Easy operation with intuitive controls Intuitive controls make the D40 point-and-shoot simple, enabling even first-time SLR users to capture beautiful memories perfectly.

---

Product Description

The lightest, most compact Nikon digital SLR ever, featuring intuitive controls and an ergonomically designed operation that even first-time SLR users can enjoy. Advanced 3-area AF system Automatic control over ISO-equivalent sensitivity from ISO 200 to 1600 with manual override Eight automated Digital Vari-Programs [Auto, Auto (Flash Off), Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close Up, and Night Portrait] optimize white balance, sharpening, tone, color, saturation and hue to match the scene Near-instant 0.18-second power-up Versatile shutter speed control with a range from 30 to 1/4000 s, plus bulb Creative in-camera effects and editing functions consolidated under the new Retouch menu, including D-Lighting, Red-eye correction, Trim, Monochrome settings (Black-and-white, Sepia, Cyanotype), Filter Effects (Skylight, Warm filter, Color balance), Small Picture and Image Overlay Large 2.5-inch LCD monitor Information displays can be shown in Classic, Graphic or Wallpaper format Assist Images help select the appropriate settings for many camera features by showing an example image typical of that setting Large, bright viewfinder with 0.8x magnification Fast image data transfer and recording to SD memory cards of up to 4GB capacity Exposure Metering System - TTL full-aperture exposure metering system Electronic-Flash - Auto, Portrait, Child, Close Up, Night Portrait modes Uses Nikon AF-S Lenses Unit Dimensions (W x D x H) - Approximately 5.0 x 2.5 x 3.7 inches; Weight - Approximately 1lb. 1oz. without battery, memory card or body cap Nikon USA 1-Year Warranty

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #113 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Black
• Brand: Nikon
• Model: 25420
• Dimensions: 3.70" h x 2.50" w x 5.00" l, 1.62 pounds
• Display size: 2.5
• Included Software: Yes

Features

• 6.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
• Kit includes 3x 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens
• 2.5-inch LCD with three display options; built-in flash and hot shoe
• Fast startup with instant shutter response; shoot at up to 2.5 frames per second
• Powered by one rechargeable Li-ion battery EN-EL9 (included); stores images on SD memory cards (memory card not included)

Manufacturer Description

Great pictures used to require complicated and cumbersome equipment along with years of experience. Not any more. The D40 is compact, lightweight and designed specifically for ease of use, yet contains all the top-quality, high-performance technologies that you expect from a Nikon digital SLR. And with world-famous Nikkor lenses, you know you have the sharpest and most reliable optical performance available. All in a camera light enough to carry with you everywhere. Beautiful photography has never been easier.

Nikon D40 Highlights

Extraordinary Nikon image quality The D40's high-resolution image quality is made possible by Nikon's high-performance 6.1 megapixel Nikon DX format CCD imaging sensor and exclusive Nikon image processing engine which assures stunning sharpness and color.

Easy operation with intuitive controls Intuitive controls make the D40 point-and-shoot simple, enabling even first-time SLR users to capture beautiful memories perfectly.

Nikon's smallest digital SLR ever At just over 16 ounces, the beautifully styled and compact D40 makes high-performance digital SLR photography easier and more convenient than ever.

The D40 is capable of shooting 2.5 frames per second

Fast startup with instant shutter response: Fast startup combined with super-fast shutter response and rapid-action shooting at up to 2.5 frames per second makes it easy to freeze special moments instantly.

Includes 3x 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens Designed exclusively for use with Nikon DX-format digital SLRs, this ultra-compact 3x zoom offers Nikkor sharpness and versatility in a wide variety of shooting situations.

Shoot at up to 2.5 frames per second The D40 can fire continuously at a speed of up to 2.5 frames per second, capturing high-quality action sequences of children in sporting activities such as soccer, baseball and much more.

2.5-inch color LCD monitor with 3 colorful display options Playback images are easy to see, and function menus are easier to use with a larger and brighter color LCD monitor. The large 2.5-inch LCD monitor enables image preview at up to 19 times magnification and has large type fonts and easy-to-view menus as well as three all-new display options: Classic, Graphic and Wallpaper.

High-performance 6.1-megapixel Nikon DX format CCD imaging sensor Nikon's DX format CCD image sensor delivers vivid color and sharp detail, great for making beautifully detailed enlargements of 16 x 20 inches and beyond. High resolution also provides room for creative cropping.

In-camera editing functions include red-eye removal

In-camera image editing Highly versatile in-camera editing features include Nikon D-Lighting, Red-Eye Correction, Image Trimming, Image Overlay, Monochrome (Black and White, Sepia and Cyanotype) along with Skylight, Warm Tone and Color Balance filter effects. These features provide greater creative freedom without the need for a computer, for those who prefer to send pictures directly to a printer.

New advanced HELP menu system with Assist Images The D40's newly introduced "assist images" help you select the appropriate settings for many camera features by showing an example image typical of that setting as well as an advanced HELP Menu for the current item selected. The D40's Question Mark icon (?) indicates that help is available for the currently selected item; just press the help button beside the LCD monitor to see a context sensitive help page.

Fast, accurate 3-area Autofocus The D40's advanced 3-area AF system and the refined algorithms inherited from more advanced Nikon digital SLR cameras deliver fast, efficient and precise autofocus. AF refinements deliver greater precision with fast, more consistent subject acquisition and improved focus tracking for consistently sharper pictures.

Enjoy easy in-camera optimization

Image Optimization Options The D40's Image Optimize setting lets photographers adjust color, contrast and sharpening as well as other image settings according to the type of scene or output desired. Settings include: Normal, Softer, Vivid, More Vivid, Portrait, Custom and Black and White, each of which are automatically adjusted based on sophisticated Nikon algorithms or user-selected settings for optimum results.

Built-in Speedlight with i-TTL automatic flash control Nikon's innovative i-TTL flash control evaluates flash exposure with incredible precision to achieve better automatic flash balance and deliver outstanding results. The built-in Speedlight is always at the ready and brings beautiful exposures in darkened conditions as well as adding sparkle for fill flash in outdoor situations for enhanced twilight shots or an added impact to daylight images.

Bright, accurate SLR viewfinder A large viewfinder makes composition easier, and overall viewfinder brightness makes focusing in low-light photography possible. Its bright and sharp viewfinder, with 0.8x magnification, ensures precise composition.

Automatic exposure with 8 Digital-Vari Program Modes Eight Digital Vari-Program Modes include: Auto Flash-OFF, Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close Up or Night Portrait, each of which adjusts automatically for optimal results under varied conditions.

Nikon 3D Color Matrix Metering II The D40's 3D Color Matrix Metering II evaluates each scene for brightness, color, contrast, size and position of shadows and highlights, selected focus area and camera-to-subject distance, comparing that information against an onboard database of more than 30,000 actual photographic scenes.

---

Customer Reviews

Awesome camera
I researched which entery level DSLR to grab for probably 3 months and this camera stood out as the clear winner.

The pictures are beautiful and the learning curve isn't very steep.

NIKON D40
Having used digital cameras for several years I wanted to upgrade to DSLR for the ability to change lenses. Have taken over 1000 pics so far and am very pleased. The menu is very handy and the Help feature is a plus. Pictures are sharp and clear, as long as I do my part. Don't take flash pics with the hood on, it leaves shadows. Software loaded on Vista easily and downloads are fast. And the price was right!

The Perfect Beginner Digital SLR
Pros:
Compact, Very easy to use, Inexpensive, Nikon reputation, Very useful 'Help' menu, nice LCD screen,

Cons:
6 Megapixels may be less for people who want to take very large prints, the outer ring on the kit lens moves while focussing..

If you want me to put it in one sentence then This is the perfect Digital SLR for a beginner. Its very compact (the smallest DSLR, i guess), but Nikon did not compromise on the build quality. Its very sturdy and has a nice comfortable grip. The buttons are all in the exact positions where you would expect. Its also very inexpensive. So if you are planning to take a dip into the world of SLRs, then you'd be happy with its pricing. This would give your budget enough room to invest in lenses!!!

Now for the features... The reason why i call it the perfect DSLR is that, when one upgrades from a point and shoot to a DSLR, then the options and features offered may be overwhelming to the point of getting confused on what to do.. Now here is where the 'Help' menu comes handy. With the click of one button the camera would tell you what the selected mode does and also makes recommendations like "Low lighting, Flash recommended." This is a blessing to a total beginner. The option of Auto and Program-Auto along with a wide variety of scene modes makes the transition from a Point and Shoot a pleasure. The graphical view of the LCD screen shows the representation of a lens aperture and becomes very useful for a beginner to understand the concept of Aperture and Shutter. There are a lot of dedicated buttons (not as many as you would find in a Full frame, but good enough for the first timer) to adjust the most common settings like, exposure compensation, ISO, flash, Self timer. There is also a Function key which the user can customize to do a specific function.

Now although this is a perfect beginner camera, it can be used by amateur or advanced level users as this can handle really well almost any kind of situation. Due to its compact size its great for traveling which even advanced photographers would appreciate.. It has a hot shoe to connect any external flash, you can add accessories like filters, wireless remote controllers, and also pick from an enormous selection of Nikon lenses as it works with any Nikon lens. One thing to note is that the Auto-focus motor is not in the camera body so you need an AF-S lens if you want automatic focusing.

But as we all know nothing is 100% perfect, the D40 also has some minor negetives.. First, the 6 megapixel resoluion might be less for an advanced level photographer, who would like to make Very large prints.. But for most amateur users this is more that enough. My second concern is with the kit lens that comes with the bundle. When you set it to auto focus and push the shutter release half way down to automatically focus, the outer ring of the lens rotates to focus, this becomes a problem when using a filter.. But more advanced lenses of nikon do not have this issue. Another note. If you have large hands and fingers i would recommend you to go to a store and check out the camera for yourself to see how comfortable it feels. I have small hands and it fits better than my biking gloves!!!

So if you are in the market for a compact Digital SLR and can get over the "6 megapixel" thing, then the Nikon D40 should be the ideal camera for you.

P.S. Do invest in a good tripod and you'll always thank yourself!!!!