Sophisticated and Sharp: The Nikon D40

Looking for a professional digital camera with all the bells and whistles? Well here it is.

Any family member interested in "serious" photography will find the look and feel of a classic Single Lens Reflex film camera with the ease and flexibility of a digital camera in the Nikon D40. At 1.1 lbs, it's surprisingly light and comfortable in the hand due to its ergonomically designed grip. Features that outshine the average digital camera include low light sensitivity that's equivalent to an ISO1600 film speed, built-in flash, motor drive for rapid picture taking, and a sophisticated auto-focus system.

Serious photographers can also take advantage of the D40's 6.1 megapixels image sensor, incredibly light and sharp Nikon lenses ranging from 18mm-135mm, variable shutter speeds (30 seconds to 1/4000 of a second) and the large, bright viewfinder.

My friends and I, novice photographers, had a great time with the in-camera editing features that make pricier digital cameras fun to play with. Although it would take lots of practice to fully utilize the Nikon's many sophisticated "tricks," you'll enjoy having a red-eye correction, warm and color balance filter effects, cropping tools, and being able to make images turn B&W, all easily manipulated through the large 2.5" LCD monitor.

With an SD memory card of up to 4GB capacity and rechargeable batteries, you don't have to worry about experimentation either. Although the Nikon D40 made its debut for the holidays last year, it's taken awhile for this lightweight, compact digital SLR to take hold with amateur photographers, like teens, but Nikon's software and comprehensive manual make it easy to get started.