with the D50 6.1 MP dSLR. It is not an expensive or well constructed lens. It provides adequate photos without possessing any truly major flaws other than a limited focal length.
As a separate purchase, I would not consider this lens because it does not meet my needs for speed, image quality or focal length. This is NOT one of Nikon's sharpest lenses, nor is it robustly built. If you own one, make sure you attach, at the minimum, a UV filter to the front to protect the front lens element.
WHAT DID I LIKE ABOUT THIS CAMERA:
The 2.5 inch LCD on a camera this small.
The end product! I used many of my Nikkor lenses with this camera and not one is an AF-S lens. That means I had to focus manually every picture I took (other than those where I used the 18-55 kit lens and a 24-85 mm f-3.5-5.6 AF-S lens that I borrowed from the Nikon rep).
This camera, as small and limited as it is provided incredibly high resolution pictures in RAW and JPEG Fine, Large file pictures. Even at lesser settings, I was quite please with all of the photos I received back from the lab. When using Nikkor lenses with ED (Extra-Low Dispersion glass) lenses, the results were quite breathtaking.
In this area, I had absolutely NO complaints. Should you buy this camera, as limited as its capabilities are, you will not be ashamed to show your pictures to friends and family.
I liked its light weight and small size. This is a pretty fine "grab and go" camera, especially if you have a do-it-all lens attached. It is an ideal camera in many respects for children and men and women with smaller hands.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE:
The fact that it was designed with AF-S lenses in mind and the immediate loss of capabilities with other than AF-S lenses. This REALLY ANNOYED ME!
The limited menu on the LCD.
A fairly dark viewfinder, especially when compared to the D200 that I own or even the bright viewfinders on my older Nikon film camera bodies.
The need to manually focus when AF-S lenses are not mounted on the camera body.
The lack of a vertical grip.
The smaller amount of gripping area.
The odd placement of the main command dial in the middle of the top deck.
MY TAKE and RECOMMENDATIONS:
This is a camera for the complete novice or a person moving up from a film or digital point and shoot who wants the immediacy of digital without having to understand what goes into making a beautiful image. This is a camera for people who do not intend to do anything but take snapshots and have no intention of really developing their photographic skills.
This is a true entry level dSLR for people who want to remain at the entry level.
This is NOT a camera for someone who wants to grow. If you do and are considering buying this camera, there are better options available to start with and they include the D50 which has more and better capabilities that will allow you to grow photographically before you outgrow the camera body.
My recommendation is CONDITIONAL and is directed for the types of photographers I mentioned above.
I do NOT RECOMMEND this camera to anyone with ANY degree of photographic skill. Despite an attractive price point, even for those transitioning from film, there are better choices.
