I used my first Nikon D40 camera for about 3 years, then I sold it, and a few years later, in 2015 I bought it again. Now I have a lot of practical experience with the Nikon D40, which I share in this review.
Nikon D40 review
The Nikon D40 was introduced on November 16, 2006, and became the fourteenth full-fledged Nikon digital SLR camera. Before its release, the following Nikon D1 cameras already existed, D1h, D1x, D100, D2h, D70, D2x, D2hs, D70s, D50, D200, D2xs, D80 (the list is shown in the order the cameras were released). Nikon D40 has opened a new class of Nikon cameras. Like Nikon D50, Nikon D40 belongs to the line of amateur cameras, but unlike all of the above cameras, the Nikon D40 was taken away from a very important thing - the focusing motor, which is responsible for autofocusing with non-motorized lenses like 'AF'. Thus, all Nikon D40 owners were automatically forced to use more modern and sometimes more expensive lenses such as AF S и AF-I. Many Nikon users cursed the company for taking away the Nikon D40's compatibility with a huge (really very large) fleet of old autofocus optics. On the other hand, the Nikon D40 turned out to be a very cheap camera, which is why it was bought by a huge number of users. Subsequently, Nikon did not pay attention to user complaints and continued the line of cameras, for which it was Nikon D40 that became the basis.
Nikon D40 Camera Setup Display
This camera is the `` youngest '', the slowest, with the worst focusing system and the simplest camera in the lineup of all digital SLR cameras Nikon... Don't expect stunning performance figures from it. If you need a more serious amateur camera for photography, then you should pay attention to the modern, latest and most 'feature-packed' device in this line - Nikon D5600... The Nikon D40 baby remains just a tool for amateur photographers who don't need modern 'gadgets'.
Nikon D40 with lens Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Compared to more advanced cameras, the Nikon D40 does not have the following important functions:
- No built-in focus motor
- There is no front selector for the index finger of the right hand. This makes it difficult to configure many parameters. This selector was first thrown out of Nikon D50.
- There is no high speed sync function with Nikon external flash units.
- There is no function to control external flashes in automatic mode using the creative lighting system Nikon CLS.
- There is no diaphragm rheostat for working with manual optics.
- There is no way to shoot video.
- The camera does not know how to shoot panoramas, HDR, there is no time-lapse function, there is no bracketing, there is no function ADL, there is no control of vignetting, chromatic aberration, distortion and a million modern lotions typical of modern cameras.
But Nikon D40 retains the main thing - a large sensor. Physical matrix size (sensor) the Nikon D40 is the same as on modern expensive Nikon DX cameras: Nikon D7100, D7200, D5500, D5300, D3300 etc. One of the key differences between a DSLR and an ordinary digital compact is matrix size. In ideal shooting conditions, the Nikon D40 allows you to get the result on par with any modern Nikon DX camera.
NIkon D40 with lens Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4D
Nikon D40 is Nikon's slowest DSLR camera. Maximum burst speed is only 2.5 frames per second... Its predecessor had the same low burst speed - Nikon D50. But not everything is so bad, if you delve into the characteristics of other cameras, you can find that professional cameras Nikon D300 и D300s also lower their speed to a miserable 2.5 frames per second during shooting with 14 bit color depth in RAW format. And also, if you recall that the top legendary Nikon D3X camera reduces the burst speed to meager 1.8 frames per second while shooting in RAW format with 14 bit color depth, the Nikon D40 doesn’t seem so slow at all.
When shooting at ISO HI1 (equivalent to ISO 3200), the burst speed drops to 1 fps, because the Nikon D40 is still the slowest camera in the entire Nikon DSLR family.
Frame buffer the Nikon D40 is also small and is:
- 4 frames in RAW format with all disabled advanced settings
- 3 frames in RAW + JPEG L BASIC format with all advanced settings disabled
- 8 frames in JPEG, L, FINE format with all advanced settings disabled
- 12 frames in JPEG, L, NORM format with all advanced settings disabled
- 18 frames in JPEG, L, BASIC format with all advanced settings disabled
- 60 frames in JPEG, S, BASIC format with all advanced settings disabled
- 3 frames in RAW format with all advanced settings enabled
- 2 frames in RAW + JPEG L BASIC format with all additional settings included
- 7 frames JPEG, L, FINE with all advanced settings enabled
- 11 frames JPEG, L, NORM with all advanced settings included
- 17 frames in JPEG, L, BASIC format with all advanced settings included
- 59 frames JPEG, S, BASIC with all advanced settings enabled
Please note that the Nikon D40 can only shoot in JPEG L BASIC quality when using RAW + JPEG.
Nikon D40 uses the most primitive Multi-CAM 530 focusing systeminstalled in only 3 cameras: Nikon D40, D40x, D60... In the future, this focusing module was abandoned. Unfortunately, the Nikon D40 has only 3 focusing points, only one center is cruciform. The camera tenaciously holds the subject, but it is quite difficult for it to keep track of moving objects. Also note that the Nikon D40 in focus mode AF-C has focus priority over shutter release priority. This little thing greatly interferes with work and is described by me in a separate article 'Nikon entry-level cameras and focus priority'.
Nikon D40 allows you to manually select only 5 ISO values: 200, 400, 800, 1600, HI (3200) units. Given that the Nikon D40 is the shortest excerpt equals 1/4000 s, sometimes the minimum ISO 200 can play a trick when using high-aperture optics.
Measurement exposure is 420 segment RGB sensor, which is used in a huge number of other cameras (for example, in Nikon D3400, D5100, D90 etc.). But the Nikon D40 froze exposure often carried out with errors, very often the camera likes to overexpose 2/3 steps. I do not know what this may be connected with. Very often you have to make additional adjustments from -0,3 to -1 2/3 steps.
The camera slows down a bit when turning on the display and when corrected exposure (while the display is activated, you can skip the frame).
Helpful advice - Set the programmable button to change the ISO, it will be a little easier to work with the camera. To add charm to the camera, turn off the siren (sound notification), which beeps when focusing. For more set the sharpness and color in the camera to 'Optim. snapshot -> VI '.
And what about Nikon D40x? Nikon D40x was introduced 4 months after the release of Nikon D40. The main difference in D40x there was another sensor for 10 megapixels. The letter 'x' after the name of the Nikon camera just speaks of the increase in the number of pixels on the sensor. In general Nikon D40 and D40x very similar, in something the Nikon D40 is even better than Nikon D40x. All the differences between the Nikon D40 and D40x will find in the Nikon D40x review.
Sample photos without processing
Below is a gallery of shots taken with the Nikon D40 and lens YONGNUO LENS 100mm 1: 2 YN100mm F2N for Nikon. The photos in the gallery below are shown without processing, the conversion of the source RAW files by the original Capture NX-D or ViewNX-I converter or the on-camera JPEG L FINE without any additional adjustments or on-camera JPEG.
Original JPEG photos can be download from this link. Examples of photos on YONGNUO LENS 100mm 1: 2 YN100mm F2N for Nikon with a little processing you can still see in my gallery here.
My experience or what really?
In fact, everything is simple, Nikon D40 is the last camera on the legendary 6-megapixel Sony ICX-453-AQ sensor. A list of all Nikon DSLR cameras and their sensors can be found at this link. Older cameras use the same sensor. Nikon D70, D70s и D50that delight the eye with a nice picture. Older camera Nikon D100 uses a similar matrix, but still different from the one on the Nikon D40. CCD matrices of these old men give a very nice color, for which they are appreciated.
Unlike Nikon D70, D70s, D50 и D100 Nikon D40 camera is the only one that uses a more modern image processor (processor), similar to the processor (processor) in cameras D200, D80, D40x. This processor allows ISO HI1 (ISO 3200 equivalent) and DL function for RAW images (this function was not available on previous models D50, D70, D70s etc.). A list of all the processors used in Nikon cameras can be found at this link.
Working with cameras on old 6-megapixel CCD matrices, I came to the conclusion that on-camera JPEG with Nikon D40 is the most pleasant. The Nikon D40 shots are some of the most enjoyable ones I got right away in on-camera JPEG. Of course, I really love cameras Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro и Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro, but with the Nikon D40, sometimes there are much fewer problems to achieve a good result.
Subjectively - Nikon D40 is my favorite camera... I've had about 5 different Nikon D40s over the years. The last one already has mileage more than 150.000.
Nikon D40 body on the secondary market can be found for 70-100 USD - it is one of the cheapest SLR cameras of all time. For 80-100 USD you can find a pretty super-zoom to it Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM IF Aspherical or Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1: 3.5-4.5G ED DX SWM IF Aspherical and shoot for your own pleasure. My practice has shown that the cheapest and most functional set is just a bunch of Nikon D40 and Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-135m 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM IF Aspherical.
Low-priced lenses are great for creative shooting. Nikon 35 / 1.8G DX, Nikon 50 / 1.8G, Yongnuo 35 / 2 и Yongnuo 50 / 1.8.
More sample photos on Nikon D40
- Video about Nikon D40
- More videos about Nikon D40
- examples on Nikon N AF-S Nikkor 300mm 1: 4E PF ED VR
- examples on Carl Zeiss Makro Planar 2/50 ZF.2 T *
- examples on Nikon Nikkor 105mm 1: 1.8
- examples on Sigma ZOOM 18-50mm 1: 2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM Optical Stabilizer
- examples on Milvus 2/35 ZF.2 (Zeiss distagon 2 / 35 T *)
- examples on Nippon Kogaku Japan Nikkor-S Auto 1: 1.2 f = 55mm
- examples on Sigma DC 17-70mm 1: 2.8-4 MACRO HSM Optical Stabilizer
- examples on Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1: 1.8G SWM Aspherical
- examples on Tamron 180mm 1: 3.5 LD DI SP AF [IF] MACRO 1: 1
- examples on Nikon ED AF-S VR-Nikkor 70-200mm 1: 2.8G (Vibration Reduction SWM IF)
- examples on yongnuo LENS 100mm 1: 2 (YN100mm F2N, for Nikon)
- examples on Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.8G SWM Aspherical
- examples on Carl zeiss distagon 2.8 / 21 T * ZF.2
- examples on Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1: 1.4G SWM
- examples on Sigma 30mm 1: 1.4 DC A (Art)
- examples on Nikon AF-S Nikkor 20mm 1: 1.8G ED N (Nano Crystal Coat SWM RF ED Aspherical)
- examples on Tamron SP 70-200mm F / 2.8 Di VC USD G2 A025
- examples on Nippon Kogaku Japan Nikkor-P Auto 1: 2.5 f = 105mm
- examples on Telear-N 3.5/200
- examples on Nikon AF-S Nikkor 80-400mm 1: 4.5-5.6G Super ED VR IF N Nano Crystal Coat
- examples on Irix 150mm f / 2.8 Macro 1: 1 Dragonfly
- examples on Nikon N AF-S Nikkor 24mm 1: 1.4G ED (SWM RF Aspherical Nano Crystal Coat)
- examples on Carl zeiss distagon 2/28 ZF.2 T *
- examples on Nikon N AF-S Nikkor 300mm 1: 2.8G II ED VR
- examples on SMC TAKUMAR 1: 1.8 / 55 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN
- examples on Jupiter-11A 4/135
- examples on Nippon Kogaku Japan NIKKOR-UD Auto 1: 3.5 f = 20mm
- examples on Industar-26m 1: 2.8 F = 5cm P
- examples on SMC PENTAX 1: 1.8 / 55 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN
- examples on Industar-50 1: 3,5 F = 5cm P
- examples on 7Artisans 60mm 1: 2.8 Macro II
- examples on SMC PENTAX-M 1:2.8 100mm ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN
- examples on Sigma Zoom 18-50mm 1:3.5-5.6 DC D
More examples of photos (selections of 10 photos) on Radozhiva's social networks:
- Autumn 2020 on Nikkor 50/1.8G
- Autumn 2021 on different versions of Helios-81, many photos
- Autumn 2022 on Nikon Nikkor 105mm 1:1.8
- Autumn 2023 on Sigma Zoom 18-50mm 1: 3.5-5.6 DC D
- Nikon D40 features with a pretty Zeiss Makro-Planar
- Summer 2021 on Nikon D40 and Tamron 70-210 / 2.8
- My 500px gallery
- 04-06-2021
- 11-06-2021
- 13-06-2021
- 16-06-2021
- 17-06-2021
- 01-07-2021 and they are here on club photo en
- 25-07-2021
- 26-07-2021 (Meike 85mm 1: 1.8 AF)
- 29/07/2021 (photo from christening)
- 02-08-2021 (Tamron 70-300 VC)
- 03-08-2021 (ginger paradise, Tamron 70-300 VC) facebook | club photo en | VK | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube
- 05-08-2021 (Nippon Kogaku Japan Nikkor-S Auto 1: 1.2 f = 55mm)
- 07-08-2021 (Jupiter-8 1: 2 F = 5cm P, facebook) | VK
- 14-09-2021 (autumn, MC HELIOS-81H 2/50, Instagram) | VK
- 01-10-2021 (autumn, MC HELIOS-81M 2/53 club foro ru) | VK | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube
- 01-11-2021
- 09-12-2021 (portraits)
- 24-04-2022 (Sigma 85/1.4 ART)
- 30-07-2022 ('MACRO' for $3)
- 04-09-2022 ('Macro' on TV LENS f=50mm 1:1.4)
- 10-09-2022 (various on TELEAR-N 3.5/200)
- 13-10-2022 (Nikon Nikkor-S Auto 1:1.2 f=55mm)
- examples on video here
- examples on video here
- many photos on Nikon D40 and different lenses in the group here
Results
The Nikon D40 is Nikon's simplest DSLR, but its simplicity doesn't stop it from taking good pictures and having simple, straightforward controls. Nikon D40 lacks a huge number of useful functions and capabilities, however, it can handle 90% of standard photo tasks. One of my Nikon D40 cameras has already run over 150.000, the other has 120.000 shots and continues to shoot. Now Nikon D40 is considered morally obsolete, since after its release Nikon released a whole series of similar 'cut-down' cameras: Nikon D40x, D60, D3000, D3100, D3200, D3300, D3400, D3500, as well as slightly more advanced D5000, D5100, D5200, D5300, D5500 и D5600. Now Nikon D40 is of interest to budget enthusiasts who want to join the world of SLR cameras.
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Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram
Good day ! Tell me; Does the D40 have the ability to PRINT dates in a frame and, if so, how it is implemented (how to enable it)? Sincerely. Konstantin.
Does not.
Thank you for your prompt response. It's a pity.
Arkady, hello! Again I came to you from Google. Your photos are very beautiful!
A little toad crushed me about D40.
At the alumni meeting, fotkala parents class. While my Kenon 150 was thinking: charging the flash, focusing, taking, swallowing the photo, someone’s granddaughter-schoolgirl managed to make 4-5 frames on the D40 (with flash).
I'm trying to make high-quality pictures. You say that what technique is not so important. You are right, you get a lot of cool photos from the Canon PowerShot SX150. But sometimes, like a fish on ice. I like to photograph children. But in a room from a flash it is unrealistic to catch a moment, escapes. Can you tell me how to speed up the process of filming. Thanks.
http://lysulka.blogspot.com/
Usually, an external flash and a tracking focus mode help you instantly take a picture :) You have a very large watermark on your photos on your blog spot :) I got a canon 350d - http://500px.com/photo/34184362
Guys, tell me please, is it better to take a D40 or D3100 (for a start with a whale lens) ???
I just can't decide ...
Good day to Arkadiy, I want to power chi є at D40 electronic rangefinder?
There is no range finder.
You can help with choosing a lens on the Nikon d40.
Arkady, thanks for such a quick reply! I just read it now. I did not receive a notification in the mail, but I lost this page.
I watched a photo from the canon 350d. The girl in white is super! Macro photography is simply unrealistic! And Crimean waterfalls! water like smoke. Does the lens do such a miracle with water?
The watermark is such that everyone can see that mine! :-)) Based on a watermark on culinary forums and needlework blogs. The practice is small, only a month I add it to the photo.
Maybe you will have professional advice, in fact. I would quote it and add, with a link to your site, in my article on watermark http://lysulka.blogspot.com/2013/05/blog-post_26.html. Thanks
The camera is really good, I’ve been shooting it for half a year, not capricious, it wasn’t easy to get used to, because this is my first one. But, with the right approach, it turns out just gorgeous))) Only a screwdriver is not enough (((Yes, and maybe 200 is too much. And in general, it’s nothing
Arkady, good evening!
Tell me from a purely technical point of view. On the D40, and on any other camera, is it possible to increase the dynamic range due to the fact that you do not set VIVID for example, and set everything to minus in your own settings (saturation, sharpness, contrast). Will DD increase?
And one more question. How often do you use a gradient filter? ”Polarik”?
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely.
DD is a technical characteristic of a photosensitive material (matrix or film). It is not possible to “enlarge / reduce” it by changing any camera settings. It's like “material density” in physics, for example. The solution to the problem is as follows: shoot in RAW, trying not to lose details in the highlights, and stretch deep shadows in a graphics editor. Or you can take several identical frames with different exposures and, again, superimpose them on top of each other in a graphics editor.
I apologize for the possibly stupid question. Will the HELIOS-44M-4 58/2 fit on it?
Only with adapter, with lens
Good afternoon.
I have a D90. I want to take something not expensive for the girl with the SSD matrix, and use it myself at the same time so as not to change the lenses. The choice between D40 and D80. Tell me how convenient the viewfinder is in them and whether the difference between the quality of the photo is noticeable at different resolution of the matrices.
Thank you in advance.
take D40.
D80 girl banal large and uncomfortable.
Tell me please. How to disable TTL mode in d40?
everything is perfectly selectable in M mode, both shutter speed and aperture. I figured out in 10 seconds)
Good afternoon, Arkady! I have such a question for you, I shot it on D40 for several years until it was stolen and have been suffering from a new choice for half a year! Tell me which camera can I replace it with? I photograph only for a family album, I don’t understand the settings very much I was looking for the same bu. I’ve photographed it on the d3100 a couple of times, and everything is fine in it, but it’s photographed somehow with a delay, maybe it needs to be adjusted, if so, tell me how? My d 40 took several shots in a row without hesitation! and d5100 but did not hold in hands! tuyte please! Thank you so much in advance
D3100 takes great pictures, I recommend it.
Thank you for the quick answer! As for the speed of pictures, according to the characteristics of the d 3100 it takes 4 pictures per second, and in Delhi I could not shoot even 2 in a row, what could this be connected with?
With the wrong camera settings. Burst mode and AF-C mode will give 4 fps
Thank you))
Arkady, arrogant day.
For a year now I have been photographing on the D40 (I used to buy it). the lens was changed to Nikon 50mm f / 1.8G AF-S Nikkor.
In principle, the photos are fine. But somehow something is missing. I look at similar photos with the same settings on Nikon D90 - there is a difference.
The question may seem silly, but does it make sense to change d40 to d90? or is this not the case?
just can buy another lens?
this is not the point.
You can change the question of the reasons.
Fifty is a good lens.
Arkady, tell me again, please (I can’t understand) is it possible to shoot in this camera in black and white and which one is better to choose the focus mode: AF-A? AF-S or AF-C?
Greetings, Arkady! I have been reading your articles for a long time and have learned a lot of useful things for myself. thank you for your hard work! I decided to start mastering photography with the D40, bought a used one in good condition - clicks with a bang! I hardly use my native flash, so I did not immediately notice that the flash in TTL mode beats so that it illuminates objects at a distance of up to 3 meters (power correction is at -3). I get out of the position by closing the diaphragm to 8-11, but when you photograph people a powerful impulse hits them in the eyes. manual mode of power selection is not always convenient, for example, when shooting parties, etc., it is not always possible to reshoot overexposed or too dark shots ... maybe you faced a similar problem, how can you solve it?
buy an external one with a diffuser.
considering that TTL mode is important, the flash will cost me more than the camera itself))
and good lenses too, so what?
Again, you can always buy China for a couple of thousand.
in this case, it would be more expedient to switch to a more modern carcass)) I am also interested in the ways of "treating" this one, without buying an expensive body kit
no way dragging it ..
IF nothing is messed up in the settings (which is unlikely, but suddenly, for example, on manal glasses, he allows you to shoot from TTL, or SUDDENLY switches to M-flash mode), then this or (unlikely) firmware - and you can try to update, but here I'm not a specialist, or something happened quite specifically, and it will cost more than the carcass to carry it into repairs.
At the same time, the D40 is still a very useful machine, for example, a flash exposure of 1/500, which, as far as I remember, no other “amateur” camera has, they all hold no higher than 1/200.
Secondly, an external flash will still be needed, even if the carcasses are changed (because forehead light, red eyes and other charms of the built-in puff will not go anywhere). Here the only thing you can save is to take an inexpensive one, or a cheap TTL-China for 2,5-3,5 thousand rubles, or a native sb400, for 4-5 thousand.
Arkady, thank you very much for the article! If you choose between Canon and Nicon, what would you recommend? Need a good camera for amateur shooting, for traveling. Thank you in advance for your response
Tips here https://radojuva.com.ua/2013/01/what-camera-nikon-shoud-i-buy/ and here - https://radojuva.com.ua/2013/11/camera-canon-best-buy/
Thanks for the review, everything is very clear. The photos are simply divine. Indeed, the most important thing is how to shoot, and not on which equipment.
hah) It's 2014, and I was going to buy. I think with this device to begin my career!
Tell me what is better to take d40 or d40x. Is there just a difference in megapixels like? Or do you need to pay attention to something else? d40x is much more expensive, is it worth it ...
but tell me I have a d40 and Nikon 50 f / 1.8D AF Nikkor to it. Everything is good and only one thing: maybe there are any adapters to make it automatic? I would definitely prevail!
The adapter does not exist.
Arkady, tell me what is the difference between d40 and d40x, I want to take one of these, but I don’t know what to pay attention to.