Nikon D40 review

Nikon has introduced the D40 as a replacement for its popular D50 entry-level dSLR and it's certainly a good introduction to the world of interchangeable-lens photography.

With a DX-sized 6-megapixel sensor, the image quality is more than adequate for most purposes. The camera has been designed to be easy to master -- you don't need to be a photographic or electronic genius -- but it also has enough functionality to satisfy those wanting to take their hobby further.

With a launch price of just £450, including the all-new 18-55mm lens, this is Nikon's cheapest dSLR camera to date. It's also small enough and light enough to be carried without too much of a weight penalty.

Design
Indeed, the first thing we noticed about the Nikon D40 is how small and light it seems for an SLR. Although this type of camera has generally been coming down in size, this one just takes the lead. Even big hands can use it without difficulty, however, due to the well designed layout of the not-too-overwhelming controls.

In order to reduce the size, Nikon, like others before, has dispensed with the top LCD information panel, relying instead on the larger rear LCD to convey information that used to be displayed on the top. Most of the information is still available when looking through the bright, dioptre-adjustable viewfinder, including the shutter speed, aperture and number of frames available on the SD card. A single press of the query button at the lower left of the rear LCD brings up a display of all the shooting parameters on the main screen. This is configurable to a classic style that mimics the top-panel displays of older cameras, or to a useful new graphical version that provides a visual representation of the aperture and shutter speed. You can also customise the screen with your own image.

Four buttons down the left side of the 64mm (2.5-inch) LCD screen control its functions, and a four-way rocker with a qualifier button in the centre enables selection of the menu functions. The rocker doubles as a scroll button when in playback mode. A dustbin icon identifies the delete button, which needs pressing twice while in playback to delete images. A configurable exposure/focus lock button and a control selection wheel complete the controls on the back of the camera.

The top of the camera carries just the mode selection dial with the program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual (PASM) settings, six scene modes and the auto setting -- complimented by a new Auto (flash off) mode that sets the camera automatically but stops the flash from popping up and firing in situations where flash is not appropriate.

The top of the finger grip holds the shutter release button, surrounded by the on/off switch. Sitting just behind the shutter button are two further buttons. One controls exposure compensation and the other provides a second way to turn on the info screen. The only other function buttons on the camera are to the left of the lens mount. They are a manual flash pop-up button and the self-timer button -- a function that can also be turned on through the menu system.

A spring-loaded door on the right side of the grip provides access to the memory card chamber, where you can load your SD card (including the newer high-capacity ones). On the left side of the camera is a rubber panel that flips out to reveal the USB2 connection port and the AC input (the AC power supply is an optional accessory).

Overall, the camera is well designed and the engineering plastic of the body gives it a solid, quality feel.

Features
Buying this camera gets you over a dozen features inherited from the serious enthusiasts' model, the Nikon D80. These include a new processing engine that gives great looking colours straight from the camera -- helped by new exposure algorithms and the much easier to navigate menus. The D40 uses 420-segment metering, which means it is difficult to fool when it comes to high-contrast scenes, and the accuracy of the autofocusing has been improved, albeit at the cost of fewer focus points -- you only get three, spread across the centre of the scene. The focus point can be selected manually, or you can allow the camera to choose using dynamic area, single point or closest subject. Focusing can be further configured with the choice of continuous or single focus, again with an auto option.

The lens supplied with the D40, an all-new AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II, is an upgrade on the lens supplied with the older D50 and must be one of the sharpest kit lenses on the market -- especially at the wide end. It is, however, let down slightly by barrel distortion at the wide end and although this is common in this type of lens, it is rather noticeable if you have rectangular subjects, such as buildings, in the image. As the lens is zoomed out through its 3x range, this distortion quickly disappears and before it reaches the 55mm mark it has gone completely.