In the D40x Nikon may finally have got the entry-level DSLR that can give Canon a run for its money while holding off Sony’s advance. It is, by an admittedly narrow margin, a better camera than the EOS 400D in many respects, including the crucial area of overall image quality. It is easy to use, has Nikon’s traditional fantastic build quality, and performs superbly well. If you’re looking for an SLR for under £500 the D40x should be near the top of your list.

If you’re ready to enter the world of digital SLRs, the Nikon D40x is a great way to do it. It offers a compact, portable body, great performance and photo quality, and a really user friendly interface. I wouldn’t write off the original D40 either—it offers the same features, just with fewer pixels and slightly weaker performance, for around $200 less. I would take a close look at the competition, though, namely the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Olympus E-410, as both offer more features than the D40x (such as dust reduction and better lens support), and sell for the same price.

No matter how you look at it, the Nikon D40 stands up well against the competition, with great image quality at all speeds, and near-perfect utility as a family camera. Its very fun to use, polite, attractive, and well-built; just the kind of companion you want to have along on your next family outing.

The best entry level SLR we’ve used, the D40x narrowly edges out offerings by Canon and Sony. It combines extremely speedy operation, great quality images and an excellent design to make a wonderful, all purpose camera.

he D40X feels as fast and responsive as the more expensive Nikons. Even the viewfinder, which uses mirrors rather than a prism, is large and bright. The LCD review screen is brilliant but it doesn’t come with Nikon’s customary clear plastic protector. The D40X shares its image processor with the D80 and D200. Image quality is excellent.

The newcomer may have 4 million pixels more, but this isn’t enough to make it a ‘better’ camera; what it gains in resolution it loses in picture quality, which only serves to balance the tally sheet. It ultimately seems that the D40x is trying to be ‘forced’ into a gap in the market that doesn’t currently exist. While it is by no means a bad camera I’d still say that if you want a straightforward entry-level DSLR save yourself a few quid and get a D40. On the other hand, if you want a 10mp sensor, save a bit more and go for the D80 – the overall improvements justify the additional cost.

So in conclusion, the D40X really is just as good as the D40, with the added benefit of a little bit more resolution and slightly faster continuous shooting. But is it enough to take the pole position as the ultimate compact ten megapixel DSLR? That’s harder to say, image quality-wise it’s a dead heat with the EOS 400D (except at high sensitivities); it’s quicker and more comfortable to use, but very slightly less featured, especially if you consider lens compatibility.

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.

If you’re a novice photographer looking to move up to a DSLR, choosing the D40x over the D40 will mostly come down to whether you want more megapixels (for bigger prints and more resolution for better cropping), a faster burst mode, and a slightly wider ISO range. If you’re just looking for a weekend or vacation camera for snapshots, the D40 is probably all you need.

The D40x produces superb colour images, but why is it so expensive compared to the D40? The convoluted controls may be tolerable in the D40, but they’re harder to stomach here. The £600 price pitches it against some cameras that either undercut it out-spec it.

An excellent starter camera for those who want to get serious with a DSLR and enjoy the Nikon’s excellent picture quality.

The Nikon D40x makes a very nice first dSLR, though experienced SLR shooters looking for a Nikon should spend the extra cash for the D80.