user friendly, quality photos without the high price

The Nikon D40 is not a heavy, bulky and complicated SLR to use. As an amateur, I wanted something that will introduce me to the world of photography without the complications, but with the great SLR features.

It takes great photos (6.1 Megapixel) with its preprogrammed settings and allows the user to:
1) manually adjust the aperture with the camera's shutter speed setting
2) manually adjust the shutter speed with the camera's aperture setting
3) manually adjust both.

Further, it has a programmed setting that allows the user to easily access a custom programmed setting quickly (without having to push all the buttons to set it all over again).

There are plenty of options to photograph images with optimization or without, with RAW or JPEG, and with NTSC or PAL. It also allows for photo adjustment, such as photos overlay (RAW only), red-eye correction, image trimming, or D-lighting. Though the professional may expect more, the amateur does not at this point of time, so this camera is perfect.

The shutter speed is like most SLRs, but I have had one difficulty of when photographing my nieces. At times, it stops shooting. I press it half way, let it focus, then shoot. But sometimes, it doesn't shoot and I wait for a bit to refocus and then it will shoot again. I'm not sure why this happens. Perhaps it's a focusing issue and the camera doesn't allow me to take the picture just yet and I'm a bit impatient.

I've also heard that this model doesn't fit lenses of other brands. This is a problem if you want to try out different ones. The Nikon D40 does, however, fit Nikon lenses. This is a drawback, but at the same time, as an amateur, do I need all the different and high quality lenses NOW? Not at this point. The lens I have (18-55mm) is good for everyday shots, and I can get any Nikon lens and some (only some!) of other brands if needed. I don't need the best quality now, but I do need one that's functional and of good quality. One or two is fine with me, but if you want one that can handle multiple lenses and a huge variety of settings, this camera may not be for you.

The 2.5" LCD screen makes viewing easy but there is a problem with the nose touching it when shooting. Therefore, there are marks on it. I have to constantly wipe it down to keep it clean. Other than that, it's clear and bright.

The other drawback, as with most cameras, is the flash--it whites out everything in the photo. My sister asked me that if diffusing the flash makes the lighting softer and thus better, why don't camera makers make their flashes with a diffusing cover instead of the clear cover? Who knows... the flash on this Nikon floods out everything in the photo, just like other flashes. You'll need to buy a diffuser, make your own diffuser, or buy a separate softbox, etc. I don't like the flash in general.

Overall though, I love my camera. I have had good times with it, along with a few bumps. But it's been good to me and my family and friends. We've enjoyed the quality of the photos and I've enjoyed it even more--my previous digital camera had the options of white balance, image optimization, etc., but not to the degree of quality as an SLR. Nikon did great for this lower end model--it's worth the money for a beginner without going overboard on the price. A more complicated and versatile camera can be purchased after all the functions of the SLR and skills of the photographer are learned and refined.

This is an excellent starter camera for those interested in the world of photography.