« [ LET'S HEAR IT FOR GOOD OLD BLACK & WHITE ] | Main | [ WOMEN ARE FROM KODAK, MEN ARE FROM CANON ] »
March 08, 2007
[ REVIEW—NIKON D40 digital single lens reflex ]
Price: $1000
Highly recommended
The low-down: This 6.2 megapixel camera is Nikon’s entry level DSLR. It is lighter and smaller than any previous Nikon. Although at first the camera feels flimsy it is soon apparent that, although light, it is rigid and tightly made.
The essential functions are generally good: fast and accurate auto-focus (but only with lenses that have an inbuilt focus motor); perfect exposure and wide dynamic range. The auto white balance leaves something to be desired and there is no dedicated white balance button on the camera body but the Function button can be programmed for white balance.
The default saturation setting is too high resulting in bleeding of solid colours, particularly red. It is easy enough to create custom settings for saturation and contrast but it shouldn’t be necessary.
The D40 feels as fast and responsive as the more expensive Nikons. Even the viewfinder, which uses mirrors rather than a prism, is large and bright. The LCD review screen is brilliant but it doesn’t come with Nikon’s customary clear plastic protector.
The D40 shares its image processor with the D80 and D200, its 10 megapixel siblings. Image quality, once the over saturation is corrected, is excellent.
Like this: With this camera we are able to say that the kit lens is pretty good. It feels plasticky and has a plastic rather than a metal mount, all of which suggests penny pinching and quality compromises. However Nikon have chosen to make it with a modest zoom range -- a mere 27 to 82mm in film terms -- and f3.5 to f5.6 aperture. By keeping the specs unexciting they have produced an inexpensive lens of high quality.
Dislike that: The D40 is the first Nikon DSLR not to have a camera status LCD on the body top. Camera status is now displayed ephemerally on the LCD review screen and some settings appear in the viewfinder. Nikon is not alone in doing this and it no doubt keeps the price of the camera down but it is a retrograde step.
Parting shot: Will 6 megapixels do the job? For most people, yes. And the D40 has 6 million really well handled pixels. It is recommended without reservation.
[ See sample images from the Nikon D40 in the dpexpert Gallery ]
Posted by terry at March 8, 2007 09:44 PM
Worth Checking Out
Digital Cameras SydneyTrackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://bleedingedge.com.au/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1207
Comments
"Parting shot: Will 6 megapixels do the job? For most people, yes. And the D40 has 6 million really well handled pixels. It is recommended without reservation."
I guess the release of the D40x at 10MP has answered that question as far as the market is concerned. I agree with you though a good 6MP camera is great to own.
Does the D40 have the dubious honour of having the shortest life of any DSLR of any make?
Posted by: RichardR at March 15, 2007 12:34 PM
Richard:
The D40 and D40X will sell side by side. I think the D40X is a replacement for the D50 to sell against the 10mp cameras in the $1500 price range. It will have the same kit lens as the D80 according to Nikon Aust, which is a pity because the D40 lens is better. Ah well, it seems that size matters. TL
Posted by: Terry at March 15, 2007 11:20 PM