Nikon D40 with 18-55mm lens Reviews: Digital SLR Camera

+ Very fast focusing, very easy to use, although it would be good if there were extra buttons for some functions, light!

- Doesn't have auto focus on the camera itself, which means that all the lenses you buy must have it. This limits the number of lenses that can be used with the camera, leaving only the more expensive ones to choose from. Also images are soft with the 18-200mm lens that I am currently using

+ Good manual, ease of use, bright viewfinder and LCD screen, price, excellent battery life.

- I like the option to view photos in the viewfinder which my old Fuji provided, but which is noot possible on the NIkon.

+ A quality product which is easy to use.

- The instruction book can be difficult to understand.

+ Lightweight and small but feels very comfortable to hold and use. Solid feel and ergonomically strong. Personally don't feel the need for a top plate display and this was a consideration in purchase. I could have afforded a D80 but preferred the layout of the D40. Excellent product, great for first time DSLR buyers, it does almost everything you would need.

- Personally find in camera editing features overrated, prefer to leave this to proper photo editing software. But that applies to many other models as well.

+ Compact, lightweight, easy to use. Quick to start up, takes excellent photos. Large LCD screen, good kit lens.
Can get into more complicated features if required.

- Lenses expensive with AF-S feature.

+ Bargain price SLR: Simple to use with enough control and features for novice users to play around with. It feels very of good build quality whilst being light and relatively compact.

- Some of the control combinations needed to achieve the desired effects are a little cumbersome, especially without the top LCD to show the settings. You will probably want to upgrade the lens fairly quickly.

+ Best value DSLR on the market. Very fast start up, you can use it in just the same manner as a traditional film SLR. It also has excellent point and shoot capabilities if you need it. Works well with all the film speeds up to 1600ASA. I'm particularly pleased with pictures taken under street lighting. Still exploring all it's capabilities. Excellent LCD back panel playback which in highlight mode shows if the sky etc is over exposed so yo can retake the shot. An added avantage particularly for me is that I can use many of the lenses from earlier Nikon cameras. Other good points are the battery life.

- Tends to over expose cloudy skies loosing cloud detail, you can set exposure compensation to get around this. A cable release would have been really nice.

+ A Digital SLR for barely more money than a compact! Forget the number of pixels, the photo quality is much better than my 10 megapixel compact, not even comparable. The photos are professional quality, and there is no annoying shutter delay, perfect for action shots.

- For the money- NONE at all!

+ My pictures now look so much better than any compact camera shots!
The low-light JPG smoothing is great resulting in very little noise/graininess.
The newer anti-vibration lenses often help in low-light conditions.
I like the user-configurable button next to the flash.
Very light for it's size.

- Found very large specks of dust (+ bits of lens mount plastic!) on the sensor after just a few weeks. Had to get it cleaned for £25 at Nikon Service Centre - now bought my own cleaning kit (PecPads & E2 solution.
Autofocus often struggles to get a fix in bright sky shots or high-contrast areas tracking a moving subject - better to use manual focus.

+ AS ABOVE, AND BEING ABLE TO USE A PROPER SLR CAMERA AGAIN AS APPOSED TO A DIGITAL POINT & SHOOT (FINEPIX 602Z - PREVIOUS CAMERA)

- NONE

+ Excellent Quality camera,easy to handle (not heavy), high quality lens with a good range of magnification. Good range of speeds and exposure settings plus a very efficient auto focus.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ A digital big name SLR for the price of a high quality digital compact. Adjustments available match and surpass those of programmable film SLRs of years gone by and for less money. Some adjustments, such as aperture, are not in a conventional place, but those with knowledge and experience in photography will not need much time before it all falls in place. Nice touches include the ability to make adjustments by either a button or by using the menu system. And unless you are in the habit of blowing up photos to the size of billboards, 6 megapixels is more than enough. The battery seems to last forever (I have yet to recharge mine) so I hope plenty of warning is given before a charge is required.

- The supplied lens is adequate but the chances are that you will add to this before long. The LCD screen has no protection fromscrapes and knocks. I am sure that most people would be willing to pay another fiver to have a Nikon supplied bespoke protector, something that is not (yet) available for this model as an aftermarket fitment. DIY protector film is the only option apart from a good quality protective bag. The supplied manual may contain all the information but it is not the easiest to read to learn about all the camera features and their use. There are some good books available for this purpose and I can recommend the field guide by David D Busch.

+ Nikon d40x is a ligth digital slr camera,easy to use and nice body

- Only afs system lenses (very expensive)

+ In auto mode very easy to use, just point and shoot

- as usual with anything electronic the menus can be a bit of a minefield until you get used to them, don't expect to start taking composed photos straight away! and don't forget to take the manual with you! You'll never remember it all!

+ The camera is excellent value for money. Easy to use and the battery seems to go on forever, unlike my other camera the D200. Very lightweight but don't be fooled into thinking this camera cannot take good quality pictures.

- Stock lens is nothing to shout about but hey what do you want for the money? Attach a Nikkor AF-S DX VR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED and you will get terrific pictures.

+ Nicely built and stylish, not the weight of a full blown SLR, but just right for ormal use. I'm absolutely delighted with the image quality and even in full automatic mode have been amazed by the shots that would have been poor on my previous compacts. No misgivings about having chosen this camera whatsoever and therefore fully recommend it.

- None

+ great camera for somebody looking for taking better quality photos than you can get with a compact camera without needing to become an expert in setting up shots. Very much a point and click experience with the option for delving deeper into settings if you so desire. Exactly what we were looking for.

- For me the camera has no real bad points, it would be cool if it took all the standard Nikon lenses but apart from that no real issues. For a serious photographer I would imagine more control over settings would be desired.

+ ease of use for beginner,friendly user menu.

- none as yet.

+ Very easy to use with a nice clear viewfinder. Compact and lightweight, yet still comfortable and stable to hold.

- None so far

+ Light and comfortable in the hands, easy to use in automatic mode and tons of features to master with time. Ok software and user manual.

- A bit more plastcky than I would have expected, for the price, and a better coloured printed guide would have been useful. Software limited, but then I own Photoshop already! No on board memeory yet no memory card included, even a small cheap one to get you going? a bit cheap that!

+ Great picture quality and very easy to use.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ simple to use & fast start up excellent build quality long battery life excellent standard flash i have taken some outstanding photos which blow up to A4 size with no loss of definition . a superb first digital camera to own

- lens are expensive less pixels than d40x

+ I still haven't read the instructions! Just switch it on and go. Took over 400 photo's at a wedding and they are more popular than the official ones. Takes seconds from "off" to snapping. Love it.

- I had to pay for it??? Seriously there are no bad points.

+ As a first-timer to SLRs it was very easy to get started with excellent results

- None really

+ Excellent quality images. Very fast start up time.

- Kit lens has feel of being made by blue-peter with sticky back plastic and toilet rolls.

+ Light, easy to use, good quality of picture and affordable SLR

- The instruction booklet could be more user friendly. Unable to find a fish eye lens at an affordable price.

+ Relatively small size, excellent image quality, very long battery life, ease of use - in short everything! It really is an amazing camera for the price.

- It only has a three point auto focus and no bracketing option. Also, Nikon cameras have a rather pathetic software solution to dust on the sensor.

+ Gobsmacked by the ease of use and stunning results. 1st digital SLR? its a cracker!!

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Excellent image quality that far exceeds compact camera's and at this price its a steal. You do not need any other lenses as the included 18-55 is superb. It is very sharp and very light. Forget all the high megapixel hype, 6MP is plenty for large printing.

- There really are none at all.

+ price, build and reputation.

- a better package ie more choice of available lens..... I would have like a choice of more powerful zooms available. Also it is a shame that the camera only has 3 auto focus point in the view finder.

+ Ease of handling vs competition and great image quality

- Plasticy, but you cannot expect more at this price.

+ The D40x produces some wonderful, clear and sharp photos.

- No bracketing!

+ fantastic image quality,instant focusing & shot to shot speed.
very low noise even at high iso's,noise non existant at iso 1600 in 7x5 prints.
wireless remote control very usefull.
moving up from a pocket digicam,i thought size & weight would be a problem.in reality its no problem at all,put in in a shoulder bag & you can carry it all day.

- some colours too vibrant in standard setting,although they can be toned down in menu settings.
so good to use,you take too many photos!

+ User friendly product and Value for money

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Very easy to use, setup etc. As a first time SLR user this camera is perfect to learn with, but has enough advanced features to keep me happy for some time!

- Although the image quality is excellent, on blowing images up, a higher Megapixel would be better, maybe should have gone for the D40x?

+ This camera is excellent. It isn't difficult to take an amazing photograph, the colours are accurate, images are bright and crisp (when focused). It feels solid and isn't too fragile.

- Although the menu system is generally intuitive there are a few areas where it seems odd. But I would certainly recommend this camera to anyone looking to break into the digital SLR world.

+ Very light weight with excellent lens performance

- Lens needs built-in auto focus motor. Manual exposure settings are awkward.

+ Excellent image quality + ease of use

- None

+ speed, image quality, price

- no high speed synch for flash,

+ Easy to use, nice to hold

- Focusing light off putting when taking portraits

+ Very easy to use and gives you plenty of future scope as you learn digital photography. Good lightweight construction.

- The lens being 55mm which is normal eyesight could have done with being say up to 70mm just to give that extra variety without the expense of having to buy another lens.

+ Superb images, easy to learn when stepping up to a dSLR.

- I would have liked the small LCD panel as seen on D80, otherwise none.

+ size, image quality, price, SDHC cards support

- lack of bracketing, no internal AF motor

+ Straightforward to use. Well built Nikon quality. Affordable.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Its a Nikon!!, Almost a Compact camera with great lens choice, great accesory support. iTTL flash support, supports all nikons pro lenses.

- Too small and lightweight for me for an SLR, as compared to my D200.
Will not A/F on older A1 lenses, only good for AF-S lenses for fully automatic operation.

+ excellent picture quality easy to use for a novice on autoshoot, though do have to have some photography knowledge to get use from features

- at a push, no depth of field preview

+ small, easy to handle, great in most situations

- A higher pixel count would help during cropping. Better low light performance, but thats nitpicking as it's so cheap.

+ An excellent camera. After my first digital where I always had a time delay after pushing the shutter button, this works exactly as it should, push a button & take a picture. With a reasonable amount of manual experience I have found it easy to take control of the camera, but for mosts pictures, just use the dedicated programs (portatrait, landscape etc) & you won't be disappointed. Both myself & my wife are thrilled with it.

- Can need some exposure compensation on bright sunny days but once set up (which is easy to do) you can forget about it.

+ A perfect first DSLR camera. An great 'Auto' mode for the compact converts and enough manual settings to satisfy the enthusiast and at less than £300 you'll need to explain why you didn't buy one!

- Haven't really found any negative points.

+ Value for money for a digital SLR, Ease of use and a good camera to re learn the SLR way of things.

- AF-S lenses are not that cheap and the range is still only small but expanding.

+ Very easy to use for any typeof photographer, and has some of the features that you wouldfind on a high end slr. Very good image quality for an amazing price, which is complimented by the cameras tiny body making it portable. However the small balance isnt compromised by the lens which you find on some slrs.

- Low pixel image sensor and no self cleaning system that could have been useful

+ so simple to use, this is my first SLR and already I want something better :)

- Image quality not as good as I thought it would be, I wish I had gone for a better model now.

+ This camera is fantastic value for money. Camera looks great and easy to use. The pictures are of a professional standard.

- I have no bad points!!

+ Reviewer left no comment

- LACK OF AUTO FOCUS FOR NON USM LENSES

+ An easy to use camera with brilliant images and an excellent fps rate. I'm a learner when it comes to Digital SLR, but the easy to use help means you can pick the camera up and start to take excellent images without any more than a basic knowledge of photography.

- Can't think of any!

+ Relatively small, excellent quality sensor

- Lens feels a little cheap

+ I bought it as a step up from a point and shoot camera and have been very impressed with how easy it is to use and the quality of the photos. Very good for a complete novice.

- Haven't found any yet

+ Easy to use but the features that make the camera very good are not easily understood for those who do not have a photography background.

- Only that the advanced features are not easily understood.

+ Easy to use and fantastic image quality

- none thus far

+ Good entry level SLR digital camera with loads of features.

- Software only has a 30 day time limit after which you must either buy it or get another photo suite which can edit RAW images.

+ Auto mode is very good and easy to use.

- Special modes not as good pictures all round.
Doesn't focus at very close range, ie 20cm.

+ Easy to use; strong image quality; feels robustly built; quick start-up time; no shutter lag means that capturing moving images is much more successful that with a compact.

- Slightly bulky to carry; accompanying software is not the most intuative to use.

+ Very light weight camera, easy to use yet it has various manual settings. Functionality for the price is fantastic.

- None that I have found as yet.

+ picture quality great
great battery life

- need to explain modes out of auto in pigeon english

+ Great introduction to SLR. Ergonomically superb.

- None

+ Easy in use, high quality of pictures. Perfect choice for beginners- to learn the basics about photography before investing in really sophisticated camera.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ light in weight, great image quality, easy to use

- none as yet

+ On automatic photo quality is good,and the camera is easy to use

- The camera is quite heavy and the lens supplied with the camera while good of its type could do with being 18-200 which would make it unbeatable

+ Light weight, great build quality, easy for beginners to SLR cameras to use

- Reviewer left no comment

+ For my first SLR this is very good quality pictures and easy to use. The build quality is very good also. The D40(X) is also light compared with my expectations and you can get sometimes professional results with a bit of time spent on setting the scene and maybe the settings.

- Maybe opt for D40X or D60 if you reckon you will need more than 6MP in the future.

+ Great for a beginner in SLR Digital. Very good value. Easy to use. Images are excellent for a 6mp camera.

- Should be able to have Raw+JPEG on fine sertting as well as basic. Also should fit VR lens as standard kit, even if this pushes up price a little. Only other areas I would have liked are available on more expensive models and presumably omitted to keep price down. Live view, depth of field preview, auto dust removal.

+ It's great for beginners. It's complicated enough to define itself from a digital compact camera but not too complicated. It has all the useful settings and filters.

- The lens isn't good for every kind of photography.

+ Ease of use, weight, practicalilty, image quality, value for money

- None considering money

+ Sturdy well made body with good quality standard lens. Very easy to use menu system with large lcd screen. Instant start up also the programme modes work well.

- No exposure bracketing or depth of field button. I suppose Nikon have to differentiate the D40x from the D80 somehow.

+ Like the versatile and compactness that it offers.

- Dislike the idea that only DX lenses can be used for the auto focus facility.

+ I must say very good value SLR. My first digital SLR and the picture quality is amazing and great features. The publishing software that came with the camera is very easy to use and manage photos taken.

- Wish extra lenses were free!

+ Light, easy to fit, easy to focus.

- none realyy for my purpose

+ Fantastic picture quality, and ease of use.

- There is a large range of features but little direction in what situation to use them. Anti red eye feature doesnt work all the time. And the viewing time on the screen when looking at shots is not long enough.

+ The D40(x) is a great camera to step up to from a compact Digital - it gives the user the freedom to manipulate settings that most compact digitals automatically set. The size of the D40 isn't too bad either - it's a nice camera to hold, and the feature buttons are all in logical and easy to reach places. Resolution is good and crisp

- Some of the more advanced settings are hidden deep in sub-menus, but then for the amateurs (like me!) that's probably a good thing..

+ Compact. Good looking product and easy to use in auto mode.

- some of the more complex options need time to adjust to for a first time SLR user

+ Excellant camera for novice SLR users.Extremely easy to use and full of features.Battery life very good.All in all an excellant buy.

- None yet.

+ It is easy to handle, even for my wife and she likes the clear photos she can make close up.

- No bad points I can think of at the moment

+ Very easy to use, light in weight, Excellent picture quality

- Only 3 AF points, No Bracketing.

+ As a complete novice, I found the features and ease of use brilliant. No need to spend the extra money on additional pixels.

- Not so much a bad point, but I think that within the bundles that are offered a wide angle lens would be a good option, as you quickly realise that you need one. Maybe thats the reason why its not offered i.e.extra sales

+ Its quite lightweight

- Sometimes too dark to take pictures