Nikon D40 vs Sony A550

Let's look a bit more closely at the Nikon D40 versus Sony A550, both Entry-Level DSLR digital cameras by companies Nikon and Sony. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the D40 (6MP) and A550 (14MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor sizing (APS-C).

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The D40 was released 4 years earlier than the A550 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact SLR).

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise summary of how the D40 matches up vs the A550 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon D40 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The complete galleries are available at Nikon D40 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and volume. The Nikon D40 features external measurements of 124mm x 94mm x 64mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 522 grams (1.15 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check out the Nikon D40 versus Sony A550 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is a front view scale comparison of the D40 against the A550.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the D40 and A550 is 71 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes merely by reviewing a spec sheet. The pic here will give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the D40 and A550.

As you can see, both of those cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You can expect the Sony A550 to offer more detail as a result of its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged D40 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.