Nikon D40x (with 18-55mm lens)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc. Part number: 9421
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- Bottom Line:
- The Nikon D40x makes a very nice first dSLR, though experienced SLR shooters looking for a Nikon should spend the extra cash for the D80.
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CNET editors' review
Nikon D40x (with 18-55mm lens) price range: $1,299.00
- Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
- Reviewed on: 05/07/2007
The good: Comfortable, compact body design; very low noise at higher ISOs; highly customizable menus; 10.2-megapixel CCD sensor
The bad: Slow kit lenses; RAW editing software costs extra; controls can be awkward; occasionally slow to focus; no automatic sensor cleaning; RAW-plus-JPEG mode limited to basic instead of fine JPEG compression
The bottom line: The Nikon D40x makes a very nice first dSLR, though experienced SLR shooters looking for a Nikon should spend the extra cash for the D80.
Editor's note March 28, 2008: The rating for the D40x has been lowered since the review was originally published to reflect changes in the capabilities of current comparable models from other manufacturers.
When the Nikon D40 came out late last year, one of the chief complaints people had was that it only had a 6-megapixel imaging sensor. Not being the type to ignore its customers, Nikon has introduced the D40x, which is nearly identical to the D40, but includes a 10.2-megapixel CCD sensor. Of course that means you now have to choose between saving some money--and possibly buying another lens or accessory--and getting more megapixels. Plus, if you're a more experienced photographer, you'll also have to weigh the D40x against the 10.2-megapixel D80, which offers controls and features that are geared toward people who have used an SLR before.
Like its non-x sibling, the D40x includes the same processing engine as the Nikon D200 and the same 420-pixel-sensor 3D Color Matrix Metering II system found in the D80. While the D40 can only be purchased in a kit with the 18mm-to-55mm f/3.5-to-f/5.6 lens, the D40x is available in four options: body only; with the same 18mm to 55mm as the D40; as a two-lens kit with that 18mm to 55mm and a 55mm-to-200mm f/4-to-f/5.6 VR (Nikon's smallest, lightest, and least-expensive vibration-reduction lens to date); or with the same nice 18mm-to-135mm f/3.5-to-f/5.6 available with the D80. Astute Nikonians will note that all these lenses bear the AF-S designation. That's because, like the D40, the D40x doesn't include an autofocus coupling pin, so if you want to use autofocus, you're limited to AF-S or AF-I lenses. In our field tests, among other lenses, we also used a 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor AI-S and a 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor. Both communicated flawlessly with the body, which successfully controlled the lens' aperture blades. The only drawback was we had to focus on our own, which was a relatively pleasurable experience, especially for an entry-level SLR, thanks to the D40x's fairly bright 0.8x viewfinder. However, if you have trouble keeping your horizon straight, you should note the finder lacks any sort of grid.
The camera body itself is on the small side, keeping in line with most of the entry-level dSLRs on the market. It has a well-formed grip, with a slight indentation on the inside that adds to its solid feel, though like the smaller Pentax models and the Canon Rebel XTi, your pinky finger will likely dangle below the camera. In a sacrifice to size (and possibly cost), you won't find a second status display, as you do on the tops of most mid- and pro-level dSLRs. Instead, the 2.5-inch LCD does double duty, serving up camera settings, in addition to its normal role of menu access and image playback. Nikon's new graphic-based interface, introduced in the D40, lives on in the D40x. While it looks nice, and does a good job of showing users the effects of the camera's various controls, the new control scheme isn't particularly intuitive, so users who don't read their manuals may hit a few snags. For example, while we did find it intuitive to press either the Info button near the shutter or the "i" button on the camera back to bring up the shooting information screen, we had to consult the manual to discover that a second press of the "i" button lets you navigate through that screen to change settings such as white balance, ISO, metering, AF mode, or image size and quality. We laud the simplicity of this approach, but the double-button-press process slowed us down during our field tests.
While Nikon's not alone in putting a 3-point autofocus system in its entry-level dSLRs (Olympus' E410 and E510 also use 3-point systems), some competitors, such as Canon's Rebel XTi (9-point AF) and Pentax's K100D and K110D (11-point AF) include more sophisticated autofocus systems. In our field tests, the D40x had occasional difficulty locking on subjects, sometimes choosing the wrong object, but more often was just a bit sluggish. In other areas, the D40x surpasses some of the competition. Its sensitivity settings range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, plus an H1 setting, which is essentially equivalent to ISO 3200. By contrast, the D40's lowest sensitivity is ISO 200, as are the Pentaxes'. Canon's XTi and the two Olympuses start at ISO 100, but top out at ISO 1600. Shutter speeds on the D40x range from 30 seconds to 1/4000 second, and exposure compensation covers a rather wide swath of plus or minus 5EV in third-stop increments. However, the scale used to show exposure compensation in the viewfinder and on the LCD screen only covers plus or minus 2EV, so beyond that, you need to pay attention to the tiny numerical indicator next to the scale. All other exposure controls also run in third-stop increments, as opposed to the more-coarse half-stop increments that some cameras, such as the Fujifilm S3 Pro, use.
As always, Nikon includes its barely useful Picture Project RAW processing software with the D40x and expects you to shell out an extra $150 to purchase the company's Capture NX software if you want a more robust way to process RAW images. That means, if you plan on shooting in RAW, you need to add $150 to the price of this camera when drawing comparisons with its competitors, all of which include decent RAW converters at no charge. I have yet to meet a Nikon photographer who is not affiliated with the company who doesn't complain voraciously about Nikon's stance on this issue, but it doesn't seem as though the company will change its mind anytime soon. On the flip side, the Capture NX software is quite nice and includes some innovative image editing tools.
In our lab tests, the D40x yielded impressive results. It took 0.15 second to start up and capture its first JPEG. Subsequent JPEGs took 0.48 second between shots with the flash turned off and 0.85 second between shots with the flash turned on. The time between capturing RAW images measured 0.75 second. Shutter lag measured 0.4 second in our high-contrast test, which mimics bright shooting conditions, and 0.9 second in our low-contrast test, which mimics dim shooting conditions. In continuous shooting mode, we were able to capture JPEGs at an average of 2.97 frames per second, regardless of image size.
Image quality from the D40x is extremely good. Colors look very accurate and are well-saturated without being oversaturated. Images have a wide dynamic range, with plenty of detail in both shadows and highlights. We shot our lab test images with the 18mm-to-55mm kit lens, which produced admirably sharp images for an entry-level kit lens, though we did see a very minor amount of fringing with this lens around some extreme highlights. The camera's automatic white balance produces slightly warm images when used with incandescent light sources, such as a living room lamp, but the tungsten preset serves up neutral images in those circumstances. We got the most neutral results when using the manual white balance setting. The D40x's built-in flash is rather powerful--Nikon rates it to be effective to 39 feet at ISO 100--and it did a nice job of balancing its fill flash with the ambient light of the lamp in our test scene.
Noise due to ISO is very low in the D40x. At ISO 100 and ISO 200, noise is almost nonexistent. At ISO 400, it begins to become noticeable on monitors and only ever-so-slightly softens the image, but doesn't appreciably detract from prints. Even at ISO 800, you can barely see noise in prints, and though it is apparent on monitors, it's still well under control and images are still very pleasing. At ISO 1600, noise is more pronounced still, but you should be able to get pleasing prints; images retain much of their shadow detail, and while finer details are softened, they aren't obliterated--text that was readable at ISO 100 will still likely be readable at ISO 1600. At the camera's Hi1 setting, noise becomes very prominent, finer details become blurred away, and the overall dynamic range becomes truncated so you lose a fair amount of shadow detail. However, you should still be able to produce passable prints if you stick with smaller sizes.
Nikon's D40x is a very impressive camera. While not quite as fast as the Canon Rebel XT, it does offer a higher resolution, though the Rebel is less expensive. If you're considering the D40x with the 18mm-135mm kit lens, and you've shot with an SLR before, you'll probably prefer the control system of the D80, which also includes a coupling pin, so you can use it with older Nikon AF lenses and retain the autofocus capability. If you're stepping up to your first dSLR and don't have a stash of old lenses, the D40x is a good choice.
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User reviews
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Excellent camera for the price range
by RodsterinFL on May 13, 2007
Pros: Best images in class (rated by several pros)
Cons: None for me - the quality of the images are amazing!
Summary: I shopped for some time over the past month reading anything I could get my hands on and e-mailing pro photographers about entry-level SLR or SLR cameras under $1200 (w/ ...
Summary: I shopped for some time over the past month reading anything I could get my hands on and e-mailing pro photographers about entry-level SLR or SLR cameras under $1200 (w/ a lens) and was consistently led to the Canon XT or the Nikon DX40 and D80 at first. then a few tidbits of info surfaced on the XTi and the D40X. Since I am not a professional photographer I had to rely on other info for a decision and interpret it. Basically I came away with the D40X as a best in class choice for my needs - a prosumer moving into SLR. Here are some points that I uncovered in my research on the net about the D40x that may be useful. The D40x is a great choice if you do not have old auto focus lenses - the screw drive AF will not work; currently the camera does not have an AF lens below 2.8 aperture so dim quck-action shot opportunities will not be optimized; the camera does not have a mirror lock setting for macro shot optimization (??don't know about this but it does take macro shots!); The consumer grade Nikon lenses are far superior to Canon's - supposedly even the shots of the Nikon D40X brochure were taken with a consumer grade 55-200 lens vs. the Canon Rebel brochure taken with an expensive pro lens; the overall image quality of the Nikon is better; the speed of shooting is better; the focus is quick; it is lighter and smaller; the noise level on high ISO settings is very low and that is about it. When I considered these things the pros wrote(one of them said they have started using this as their daily pack camera) I was easily swayed to purchase one. To me, the most important factor is image quality. I am less interested in experimental shooting although I understand the D40x will do that too. I wanted to write this to tell others because this is one fine camera. I ordered the 55-200 VR AF (auto focus anti-shake lens) they used for the brochure for $223 and cannot believe the results. The final outcome of the compiled ratings I read indicated that the D80 at the top of the heap but the D40X was right there with it in image quality in nearly every aspect. I submit to you that this camera should be on your shopping list.
Updated
Another point I recently found is that the d40x has built in metering that the the competition apparently does not have. According to the info, it is a very important advantage Nikons have and very difficult to trick in difficult lighting situations. I continue to read reviews and comparisons and find that complaints are focused on no RAW software, no depth of field preview, no old AF lens use, 3pt autofocus and I understand all of these have consideration for some but I would rather have a better lens included than software as Nikon chose to do, I don't have old lens, 3 ratings showed the focus speed was better with the 3 point and sharp focus is easily attained, and all those extra settings are great for play. As I become more familiar I am finding that I see a well thought out design where I go one place for most all changes outside of the 8 auto preset picture categories. It is obvious that the camera is designed for a lot of auto use with fantastic results and nearly all play toys (detailed settings- experimental) are in the LCD menu. I think it is a smart idea to simplify and separate the interface for users. If you are swinging between the D40 and the D40x, consider that you can get the x now for about $100 difference - its worth it for the D80-like benefits. Canon Rebel xti? Software included but the Canon consumer lens are not rated good (see many reviews), the rebel has more pic noise but there are more buttons for you to punch and play with (separated functions) Thanks to all those people who wrote about the cameras and I hope I too have helped someone out.29 out of 29 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Speachless!
by mjohnston24 on September 6, 2007
Pros: Sturdy Frame, Fast Shutter Speeds, Feels Great in Hand, Astounding Pictures, Great Battery Life...
Cons: What? Hell no!
Summary: I tried to think of something that I wish this camera could do better but I can't think of anything. I'm very much into wildlife photography, but I ...
Summary: I tried to think of something that I wish this camera could do better but I can't think of anything. I'm very much into wildlife photography, but I also have two sons who I photograph a lot indoors. This camera (Nikon D40x) covers all ends of the spectrum. It fires up instantly and the auto focus is just as fast. I have the 18-55mm lens kit as well as the 55-200mm Lens Kit with VR (Vibration Reduction aka Image Stabilization). The 55-200 lens is phenomenal for the price. The VR is extremely helpful for those long range closeups. (VR activates when you hold the shutter button half way down) It's nice to actually hear the high quality shutter when taking a picture. I'm coming from a Kodak Z712 IS (which was also great for the money) but the D40X is in a completely different class. The continuous shooting mode is great for wildlife photography and the little rugrats. It can fire up to 100 shots in one burst at 3 frames per second with no flash. Bursting with flash is slower, but still much better than any point-and-shoot that's on the market. There is absolutely nothing to fear about getting this camera. I have no regrets in the slightest. This camera was actually given to me by a wildlife magazine publisher for one of my photos, but I have spent some time in Staples, Circuit City, and Ritz Camera, comparing this to the Canon Rebel XTI. The XTI has a slightly faster FPS shooting speed, but unless you're sole purpose is photographing high speed subjects you won't miss the half of a second speed. If it can keep up with a 2 and a 4 year old I think it has bragging rights. The D40x has a much more solid feel which I think is important when you're spending this much on a camera. I would recommend this camera to anyone who wants to take their point-and-shoot pictures to the next level. It has a auto mode where you can still point and click and it has an array of manual modes to allow you to perfect your own style of photography.
13 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great camera
by Pibley on June 6, 2007
Pros: Reasonably priced, small for a DSLR, easy-to-use, "wife friendly"
Cons: Limitation on kinds of auto-focus lenses you can buy for it and you have to pay extra for software for full RAW support, manual isn't that great to read
Summary: This is a great camera for the average picture taker.
I bought this for my wife. She hates buttons and high technology. For her, taking pictures is a means to ...Summary: This is a great camera for the average picture taker.
I bought this for my wife. She hates buttons and high technology. For her, taking pictures is a means to an end - scrapbooking (not with a computer!). I was very reluctant to buy her such a device for fear it would overwhelm her. I was flat-out wrong. This camera is programmed to be fully automatic if the user chooses that path. It's also capable of going full manual for those that like to have total control. My wife has smaller sized hands and she commented that it fit well in her hands. She also commented on how light it was. She's right! Ironically as we were looking at other cameras at the store, she lamented the fact that her point-and-shoot camera was so small. Now she tells me!
Even after she took it for a test drive and stated she liked the camera, I mulled over the purchasing decision, wondering if ~ $1,100 (with tax) for a camera was worth the price. That price was for the camera sold in "kit" form from Costco.
During that "mulling period" I stumbled upon this Nikon marketing website that convinced me that this was a great family camera -
http://www.stunningnikon.com/picturetown/.
I suggest you check it out. You'll see average folks using the camera, commenting on their experiences using it and there are some really nice pictures you can look at to see the results.
I think any good-name brand camera competing in this camera's price and feature range will more than satisfy you. If you're "mulling over" a purchase of this camera or one like it, I think you owe it to yourself to read some of the reviews on the internet that can do far more justice to the camera than my review and I would also suggest you take a look at it in person and see if it'll work for you.6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Whoever said its the photographer that makes great shots obviously did not have this camera.
by hockeyfrog on August 29, 2007
Pros: Lightweight (good for small hands!), great battery life, easy to navigate settings
Cons: Included flash is just that - the included flash. Slow response times on kit lens occasionally.
Summary: I won't lie, I really hadn't planned on buying a DSLR when I walked into the store that fateful day. I was going to replace my compact digital, ...
Summary: I won't lie, I really hadn't planned on buying a DSLR when I walked into the store that fateful day. I was going to replace my compact digital, but after looking at, playing with, and hearing about from one of the managers at the store's experience with the camera, I came back a couple days later and purchased it. (Even better, said manager actually brought his back after a few days' usage and upgraded to the D80 as he was more experienced with SLRs, so I got the open box price on his old one still in mint condition!)
I am not a technical writer, and pretty much a hobby photographer, so I don't know all the ins and outs of SLR photography. I am a graphics student, so I can line up shots, and what I mess up on, I can use Photoshop on to fix. Here's my take on the D40x though.
Pros: The first thing that was pointed out when I was talking to the manager (who was a work colleague for a while, so we were on good terms and not on a pushy buy it now kind of basis) was that I have small hands. This seems like a silly thing to point out, but the D40x's smaller body and lesser weight than most other DSLRs was a huge selling point. I could comfortably hold the camera, reach all the buttons and my hands did not cramp up in the process. In fact, as soon as I picked up the thing, I was in love without even taking a single picture - it just felt right.
The navigation of controls is pretty easy, even more so if you're a previous Nikon owner (I currently have an old Nikon Coolpix 3100). Many of the preset scene types are still present on the wheel selector. Plus, the graphical interface that is integrated with the LCD display is fairly straight forward, and even gives hints with the ? icon. I love the messages it gives though when it is too dark in the area (or you've left the lenscap on like I've tried to) "Subject is too dark."
Just a couple of words on battery life - its great. I can take several hundred pictures without the flash, and still do very well with the flash as well. I'd recommend having a backup battery for usage over long periods of time, but the energy saver sleep mode the camera goes into helps tremendously. (It also wakes up very quickly.)
I went from a 3.2MP compact digital to the 10.2MP in the D40x, which was a huge difference. Not only can I take giant photos, depending on the situation, the giant full-size image might be somewhat grainy, but when I post photos to my website (which I size down from 3872 x 2592px to 500x335px), the graininess disappears and look beautiful. I have yet to try out getting a great shot and getting it printed full-size, but as long as the photo is a sound shot, I think it will be amazing. All of the pictures so far have been clean, not a lot of noise, and very crisp.
As far as lenses go, I purchased the kit with the 18-55mm lens included. Its a good lens, sometimes a bit slow on the focusing, but for a first DSLR, it works great. Mind you, I'm one that goes all out, and I purchased the 55-200mm lens that works with the DXes (not the fancy one with VR) shortly after, just for more options. Once again... entry level lenses for an entry level camera for an entry level user - like me!
Alright, now the cons.
The lenses are a bit slow. I do a bit of sports and concert photography, so the speed is important. However, considering I upgraded from a compact digital, the difference is tremendous. In my case, the slowness is alright, because it still seems super fast to me. I've heard some other people state that they are slow too. I'll go with their opinion then.
Along with the lens slowness, the fact the body only takes DX lenses could be a negative for some people that may have lenses for other cameras that would have fit otherwise. If this is a first slr, then its not an issue. (The silver lining though is that the special DX format lenses are no more expensive than the counterparts for other bodies.)
I have noticed on occasion that the camera does not always find something to focus on, or I have problems getting it to focus on what I need it to. I think there is a setting I might not have tweaked right... I've only had the camera for a few months and haven't read the manual (yeah yeah I should. It'd probably help). Typically though its good about finding a focusing point.
The integrated flash... its an integrated flash. Far better than the flashes I've dealt with on compact digitals, however I still purchased the SB-600 speedlight to go with it. Do you absolutely need to? No. I just like gadgets, and playing with new effects.
Overall though, and coming from the standpoint of never having had a DSLR camera and being a newbie to them, I love this camera. With the auto settings I was able to just pick it up and intuitively just start taking awesome pictures. As I get more brave I will start messing with settings more. I know that changing apertures and such is pretty easy with the navigation system. The photos come out very clean, and I'm sure I'd have even more success if I got to know the settings past the auto mode!
I highly recommend this camera to a new DSLR user - whoever said that its the photographer that takes excellent photos obviously never had this camera. Even what I'd consider "bad" photos still seem to look good coming from this camera!5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Once again C-Net gets it wrong =) Get the D40 not the D40X though
by yesmate on November 14, 2007
Pros: Lens quality, weight, price
Cons: none none none
Summary: I own both the D40 and the D40x. Ask any pro photographer and they will tell you to get the D40. It is a great camera and is all you ...
Summary: I own both the D40 and the D40x. Ask any pro photographer and they will tell you to get the D40. It is a great camera and is all you need to shoot great photo's. www.kenrockwell.com is one example of a pro who recommends the D40 over the D40x and even the heavy D80. The price of the D40 is now under $500 and the 18-55mm lens is fantastic. The only item I would recommend as an add is the SB400 Speedlight flash for indoor photos
6 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best choice within its class and price range.
by CSSBT on November 14, 2007
Pros: Good egronamics, far more comfortable to hold than the XTi low noise, balanced level of color saturation, excellent picture quality
Cons: Somewhat slow focusing speed, focus system w/ only 3 points, ISO, WB, and many other important things are buried in the menus, no 2nd status screen, LCD shots off by itself
Summary: I had a Sony DSC-F828 from 2004 and was looking for a replacement for it. I'm an amateur and I shoot mostly landscapes and sceneries, so speed and performance ...
Summary: I had a Sony DSC-F828 from 2004 and was looking for a replacement for it. I'm an amateur and I shoot mostly landscapes and sceneries, so speed and performance are not too important; instead high picture quality (optical distorsion, picture noise, color saturation, friging, etc. are things I tried to avoid) is what I'm looking for.
Obviously using a camera with a larger sensor is the best way to achieve high picture quality, so I decided to upgrade to DSLRs. I considered only Nikon, Canon, and Sony, because I wanted to use a system that has been accepted by the professionals (sony:minolta).
I was interested in the Sony Alpha 100, Canon Rebel XT and XTi. Meanwhile I had no significant preference for any Nikon models.
The Sony Alpha has stablization and sensor cleaning functions, but is not a exceptionally good camera otherwise (It seem to have picture noise problems). The Rebel XT and XTi were the leaders of the class with good performances, but when I held them I just couldn't take the bad egronamics of their cheap and smooth-textured plastic bodies.
So I moved on to the Nikons. I was interested in the D80, which has excellent image quality and good performance (as a bonus to me). But the D80 was priced beyond my budget. I also considered the regular D40, but was turned down by its 6MP resolution (It's not that 6MP is bad, but I wanted something with higher resolution than my 3 year old Sony; plus many sub-$200 point-and-shoots were having 7.1MP already).
Just as I got stuck, the D40x come along. I brought it just a few weeks after it came out.
The D40x is excellent for what I do. It clearly has better picture quality with low noise, realistic colors, and less optical distorsion than most rivals. Its 10MP APS-C sized sensor is excellent for the money, and does what I ask it to do well. Most importantly, the D40x is not only very compact, but also very comfortable to hold.
The egronamics is good, at least much better than the Canons. Though I would love have dedicated external controls for ISO, WB, Auto-focus modes, and more. Obviously the D80 would've filled the bill nicely, but the D40x is a better deal.
The only real issue with the D40x revolves around its focusing system. It is slow and has only 3 points. Sometimes the things I want to focus on are not near the focusing point; sometimes the focus system choose the wrong points, while other times it simply moves back and forth without focusing! Overall the focusing speed is below average by SLR standard. Thankfully I hardly take any picture of moving objects (sports, action), otherwise the camera's great potential in terms of picture quality would have been pointless.
I will probably purchase a Canon EOS 5D's replacement as a replacement for this. Buying a professional or semi-professional model will save me much trouble dealing with basic problems such as the issue with focusing in the D40x.
Nevertheless, I still enjoy shooting with D40x. Its size is convenient for casual shooting, and its picture quality is best in its class and its price range.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Truly Fantastic
by mossad67 on September 2, 2007
Pros: Great photos, responsive, great deal
Cons: slow to focus in low light
Summary: i'm a gadget freak and a long time Nikon user who has been using film SLR's for years. I owned a Coolpix 5000 which was the worst digital ...
Summary: i'm a gadget freak and a long time Nikon user who has been using film SLR's for years. I owned a Coolpix 5000 which was the worst digital camera ever created. Consequently, for years I didn't shoot any photos. When I bought this camera, I was quite simply blown away. The joy of photography is back for me! Shutter lag and processing time has brought photography back to the dark ages in my opinion. This camera has none - when you push the shutter button, it actually takes the picture! What a concept. I've shot sporting events, weddings, nature, everything with this camera and it does it all well. There is a natural narrow depth of field with this camera that is wonderful, and the photos it shoots look fantastic. I can't say enough about it.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I can actually take good pictures now
by rkerry on February 26, 2008
Pros: Easy to use, fast, great pre settings, long battery life
Cons: It's big if you are used to point and shoots
Summary: We have had many point and shoots and 1 SLR, but this camera blows them all away. Granted it's big and we still find many uses for the point ...
Summary: We have had many point and shoots and 1 SLR, but this camera blows them all away. Granted it's big and we still find many uses for the point and shoot (video being one big reason) however for quality ease of use you can't beat this camera.
I agree with what other have said, if you are not a high end user, go with the D40 the D40x is a bit much for the average user, not to mention if you take a lot of pictures on the highest setting, your hard drive space will disappear quickly (maybe that's because you find yourself taking so many more pics).1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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XTI vs D40x
by njocson on December 15, 2007
Pros: Quality of Workmanship
Cons: Less Access Buttons
Summary: I purchased both the Canon XTI and the Nikon D40x. Both with dual lens kit (18-55m & 75-300mm for Canon & 18-55mm & 75-200mm VR for Nikon). Based on much ...
Summary: I purchased both the Canon XTI and the Nikon D40x. Both with dual lens kit (18-55m & 75-300mm for Canon & 18-55mm & 75-200mm VR for Nikon). Based on much research it seemed to be a draw. Canon has more convenient quick access buttons, good performance & even higher popularity. The Nikon better lens kit, a little less access to some features(2 steps pressing button vs 1 press) & less popularity.
They both take good pictures but I give the nod to Nikon. The smoothness of operation, better menu screen and faster auto focus in lower light situations make a difference. The BUILD QUALITY was no comparison. The Nikons better handgrip, material & lens has the feel of quality. The Canon felt like cheap plastic and the lens was notchy while zooming. Even though both screens are 2.5" the Nikon viewing was bigger in appearence and brighter which is good when used in the bright sunlight. The Canons extra buttons make some operations easier but that was not enough. Both cameras took very pictures but these quality issues stand out. I returned the XTI. The XTI is a good camera but for me I'll take NIKON all day long!1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fantastic!!
by bob648 on November 24, 2007
Pros: Great pic's, easy to learn
Cons: None worth mentioning
Summary: Check out other reviews. 7.7 is way off the mark. It is clearly a 9 or 10. Fast and fun! I bought at Ritz and got a better deal ...
Summary: Check out other reviews. 7.7 is way off the mark. It is clearly a 9 or 10. Fast and fun! I bought at Ritz and got a better deal than Best Buy or Circuit City was offering on Black Friday: Nikon D40x Digital SLR Two-Lens Bonus Outfit (18-55/55-200. I wanted the D80, but as a first move to DSLR I decided on this camera at about half the cost with accessories factored into the purchase. In 12-24 months, I'll probably move up.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
- Part number: 9421
- Description: The Nikon D40X is a lightweight and portable camera that proves that it can be both incredibly simple and tremendous fun to shoot images with a Nikon digital SLR. You only need to turn on the camera's AUTO mode, look through the clear, bright viewfinder and shoot. The D40X responds fast so you can capture moments as they unfold, and its 10.2 megapixel resolution and world-class Nikkor lens deliver consistently sharp, vibrant images. The Help menus are available at the press of a button and work like a built-in instruction manual, with advice and directions for every camera setting. With every feature, button and menu designed to work together for a smooth, seamless performance, the D40X will bring out the best in you and your images.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - SLR
- Resolution 10.2 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 10,750,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 10,200,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 15.8 x 23.6mm
- Field of View Crop Factor 1.5
- Auto Focus TTL phase detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) Qty 3
- Image Recording Format JPEG,
NEF (RAW) - AV Interfaces Composite video/audio
Exposure & White Balance
- Light Sensitivity ISO 100-1600,
ISO auto - Exposure Metering 3D color matrix II,
Center-weighted,
Spot - Exposure Metering Zones 420
- Exposure Modes Program ,
I-TTL program flash ,
Bulb ,
Automatic ,
Shutter-priority ,
Manual ,
Aperture-priority - Shooting Programs Sports mode,
Night portrait,
Close-up,
Children,
Portrait mode,
Landscape - Special Effects Monotone,
Black & White - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Sunlight,
Shade,
Fluorescent,
Incandescent,
Cloudy,
Flash - Max Shutter Speed 1/4000 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 30 sec
- Exposure Compensation ±5 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- X-sync Speed 1/200 sec
- Exposure Range EV 0-20 ( ISO 100 )
Lens System
- Type 3 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6 G ED II Nikon AF-S DX
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 27 - 82.5 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual,
Automatic - Min Focus Range 11 in
- Max View Angle 76 degrees
- Zoom Adjustment Manual
- Lens Construction 5 groups / 7 elements
- Filter Size 52 mm
- Lens System Mounting Nikon F
- Features Aspherical lens,
Silent Wave Motor (SWM),
ED glass Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Pop-up flash
- Guide Number (m / ISO 100) 12
- Flash Modes Rear curtain sync,
Fill-in mode,
Slow synchro,
Auto mode,
Flash OFF mode,
Red-eye reduction - Features Flash +/- compensation,
AF illuminator Additional Features
- Continuous Shooting Speed 3 frames per second
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec,
10 sec,
5 sec,
20 sec - Flash Terminal Hot shoe
- Additional Features Digital image rotation,
Display brightness control,
In-camera red-eye fix,
Cropping an image,
AF lock,
DPOF support,
Text input to Exif header,
AE lock,
Auto power save,
Digital noise reduction,
Histogram display,
Highlight point display,
PictBridge support,
Built-in help guide,
USB 2.0 compatibility,
Direct print Display
- Type 2.5 in LCD display
- Display Features Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Composite video output,
1 x USB - Memory Card Slot SD card
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Optical - Eye-level penta-dach mirror
- Field Coverage 95%
- Magnification 0.8x
- Dioptric Correction Range -1.7 to +0.5
- Viewfinder Frames Autofocus frame
- LCD Display Information Exposure compensation,
Shutter speed,
Aperture,
Flash charge completion,
AE lock,
AF-in-focus,
Exposure mode,
Frames-remaining counter Miscellaneous
- Microsoft Certifications Certified for Windows Vista
- Included Accessories Battery charger,
Eyepiece cover,
USB cable,
Lens cap,
Eyecup,
Dust cap,
Body cap,
Strap,
Shoe cap Software
- Software Nikon PictureProject,
Drivers & Utilities Battery
- Supported Battery Nikon EN-EL9
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Memory / Storage
- Supported Memory Cards SDHC Memory Card ,
MultiMediaCard ,
SD Memory Card - Image Storage RAW 3872 x 2592 : 79 VA - With 1GB card,
Fine JPEG 3872 x 2592 : 129 VA - With 1GB card,
Fine JPEG 2896 x 1944 : 225 VA - With 1GB card,
Fine JPEG 1936 x 1296 : 487 VA - With 1GB card,
Normal JPEG 3872 x 2592 : 251 VA - With 1GB card,
Normal JPEG 2896 x 1944 : 431 VA - With 1GB card,
Normal JPEG 1936 x 1296 : 888 VA - With 1GB card,
Basic JPEG 3872 x 2592 : 487 VA - With 1GB card,
Basic JPEG 2896 x 1944 : 839 VA - With 1GB card,
Basic JPEG 1936 x 1296 : 1500 VA - With 1GB card,
RAW + JPEG 3872 x 2592 : 70 VA - With 1GB card Dimensions & Weight
- Width 5 in
- Depth 2.5 in
- Height 3.7 in
- Weight 17.5 oz
CNET Labs' Benchmarks
- Labs information All values are expressed in seconds. Please visit our labs information page for information on how digital cameras are tested.
- CNET Labs Flash shot to shot time 0.9
- CNET Labs Raw shot to shot time 0.8
- CNET Labs Shot to shot time typical 0.5
- CNET Labs Shutter lag bright 0.4
- CNET Labs Shutter lag dim 0.9
- CNET Labs Typical burst speed 3.0
- CNET Labs Wake up time 0.2
Product series
-
Nikon D40x w/18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX Nikkor
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR,
Digital camera - SLR,
10.2 megapixels,
CCD,
3 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6 G ED II Nikon AF-S DX,
SDHC Memory Card,
MultiMediaCard,
SD Memory Card,
Pop-up flash -
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR,
Digital camera - SLR,
10.2 megapixels,
CCD,
SDHC Memory Card,
MultiMediaCard,
SD Memory Card,
Pop-up flash -
Nikon D40x (with 18-55mm lens)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR,
Digital camera - SLR,
10.2 megapixels,
CCD,
3 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6 G ED II Nikon AF-S DX,
SDHC Memory Card,
MultiMediaCard,
SD Memory Card,
Pop-up flash -
Nikon D40x (with 18-135mm Lens)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR,
Digital camera - SLR,
10.2 megapixels,
CCD,
7.5 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 135 mm - F/3.5-5.6 G IF-ED Nikon AF-S DX,
SDHC Memory Card,
MultiMediaCard,
SD Memory Card,
Pop-up flash -
Nikon D40x (with 18-55mm and 55-200mm Lenses)
Manufacturer: Nikon Inc.
Specs: SLR,
Digital camera - SLR,
10.2 megapixels,
CCD,
3 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6 G ED II Nikon AF-S DX,
SDHC Memory Card,
MultiMediaCard,
SD Memory Card,
Pop-up flash
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Nikon Inc. products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Nikon Inc.
- Address:
1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747-3064 - Phone: 1-631-547-4200
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