To measure and compare the Nikon D40's purple fringing caused by lens chromatic aberrations and sensor
blooming, we photographed a test chart with areas of very high contrast
using it and a number of rival models.
We used the kit lenses at their widest and longest focal lengths with
the apertures wide open. The crops are taken
from the upper left corner of the chart and presented here at 100%.
Like the other kits tested here, the D40 and its DX 18-55mm II kit lens exhibit coloured fringing at wide angle, but comparatively little when zoomed-into telephoto.
Nikon D40
Using DX 18-55mm II
Canon 400D / XTi
Using
EF-S 18-55mm
Canon PowerShot G7
Olympus E-400
Using ZD 14-42mm
DX 18-55mm II at 18mm f3.5
EF-S 18-55mm at 18mm f3.5
7.4-44.4mm at 7.4mm f2.8
ZD 14-42mm at 14mm f3.5
DX 18-55mm II at 55mm f5.6
EF-S 18-55mm at 55mm f5-6
7.4-44.4mm at 44.4mm f4.8
ZD 14-42mm at 42mm f5.6
Nikon D40 macro comparison
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.
DX 18-55mm II at 55mm f8
Max area of 74x48mm
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.
