Drawar

From dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40x:

"As with the D40 the D40X doesn't have an built-in focus drive motor which means it can auto focus only with lenses which have their own drive motor (AF-S and AF-I lenses)."

I really don't know how much of a restriction that really is though. Are you likely to use more than one or two typical lenses anyway?
I wouldn't discount the camera just because you can't use lenses that you probably won't ever use anyway.

My point wasn't so much that it doesn't have all the typical lenses but that there isn't much variety in price. Looking around it appears that most AF-S and AF-I lenses are made by Nikon themselves and cost over £100, whereas the Canon cameras have a much wider variety of prices and brands.

I realise I'll be unlikely to use/ need 90% of the lenses available but I don't want to break the bank if I do decide to get something else.

Also please remember that I'm new to this, my current camera is a casio exilim :)

Well, a suggestion in this note is to get a D50 which looks like great value these days.

I have a D50 and a D40. I enjoy both of them, equally. I use my zoom lenses on the D50, and use the 18-55mm lens on the D40. I carry both cameras, and don't worry about changing lenses.

The D40x has no internal lens motor, but the 18-55 is amazing, compared with my other lenses, even with manually focusing it on the D40. I have a friend who owns a D40, and who feels the same way about the 18-55 lens.

I have a D40 and I agree that the kit 18-55mm lens works great.

The only thing that having the motor in the lens stops is the auto-focus on most lenses. However, all the lenses that fit on the D50 will also fit on the D40.

Also I have read that the focus assist still works with other lenses (like the nikon 50mm f1.8) so it will just take a little longer to get that shot you want.

Eddie: Yes, all of the D50 lenses fit on the D40, and the longer wait to get the shot (with other lenses) is not in minutes, but seconds, or a fraction, thereof, depending.

Hey Ben, you're in luck! I just bought the Nikon D40X. It's true, both the D40 and D40X should use AF-S/AF-I type lenses.

Reason being the D40 series does not have the auto-focus motor built into the body. The motor is built into AF-S/AF-I type lenses. With that being said, you can use ANY Nikon and Sigma lens with the AF mount. However, ones labeled without the S or I prefix means you have to focus manually. Sigma lenses can be used with Nikons. Their version of S/I is called HSM.

Since both cameras are in the sub $1000 range, you're only REAL competitors are the Canon EOS Rebel XTI and the Pentax K100D. I've tried both. The Canon Rebels take awesome photos. Lenses are good too. My only complaint is the cheapy construction. If you've ever held a Canon, and then held a Nikon, then you know what I mean. The plastic used in Canon Rebels are really cheap.

When it comes down to features, the Pentax K100D wins hands down. Pentax lenses are some of the BEST in the industry. If you worried about lens compatibility, the K100D works with EVERY PENTAX LENS EVER and they have A LOT. The K100D also has optical image stabilization built-in. Both the Nikon and Canon have it ONLY if you purchase a lens with it built-in. Otherwise their kit lenses don't.

I settled on the Nikon because of their lenses. I plan on buying the 55-200mm VR lens soon. If you don't know what lenses you want yet, go for the Canon or Pentax.

The 55-200mm VR lens is fantastic!

I recently purchased a D40X which I'm quite satisfied with. As a newbie to the whole photography hobby, I purchased it for the mere reason that it was affordable(cheap compared to other DSLRs) and fit my needs. One of the first things I noticed about this camera was the lens(it serves its purpose but that's it).

Some Things to consider:
1.) If your looking to take macro shots of your subjects, its very very difficult.
2.) If your subject is a few meters away such as a squirrel or bird, the zoom doesn't handle well.

Now I'm not bashing the product because I simply haven't mastered it yet. I think the 18-55mm lens is a bit tough for a "startout" lens if your looking to mimic those nice artsy photos of closeup insects,flowers, whatever your subject may be. But again, I haven't mastered the camera so I feel that its up to me to learn as I progress, then consider upgrading the lens. Which are about half the price of the camera here in the States.

Regarding auto focus options, in my opinion its not necessary. After the first week of shooting tons of photos, I feel as a hobbyist(I can't consider myself a photographer just yet) its necessary to learn to work with what your given. I've disabled the auto focus mainly because I want to understand and shoot better without it. With that said, your options become broader since there are many lenses that will fit your D40X(if you choose to buy it) without the Auto Focus functionality. Message me if you need a link, I found a few sites that talks about compatibility.

I still take most of my serious photographs with a standard slr but I have the camera you are speaking and have used a comparable Canon. I prefer the Nikon. The sigma lenses work fine and like has already been said as you go along you will not need auto focus.

I think it is matter of personal preference.
I used a twenty five year old Minolta for years and still own my grandmothers Pentax, so I may not be that hard to please.

Ive only read the first couple of posts, so if this has already been said, then sorry.

Im pretty sure that you can use all/most nikkor lenses with the D40x. But you wont have auto focus and metering with some of the older models. As far as i know, all Nikon F, Ai, P and AF lenses work well. Obviously on the F and AI lenses, you will have to do the metering your self etc. But i find that pretty fun anyway.

Here is a good website. This guy used a load of old lenses on his D40
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/d40-performance.htm#lenses

Hope this all helps.

And i just realised how old this is too haha. Woops sorry!

I recently bought a Nikon D40XSLR and it came with a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G EDII AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor Lens.

I have a Z812IS Kodak with 12X Optical and 8.2MP. It does really well on the zoom but the Z812IS Kodak is proprietary and there's only one lens you can get for it, a 1.4, which is not worth the $149.00 they are asking.

I'm a hobbyist, but becoming more serious about photography. I've learned the hard way that digital cameras are not saving you $ if you want expand your camera's capabilities. The SLRs have the quick shutter resonse that basically sets you on a whole new path of digital photography. Love it!

I need a lens for the Nikon D40X that will get out into the fields, woods, for nature, wildlife, landscape type shots. Not knowing anything about lenses and the lingo, it is quite a daunting task to find what I need. I'm not really fond of the auto-focus feature. Rather do that myself.

I was told by a professional to use only Nikon or Sigma lenses for the Nikon. The Sigma being the least expensive of the two. Sigma skimps on the lens housing but the rest of it is good.

This is the one I'm looking at right now. Any comments?

This is all good info -- I have a very old Nikon (not digital -- old-school film) camera and a bunch o' lenses for it -- am thinking about a D40, D50 or D70 body and seeing if I can use the old lenses with it so I don't have to reinvest in a bunch of equipment all at the same time.

I have had great luck with my little Powershot, but boy do I miss the SLR shooting...

I think the d40 is a great camera. Honestly, I would get the d40 and get the 18-200mm lens, which is a bit pricey, but you will not need many other lenses...maybe a wide or fish eye or a macro (but I have a macro and it is an older one, that I just focus manually, which is what most will do with a macro lens), depending on the type of pictures you want to take, but most would be very well off with the 18-200mm one and it is one of the best lenses that Nikon makes. I would also go with the d40 as opposed the the d40x, in order to get the extra 4 mega pixels into the d40x but in the same sized body of the d40, Nikon has had to give up sensor size in the d40x. The only reason you would need the extra mega pixels, is if you are printing huge prints, upwards of 20" then you will start to notice the difference (and that is with out any major post production). Plus the d40 is cheaper by a couple of hundred bucks so you can put that towards a lens...and the lens will make a much more dramatic effect on the quality of pictures you take over the camera. Also with the lens that you would get for the d40 it is VR (vibration reduction) much better then what other cameras that take non-auto focus lenses will offer. One other thing is that d40 and d40x, is that there LCD screens are way better then the d50 and d70, not a complete selling feature, but it is a really nice option.