Nikon enriches its «entry level» reflex line with the surprising D40x.  It takes us off guard for several reasons, one of them being because this reflex appears to be a cross between the D40 (for its body) and the D80 (for internal components, its 10 million pixels, and shutter). Has Nikon found the right mix?

In hand

Those who have already handled the Nikon D40 will be in familiar territory with this new reflex. The exterior is no different except for the appearance of a small « x » on the body. The D40x thus is part of the family of small reflexes that are easy to handle and can fit into a handbag. Construction is serious and the overall feel is solid. Despite its small dimensions, the D40x conserves a reflex look with a real grip. Only Olympus and its E-400 (and E-410) has managed to come up with a finer and lighter camera, however, the lack of a grip suggests it’s a large compact. Here, the large handle ensures a good hold and the D40x feels better in your hand than the EOS 400D, which suffered more from its miniaturization in this area. The interface is reduced to a strict minimum with a dial for the choice of exposure modes and there a few commands on the back. 

Actually, a big evolution of the D40x (and D40) is that it can be adjusted like a compact. The main screen displays the shot’s main parameters (quality, white balance, ISO sensitivity, burst and focus mode, light meter and flash) and by simply pressing a button you can quickly change any one of these settings. For each option, there is an explicative image as well as contextual help. This is a practical system for those who rarely modify these parameters, however, it could quickly tire the seasoned photographer. The viewfinder, another essential component of the reflex, is also a nice surprise, and, for example, is not as tight as those of the D70 or EOS 400D. Finally, with the D40x we have the pleasure of a reactivity worthy of a reflex (almost instantaneous startup, burst mode of 3 images/s) and high performance 3 point autofocus.

Image quality

While the appearance is the same, the motorization of the D40x has evolved considerably compared to the D40. The sensor is a 10 megapixel (versus 6) and numeric processing comes from the D80. The result is that the quality of images is really amazing. In automatic mode, images are often well exposed and colors are dazzling. The D40x thus offers photos that are instantly ready for printing or viewing on the screen. This is a characteristic that is very fitting for a beginner’s reflex. As for noise control, Nikon has once again made some progress. Up until 400 ISO it is almost absent, becomes noticeable at 800 ISO, and it is entirely possible to shoot at 1600 ISO. The D40x gives us a margin here and it can go as high 3200 ISO (Hi1 mode) with some noticeable degradation, but files are still largely usable. The is camera is only sold as a kit (impossible to find it by itself) with a 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 lens worthy of its name. This objective is versatile and produces relatively sharp pictures, and could only be replaced by a model with an internal motor (AF-S, see box).

Who is this reflex for?

The D40x is an attractive camera, but who is it intended for? Indeed, the beginning photographer would probably be happy with a D40 and its 6 million pixels, which is (much) less expensive. And the more professional photographer will be tempted by a D80 (much more expensive) or Pentax K10D that have a better construction and are equipped with more options on the camera body.