Nikon D40 Coming Out?
The Web is a-buzz with a rumored Nikon D40 coming out real soon, apparently targeted at the lower end of the digital SLR crowd. Nothing official yet, but the specs seem to suggest a 6.1-MP CCD image sensor, 3-point focusing, 2.5-inch LCD, ISO 200-1600, 3 metering modes and USB 2.0.
Positioning it even lower than the D50, Nikon seems to be aggressively covering all the bases if the rumored D40 turns out to be true. The hierarchy now for Nikon’s entry-level DSLRs seems to be: D40, D50, D70, D80 and finally the D200, a finely meshed line-up that would catch all beginning photographers who graduate from P&S to some serious photography.
Currently, the bottom class of entry-level DSLRs is populated only by the Pentax K110D and Samsung GX1 (which is made by Pentax too) so it is not yet an overly crowded segment. The D40 could be a good move by Nikon. Unless, of course, Canon’s older EOS 350D would drop in price and join the fray.
And if Canon does that, Nikon could counter by dropping prices too on their D70s and prices could spiral down to the benefit of P&S consumers who now would want to try their hands on digital SLR photography. I say cheers to Nikon’s D40! Please come out real soon.
[Via: AllenGeorge.com]
nikon, d40, d70, d80, digital, photography, SLR,
November 6th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
Nikon confuses me with their number naming. I never know which one to get. The numbers keep going up and down. D70, D100, D80, D200… I never can tell which one is the “new” one, lol.
November 6th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
there might appear to be some madness to the method (of naming, that is), but look, they’ve now covered all bases. all possible types of entry-level photography enthusiasts who want to upgrade to a dslr have been addressed. the d40 takes care of the p&s graduate who just wants a few basic features of dslr shooting, while the d200 offers more bells and whistles. the newest one is not necessarily their most advanced, but the numbering at the entry level seem to be spot on: d40, d70, d80, d100 then finally d200. these nikon guys are shrewd.