Is the New Nikon D40 Camera Worth the Money?

I love photography, almost as much as I do playing videogames. It's what I do. When I looked all over the internet for a reasonably priced digital camera I was frustrated by the lack of Single Lens Reflex digital cameras available on the market. At work I use a Nikon D2H and being spoiled with the different types of photographs I can shoot that a regular digital point and shoot offers I want a camera that is comparable with the one I use at work.

I shopped around and looked at Canon, Fuji and other brands but could not find the reliability my D2H provided. Plus not very many of the other brands except for the Canon Rebel even came close to offering a suitable SLR camera. Sure the package said SLR, but once you test it out the abilities of the lens were limited or it becomes a challenge to find another lens for the camera and when you do find it. It's so fragile you nearly crack the lens putting it into the camera. Those already on the market would not work for me. So I turned towards the internet for help.

It was by chance that I came across the Nikon D40 on Amazon's camera listings. I stared at the picture and read the descriptions over and over again in disbelief. None of the stores in my area were carrying the camera at the time so I took a chance and bought it through a special deal with Amazon.
The camera's base price is $599.95 and comes with a 18 to 55mm f/3.5 to 5.6 EDII AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor lens, but through a special deal with Amazon I was able to purchase this camera for $100 less. It was appealing to me because not only was the price just right for my budget, it came with warranties for the camera and the 18 to 55 zoom lens that came with it. I was amazed by the eye candy before me, but the real test would come when I received the camera, charged the batteries and play with it.

The camera had many similar features as the Nikon D2H, though I wasn't thrilled with the automatic flash that pops up when the camera thinks the subject I'm photographing is too dark. But in the menu folder I was able to control the speed in which the camera shoots, white balance, turn the auto focus on or off and set the camera to photograph in bursts. It has the capability to be point-and-shoot simple but allows the user to control the camera and what it shoots a little easier than the standard point and shoot camera.

The other concern I had was the quality of the images. Will it give me the same quality as my Nikon D2H? That would be a resounding yes. The D40's high-resolution image quality produced crystal clear images at 6.1 megapixels. The other bonus this camera have that makes it a nice buy is the ability to shoot in bursts. Making action shots a piece of cake. Though my D2H can shoot bursts of 7 frames per second, the D40 can shoot bursts of 5 frames per second and depending on your subject can shoot seamless movement or if too dark may show motion blurs. I have had this camera for two months now and I'm still happy with this product. The image quality and usability is very close to the D2H I use at the newspaper I work for and I totally recommend this camera.

Pros: Offers same quality as other high-end Nikon Digital Cameras, The digital image quality is comparable to that of a high-end professional Nikon D2H, it's lightweight, the batteries last a very long time, the window on the back shows you the images as you shoot them for reference, you can use the built-in flash for quick shots or attach your personal flash to the camera, camera comes with a warranty for the camera itself and a warranty for the lens.

Cons: Burst cycle is a bit slower than the Nikon D2H, if you don't have a personal flash attached the built-in will pop up when it thinks your subject is too dark.