The only external difference
between the Nikon D40x and the still current D40 is
its badge. Maintaining the design of its predecessor, the
D40x simply swaps the 6.1 megapixel CCD of the D40 for the
currently expected 10 megapixel CCD.
All the external controls of the D40x are rigorously identical
to those of the D40, both in terms of position and function.
At the top of the grip, the two-stageshutter release with the power switch
around it is tilted forward ergonomically. Directly behind
it, two small buttons offer the following functions:
The shooting information
button serves to display a screen that shows all
current camera settings on the monitor, and then turns
it off. Worth noting, the camera can be configured to
turn on this display screen as soon as it is turned on,
turning it off only while the shutter release is pressed.
The button also has a secondary
function: when pressed in conjunction with the playback
zoom button (see further) for more than two
seconds, it serves to reset all the settings
of the D40 to their factory defaults.
The right side button also
has a dual function: it controls Exposure Compensation
when pressed in and the Command Dial at the top of the
camera's back (see further) isrotated. A compensation
range of ±5 EV in 0.3 EV increments is available.
While when the D40x is
set to Aperture Priority or the Manual
mode, the button serves to adjust the aperture
when pressed and the Command Dial is turned.
Occupying most of the space on the top right side of the
camera, the Mode Dial offers 12 capture
modes that are grouped into two areas. The most advanced
modes are grouped on a gray background, while the
digital Vari-Programs (scene modes) and the
green Auto mode take up the rest:
Program mode allows
the camera to select the aperture and shutter speed.
Alternate combinations of aperture and shutter speeds
that would also result in a correct exposure but which
would either favour the capture of movement, or the
depth of field can be selected using the Command Dial.
Shutter priority
mode offers control over the shutter speed using the
Command Dial while the camera selects the aperture.
The shutter speed range covers from 1/4000 second to
30 seconds.
Aperture Priority mode
allows control over the aperture — and therefore
the depth of field — while the camera selects a
matching shutter speed. The aperture range depends on
the lens used.
Manual mode gives
the user complete control over the exposure, adding a
Bulb (B) mode that allows unlimited exposures,
and an exposure mode labelled only as [--] which
can be as long as 30 minutes, both of which require the
use of the optional remote control. Using the Manual
mode, shutter speeds are selected directly with the Command
Dial, while selecting apertures requires holding down
the Exposure Compensation button ()
while the Command Dial is rotated.
Auto mode puts
the D40x in charge of nearly all settings when capturing
images, but still allows the user to set the Sensitivity,
AF mode, Flash mode, Continuous mode and the image quality.
Auto Flash Off is
similar to the Auto mode but does not use the flash,
even if the ambient light makes it necessary. The mode
selects the focus area containing the closest subject,
and the AF Assist lamp is used to ensure focus.
Portrait mode gives
preference to a large aperture to help blur the background
— an effect that is more pronounced when a telephoto
lens is used — focuses on the closest subject,
and enhances skin tones.
Landscape mode
automatically turns off the flash and the AF Assist
lamp and focuses on the closest subject. Sharpness,
colour and contrast are accentuated.
Child mode serves
to capture quick moving subjects. The camera selects
the nearest subject, and renders skin tones vividly.
Sports uses a high
shutter speed to freeze motion. The camera focuses continuously
while the shutter button is pressed halfway, tracking
the subject in the centre focus area. The built-in flash
and AF Assist lamp are turned off automatically.
Close Up mode is
intended to capture subjects such as insects, flowers,
etc. The camera focuses on the subject in the centre
focus area, but other focus points can be selected using
the Multi selector.
Night Portrait mode
is designed to balance a flash exposure of the foreground
with a dimly lit background. The flash opens automatically
and fires in Slow Synch mode with Red-eye Reduction.
The TTL viewfinder of the D40x has had no modification or
addition from the D40. The viewfinder is a penta-Dach
mirror viewfinder that uses, instead of a five-sided prism
of solid glass, five mirrors that produce the same view but
weigh less, while yielding a bright image that shows approximately
95% of the frame. A removable rubber eyecup partially hides
a dioptre correction located on the right side of the exit
pupil.
The focus screen of the D40x provides the three AF areas,
and a red dot lights up at the centre of the active AF point.
Under the image, a green LCD panel provides information about
camera settings:
Focus indicator
Focus brackets
Battery indicator
AE Lock
Flexible Program indicator
Shutter speed
Aperture
Exposure scale
Flash exposure compensation
Exposure compensation
Auto ISO indicator
Number of shots remaining
Number of shots remaining before the buffer fills up
"K" (which appears when more than 1000 shots
can be captured)
Flash ready indicator
Warning indicator
More controls are available on the back of the D40x, aligned
on either side of the 2.5 inch (6.3 cm), 230,000-pixel
monitor, which is the only LCD panel on the camera.
Four buttons are positioned on the left side of the monitor:
Playback mode
displays the last captured image. Pressing the button
twice returns the camera to the capture mode.
Calls up the D40x's menu
which is composed of five sections. The options contained
in the menu are detailed in the Characteristics
and Interface and Software sections
of the review.
The third button serves to
return to a full screen view of the image in playback
when the image has been magnified on the monitor, or present
images as a 9-thumbnail index screen.
And, while the camera is
set to the Auto mode or one of the
Digital Vari-Programs, the button serves to
display help screens that explain a mode, offer guidance
on how to capture a photo, or simply explain the function
of a specific option.
The fourth button of the
column also has three functions. The D40x lacking a
panel that indicates current camera settings, the monitor
is used for that function.
In a capture mode, pressing the button displays
current camera settings, the Shooting Information
Display, just like the
button.
Three different displays
are available, and the display can be different for
the advanced modes and the scene modes: A classic display,
a graphic display or a display that uses a background
image selected from those on the memory card.
Moreover, when the Shooting Information Display is
active, pressing the
button a second time makes it possible to modify some
of the camera settings using either the Multi
Selector — a four direction control —
or the Command Dial :
Image Size and Quality (see the Characteristics
section of the review).
White Balance: Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent,
Direct Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade or White Balance
Preset (evaluated under ambient light).
ISO Sensitivity: Auto (if activated in the
menu, this option is also available for the P, S,
A, and M modes), 100, 200, 400, 800 or 1600 ISO. Moreover,
a HI 1 setting allows pushing sensitivity up
to 3200 ISO.
Shooting Mode:
Single Frame: captures a single image
each time the shutter release is pressed.
Continuous (Burst Mode): allows the D40x
to capture images at 3 frames per second while
the shutter release is pressed. The number of
images that can be captured at this frame rate
depends on the image format used.
Self-Timer: provides delays of 2, 5,
10 or 15 seconds.
Delayed Remote: inserts a 2-second delay
when the optional ML-L3 Remote Control
is used.
Quick Response Remote: releases the shutter
immediately when the optional ML-L3 Remote
Control is used.
AF Mode:
AF-A: allows the camera to automatically
detect whether the subject is stationary or moving,
adapting the focusing mode to the situation. The
shutter release can only be released if the camera
has focused.
AF-S: focus occurs when the shutter release
is pressed halfway, and the shutter can only be
released when the camera has focused.
AF-C: allows the camera to focus continuously,
maintaining focus on a moving subject.
MF: manual focus, which offers focusing
assistance with the Focus indicator in the viewfinder.
AF-Area Mode:
Closest Subject: the camera finds the closest
subject in any one of its three focus areas.
Dynamic Area: allows the user to select
the focus point, but if the subject moves the
camera automatically tracks it using the other
AF points.
Single Area: allows selecting the AF area
using the Multi selector.
Flash Mode:
With the camera set to P, A, S
or M: Forced On (Fill-in), Red-eye Reduction,
Slow Sync with Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync and
Slow Sync with the Rear Curtain.
With the camera set to Auto or one of
the Digital Vari-Programs: Auto, Auto with
Red-eye Reduction, or Forced Off.
Exposure Compensation: over ±5 EV
in 0.3 EV increments.
Flash Exposure Compensation: over a range
of -3.0 to +1.0 EV in 0.3 EV increments.
Set to the Playback
mode the button serves to zoom into an image under review
up to 25X for 10-megapixel images, 19X for mid-size
images, and 13X for small size images.
The final function for the
button, indicated by a green dot, indicating that when
it is used in conjunction with the Exposure compensation
button (see above) it serves to reset
to the camera to its default settings.
At the top right corner of
the monitor, a button provides two distinct functions:
In a capture mode the
button serves to Lock the Auto Exposure settings
and the Auto Focus, which avoids having to hold
the shutter release at the halfway point. This behaviour,
however, can be customized (see the Characteristics
section of the review for more information).
With the D40 in Playback mode,
the button serves to protect images from an accidental
erasure.
To its right, and at the top
of the camera's back, the Command Dial serves
to modify camera settings such as shutter speed and aperture,
or those that can be modified in the Shooting Information
Display.
Below, the Multi-selector serves to select the AF
point, serves to navigate the camera's menus, and review images
in playback. While at its centre, the OK button serves
to confirm menu selections.
With the D40x set to the Playback
mode pressing the up direction
of the Multi-selector makes it possible to change the quantity
of information superimposed on the image:
File Information, which offers basic image data;
Shooting Data Page 1, which offers detailed shooting
data;
Shooting Data Page 2;
Retouch History (only shown if the image has been
retouched using the options of the Retouch Menu);
Highlights, which makes the potentially overexposed
areas of the image blink;
Histogram, which displays a graph showing the distribution
of brightness in the image.
Finally, one button below the
Multi-selector serves to delete unwanted images while the
camera is set to the Playback mode.
Serves to open the flash when the camera
is set to one of the advanced modes. With the camera
set to Auto mode or one of the digital Vari-Programs
the flash opens automatically.
Holding down the button and rotating the Command
Dial, the flash mode can be selected directly without
having to use the Shooting Information Display.
In addition, with the camera set to P, S, A or M,
pressing this button in conjunction with the exposure
compensation button simultaneously allows adjusting
Flash Exposure Compensation (over a range of
-3.0 to +1.0 EV in 0.3 EV increments).
The Function button
is set by default to activate the Self-Timer.
An option in the Custom settings(see the
Characteristics section of the review)
allows assigning a different function to it if
desired: Continuous mode, Image Quality, Image Size,
ISO Sensitivity, or White Balance.
The Nikon D40x is also equipped with a flash shoe dedicated
to Speedlights SB-400, SB-600, SB-800
and SB-R200. Using Nikon Speedlights, allows the use
of Nikon i-TTL flash metering that takes into account
the focal length in use and the distance to the subject to
calculate exposure.
As noted at the beginning, in terms of ergonomics, the D40x
is identical to the D40. The in-hand feel is excellent, and
the TTL viewfinder's image is crisp and clear. Start-up the
camera is instantaneous, and the camera reacts instantly to
its controls. And, since there are relatively few external
controls and these are organized logically, becoming familiar
with the operation of the D40x takes little time.
Still, as was the case with the D40, we regret that Nikon
did not see fit to add the possibility of displaying a composition
grid in the monitor, an excellent feature available with other
Nikon SLR cameras.
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Ergonomics
button a second time makes it possible to modify some
of the camera settings using either the Multi
Selector — a four direction control —
or the Command Dial :
Closest Subject: the camera finds the closest
subject in any one of its three focus areas.
Dynamic Area: allows the user to select
the focus point, but if the subject moves the
camera automatically tracks it using the other
AF points.
Single Area: allows selecting the AF area
using the Multi selector.
