Nikon A vs Nikon D40

Below is a thorough review of the Nikon A and Nikon D40, former being a Large Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR and both of them are built by Nikon. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the A (16MP) and D40 (6MP) but both cameras have the same sensor sizing (APS-C).

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The A was revealed 6 years later than the D40 and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Nikon A being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Nikon D40 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the A scores versus the D40 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon Coolpix A & Nikon D40. The full galleries are available at Nikon A Gallery & Nikon D40 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Nikon A comes with exterior measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 40mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.6") along with a weight of 299 grams (0.66 lbs) whilst the Nikon D40 has dimensions of 124mm x 94mm x 64mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.5") along with a weight of 522 grams (1.15 lbs).

Look at the Nikon A and Nikon D40 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that moment. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the A versus the D40.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A and D40 is 88 and 71 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to visualise the gap between sensor measurements just by going over specs. The graphic below will give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the A and D40.

All in all, the two cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Nikon A to deliver extra detail because of its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more recent A is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.