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May 17, 2007
[ REVIEW—NIKON D40X digital single lens reflex ]
NIKON D40X digital SLR camera
Price: $1400
Highly recommended
The low-down: This 10.2 megapixel camera is the same camera as the Nikon D40 except for the sensor. For the extra $500 the buyer gets 4 extra megapixels. Apart from that all that we said about the D40 applies to the D40X. 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 D40X 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 D40X shares its image processor with the D80 and D200. Image quality is excellent.
Like this: The D40X comes with the same kit lens as the D40 and it is pretty good. It a plastic rather than a metal mount, 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 good quality.
Dislike that: The D40X, like the D40, does 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. This no doubt keeps the price of the camera down but it is a retrograde step.
Parting shot: So the question for a would-be buyer is: Are those extra pixels worth the $400? 6 million pixels will produce A3 prints. 10 million give some room for cropping without loss of resolution. By comparison with the competition at this price the D40X offers a lot for the money.
Posted by terry at May 17, 2007 06:10 AM
Worth Checking Out
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