Excellent feel and compact size; very customizable menu architecture; nice guidance for dSLR newbies; excellent noise characteristics for high-ISO shots. The Nikon D40 is a great transition camera for going from point-and-shoot to your first dSLR.
I go through lots of cameras. This was my third DSLR, and about 15th to 20th digital camera. THe D40 takes superb pictures. Don’t let the reviewers mislead you into thinking this is just for newbies. It works great for newbies, and for serious advanced photo-enthusiasts. I fall in the latter category and like the camera for the following reasons:
1. Size and weight - easy to travel with.
2. Great image quality right out of the camera. It’s nice to enhance photos in software like Photoshop. But it’s even better to have a camera that doesn’t require you to do that for every shot. I recommend setting the photos to Vivid or More Vivid. Contrary to popular perception, I found these settings actually give you a more accurate color portrayal of the scene.
3. I use the D40 with the 18-200mm Nikon VR lens. They work great in combination.
4. Changing settings is quick and easy even though many are not set with dedicated buttons.
5. I like the way you can review a series of photos zoomed in, and the camera keeps the same zoomed in setting for each photo - just turn the rear wheel.
6. Camera has a high quality feel.
7. LCD screen is bright
8. Viewfinder is bright.