How many Megapixels does the Nikon D40 have?

The Nikon D40 is equipped with a an APS-C sensor that offers an image resolution of 6 megapixels (MP), or 6 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 3:2, the sensor has 3 008 horizontal pixels and 2 000 vertical pixels.

A high megapixel count makes it possible to crop any captured image substantially or to make very large prints from the image file. On the downside, large megapixel files are slower to transfer and take up more storage space on the computer harddisk. Also, high-resolution imaging requires sharper, more expensive lenses than low-res picture taking.

How large can I print with 6 MP?

The maximum print size of the Nikon D40 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 15 x 10 inches or 38.2 x 25.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 12 x 8 inches or 30.6 x 20.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 10 x 6.7 inches or 25.5 x 16.9 cm. Few people actually print their images that large on a regular basis, but it is nice to have the option to make very large prints of exceptional shots. Also, as mentioned earlier, a key advantage of high-MP cameras is that it is possible to crop an image ex-post and thereby, for example, change the composition of the capture or zoom in on some detail.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Nikon D40 to those of several similar cameras. In addition to sensor class and megapixel count, DXO values are reported as indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). Three aspects are covered: color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D40	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	21.0	11.0	561	56
2.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
3.		Nikon D50	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.9	10.8	560	55
4.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
5.		Nikon D70	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
6.		Nikon D70s	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
7.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
8.		Nikon D3000	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.1	563	62
9.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
10.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
11.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86

In the United States, the D40 was initially launched in November 2006 at a price of $499.

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Camera to camera comparisons

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