Nikon D40 dSLR Camera Review

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I’ve been having a string of bad lucks when it comes to digital cameras.

First, I had my one-year-old pocket-sized Sony T9 stolen. At least I thought it was stolen.
Actually I had carelessly misplaced the camera and couldn’t find it for a month. By the time I found it, I had already stupidly forked out cash for a Sony T10 to replace it. D’oh! So I ended up having two similar Sony cameras side by side.
I had plans to sell off my old T9, but then my brand new Sony T10 was stolen.

It was New Year’s Eve and I was out partying in crowded places. My camera was clipped on to my belt. One moment I was happily snapping photos of my buddies, next moment, it was gone. 🙁
It sucks bad enough that your camera is stolen. but when your 2-month-old baby is stolen – damn, that sucks even worse than an Electrolux vacuum cleaner.

I couldn’t get over the fact that I lost a new camera. My impulse told me to immediately get another Sony T10 to fix my broken heart. But then I have a slim camera in my arsenal already, so why add another similar one to it?
After a bit of research, I decided to spend a bit more to jack up my weapon to a larger digital SLR instead.

This is the Nikon D40 dSLR camera I bought for myself a few weeks ago.
I went for a Nikon because almost everyone I know who are serious about their photography uses a Nikon. Even the people who depends on their camera to fed them like Joyce Wong, Kid Chan, and Alvin Leong all shoot with a Nikon.

The camera isn’t yet available in Kuching. I got mine from a shop at Sungai Wang Plaza in KL, and even then many shops there have already sold out the Nikon D40. Some even jacked up their prices unreasonably high just to piss potential customers off. Dammit I hate people like that.
There’s a reason for this camera’s popularity. The Nikon D40 is the smallest and lightest digital SLR camera on the market. It is also the most affordable, which is good for cheapskates like me.

Previously, if you want a dSLR you gotta be prepared to pay a starting price of around RM3,000. The Nikon D40 comes with a price tag of less than RM2,200 and comes bundled with a camera bag and a 1GB SD card.

Look at how good the camera is. This shot is taken with a Sony T9.
Compare that with a similar shot taken blow with the Nikon D40.

There’s really no comparison between the two. The dSLR is in a whole different league of its own. Image quality-wise, the Nikon D40 is leaps and bounds ahead of any camera I have ever owned.
I especially like its ability to focus so quick and so good.

On the downside, the Nikon D40 is so freaking humungous that I cannot possibly carry it around everywhere I go.

Where am I gonna hide this camera, man? In my pocket?
Still, I’m taking this baby whenever I can and learning it slowly. Right now, there are too many manual controls that a casual photographer like me are clueless of and would have to take time to figure out.
What “shutter speed” what “aperature priority”? I catch no ball.

It’s an expensive hobby lah, this whole photography thing. I don’t even have aspirations to be a professional photographer. I just wanna take better pictures than I currently do.
The good this about having a SLR is that when my photography skillz go from n00b to l33t, the option to upgrade the camera is there.

I can even zhng my camera with different types of lens!
Here are a few more reasons why an SLR camera kicks bigger arse than a normal digital camera.
1. An SLR camera takes a lot better pictures.

In Malaysia, ‘Dilarang Membuang Sampah’ means ‘You’re welcome to chuck your rubbish here anyhow you like’

Even a rubbish dump looks good when it’s taken with an SLR camera.
You don’t see professional photographers for magazines or weddings going around snapping photos with pissy Sony T10s. They all use big black cameras. The BIGGER the camera, the BETTER. And if you’re not using your BIG camera to take pictures, you can always use it to hit people.

2. You look way cooler holding an SLR camera.

And chicks are gonna dig you.
Why? Because an SLR camera is big. And chicks dig guys who carry around a big equipment.

3. You can go to concerts or events for free by dressing up as a reporter.

The security aren’t gonna know diddly squat about cameras. They’ll just think people who hold small cameras are fanboys trying to harrass the celebrities and those who hold big cameras are reporters trying to do their jobs. Instead of getting chased away by angry burly men, you can sneak into the restricted zones and take up-close photos of the celebrities as much as you like. After all, you’re just a reporter “doing your job”, right? 😉 Hur hur hur.
(Disclaimer: kennysia.com does not encourage sneaking into concerts. Please seek your mommy’s permission before you do so. kennysia.com will not be held liable for any damages, including damages done to your face when you’re caught by security)

4. Finally, your subjects are happier if you take pictures of them with an SLR camera.
Last time, if you use a normal camera to shoot them, they would say NO.


Now, if you use an SLR camera to shoot them, they pose for you!

Such is the power of a dSLR camera.


The New Straits Times vs Jeff Ooi lawsuit has taught me many new things, including Latin legal terms such as “Inter-Parte” injunctions and “Ex-Parte” orders. Whatever those words mean.
Before the case, to me an “Ex-Parte” is when I bring all my ex-girlfriends to the club, and we all have a big “party”.

147 Replies to “Nikon D40 dSLR Camera Review”

  1. hahah i wont mind one of those but not out of my pocket thou 😛 if someone can err.. steal me one 😉 OI! kenny’s look nice.. mayb we can sneak round his place….
    jks

  2. Whooaa… I just got the same camera! And I may have gotten ripped off.. I payed more than RM2,200! (ok, just slightly more, and I got a 2GB card).
    I got the camera for the same reasons you did. And I’m just as in love with it as you. The pics kick SSS… cant wait to try out more stuff with it

  3. Dude . . the pictures that you took with the Sony ‘n’ the Nikon . . . I’ll say that you had a slower shutter speed with the Nikon, hence a brighter image as well as blurred water reflection . . . try slowing down your shutter speed with the Sony and you ‘might’ get as good an image . . . tee hee hee . .sorry to be the one to break it to ya

  4. i don’t know much about photography but personally i liked the shot (of the hotel and river) by sony t9 more than the nikon d40 coz the details are clearer.

  5. Envy envy… good for you.. the aperature and shutter speeds will determine how much light comes in and also how fast the shutter closes to prevent further light from coming in, something like that. Google it up and once u master it, you’re so gonna love it because it determines how good your pictures are gonna be. Envy Envy… dSLR.. my dream.. 😉

  6. hey kenny. thank you.
    your review made me understand dSLR cameras better. now i know which camera to get that will make people pose nude artistically for me..
    but seriously, thanks you!

  7. ihope ur d40 is safe with u man.. dun leave it in ur car… later ur car kena break into den u know…
    then u’ll make another post abt the loss..

  8. hey kenny! im a singaporean student studying in Perth atm. i love ur blog… I think I might follow urs more than XX! (dont tell her that tho haha) i recently bought a Pink sony t10. yeah I could have bought a $300+ silver cam but i paid extra $200 for the stylishness of it. so sad urs kena-ed stolen! 🙁 but that slr looks HOT. (like u)
    keep blogging ur great stuff! ;))

  9. it’s one of my fav cameras but I still have no idea how to use it whatsoever!!!!! Very complicated and mafan loh all those gadgety buttons!!!!!!!
    😉

  10. I LIKE UR ‘chicks dig guys who carry around a big equipment.’ NEXT TIME I WILL GO AROUND CARRYING A BIG HAND-PHONE THE SIZE OF A BRICK LIKE THE OLD 010 ERISON BIG-BRO WAN. SEE CAN ATTRACT CHICK. HE!HE!

  11. hi kenny, this is a fellow s’wakian currently based in japan. do you mind looking at the bottom of your d40 and letting me know if its made in thailand. Bcos the ones sold here in japan are made in thailand and i was just wondering if the ones in m’sia were also treated to some tom yam goong at the assembly lines. kaap kun ka.

  12. wei kenny… kononnya you cant see the photos on yr camera screen until AFTER you take them.. is that a big drawback?? (nice photos btw)

  13. about time u get one of these babies! I have a bunch of friends who’s into photography and brings around their dSLR all the time. I feel like we are a big bunch of paparazzi. haha. I want one too but my photography skill sucks. I shall keep practising with the laubeh digicam first!

  14. I think if you exposed the shot taken by the T9 as long as you did for the D40 you’ll get pretty much the same effect :). Still, a DSLR provides more freedom and flexibility when taking photos and it’s way more effective when you want to improve your photography skills as opposed to using a normal digicam.

  15. i have a dSLR too. Canon 30D.
    When in HK late last year I went to Happy Valley racecourse with some friends. We were inside the members area and I walked into the media section of the racecourse with my camera and white shirt. The other cameramen didn’t question or even blink an eye.
    Afterwards I walked into the owners dining and around their tables and private booths. Security didn’t even stop to question me. I didn’t wanna take pics in there as i really didn’t know anybody else tho.
    the power of a dSLR =P

  16. *looks at own Canon A430 and dad’s Sont T-50*
    i want a dSLR, too. *pouts*
    daddy?
    seriously, i love the crisp photo quality. only a dSLR can give you that. and the satisfaction of having that big piece of equipment in your hands while snapping high quality photographs? priceless.
    okay now i really want one.
    DADDY??

  17. thanks for the all the info:)
    there’s creative multimedia major in my campus and it’s easy to see ppl with those big black cameras around…hehe….
    it’s cool indeed.

  18. I hope Sony will produced a picture quality digital camera in the form of Nikon D40 dSLR which will fit into my pocket called Sony T11. I’m waiting for that day. I’ll sure buy. 🙂

  19. hey kenny.. i’ll bet u’ll upgrade to a D80 in no time… i’ll giv u one yrs time.. kaka.. anyway do join us at photomalaysia.com:) bunch of nice photogs there willing to answer any of ur stupid questions.. kakaka… seeya!!

  20. I have Nikon D50, and it rocks!
    Even a bad photographer like me can take decent photos with it!=D
    I bought mine in Uk for £500++ with 2 lenses..

  21. Actually, the Olympus E400 is the smallest at the moment with 129.5 x 91 x 53mm and 380g without battery.
    The Nikon D40 is 126 x 94 x 64 mm at 471g without battery.
    Have blissful fun with it; if you join a photography forum you might just become bitter and wish you bought more lenses and some other camera instead.

  22. shutter speed means the time the camera takes to snap a picture, while appeture refers to the size of the window insdide the lens it controls the light intensity and helps in focusing… u should try permutating them u might even end up with edgy fashion shots… good luck!

  23. OI ! You got the Nikon D40 !! You bas tard ! LOL
    I just got a SMALL Canon Powershot A630 digicam today, almost got the BIG DSLR but thought, nahhhh.. hahahaa

  24. I think I take pretty decent photos with my consumer-grade 4.0 Megapixel Pentax Optio 43WR …
    Would I be catapulted into the ‘pro’ league when I switch to a dSLR? I doubt it; but I would be able to make larger prints that’s all.
    It’s the photographer not the camera. It’s just a tool and like everyone else I would like to have the best tool(s) on hand. And good tools demand greater skills of the user to bring out the best.
    BTW you’d bought the D40 at a very good price! And I am also a nikon fan – I still have my FM2,FM2T, F4s, F90x and F5 film cameras! All ‘absolute’ now. *sigh*

  25. i was holding out for the price of canon S3 to drop…now reading abt this nikon D40 makes me drool after i played with the 10x optical zoon of nikon coolpix S10
    🙁 when i can change my canon a95??

  26. argh! i’m aiming for a DSLR also.. but cannot get it coz it’s way tooooooo expensive.. so maybe get a LOMO fish eye first 🙂 and a 3CCD video recorded is my dream too! give me lots of cameras!! 😀

  27. Hi Kenny, like you, i’m interested in taking photographs as a hobby not in a professional way. Im currently looking for a SLR camera too but I’m afraid that I will end up wasting money because there’s a lot of functions and I’m just a casual photographer. So in your opinion, what do you think i should have do? To buy or not to buy?

  28. hey i’ve a T9 too, but i don’t know how to operate its night mode. may i know what night mode u use to take pics esp while clubbing? thanks!

  29. d40 is good actually, for beginner. The only con.. d40 cannot match with older lens due to the camera dun have auto focus motor, summary, it only can mount with AF-S lens, other than that kind of lens, u have to manually focus it.. manual focus = slow and cant focus accurately.

  30. so true about what you have written about SLR lol…i hope you will take better pictures and cant wait to see the results!

  31. Hey dude, one thing great about DSLR is the battery life. You can leave it in standby mode for a few days and it’s till ready to shoot in 0.2 sec. Shuttle speed is great and the feeling of shuttle hitting is another plus.
    Yah all 3 of us Kiasu Bro and sis each has a D70S….bragging right!

  32. is it just me or does the picture taken with the sony t9 look better than the nikon d40? or did you mix those two up?
    lol the one above looks crisper and sharper

  33. The one taken by Sony was “crisper” because it’s taken with a shorter shutter time, while the one taken with the Nikon was “smoother”, the water appears “silkier” and some say “more blurred” because it’s the effect of a long exposure. If you change to a shorter exposure time in your Nikon, you would get the same effect with the Sony. And there are advantages to each exposures, but in general long exposure is more preferred in night photography because of its “surreal” and “smooth” effect. I think the Nikon pic could have been done better should Kenny stabilized his image better by using a tripod or putting the camera on some stable surface.
    I would strongly recommend http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/ and http://www.morguefile.com/archive/classroom.php for online photography learning. Once you read through all the articles in the two websites, you will certainly understand most of the functions of your camera, and how to use them.

  34. pics from dslr isnt 100% sharp. be it nikon or canon.
    u noe…about taking pics of concert and some events, say in shopping mall, they have strict rules regarding who they let to shoot. Some organizers ban slrs from such events. shopping malls they tend to haf security staff checking for ur id/tag before letting you shoot.
    not just any dlsr with big lens. it happened to me 😛

  35. Strangely enough, Kenny is right. When i use my Canon point and snap camera, people seem to shy away or even ignore the fact that they want their picture taken.
    When I use my trusty old manual SLR, they actually pose for pictures in the confidence they would appear in a magazine or other forms of print media. Actually, they would just be for my college assignment projects ;P. At least I let them sign a release form so I won’t be sued lol.

  36. You, sir, are currently tempting a 15-year-old girl. That large device might stun the bimbos in school and I can’t imagine them camwhoring using that big thing. Garr wished I could afford one for the sake of better pictures..

  37. I had my sonyT cam stolen in less than a month. i was so terrified. i never bought a cam after that until now. that was like 3years ago man. so sad. i take photos with my lousy hp cam now.

  38. the comment number 100 … Kenny! Good choice! I was thinking of getting that one as well! let me play with it when i’m back to Kch, can or not? Meet up? Yea?

  39. Gosh.. just when I’m talking about cameras with my friend and you’re doing a review of it :p
    I gave up on giving opinions about cameras la. I’m using a small Casio that I got about 3 years ago and I love it so much cuz’ it’s a small wonder. I’ve taken a lot of good pictures with it. So, when I said Casio is good, ALL of them will get something else except Casio…(sadly, including my bro) weird. Like that no need to ask me la.. cheh!
    I’m saving up to get a DSLR. Any idea if a Pentax is good? or just get a Nikon? (ahaha.. speaking of that, I’m also doing it la.. when ppl said Nikon is good.. i ask about Pentax :p)
    And I’ve experienced sneaking in small camera into concerts…sometimes, it was a success.. and sometimes, kena confiscate and have to leave at the counter 🙁 You sure with a DSLR they won’t confiscate ah? Afters I have to leave my DSLR at the counter and hilang how??

  40. Kenny, u look like a professional murder when u holding the camera rather a professional photographer. haha. I doubt everyone would want to picture with big camera. The way the uncle act is a bit funny and weird…haha..

  41. hey kenny ah u shld have gotten a Canon instead… Seriously, Canon DSLR bodies are much better than Nikon.. Although the Nikon lenses are superior compared to Canon.. You shld have gotten a 400D!

  42. I agree with orangysb, the picture taken by your Sony T9 is better than the one by Nikon..haha..The bottom pic got hmm..whats the word..’san kuang’ ;P
    Cheers

  43. Kenny, great grammar.
    “Even the people who depends on their camera to FED them like Joyce Wong, Kid Chan, and Alvin Leong all shoot with a Nikon.”
    LOL

  44. personally, i’d say you bought the camera without proper research and just to keep up with the jones. And, you’re like the piper taking all the kids with you =(
    Maybe it isnt that bad, nikon will give you some freebies for suddenly boosting their profit in malaysia by 101%.

  45. And D40 and its kit lens looks too small (read amateurish) to pass you off as a professional photographer or journalist.
    I’m even complaining my D70 is amateurish…

  46. Whoo
    i am serious in taking photo too
    but i dont have enough money to buy a slr camere
    so, i just bought a sony cyber shot dsc-s600 last year.

  47. Because everyone knows that shit cameras make shit photos. If they know you have the equipment-awesomeness of let’s say National-Geographic or something, they’d do anything to get on your screen.
    Peace.

  48. 🙂 DSLR! yay welcome to the world of better photography. xD some of my choir seniors are serious about photography.
    http://wanzwphoto.blogspot.com
    that’s my senior’s blog! go visit! he might be able to give you some advice on buying camera-related stuff in singapore. haha just a trip across the causeway away. 🙂

  49. HEWLETT!!!! u read kennysia too lol… HEHEHEHE I AM FINALLY GETTING MY OWN DSLR TOO! albeit it’s only a 300D but HECK!

  50. ok now i m sure i will buy nikon dslr
    i m going to start my photography class next month in my u…
    still searching for the a good dslr…
    wat about d80??

  51. Most point and shoot digicams may look sharp because when it saves to its default JPEG, it auto sharpens. If you’re really into photography, try taking photos in RAW format rather than the general JPEG. Photos can be sharpened and data saved in each file is straight from the CCD/CMOS. the only downside is that the files are HUGE.. like the nikon d200 RAW file is 15mb per shot… and youre right Kenny, i was in 1 utama during a fashion show, and the guards didnt allow me take photos.. konon, my camera “too big” so i had to run up and register myself as press and i got to stand on the media platform… ahaha.. maybe i see u there one day?

  52. I have a question. You support the Sony digital cameras? I always loved Sony, but when it comes to a DigiCam, you have to purchase a Sony memory card when you buy a Sony digicam, which in turn makes Sony jack up the prices of the memory cards. That’s what I hear anyway.
    I had a Nikon Coolpix 4600. AND that one had such a bad blurry pic when I chose to not use the flash, to take pictures in low-light situations… so that makes me worried to try a Nikon again.. and I just need a normal camera, not a SLR, since they’re humongous. Can you help a fellow East-Malaysian? (Sorry, i’m from sabah and have to say that Sabah has the best food.)

  53. Hi Hi^.^.Dont be sad when your camera is “stoled”(i mean that when you lost it again ,of course! =P) Anyway,hope you have better luck with your camera this time. =) *really dont lost it again!!! -_-

  54. I just booked a D40 a few days ago. It’s so rare to find fifteen-year-old girls choosing a DSLR over a boring point-and-shoot digicam (and not forgetting the horrible built-in 2.0MP camera which most handphones have)
    Claiming my D40 very soon and I bet that it’ll kick my dad’s Sony T7’s arse ;D Oh, and all the whie, I thought that you were using a Canon DSLR, until I reminded myself to read this entry of yours..
    Now I wonder: Do guys dig chicks with big equipments too? HEH

  55. hi there,
    really amaze with the photo and i also waiting for dslr too!!really excited when read ur stories.hope u will put more tips in using dslr

  56. kenny, get a Nikon D90, get a nikon d90 it comes with hi-def video
    get an 18-200mm VR lens with it (RM2750)
    and the body alone Nikon d90 (body only RM3888[Without discount])
    or just the kit, (Nikon D90 w. 18-105mm RM 4200 [without discount])

  57. Hey….
    This info really helps!!!
    Just what i need in my wishlist to buy a camera….
    Btw, in which country do you suggest that sells the most affordable DSLR camera???
    Coz, if it’s in London or Jeddah, i might get the chance to get it….
    Any suggestions for other countries?

  58. I don’t know why Pentax cameras aren’t more popular. I’ve owned several over the years and have always been happy with them. I started with the Optio 30 model and then moved on from there. All have plenty of features and work well. A nice camera. Never had any problems.

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