To measure and compare the Nikon D40's kit lens macro performance we photographed a custom chart using it and a number of rival models.

Each camera was positioned at a distance and set to a focal length which delivered the maximum possible reproduction.

The dark lines are 10mm apart and the result is not cropped. Smaller areas are preferred in this test. The image left was taken with the Nikon D40 using the DX 18-55mm II kit lens.

Like most DSLR lenses, the greatest macro reproduction was achieved with the lens zoomed-in to telephoto. There the Nikon D40 and DX 18-55mm II captured an area measuring 74x48mm.

This is fractionally bettered by the Canon and Olympus kit lens, but all are comfortably beaten by the macro capabilities of the PowerShot G7. Closest focusing distance is an advantage almost all compacts have over DSLRs, unless the latter are equipped with specialist macro lenses.