Nikon D40 w/18-55mm lens Digital SLR Outfit Review

Nikon D40 w/18-55mm lens Digital SLR Outfit — 

The Nikon D40 is my first DSLR.  It takes some time to get use to it.  I bought mine two years ago.  It overexposes the pictures in the Auto mode setting.  I sent photos to Nikon and they basically denied this.  I even pointed out that there are Nikon sites that say several Nikon DSLR's overexpose their pictures and that you have to use Program mode to compensate for this.

So, I shoot from Program mode.  It appears that the exposure table is different from the exposure table when shooting from Auto mode.  I can set the Program settings to match the Auto settings, yet I get a better picture in Program mode.  I did play around with the more recent Nikon D40 and Auto mode doesn't seem as overexposed as my camera, however, I only shot inside a dimly lit store.  Also, I haven't checked to see if there has been a software update.

The D40 is a decent DSLR.  It's light weight and takes great pictures, (in Program mode), and I like the 6 MP file size.  The 8-12 MP file sizes from the newer cameras use up a lot of storage and it doesn't really buy you much.  The advantages of a DSLR over a point and shoot is the option for interchangeable lens, it takes a much better picture in low light, you can take 2.5 shots per second, with or without flash.

The cons are, Auto mode is useless (at least on my camera), there isn't a video capture mode, if you're use to using the LCD to frame your shot, "Live view", there isn't that feature on the D40.

The D40 took some time to get use to, and I like it, however, I'm only rating it two stars because you should be able to just pick the camera up and shoot from Auto mode and quality pictures as you would from any point and shoot.