Digital Photography Notes » Nikon D40

Nikon D40 vs Nikon D50

David Chin — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 06:39:09 +0000

When the Nikon D40 was first announced in November 2006, one of the topics most debated about was on the subject of the 6-Megapixel Nikon D40 compared with the Nikon D50 (also a 6 MP camera). It is only logical that this debate continued to rage on various online forums because the D40 is positioned as Nikon's new entry-level digital SLR camera, a position that was previously occupied by the D50.

Important note: It's not clear how much longer the D50 will be made available – click to view available Nikon D50 configurations.

Till today, comparisons are still made between the D40 and the D50 simply because despite having a slew of advantages, the D40 can't quite supplant the D50 in several key areas, and I'll attempt to list the pros and cons of each camera here and summarize the key attributes of each camera that makes it attractive to the target market.

Nikon D40 Pros

The first advantage of the Nikon D40 is its small size. Some may dismiss it as a disadvantage, but it is quite true that the large majority of customers in this market niche would prefer a smaller sized digital SLR camera in the form of the D40 than the rather large Nikon D50.

The best way for you to assess whether you prefer the size of the D40 or D50 is to try it out for yourself at the nearest camera store. I tried holding the Nikon D40 the other day at my favorite camera store and was quite pleasantly surprised how nice it felt in my hands – and I own the Nikon D70 myself.

The second benefit the D40 has over the D50 is the very large and slick rear LCD screen (some very nice examples are available on DPReview's Nikon D40 review page). It's not only the size that has been improved, but also the display, which has high resolution and a wide angle of view.

The colorful and bright D40 LCD displays most of the key camera settings at a glance, and this makes it easy to navigate to a particular setting screen and simply changing the value.

Additionally, the D40 has an additional programmable Fn (function) button near the popup flash which can be configured to allow you to quickly change Image Quality, ISO sensitivity of White Balance settings. These benefits go a long way to make the D40 a more enjoyable camera to use in day-to-day shooting compared to the D50.

You can view a comparison of the size of the Nikon D40 body vs the D50, and also see how their respective LCD screens compare – go to this site, and scroll until you reach near the bottom (here is a direct link to one of the comparison images in the series):

The third benefit with the D40 is that Nikon has tuned the camera to produce brighter, more colorful and punchier images with lower noise straight from the camera vs the D50. The D40 is also able to produce spectacular ISO3200 images, and it should be noted that ISO 3200 is not an option that is available on the D50, which goes only until ISO 1600.

On the subject of noise, "Lucky Pierre" has found the D40 to hold the advantage, where it's able to yield ISO 800 / 1600 JPG images with lower noise and better detail.

Still on the subject of ISO, like the D50, the D40 has an Auto ISO feature which allows the camera to automatically increase the ISO as light levels go down. What the D40 has in addition to that is it allows you to set the maximum ISO value the camera can automatically increase to – so, if you don't like your images to be captured at anything higher than ISO800, just set that in the menus and the D40 obeys your command. The D50, on the other hand, would go all the way to ISO1600 if it sees fit.

The D40 also has a range of in-camera image retouching tools, which allows you to conveniently edit images in the camera itself, without having to process the pictures via software such as Photoshop. For the full list of retouching options, see here. Of note are the Skylight, Warm Filter and Color Balance filters, which allow you to make your pictures more "cold", "warm" or to change the color balance entirely.

Nikon implements a version of retouching in the D40 that I prefer to other cameras – editing a picture does not override the original image, but instead produces a copy with the effects applied – nice. The D-Lighting filter is also a useful one, brightening up shadow or darker areas of an image with a choice of three levels of strength – this is a great feature to have if you've shot a portrait against a strong backlight and had forgotten to use the flash to fill (brighten) the face.

These tools are not available on the D50, and shouldn't be compared to professional image editing software such as Photoshop, but they are very handy to have.

In-camera image processing on the Nikon D40 seems to have been significantly improved vs the D50. What this means to you is that you'll be able to get better images from the D40. See an image quality comparison between these two cameras on this page of the Nikon D40 review at DPReview.com. Additionally, Phil Askey has also declared the Nikon D40 to have the best JPEG image quality of any of the current 6 Megapixel camera.

According to the user manuals supplied with each camera, the battery on the Nikon D40, despite being smaller and lighter, has a longer-lasting life than that on the D50. This allows you to shoot more pictures with the D40 on a fully-charged battery vs the D50.

People who've done comparisons have also reported back that the D40 has a brighter viewfinder than the D50 – read their accounts here, here and here (yes, the D40's VF is brighter than even the D70's).

Nikon D50 Pros

The Nikon D50's main advantage over the the Nikon D40 is in the area of the number of lenses that it can autofocus with.

This factor cannot be emphasized strongly enough. The Nikon D40 does not have a built-in AF motor, so can only autofocus with lenses that have their own focusing motor. In Nikon lens terminology, this means that the D40 can only Autofocus with Nikon lenses that have AF-S in their lens designation, or Sigma's HSM lenses (see the complete list of Nikon Nikkor and Sigma lenses that will AF on the D40).

Which might not be a huge issue with certain photographers, but it also means that if owning a Nikon digital SLR camera that can autofocus with wonderful, "older" lenses such as the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF, Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro, Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D AF and the like is a high priority of yours (especially more so if you already have a collection of such lenses, or can borrow these lenses from friends or relatives), then it's best advised that you purchase the Nikon D50.

Some of these older (and relatively cheap) lenses are also firm favorites among photographers who like to shoot action or sports photography in low light, indoor basketball, for example. With the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF and Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D AF lenses, you can easily, on the D50, select an aperture of f/1.8 – this allows you to use a faster shutter speed and/or lower ISO compared to what the D40 photographer can obtain with the same amount of money spent.

Some may also prefer the Nikon D50's heftier body vs the D40's, but, as mentioned above, the only real way of knowing this is to try out both cameras for yourself at the store.

The Nikon D50 also has the benefit of 5 autofocus points, as opposed to the D40's three. For a subject in motion, this simply means the D50 gives you more options to compose while keeping the main subject in continuous focus (see this related Nikon D70 / D70s focusing article – the principles apply equally to the D50).

You also get to be a bit more creative and play around with the wireless iTTL flash capability on the D50. Pop up the internal flash, and you will be able to remotely control a compatible Nikon flash (such as the SB-800, SB-600 or SB-R200) – the internal flash communicates with the remote external flash units via series of light pulses. The Nikon D40 does not support this feature.
Thanks to Teun who, in the comments, pointed out my error – the Nikon D50 does NOT have a commander-capable internal pop-up flash.

Still on the subject of flash photography, you are able to lock the exposure of the flash (known as FV-lock, or Flash Value lock) if you want to. Not so for the D40.

For further reviews, user impressions and image samples, kindly head over to the Nikon D40 Resource List, The Giant List of Nikon D40 Links, or the Nikon D50 Resource List.

Update, 12-June-2007

LarryTusaz – a Nikon D50 owner and a vocal critic of the Nikon D40 for the longest time, is contemplating to keep his new D40 and sell of his much-loved D50.

To be fair to Larry, he was critical of Nikon's decision to reduce the features and hard buttons on the D40, and especially the removal of the in-camera auto-focus motor.

But his latest comments on the D40 now have the weight of ownership experience – for instance:

… Love that large 2½" LCD. The D50-s 2" is hardly puny, but love that large 2½ of the D40 …

… but the i-Button setup has not been as bad as I thought. I've found that ISO is what I most want instant access to, and the Func key provides it …

… and …

So far I'm loving it. The size is fine, and the INFO button setup, while not as good as hard buttons, is not as bad as I thought–and the ability to see ISO at all times without having to call it up sure helps. And yes, the viewfinder does seem a bit better than the D50.

Click here to view photos of Larry's baby daughter taken by manually focusing the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF lens, and other shots with the kit Nikon 18-55 II lens.

Thanks Larry, for a balanced user's perspective on the D40 and D50.

Introducing the Nikon D40

David Chin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 18:01:15 +0000

The new, 6 Megapixel Nikon D40 is an exciting camera aimed at those who wish for digital SLR capabilities in a small, compact body.

First, download the Nikon D40 User Guide and familiarize yourself with the features and functionality the D40 has to offer.

To appreciate the excellent image quality you can get with this camera, you might want to evaluate test images and review samples taken with the D40. In there, you'll also find links to photos taken by owners and users of the Nikon D40.

First impressions and user reviews on the Nikon D40 should also make for an interesting read.

You have probably heard that only certain types of lenses can be autofocused (AF) with the Nikon D40. See the list of: Sigma HSM lenses.

Owners might want to increase their knowledge of the D40 by reading this list of Nikon D40 tips and tricks.

Nikon D40 Samples

David Chin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:29:00 +0000

Last update (Feb 06, 2009): New Mexico, Albuquerque and Arizona Photos by Donald Peterson of ABQStyle

Here's my favorite section – it's always been about the photos. This page is a collection of noteworthy photo samples taken with the Nikon D40 digital SLR (DSLR) camera, image galleries and user pictures that I've come across in forums, online communities, blogs and related websites.

Bear in mind that the majority of these photos are resized, and may have gone through postprocessing, retouching or other edits. I just thought that it would be interesting to see, at a glance, what Nikon D40 owners and users are shooting with their camera.

Full attribution is given by linking to the source and where available, the author's homepage or photo gallery.

New Mexico, Albuquerque and Arizona Photos by Donald Peterson of ABQStyle

Check out the ABQStyle photo blog. Enjoy truly awe-inspiring photos by Donald Peterson. For each photo, Donald shares a wealth of EXIF data, camera settings, filters used (for instance, circular polarizers), best times of the day and weather conditions for photography, and post-processing. Many of the images were captured using nothing more than the Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G kit lens that comes bundled with the camera.

Some sample posts from his blog:

What A Lovely Day in Sedona!
Route 66 Rainbow, New Mexico
Papago Park Duck, Phoenix, Arizona (shot with a /Nikkor 55-200mm VR lens).
Sand Drag, Arizona (shot with a Tamron 70-300mm lens – this Di LD Macro Zoom lens has a built-in motor that allows for AF (autofocus) on the D40.

Miscellaneous links

The best bird photographs ever
Just my opinion only, but I had never seen better bird photography (including bird-in-flight / BIF types) with the D40 + Nikkor 70-300mm VR combination!

A word of warning – it's not a happy ending for the one unfortunate Muscovy duckling which ends up in the beak of a Night Heron.

Settings used were Aperture priority (A mode) and spot metering.

The photographer also comments on how, for numerous reasons, he prefers the D40 over his D80.

See more bird in flight shots from Tech1961.

Gallery of photos with a $4000 lens
To be honest, I never thought I'd ever see a gallery of images shot with the super-expensive-but-everybody-wants-it Nikkor 200mm f/2G IF-ED AF-S VR lens mounted on the D40, but thanks to Pierre Dubeau, we get to enjoy photos shot with this combination.

The first portrait in the gallery is particularly striking – excellent colors, detail and bokeh.

Pierre's just shared more excellent candids in this forum post plus a tip on how to properly hold the combo.

Hummingbirds
RAL shot these with the Nikkor 18-200mm VR lens. Excellent pictures!

Indoor portrait shot
ericBlair manually focused his Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 Nikkor-S Auto for this one

What about baby photos?
As far as I know, Ken Rockwell has one of the most extensive collection of baby photos online. Look through them and make a note of the equipment he uses, mostly the D40, SB-400 flash (great for throwing out a nicer light than the popup flash) and either the 18-55 II (in the December 2006 series) or 18-200 VR zoom lenses.

Perfect travel lens
Owners always tout the Nikkor 18-200mm VR as the perfect lens to carry on travels and holidays, and Franklin proves it with images from his recent trip to Canada.

D40 goes to Siem Reap, Cambodia
George Mann used only a single lens for the trip – the Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 DX. Read his blog on how he processed the photos using Adobe Lightroom and more details about his trip.

Sample pics with the Nikon 70-300 VR lens – you mustn't miss these!

Sylvia Liu

Most of her pictures are presented at very small sizes, but I like the subjects she photographs, and the color in her D40 pics are really nice. Visit her Flickr gallery now.

General Nikon D40 galleries

On Flickr.com – contributed by Mason.

On DPReview.com – contributed by Dale.

Nikon D40 test samples at Imaging Resource

Full-sized Nikon D40 test samples are available for ISO series tests and also outdoors under fine weather. Dave has one of the most controlled environments for digital camera test images on the internet. You might be interested to compare the D40 shots vs the Canon Rebel XTi / 400D pics from the same site.

Nikon D40 test samples at dc.watch.impress.co.jp

There are a few Japanese camera sites that I always look forward to browsing every time a new camera is launched.Even though I don't understand a word of Japanese, the copious image samples more than make up for it.

Enjoy this series of full-sized, untouched Nikon D40 pics from dc.watch. Particularly interesting are the high-ISO night shots (this is an ISO1600 example) and the shots done with the Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX Zoom lens (you won't find too many of such Nikon 18-135mm + Nikon D40 samples online – here's another).

Stopped down, the new Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom kit lens that comes bundled with the D40 seems to be able to do an amazing job at capturing sharp, detailed shots – see this night scene at aperture of f/10 and the flower shot at f/7.1.

The Nikon 18-55mm also performed extremely well, wide-open at f/5.6, 55m focal length, for this closeup shot of a cat.If you prefer to examine the EXIF data in the D40 images for yourself, read this short piece on how using Nikon View can help you do that.

Size comparison images

Nikon D40 vs Nikon D200
Here's a very interesting photo posted by Takahara showing both cameras side-by-side. Make sure you scroll down further to view two pics of the Nikon 50/ 1.8 series E (mk 1) and
Nikkor 45mm f/2.8p lenses mounted on the diminutive D40.
For full-sized sample photos taken with the Nikon 45mm pancake optic, see this Nikon D40 plus Nikkor 45mm f/2.8P gallery).

PerL's D40 vs D200, complete with lenses
In this forum post, PerL shows images of the D40 and D200 mounted with various lenses. He tends to carry around his "mini set" package more, which consists of the D40 with the kit Nikkor 18-55 II lens, the Nikkor 55-200mm VR optic and the Nikon SB400 flash.
The D200 is pictured with the Nikkor 18-70mm AF-S DX, Nikkor 70-200mm VR and Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lenses.

D40 next to the Konica Minolta A200
The KM A200 is a "bridge" camera, digital cameras that are designed to fit in between compact cameras and digital SLR cameras. Bridge cameras tend to be quite large, and from a image quality plus performance vs size standpoint, the D40 presents an attractive alternative.

Archive of comments from the old blog post

Armando MÃ¡ynez Says:

October 1st, 2007 at 1:05 pm

I love my D40 and my kit lens.
My pictures are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amaynez

Nikon D40 Tips and Tricks

David Chin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:48:02 +0000

There'll always be numerous tips and workarounds for getting the most out of the Nikon D40, and a few camera tricks that will not be obvious from reading the manual or reviews.

Camera Settings

Setting up the camera to produce images the way we like it (some prefer more punchy pictures than others) involves a lot of experimenting.

Having said that, if you want JPG files which preserve as much dynamic range and detail as possible and lend themselves better to post processing, you might want to try out Talkontar's D40 setup.

In-camera Image Overlay Magic Tricks

Many have said that the in-camera image processing features of the D40 were simply useless "candy" for the "non-pro" bunch of photographers.

Well, they didn't know better!

Mihai Munteanu shares two neat tricks using the Image Overlay retouching feature – HDR (High Dynamic Range Imaging) and to brighten an underexposed image (which Mihai prefers to the D-Lighting retouch option).

These are super-convenient tips for those who want a simpler approach to using full-powered photo editing tools. The slight downside to these techniques is that they require the RAW / NEF files to process.

I'm not saying you should use Mihai's techniques exclusively, but they sure can come in handy.

Playback Zoom

Mknobil shared this playback zooming tip: After zooming into a specific area during playback, and then zooming back out, you will automatically be able to zoom back to the same spot after a quick press of the + button. The zoom magnification and the spot you have zoomed in to also continues to remain the same when you use the rear control dial to cycle through the images.

How to manually focus with the Nikon D40

Gary wrote a nice post on this subject – manually rotate the focusing ring on your lens and watch for the focus indicator in the viewfinder that lights up when the subject is in focus. More details can be found in the Nikon D40 User Guide.

How to configure Auto ISO to work in P and other modes

Massemo1 explains how the option to switch on the Nikon D40 Auto ISO feature is buried inside the "full list" version of the menu, rather than the "simple list" version which is the camera's default. Ken Rockwell gives a more elaborate explanation, which you might prefer.

Noise and ISO Values

From what I have seen, the Nikon D40 is currently the Nikon digital SLR with the lowest noise levels in JPEG images. Jeff-c says that this should give you confidence to shoot even up to ISO800 without hesitation. Robin goes as far as setting the ISO on his D40 to 400, and letting the Auto ISO go up all the way to ISO1600.

Getting the Exposure Right With Older Lenses

Like most other Nikon digital SLR cameras, the D40 will not be able to determine the correct combination of shutter speed and aperture if you mount older lenses on it. In this case, you'll need to put the D40 into M mode, and then go through a process of trial and error of determining the appropriate exposure on your own, using the histogram and / or blinking highlights information display. Roblatt has more to say on this here, and also includes a link to a more detailed article on histograms.

LCD Display Speed

The LCD display of the Nikon D40 has two modes – the very slick-looking Graphic mode, and the more straight-forward Classic mode. It has been noted that the Classic mode is more responsive in displaying changes made to settings with the command dial than the Graphic mode.

Extracting a Large, Fine JPEG from a RAW File In-Camera

G K Lai has a neat idea for using the D40's Retouch feature to obtain a Large, Fine JPG image file from a NEF file.

The Exposure Bar and Use of Flash

When shooting a dark scene with flash, it's normal for the exposure bar to go into the minus or negative region. This indicates that the background will be underexposed, relative to the foreground subject that will be illuminated by the flash (source: forum post). The only way to have the exposure bar indicate 0 is to use rear- or slow-sync flash – this flash mode ensures that the background is properly exposed by the ambient light, while your foreground subject is illuminated by the light from the flash – be prepared for slow shutter speeds though; you might need to use a tripod, brace yourself against a static object or use a VR (vibration reduction) lens.

Nikon D40 and Macs

Getting your Mac computer to talk to the D40 seems like an easy process, with no special settings required. Adam Drew, an owner of a Nikon D50 says that as soon as you connect the camera to the Mac, iPhoto should automatically launch and prompt you to transfer the image – Duchess McMann confirms this by sharing her experience.

Archive of comments from the old Nikon D40 blog

spiritflare Says:

December 21st, 2006 at 4:58 am

Another trick to get a RGB Histogram on the D40 is after capturing an image, push the OK button to get Filter Effects, and OK again to get Color Balance. You'll see the RGB Histo, and next time, just push 3x the OK button to get back to the same place!

spiritflare@gmail.com
Andrew Lossing Says:

April 2nd, 2007 at 10:21 am

Adrew, owner of the Mac, might appreciate being called 'Andrew', if my typo-trained eyes do not deceive me.
David Chin Says:

April 2nd, 2007 at 10:30 am

The owner of the Mac goes by the forum name "adrew". I've changed it to Adam Drew (based on the specified home page in his forum profile) to avoid further confusion.
Krishna Says:

May 4th, 2007 at 5:52 am

My first DSLR. I can't take pics by looking at the LCD only like other point/shoot digital cameras. Must look through view finder and also close it up for self timer photos.

My big nose always rubs up against the LCD screen. Any advice besides getting a nose job?
bobrocks Says:

May 23rd, 2007 at 3:24 am

Hey Krishna,

DSLR's do not function in the same way that point and shoots do, you will need (and want) to use the viewfinder as there is no way to set (the d40 anyway) to display live images on the LCD. While I do not suggest the nose job, there are a few things you can do. Turn your head slightly to the side to avoid hitting the lcd or get a screen protector (not a bad idea anyway) for the LCD. Your nose hitting the screen will not cause any harm, but if you find yourself constantly wiping the screen you could scratch it with a napkin or cloth.
balk Says:

June 22nd, 2007 at 2:42 am

I noticed something strange when using the auto-ISO in PSAM modes: the ISO selected in the shooting menu (where you select WB, flash mode, AF mode etc) is used as a MINIMUM value. Set it at 800 and point at a lamp: ISO 800 is used instead of the expected 200!
Vonnie Says:

June 24th, 2007 at 11:37 am

Just bought my Nikon D40 today, and I was having trouble taking action shots of basketball games without having the auto on. I really didn't want to use the flash all the time, but the pictures weren't in focus without it.
This is my first SLR, but does anyone have any suggestions?
I am having trouble figuring it out on my own.
Bryan Says:

July 1st, 2007 at 10:24 am

Vonnie, did you try the mode right below Auto on the dial? It's Auto minus flash, and seems to work pretty good.
Tyler Says:

July 3rd, 2007 at 12:36 am

OK, this is going to sound really dumb but I have the D40 with a 70-300 VR Nikkor lens and I would like to be able to take night shots without using the flash because of the overbrightness if you will. Is there any way that I can set my camera to take the pictures just as I see them but not lower my shutter speeds?
David Chin Says:

July 3rd, 2007 at 3:38 am

Tyler – you'd need to increase your ISO as high as possible, and use the largest aperture (smallest f-number).

But I think you're going to have to deal with noisy pictures, at least, once you start hitting ISO 1600 or more. This may not be an issue if you're only going to be making 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 prints.
Ira Says:

October 3rd, 2007 at 9:59 am

Anybody have a recommendation for a case to use for the D40. The one Nikon sells seems pricey. I just want to have the camera in a case when I'm carrying it around, for example when sightseeing. I'm not looking for a system case, I ordered the accessory kit from Amazon so I'd have an extra battery.

I've got the kit lens on it now, but eventually want to get the 70-200VR.

Thanks!
David Chin Says:

October 3rd, 2007 at 2:56 pm

@Ira – I posted your question at DPReview, and got some excellent replies.

The first suggestion by Starcolony suggests the use of two bags, one for going light, and the other for when you need to carry everything including that huge Nikon 70-200 VR. For the light case, Lowepro TLZ Mini gets the thumbs up.

When you need to carry the heavy stuff, Gerry suggests going for one of the Think Tank Digital Holsters. These bags have two vertical sizes, and are able to extend when needed. Because the Nikkor 70-200mm's length is 8.5 inches, you would have to get either the Digital Holster 20 or DH 30.

For a bit more cash, and for what it's worth, many owners who have bigger cameras and longer lenses tend to go for the Lowepro Toploader 75 AW. True, your D40 is a small camera, but when you take total length into consideration, a D40/x plus 70-200 VR isn't much longer than a D2X/s / D3 / D200 / D300 / D70/s / etc plus the 70-200.

Hope this helps!
elend Says:

October 8th, 2007 at 10:01 am

Hey, uhm. I don't have a question or something. Thanks for the vast amount of tips and infos about the D40, which I am now planning to buy, thanks to this blog. I wasn't sure at first, because of the missing AF motor. Thank you.
LISA Says:

April 30th, 2008 at 11:46 pm

I am really getting great nature shots with my d40, however I would love to get close up. Any suggestions for a good macro lense.
Do you suggest a ringflash?
James Allison Says:

June 2nd, 2008 at 10:17 am

"Ira says:
3. October, 2007 at 09:59

Anybody have a recommendation for a case to use for the D40. The one Nikon sells seems pricey. I just want to have the camera in a case when I’m carrying it around, for example when sightseeing. I’m not looking for a system case, I ordered the accessory kit from Amazon so I’d have an extra battery.

I’ve got the kit lens on it now, but eventually want to get the 70-200VR.

Thanks!"

Late reply i know but the lowepro slingshot range of bags work nice with this camera. I have the lowepro slingshot 100 with space for the camera (incl lens) plus 2 spare lenses or a lense and a large flash. Has built in memory car pocket and rain cover and you have quick access to the camera it's self.

Hope this helps

James
Greg Wardlaw Says:

June 12th, 2008 at 6:54 am

Hi,

Just got a D40 and want to know why when I use the 55-200 vr lens sometimes the camera will not take a shot. It sounds like the range finder is making a noise but until I point in another direction I can't get it to take a picture sometimes. This doesn't happen with the 18-55 lens.
David Chin Says:

June 12th, 2008 at 7:19 am

@Greg – here's a wild guess, based on what you're saying.

The minimum focusing distance of the 55-200mm VR is about 3.6 ft. or 1.1 m, which is nowhere near as close as what you can focus with the 18-55mm.

So, when you focus on something with the 55-200mm VR, make sure that subject is about 4 ft away.
Prince Says:

June 13th, 2008 at 8:00 am

@Greg – David pointed out right. I struggled with the same issue for few days before I got some suggestions on DPS forum. Till the camera doesn't find anything to focus on, it will not click, unless you are in all manual mode.

I had this issue mainly when I was trying to take pics in low light conditions.

I am loving the D40, my first DSLR. It is fun to experiment and try so many different settings…
Leigh Wanstead » Blog Archive » d40 tips Says:

June 19th, 2008 at 7:28 am

[...] url [...]

Nikon D40 Photos on Flickr Scout

David Chin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:52:34 +0000

Flickr Scout is a section on Flickr which showcases "… some of the most awesome photos on Flickr."

Well, the Nikon D40/x Group at Flickr holds monthly discussions where group members share their Nikon D40 / D40X photos that made it to Flickr Scout.

Here's the link to the August 2007 discussion – if you ever want to be inspired by superb photography made with these Nikon digital SLR cameras, here's the place for it.

And my favorite photo from that lot, snapped with the Nikon D40, is Winging It by Scott.Brooks.

Really colorful street photos

David Chin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:56:12 +0000

It's been a while since I've seen Nikon D40 samples as colorful as these.

Demond used the Vivid setting and shot these in JPEG mode which tend to blow out the reds.

The location where the photos were taken is Richmond CA, on a street where you'll see many Latin or Mexican-American vendors with brightly-painted stores.

Look out for more D40 photos from Demond over at his Flickr gallery.

Nikon D40 Trivia

David Chin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:49:59 +0000

Miscellaneous information guaranteed not to improve your photography

Sales data

January-2007: Sales of Nikon D40 in Japan eclipses that of the Canon 400D / XTi / Digital Rebel Kiss X. Nikon now occupies 49.9% of the digital SLR market in Japan, relegating Canon down to #2 with their 33.1% share. Link: DPReview.com forum post. Another forum poster, PerL, reports that Nikon is #1 in Sweden too.

Camera technology

Performing an ASCII dump of the camera firmware will reveal that the D40 has two processors: one for camera body control and the other for graphic processing. The camera body CPU is sourced from Fujitsu (CPU B) and the graphic chip from NEC (source: forum post).

Nikon's Marketing Prowess (or lack thereof)

When the Nikon D50 was launched, it was touted as Nikon's entry level camera, and a pretty feature-packed one at that. Yet, D50 sales pale in comparison with the D40, a camera with no in-body focus motor (but with numerous other slick features the D50 doesn't have). It was predicted that the D40 would go down in history as one of Nikon's utter failures. And yet, the sales of the D40 surged strongly. Why? Thom Hogan gives some insight into Nikon's "accidental" success: link to the forum post.

Heard on the forums

DPReview reviewer recommends the D40

Simon Joinson recommends the D40 to a friend, but reminds us about the "different strokes for different folks" principle.

Nikon D40 vs Nikon D2X

David Chin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:46:36 +0000

Here is where I'll collect links to various discussions, comparisons, tests and reviews pitting the Nikon D40 against super-expensive D2X.

Nikon D40 vs Nikon D2X images samples

This collection of full-sized image samples from the D40 vs D2X as submitted by Somac showcases photos shot with the two cameras at all ISO values. You can read the related forum thread for more discussion on these pics.

Body size comparison

See how small the D40 plus Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR is next to the D2X, and also read the favorable impressions the Nikon D2X owner has of the D40 in terms of its snappy operations and AF performance.

Digital Photography Notes » Nikon D40

Nikon D40 vs Nikon D50

Nikon D40 Pros

Nikon D50 Pros

Update, 12-June-2007

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Nikon D40 Samples

New Mexico, Albuquerque and Arizona Photos by Donald Peterson of ABQStyle

Miscellaneous links

Sylvia Liu

General Nikon D40 galleries

Nikon D40 test samples at Imaging Resource

Nikon D40 test samples at dc.watch.impress.co.jp

Size comparison images

Archive of comments from the old blog post

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Noise and ISO Values

Getting the Exposure Right With Older Lenses

LCD Display Speed

Extracting a Large, Fine JPEG from a RAW File In-Camera

The Exposure Bar and Use of Flash

Nikon D40 and Macs

Archive of comments from the old Nikon D40 blog

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Nikon D40 Trivia

Sales data

Camera technology

Nikon's Marketing Prowess (or lack thereof)

Heard on the forums

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Nikon D40 vs Nikon D2X

Nikon D40 vs Nikon D2X images samples

Body size comparison

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