With the introduction of the D40, Nikon has outmaneuvered everyone. They've produced a small, light, high quality digital camera that gives the consumer everything they need and more, at a price that's hard to resist.
Wisely, Nikon stopped looking back and built the D40 for the future. Past cameras have been shackled to the idea of maintaining backward compatibility with dozens of previous lenses. The D50 and D80 both include screw-type couplings to connect a body-mounted autofocus motor to lenses built for Nikon's first body-integrated autofocus system, introduced on the N2020 (F501) back in April 1986. The D40 leaves support for this old AF method behind in favor of the original AF concept Nikon introduced with 1983's F3AF, where the focusing motor is built into the lens. Hence the Nikon D40 will only autofocus with newer AF-S type lenses.
Those who still want to use legacy lenses, many of which are still in the Nikon lineup, should opt for the D50, D70, or D80. Note that you can still use older lenses with the Nikon D40 if you're okay with manual focus. The D40 can still control aperture on lenses marked D and G, and it will illuminate the AF points when focus is achieved. For more complete detail on this relatively complex issue, see the Optics section of this review.
I think it's a safe bet that most Nikon D40 owners won't be looking back either, instead preferring the quieter, more modern AF-S lenses that are currently 21 in number. The benefit of this key shift to both Nikon and D40 owners is a smaller, lighter, less expensive SLR, because it no longer has the extra motor and screw assembly in place.
Wisely, Nikon stopped looking back and built the D40 for the future. Past cameras have been shackled to the idea of maintaining backward compatibility with dozens of previous lenses. The D50 and D80 both include screw-type couplings to connect a body-mounted autofocus motor to lenses built for Nikon's first body-integrated autofocus system, introduced on the N2020 (F501) back in April 1986. The D40 leaves support for this old AF method behind in favor of the original AF concept Nikon introduced with 1983's F3AF, where the focusing motor is built into the lens. Hence the Nikon D40 will only autofocus with newer AF-S type lenses.
Those who still want to use legacy lenses, many of which are still in the Nikon lineup, should opt for the D50, D70, or D80. Note that you can still use older lenses with the Nikon D40 if you're okay with manual focus. The D40 can still control aperture on lenses marked D and G, and it will illuminate the AF points when focus is achieved. For more complete detail on this relatively complex issue, see the Optics section of this review.
I think it's a safe bet that most Nikon D40 owners won't be looking back either, instead preferring the quieter, more modern AF-S lenses that are currently 21 in number. The benefit of this key shift to both Nikon and D40 owners is a smaller, lighter, less expensive SLR, because it no longer has the extra motor and screw assembly in place.
by : Shawn Barnett
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