PC Advisor has posted a review of the Nikon D40x. Here’s a quick summary of the review:

“Taking the Nikon D40x along to an advertising shoot for some behind-the-scenes, reportage-style portraits, the camera metered well on a mix of extreme light and shadow, producing pleasingly even exposures, natural if slightly cool colours and a competent level of sharpness given the DSLR’s amateur status.

Despite Nikon’s “nobody could better the D40 so we decided to do it ourselves” flippancy, owners of the D40 shouldn’t feel pressure to update, the Nikon D40x version’s additions have generally been made to bring the camera’s specs up to match competitors. The Nikon D40x is a dream to handle and delivers the goods. It’ll be interesting to see where Nikon goes with its camera range next.”

Website : Nikon D40x digital SLR camera reviewed by PC Advisor

Nikon is currently offering a “Buy Both and Save” rebate for customers who purchase one DSLR and one Coolpix camera. When bundled together, customers can receive up to $50 back on select Coolpix point-and-shoot models.

The mail-in rebate offer is valid from May 1 to June 30. Qualifying Nikon customers will receive $50 cash back on Coolpix P-series and S-series purchases or $25 back on L-series cameras. Nikon DSLRs that qualify for the rebate

• D2Xs Body
• D2Hs Body
• D200 Body or Kit
• D80 Body or Kit
• D50 Body or Kit
• D40x Body or Kit
• D40 Body or Kit

Nikon Coolpix cameras that qualify for rebate

• P1, P2, P3, P4, P5000 - $50 rebate
• S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7c, S9, S10, S50c, S200, S500 - $50 rebate
• L1, L2, L3, L4, L6, L10, L11, L12 - $25 rebate

Download : “Buy Both and Save” rebate form

Nikon took the D40 which is a very successful beginners DSLR and equipped it with a sensor to compete against the Canon 400D / XTi. But the D40x also inherits several weaker aspects of the D40 which stand out now it’s virtually the same price as the Canon. Here’s the conclusion from the review:

“The D40x may have a better kit lens, but the Canon 400D / XTi has far superior auto focus, anti-dust features, depth-of-field previews, greater support for older lenses and comes with RAW processing software not to mention a TV cable. Then there’s the Sony A100 which again costs roughly the same and features built-in anti-shake facilities. Both it and the Canon are technically superior and better-featured cameras.

…So ultimately if you’re a beginner who loved the D40 but wished it had higher resolution, then go for the D40x. If however you want a technically more sophisticated DSLR for roughly the same money, then the Canon 400D / XTi and Sony A100 have more going for them, although if you can stretch a little further, Nikon’s own D80 offers even more still. Indeed the D40x does a great job of up-selling potential buyers to Nikon’s higher-end model.”

Website : Nikon D40x Review by CameraLabs

Here’s the conclusion of the D40x review from ePHOTOzine: “While the D40x lacks some of the more sophisticated options of bigger cameras, it’s certainly well specified in the budget market and readily capable of taking on the Canon EOS 400D. The body is light and compact, but this means that all the functions that would otherwise be on dials etc, are hidden away on menus.

The lack of a top-mounted LCD is a drawback because the information that is displayed on the rear LCD never stays there for very long. The help system for the beginner is rather packed away and not immediately accessible.

While the shooting speed of the camera is a long way off the marketing claims, with just modest performance, it’s the ease of use of the camera and the results that count the most in this marketplace. On that score, the D40x is easy to pick up and start shooting with because the more advanced functions are kept out of the way initially, and the results, while lacking a great deal of sharpness thanks to the kit lens, are generally pleasing.”

Nikon D40xPlus points:

• Nikon D40×10Mp resolution
• Nikon D40xHelp system
• Nikon D40xSmall and compact
• Nikon D40xGood quality images
• Nikon D40xWell saturated colours
• Nikon D40xGood built-in flash

Minus points:

• Nikon D40xShooting speed isn’t great
• Nikon D40xPictures not super-sharp
• Nikon D40xSome noise at ISO100
• Nikon D40xHelp system is buried
• Nikon D40xOnly sRGB

Website : Nikon D40x Review by ePHOTOzine

Here’s the summary of article from Thom Hogan: “The D40x retains all the things that are likeable about the D40 and gives you a 10mp sensor that produces images that are arguably slightly better than the D80 can produce (at least for JPEG files).”

Drawbacks

• Kit lens blues. The 18-55mm is a more than decent lens, but I’d like to have the option to buy a body only (you do with the D40x). The D40 would have been killer with an 18-70 VR or 18-135mm VR, by the way. The current purchasing option is a bit limiting.
• Nother new battery. Did we really need another new battery just because the camera is a smaller size?
• Not for the late-to-the-party film converts. If you’ve got mostly AI, AI-S, and older AF lenses and are just now getting round to going digital, the D40 (or D40x) isn’t the camera you want, as you’ll be resorting to manual focus.

Positives

• Small and beautiful. Makes you wonder why Four Thirds designs (e.g. Olympus) were necessary. And for a consumer camera, the frame rate, mirror return, shutter lag, and autofocus are fast enough to feel snappy.
• Most of what you need. While it would have been nice to have a DOF Preview button, everything else you’re likely to want is there, including spot metering.
• Excellent Image Quality. State of the 6mp art. State of the 10mp art. Enough said.

Website : Nikon D40 and D40x Review by Thom Hogan

Here’s Doug’s conclusion of the review: “The image quality, handling, responsiveness and features strike the same great balance for its target market as on the D40 but, I for one don’t feel the extra £150 for the higher resolving sensor makes total sense for you, the buying public. Yes, it means Nikon has a camera that can go head to head with Canon’s EOS 400D, but this is more a marketing ploy than trying to bring a better product to market for the photographer.

But to be fair, just like the D40, the D40x is a slightly more expensive but still excellent DSLR for the first time DSLR buyer on a more modest budget and for those that feel they really do need the extra resolution over the D40. It’s compact and lightweight too, and ultimately an excellent choice.

Our Score: 8/10“

Website :  Nikon D40x DSLR Camera Review by Doug Harman

PopPhoto did a comparison of Nikon D40x, Canon XTi and Sony A100. Here’s the conclusion:

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi: With 18-55mm f/3.6-5.6 Canon EF-S lens ($770, street):

The Nikon D40x produces Image Quality a bit higher than Canon’s mighty lightweight, notably in better noise control throughout the ISO range, and it has an ISO 3200 setting, which the XTi lacks. But the XTi remains a potent competitor, with faster and more sensitive AF using a sophisticated nine-point AF array that can track across the frame. The Canon takes a RAW file simultaneously with a highest-quality JPEG, not lowest. While we’d rate the build quality about equal, we’d trust the Canon more in dusty conditions, as it has both self-cleaning sensor and software dust deletion (the D40x, just the latter). And the Canon has no AF lens limitations — all EF and EF-S lenses have built-in focusing motors.

Sony Alpha 100: With 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Sony Zoom DT lens ($710, street):

The Sony’s singular advantage over both the Canon and Nikon models is its sensor-based Super Steady Shot system, which provides image stabilization across both the Sony and the discontinued Konica Minolta Maxxum lens lines. Canon and Nikon make you pay for stabilization with every lens. The Sony has faster and better-tracking AF than the Nikon D40x, a self-cleaning sensor, and innovative dynamic-range controls. We also think it’s a better-built camera than the D40x. The Nikon wins on Image Quality, with somewhat higher resolution but, more important, clearly superior noise control. The Sony lens line is smaller than Nikon’s AF-S lens catalog, but not by much.

Website : Nikon D40x Compared with Canon XTi and Sony A100

Nikon yesterday introduced the new D40x digital SLR camera. The D40x maintains the same compact size, portability and ease-of-use as its already successful sister camera, the D40, and adds features like higher 10.2 megapixel resolution, faster continuous shooting capability and wider ISO sensitivity.The Nikon D40x is able to capture special moments instantly, virtually eliminating the frustrations of shutter delay typically associated with point-and-shoot digital cameras. The D40x powers-up in a near-instant 0.18 second and can shoot up to 3 pictures per second, non-stop for up to 100 shots. With such great speed, you’ll never need to wait for the camera to get ready for the next shot. The camera reacts instantly when the shutter button is pressed ensuring you never miss a special moment. The images are immediately recorded to the camera’s SD memory card.

The D40x’s 10.2-effective megapixel CCD imaging sensor is complimented by Nikon’s exclusive 3D Color Matrix Metering II and an improved Nikon Image Processing Engine that together ensure breathtaking picture quality with analyzed exposure, refined details and natural, accurately rendered colors.

The D40x comes packaged with the new 3X 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens that assures superb picture sharpness and optimum contrast, along with the versatility to capture everything from candid portraits to wide-angle landscapes. The D40x is also compatible with all of Nikon’s AF-S and AF-I Nikkor lenses***, including the remarkably versatile 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens and the new 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor lens.

The D40x will be available throughout the United States beginning April 2007 for an estimated selling price of $729.95* for body only or $799.95*, packaged with the 3X zoom 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens.

Website : Nikon Introduces New Smallest 10.2 MP DSLR - D40X

Download : Nikon D40X product brocure