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
The D40x is a hard camera to rate because for some, it will be a 5 star camera, but others will regret their decision to buy this camera. If you are in the 5 star group, you will LOVE the D40x. But . . . because of a decision Nikon made to save $$$ by leaving out an autofocus driver out of the camera body, if you want to add a lens to shoot your kid playing soccer, the D40x is a potentially bad choice, and you may be a dead man walking. Let me explain:
The 5 Star buyer:
If you are moving up to a digital SLR, and want nothing more than to use the kit lens (which is very good), then you will LOVE this camera: it is light, feels good in the hand, and puts out better looking JPEG files than the more expensive D70 and D50 cameras, and rivals the D80 at half the cost. At 10.2 megapixels, there is plenty of resolution to crop and still have a great image to print.
Also, this is a very light weight camera which feels great in the hand, and is extremely easy to set up and use.
Digicam upgraders will love the ability to shoot at 3 frames per second, meaning you can set up the camera to take multiple exposures if you hold down the trigger. Digital exposures are free, so shooting in this manner gives you a better chance of hitting the perfect shot when photographing the kids.
If you intend to use this camera for general travel and around-the-house kid pictures, the D40x is a GREAT choice, and I think you will be a very, very happy camper.
The 2 Star buyer:
You want a camera for sports or telephoto shots of nature/birding. This is not the camera for you, and here is why: the D40x has a DIFFERENT lens mount than every other Nikon DSLR which came before it. To save costs, Nikon left an autofocus driver out of the camera body, which means you must buy special/more expensive add-on lenses with the autofocus driver built into the lens itself.
Why is this significant? Because of the 200 lenses made for Nikon DSLRs by Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, and others, only 20 or so work with the D40x with autofocus something most amateurs will need to shoot sports and day to day photos. Many of Nikon's own consumer grade lenses, such as the 70-300mm G Zoom (Street price $150), will not autofocus with the D40x. As a practical matter, this means that if you want an autofocus lens to shoot junior playing soccer, you must spend $515 for a zoom lens, the fantastic, yet pricey Nikon 70-300mm VR Zoom. That is almost as much as what you paid for the camera itself.
Now, to be fair, Nikon has also introduced the $250 (street) Nikon AF-S DX VR 55-200 mm lens, but that lens (1) will not give you the reach you will want to shoot sports, (2) is a tad slow autofocusing for sports, and (3) the lens speed will limit you to shooting on fairly bright days.
The D40x is significantly limited in the number of lenses it will accept, and you really need to think about these limitations before purchasing. Moreover, what if your intentions change and want to pick up a cheap zoom for occasional use? With the D40x, you can't (cheapest compatible lens is $250), and I really think this is a significant limitation on this camera. That said, if Nikon sticks to this mount, the lens manufacturers will (over time) follow, so 2 years from now, there may be a wealth of new lenses for this mount.
But hey, if you are in group 1, this is a 5 star purchase, and you will be a very happy camper. Good luck!
Buy Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens Now
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 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!
Read Best Reviews of Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens Here
The D40x is a 10 megapixel upgrade to their popular D40 camera (6mp), and this package features the same 18-55 zoom.
As with it's 6mp twin, the D40x is one of the smallest DSLRs on the market, but is shaped as well for the hands as any of the smaller series (such as the Canon XTi). Trade-offs for the smaller size are a less powerful battery and a smaller viewfinder.
Another strong feature is the editing you can do in the camera itself after you've taken the picture. This is truly handy if you're on the road but need to make some prints for clients or family.
Compared to the slightly more expensive Canon XTi, the D40x's AF system is a very simple 3-point system vs. 9-point for the Canon. Since focusing a metering are also tied together, this might give the Canon an edge in more difficult lighting situations. Additionally, the Canon offers a sensor cleaning feature lacking on all Nikons. The Canon, however, does not have the editing featues of the D40x. These two will be joined at 10mp, very small DSLR, by the Olympus Evolt E-410.
The only catch for the D40x is that it does not feature a focusing motor inside the body. That pretty much limits your selection of autofocusing lenses to some Nikon and a few Sigma lenses today. Nikon's own 55-200 VR is a terrific value, if it's enough range, but there are no $200 AF 75-300 zooms that will work in autofocus today. If you have older Nikon AF lenses, you might look at the larger but superior D80, which still features the motor in the body.
A very nice, small DSLR, at a very reasonable price. And the pictures are pretty darn good, too!
Want Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens Discount?
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.
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