It began as a rumor, but yes ... it's March 2007, and Nikon did the unthinkable. Barely 4 months after they launched their 6.1 Megapixel D40, the 10.2 MP D40x is now here. You can perform a quick check for availability, deals and prices on the Nikon D40x.

Camera Comparisons

1. Canon XTi / 400D vs Nikon D40x: It's a bit too early to form a strong opinion on this, but off-hand, the price you pay to get the Nikon D40x plus Nikkor 18-55 II kit lens plus Nikkor 55-200mm VR lens will provide a better (value / performance) to purchase outlay ratio than any XTi / 400D configuration for the same money. I've just created a post (still a work-in-progress) comparing the Canon XTi / 400D with the Nikon D40x - there is no clear winner, define your requirements, then get the camera that fits.
2. Image noise, vs Nikon D40 and Nikon D80: In a recent PopPhoto.com test of the D40x, results show that at equivalent ISO values, the D40x is slightly noisier than the D40, which is to be expected given that the D40x crams more pixels into the sensor than the D40. Noise at ISO100 on the D40x is a tiny bit lower than ISO200 on the D40 - no surprises there. What is surprising is that noise at equivalent ISO values on the D40x are lower than from the D80 (Steve Simpkin lays out the comparison figures in this forum post). It seems like Nikon has made some improvements in the in-camera noise reduction algorithms. To read the original PopPhoto.com test results, click any or all of the following links: Nikon D40 Test | Nikon D40x Test | Nikon D80 Test

Simultaneously launched with the Nikon D40x is the all-new Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED lens - you read that right, it comes with VR (vibration reduction). The press release for this lens (Nikkor 55-200mm VR press release) states that the ESP (estimated selling price) is expected to be $249.95 - Nikon can now claim to offer the cheapest VR lens on the market (not even Canon has one priced this low).

Compared to the Nikon D40, there are a few differences, and we'll get to them in a moment.

Nikon D40x Image Samples

Updated list of samples

Here is a list of links to Nikon D40x reviews and Nikon D40x samples which are updated as new ones come online.

Official Samples

Nikon really did good here, releasing full-sized image samples on the day the D40x was announced - go there now. They were also wise to showcase the new Nikkor 55-200mm VR lens, and the pictures, in my opinion, is nothing short of stunning (the ISO400 photo of the bird in flight is my personal favorite - identified as a Cape gannet (Morus capensis) in this forum post).

One thing to keep in mind is that the images were shot in RAW, and the NEF files processed through Nikon Capture NX (this software is not free) - peeping at each pixel in the full-sized versions, it's obvious that they've applied a pretty strong curve to the pictures to make them pop - some pretty rough-looking gradations can be seen in the shadow areas)

Nikon D40x vs Nikon D40

Top on everyone's list of questions will be what differences exist between the slightly older Nikon D40 and the new Nikon D40x? What are the new features on the D40x? Briefly:

• Megapixels: The D40x has 10.2 MP, while the D40 has 6.1.
• ISO range: The D40x can go as low as ISO100, compared to ISO200 on the D40. Coupled with a higher resolution, the D40x should do better at landscape photography than the D40. Due to the larger individual pixels though, it is expected that the D40 will outperform the D40x with lower noise when it comes to high-ISO photography. Like the D40, the D40x can go to ISO3200.
• Flash sync speed: The D40x can only sync to 1/200 seconds, compared to 1/500 sec on the D40 - the older D40 wins big time here.
• Battery life: Quite surprisingly, despite the higher resolution and increased image processing requirements, the Nikon D40x is able to take 520 photos on a single charge, versus the D40's 470 shots.
• Configuration: The D40x will be made available as a body-only option, or packaged with the Nikkor 18-55mm II kit lens, whereas you had to buy the D40 with the same kit lens bundled together.
• Continuous shooting performance: The D40x can shoot at 3 fps (frames per second), while the D40 manages 2.5 fps.
• Pricing: This is not trivial, based on the estimated selling prices of both cameras, the D40x costs a good USD200 more, and the street prices of the D40 have fallen significantly since its announcement. The price difference means you could go for a D40 kit and add a Nikon SB-400 flash (approx. USD110, latest SB-400 prices here), or purchase the new (but unreleased) Nikkor 55-200mm VR lens instead. Makes one think long and hard about whether the 10 MP and incremental improvements justify the extra $200, doesn't it?

Press Release

Go here to read the press release. The Nikon D40x press gallery at NikonUSA.com also has a nice set of high-resolution product images, great for those who want a closer view of the new camera.