Name: Sidarta Tanu
Location: Richmond, VA USA
Date: 2007-05-03
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Unless you are a sport journalist, I don't think you can go wrong with this camera
Comment: The 10 Megapixel Nikon D40x is targeted for those who want a relatively compact and light camera yet having most of the important SLR features. The D40 is priced reasonably. In my opinion, if you are still considering whether to get a point and shoot camera or a DSLR, the D40x will be a better choice than any point and shoot camera. But if you are already deciding to get a DSLR or you want more control of the picture taking experience, then I would recommend you to also test the D50, D70s and/or D80 first before deciding to buy the D40x (or the D40). I want you to make sure that you know what you will get (and not get) with the D40x. Don't get me wrong though, the D40x is an awesome camera, and I don't think you will regret buying one. There are some limitation with the D40x which shouldn't bother most people, for example, the D40x doesn't have dedicated button to change picture quality, white balance or ISO settings (which generally only professional/enthusiast will care). Once you understand (and accept) its limitation, the D40x is a potent and exciting photography machine.
Just like all its (DSLR) siblings, the D40x powers on instantly and take pictures with almost no shutter lag which are the major advantages of a DSLR over a point and shoot camera. In addition to the P,S,A,M mode, the picture quality of the auto settings (auto, child mode, landscape etc) are also very good. With 3 frames per second you can capture movement progress in sports like football, basketball, baseball etc. Also great to photograph your family or child (child mode). The D40x is a great all around camera.
Some notable new features:
1. Auto (no flash) mode. Without this mode the flash will pop-up (on all other pre-programmed mode) even when you don't want to use flash (which can be annoying). The internal flash will not pop up automatically with the P,S,A,M settings.
2. In camera editing capability such as black and white, sepia and some filter effects etc. While sounds gimmicky, these features are useful especially for those who doesn't have Adobe Photoshop (or other image editing software).
3. 10.2 Megapixel sensor for 3782 X 2592 on large image size settings. This is enough to print larger than 13 X 19 Inch.
4. 3 frames per second (vs 2.5 for D40)
To date, D40 and D40x are the smallest and lightest among all the Nikon DSLR (even smaller than the Canon Rebel XT/XTi, however the D40 and D40x is more ergonomics). I believe that choosing a camera that fits comfortably with your hands is important. Therefore, I recommend people to test the camera before buying (even if you want to buy online, please do go to a physical store and test the camera first whenever possible).
The D40/D40x has only 3 (horizontal) autofocus point (5 for D50 and 11 for D80). If you know "The Rule of Thirds", the additional AF points above and below the center focus point (available in D50 and D80) are handy to help create the horizontal third line. However, the 3 horizontal AF point in D40/D40x is still helpful to create the vertical third line. Also one can focus with the middle AF point and after the focus is lock then move the frame upwards/downwards to create the horizontal third line. Just make sure the exposure level is still accurate when you move the frame after you lock the focus.
About the 18-55mm II AF-S kit lens: A good lens producing sharp photos (though not a very fast lens). Also decent for close-up/macro photography. Lens uses internal focus technology and focusing operation is silent. A very decent kit lens.
Lens compatibility: Notice that with D40/D40x, autofocus function will not work for non AF-S/AF-I lens. If you already have non AF-S/AF-I Nikon lenses and want a backup or replacement camera, you will be better off buying D50, D70s or D80. If you buy the D40, it will be convenient to stick with AF-S and AF-I type lenses. I'm not sure why Nikon choose this route for the D40/D40x (whether to enable smaller size camera or from now on Nikon will only make AF-S lens compatible camera). There are a lot of good Nikon AF-S lenses (price range added: low, medium, high) that are fully compatible with the D40/D40x such as:
- Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S (M)
- Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S DX VR (M)
- Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX (L)
- Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX VR (L)
- Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR (M)
- Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED IF AF-S DX (M)
- Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S (H)
- Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX (H)
- Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S (H)
- Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR (H)
- Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro (M)
- And several other expensive prime tele/zoom lens like 200-400mm, 300m, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm.
High priced lens ($1000+) are usually pro level lens which usually have better construction, faster (f-stop), and produce better quality picture. However, often times, lower price lens will serve your needs just fine. I think it is important to know what you want to use the camera for before deciding which camera and lens to buy.
Image quality of the D40x is very good which is #1 factor that I look for in a digital camera.
Here are the pros and cons of the D40x in my opinion:
Pros:
1. Nice out of the camera result picture quality
2. 10.2 Megapixel sensor
3. Compact size and light weight
4. Large and bright 2.5 inch LCD
5. 3 frames per second
6. B/W, Sepia, several more in-camera editing features.
7. Instant power on, fast autofocus and no shutter lag
8. Noise is acceptable at high ISO settings. Auto ISO settings available.
9. Great battery life (500+ on a single charge. 1000+ if flash is not used).
10. Auto (flash off) mode available
Cons:
1. No direct button to change QUAL, WB and ISO settings
2. Grip comfortably but might be a bit too small for some people
3. No top LCD and no front command dial
4. Autofocus will not work with non AF-S or non AF-I lenses (such as the 70-300m G and 50mm f/1.8D lens)
5. No AF/MF switch (have to use the switch on the lens)
6. Only 3 autofocus point
7.
8. No night landscape mode in pre-programmed settings
9. 1/200 flash sync (which is slower than D40's 1/500)
10. No depth-of-field preview button
Comparing D40x with the D40. I personally prefer the D40 over the D40x due to only minor improvement on the D40x. If you will do a lot of cropping and print larger than 13 X 19 Inch then it might make sense to get the D40x, otherwise use that $200 (price difference) to invest in SB-400 flash or better/more versatile lens (such as upgrading the kit lens to 18-70mm AF-S or 18-200mm AF-S VR or add the 55-200mm AF-S VR zoom lens). If you shoot sports or fast action (in continuous/burst mode) and need more than 3 frames per second then get the D200 with 5 FPS. For enthusiast, 2.5 FPS (D40) or 3 FPS (D40x) is good enough in my opinion.
In conclusion, the D40x is perfect for those who want high quality pictures, more control (than a point and shoot camera), and have a DSLR experience (instant power on and no shutter lag), without having to carry a bulky camera. And unless you are shooting sports/actions professionaly (which faster focusing processor, faster frames per second and larger memory buffer might be needed), the D40x is pretty much all you will need.
Happy Photographing!
Sidarta Tanu
Name: Joseph Adler
Location: Mountain View, CA
Date: 2007-10-08
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Great camera, tought lens decisions
Comment: As I am writing this, there are 43 reviews of the D40x that cover just about every feature of this camera (and one very important non-feature: lens compatibility). I agree with most positive reviews: this is a very fast, light, easy to use DSLR with a great battery life.
The D40x is a very good camera, and a good choice as long as you do not have a large collection of old Nikon lenses. As many other reviewers have noted, this camera only autofocuses with Nikon AF-S or Sigma HSM lenses. (In Nikon-ese, "AF-S" means "has a built in motor to focus." "HSM" means the same thing in Sigma-speak.) Unless you take lots of shots of inanimate objects, you'll probably find manual focus a huge inconvenience. Luckily, there are a good selection of AF-S lenses. Sigma makes a fixed-focus 30mm f1.4 lens if you need to take indoor pictures without a flash; Nikon makes a fantastic selection of other lenses. Don't worry about this limitation unless you already have a lot of Nikon lenses.
However, when I bought this camera a few months ago, I was faced with an important question: which lens should I buy with this camera? Amazon offers at least four different options: (a) body only, (b) body plus Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens, (c) body plus Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens and 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens, and (d) body plus Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras. What is a buyer to do?
I went with option (b), and later bought the extraordinary Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. Today, I might buy the body alone. Let me explain why:
When I bought the camera, the difference in price between options (a) and (b) was about thirty dollars. I felt that it was certainly worth that amount of money to get a small, light general purpose lens. This way I could buy the camera, figure out how I wanted to use it, and upgrade lenses later. You can certainly take some very good pictures with the cheap kit lens, and you may like having a fast-focusing, lightweight zoom lens anyway.
I considered option (c), the two lens package, but decided against it for two reasons. First, Nikon makes two 55-200mm zoom telephoto lenses: the one included in this kit, and a second version with vibration reduction. The VR version is only slightly more expensive. I find that VR is an essential feature in a long zoom lens; it helps a lot in taking long distance shots that stay in focus. Furthermore, because of the way this kit is priced, you may find that it is actually cheaper to buy the body and lenses separately!
I also considered option (d), but decided against this after reading reviews of the Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. Reviewers were often disappointed with this lens.
So, in a nutshell, here is my advice to prospective buyers:
(a) Check prices, carefully. Sometimes, the kits are great deals. Sometimes they are not.
(b) The cheapest kit lens is a great lens for the price, but not a great lens. It focuses quickly, and it's very light, but the zoom range is a little short and it has some significant optical flaws.
(c) If you can afford it, get the Nikon 18-200mm lens. It's better than any of the lenses that are included in the kits.
(d) Consider a cheap lens kit and a flash like the Nikon SB-400 AF Speedlight for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras. If you take lots of indoor pictures, a bounce flash will do more for your pictures than a pricier lens. (Incidentally, I love this flash: it's small and light, and the battery life is terrific.)
(e) I decided to buy the cheapest body available and more expensive lenses. Cameras, unfortunately, have turned into computers: they are replaced by new models that are twice as good every 18 months. Lenses, on the other hand, have not. Spend your money on lenses, not cameras.
(f) There are good reviews of lens options on different web sites. In particular, check out http://www.cameralabs.com/, who did a review comparing all the Nikon kit lenses. You can also try typing "nikon lens review" into a search engine.
I hope that helps. Happy shooting!
Name: James D. Lindsay
Location:
Date: 2007-06-11
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Great Camera
Comment: I have been into photography about forty years. I decided to move up to a digital SLR. Checked all the data I could find on the Canon xti and the Nikon D40x.It seemed to me the cameras were about the same, with the Nikon having the edge on lens quality and the spot meter which I have always liked. My next step was to try them on for size, so I went to my local Sam's Club. To me, the Nikon felt much better in my hands. You should try the same test, after all you are spending a fair amount of money and probably intending to keep the camera for awhile. In the past, I have owned both Nikon and Canon cameras, and usually judge them about the same. I would strongly suggest that you purchase the 55mm-200 lens for this camera. After owning this camera for about two months I would tell you I am very satisfied with it in every way, picture quality, weight, feel, and performance. The only way I would recommend the Canon xti is if you already have Canon lenses that are compatible with it. The older Nikon lenses are not compatible on the d40x. Hope this review helps your decision.
Name: E. Wilkinson
Location: East Northport, NY United States
Date: 2007-07-17
Customer Rating: -
Summary: I Love my D40X
Comment: I've had this camera for 1 month now. The funny thing is that I purchased the same one from [...] and wound up returning it. Here is why:
[...] sells a kit with the D40X, a Lexar 1 GB memory card, the Nikon Bag, 2 instructional DVD's, the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses.
The problem was that I wanted the 55-200 VR lens (which is a much better lens). New it's not that much more money...but to sell the kit lens and buy the VR version would have put me out extra $. Also the Lexar memory card is not as good as the Extreme III card that I wanted and ultimately got from Amazon. Last was the warranty. [....] changed their return policy now after 90 days you're on your own - they do not offer any extensions or service contracts, even at an additional cost. I checked with Nikon and an additional 2 years of coverage would have been $100. I ultimately got 3 additional years through Amazon for considerably less.
In the end I picked out all the components from Amazon and built my "kit" much better than the [...] version for basically the same money.
As far as the camera itself there are some features that I wish it had, such as:
Drawbacks:
No Exposure Bracketing
Limited to 3 focus points
No Depth of field preview
Knowing that I would miss these features I still purchased this camera (twice) because:
Positive:
It feels/handles great
The lenses (although limited) offer a great bang for the buck
The menu system is user friendly and a pleasure to use
The results - This camera allows me to take great pictures
Conclusion:
If you have a lot of film SLR experience consider the Canon XTI
If you are moving up from a digital point and shoot and do limited or no photo editing - get the D40 & if you crop your images for print get the D40X
Name: A. Malamud
Location: Israel
Date: 2007-05-11
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Amazing camera
Comment: I bought the D40X in Israel since Amazon will not ship it outside of the US (still can't understand why).
I went for the kit (18-55) and added the AF-S 55-200 VR and the tiny yet impressive SB-400 flash.
I was instantly amazed: perfect colors, always in focus (and I mean always, even in zero light conditions), fast, easy and most of all, fun!
Many friends asked me why I bought this model instead of the D40 - claiming that these two cameras are exactly the same (since more MP don't make a difference).
So here are the main reasons:
1. MP can make a difference, when you crop pictures. I must say that sometimes my compositions are not exactly exquisite (yeah...they sometimes suck...) so I need to crop pictures to make them look as I want them to. the extra 4 mp can make that difference (and they already did for me!)
2. The D40X lowest ISO is 100 (200 for the D40). Again, not a big difference. However, ISO 200 may sometimes result in overexposure of white surfaces while the rest of the picture looks just great and that is so annoying!! I checked both sensitivity settings and 100 just looks better. Furthermore, why did Nikon decide to change this feature? I am sure that it has something to do with feedback they received from customers.
3. It's newer than the D40. Yes, people may say that I am a victim of good marketing, but I strongly believe that Nikon released this version with improvements based on usage.
I don't write Pros and Cons since I can't compare this camera to anything else at this level and price.
Go get yourself one, you just can't go wrong.
Avi
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