Nikon D40X vs Sony A7 II

The Nikon D40X and the Sony Alpha A7 II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in March 2007 and November 2014. The D40X is a DSLR, while the A7 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D40X) and a full frame (A7 II) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon D40X		Sony A7 II
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon F mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
10 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
3 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
520 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
124 x 94 x 64 mm, 522 g		127 x 96 x 60 mm, 599 g

Check D40X offers at
ebay.com
Check A7 II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D40X and the Sony Alpha A7 II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D40X and the Sony A7 II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The D40X can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the A7 II is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7 II is somewhat larger (5 percent) than the Nikon D40X. Moreover, the A7 II is markedly heavier (15 percent) than the D40X. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7 II is splash and dust-proof, while the D40X does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D40X) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7 II). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7 II, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the D40X gets 520 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL9 battery, while the A7 II can take 350 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A7 II can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	US$ 729	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D40	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	470	n	Nov 2006	US$ 499	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D50	133 mm	102 mm	76 mm	620 g	400	n	Apr 2005	US$ 749	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D60	126 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	500	n	Jan 2008	US$ 629	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D3000	126 mm	97 mm	64 mm	536 g	500	n	Jul 2009	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	US$ 749	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7C	124 mm	71 mm	60 mm	509 g	740	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The D40X was launched at a markedly lower price (by 64 percent) than the A7 II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D40X features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A7 II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7 II is 129 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the A7 II offers a higher resolution than the D40X (10MP), but the A7 II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.97μm versus 6.11μm for the D40X). Yet, the A7 II is a much more recent model (by 7 years and 8 months) than the D40X, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D40X are 19.4 x 13 inches or 49.2 x 32.9 cm for good quality, 15.5 x 10.4 inches or 39.3 x 26.3 cm for very good quality, and 12.9 x 8.6 inches or 32.8 x 21.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A7 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon D40X has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7 II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the D40X is build around a CCD sensor, while the A7 II uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7 II offers substantially better image quality than the D40X (overall score 27 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.5 bits higher color depth, 2.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
2.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
3.		Nikon D40	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	21.0	11.0	561	56
4.		Nikon D50	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.9	10.8	560	55
5.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
6.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
7.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
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 D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
11.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
12.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
13.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
14.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
15.		Sony A7C	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3407	95
16.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
17.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The A7 II indeed provides for movie recording, while the D40X does not. The highest resolution format that the A7 II can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A7 II has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the D40X has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A7 II offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D40X (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A7 II has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon D40X and Sony A7 II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
3.		Nikon D40	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D50	optical	n	2.0 / 130	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D60	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D3000	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
11.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7C	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D40X has one, while the A7 II does not. While the built-in flash of the D40X is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The D40X writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the A7 II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A7 II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the D40X cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D40X and Sony Alpha A7 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Nikon D40	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D50	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D3000	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A7C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the A7 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D40X does not provide wifi capability.

Both the D40X and the A7 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D40X was replaced by the Nikon D60 , while the A7 II was followed by the Sony A7 III. Further information on the features and operation of the D40X and A7 II can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D40X Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7 II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Nikon D40X better than the Sony A7 II or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D40X:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 77g or 13 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (520 versus 350) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (64 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2007).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 55%.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (27 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.5 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.2 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.2 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.53x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 8 months of technical progress since the D40X launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A7 II is the clear winner of the contest (23 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D40X and the Sony A7 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D40X or the A7 II. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	US$ 729	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D40	..	81/100	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Nov 2006	US$ 499	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D50	..	78/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2005	US$ 749	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D60	..	80/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	US$ 629	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D3000	..	+	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	US$ 749	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7C	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	86/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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