Nikon D40 vs Sony A55

Let's look a little more in depth at the Nikon D40 vs Sony A55, both Entry-Level DSLR cameras by manufacturers Nikon and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the D40 (6MP) and A55 (16MP) but they come with the same exact sensor dimensions (APS-C).

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The D40 was revealed 4 years prior to the A55 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Compact SLR).

Before delving in to a full comparison, below is a brief summation of how the D40 matches up vs the A55 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon D40 and Sony SLT-A55. The full galleries are available at Nikon D40 Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and measurements. The Nikon D40 has physical dimensions of 124mm x 94mm x 64mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.5") having a weight of 522 grams (1.15 lbs) whilst the Sony A55 has proportions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

See the Nikon D40 vs Sony A55 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the D40 vs the A55.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the D40 and A55 is 71 and 67 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to imagine the difference in sensor measurements merely by researching specifications. The visual underneath might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the D40 and A55.

Plainly, both of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but different MP. You should anticipate the Sony A55 to render extra detail because of its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The older D40 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.