There is a review of the D40 in the January issue of Prctical
Photography if that can help you with your decision. I have been using
an EOS350 for about eighteen months now and I have to say it is very
good, the screen is a bit small on the back but it is larger on the 400.
Quite a few reviwers say that they fond the EOS 350 and 400 too small
but I have average sized hands and have never found the smallish size to
be a problem. The 350 and presumably the 400 have a very short start up
time which can be useful. I have printed shots from my 350 and had Boots
make prints both with very good results.

Most of the pictures on my website taken after June 2005 were taken with
my 350, have a look see what you think ?

http://chrispackman.fotopic.net

Chris Packman

The camera takes a sequence of pics with different exposure compensations:
e.g. -1, 0, +1 stop. Very handy when you need to shoot in a hurry as one of
them will probably be near enough correct. Especially useful with all-auto
cameras that don't do have very intelligent metering as it saves you
faffing around with manual exposure compensation (except where the auto-
metering is out by more than the bracketing range).

Finer bracketing, e.g. +/- 1/3 stop is useful where you do have time to
assess the metering but can't critically examine the results until later
due to limitations of (or lack of) LCD display (probably applies to most
cameras at that degree of exactitude).

So look at the 70 or 80
the 40 is a budget model. though very good

You have it exactly right.

The original AF Nikkors had what is often called a "screwdriver drive"
for autofocus with a motor in the camera body and a mechanical linkage
that ran through the lens mount.  

Later AF Nikkors have a motor in each lens, in the same way that the
Canon EF lenses for the EOS system always have had.  Nikon calls these
lenses "AF-S", although there was also an earlier series of lenses
with motors in them called "AF-I".  

Both AF-S and AF-I lenses work on the D40.  With AF Nikkors that don't
have a built-in motor, the D40 will provide every operational feature
except autofocus.  So you would have to focus your G mount lens
manually, although everything else (metering and auto exposure modes)
would work perfectly.

The reason for omitting the focusing motor from the D40 body is so
that it can be made smaller, lighter and cheaper, all of which will
please the target market for the camera.  Buyers will find a good
selection of AF-S Nikkors that will work perfectly on the D40.

There is a risk of alienating existing Nikon customers seeking to
change from film to digital using their non-AF-S Nikkors, and some
digital users who might choose the D40 as a second body.  But Nikon
have obviously decided that the benefits to the target market are of
greater value than the disbenefits to a smaller number of existing
Nikon users.

The D40 is a fine camera for people new to DSLRs and is an excellent
second body to Nikon users with AF-S lenses.  The D40 may also be a
good choice as a second body for owners of non-AF-S lenses who are
prepared to focus manually, but it would be a good idea for them to
try the camera before buying.

I'd consider it quite a bonus
to be deprived of auto-focus!

Get the D70s if you can - it cost me £759 in 11/05 and it's now down
to less than £500.

Also check the D80 - you may find it is compatible with the AF-G
lens - the D70s certainly is.