Nikon's D40 got its official smattering of holy water today. The low-priced and compact camera--Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) for the rest of us--will hit store shelves by Christmas.
For $600, it's even bundled with a basic 18-55mm 3X Zoom Nikkor lens. With a 6.1 megapixel sensor and a 2.5-inch display, the D40 shoots RAW and JPEG to SD card.
The first reviews are already popping up for this fellow, such as that at DPReview. Slotting in well under the ~$800 D50, Nikon's new entrant is going to be interesting to both enthusiasts and professionals in need of something more "disposable." For those wondering what all the fuss is about--after all, it still costs more than similarly-configured, all-in-one digicams--a decent SLR camera body provides an access point to the versatility and range that professionals use every day, and, for some, is a good aid to making photography a creative, rather than purely observational, art form.
Keep an eye out for sub-$500 deals for the body alone, as companies like Tamron produce reasonably good Nikkor-compatible lenses for less.
NIKON UNVEILS NEW D40 – THE SMALLEST AND EASIEST-TO-USE NIKON DIGITAL SLR EVER [Nikon Press Center]
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