Nikon D40/D40x For Dummies
by Julie Adair King
Nikon D40/D40x For Dummies
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Copyright 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2008920737
ISBN: 978-0-470-23946-9
Manufactured in the United States of America
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About the Author
Julie Adair King is the author of many books about digital photography and imaging, including the best-selling Digital Photography For Dummies. Her most recent titles include Digital Photography Before & After Makeovers, Digital Photo Projects For Dummies, Julie Kings Everyday Photoshop For Photographers, Julie Kings Everyday Photoshop Elements, and Shoot Like a Pro!: Digital Photography Techniques. When not writing, King teaches digital photography at such locations as the Palm Beach Photographic Center. A graduate of Purdue University, she resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Authors Acknowledgments
I am extremely grateful to the team of talented professionals at Wiley Publishing for all their efforts in putting together this book. Special thanks go to my awesome project editor, Kim Darosett, who is the type of editor that all authors hope for but rarely experience: supportive, skilled, and amazingly calm in the face of any storm, including my not infrequent freakouts.
I also owe much to the rest of the folks in both the editorial and art departments, especially Heidi Unger, Rashell Smith, Shelley Lea, Steve Hayes, Andy Cummings, and Mary Bednarek. Thanks, too, to Jonathan Conrad for providing the awesome nighttime shot for Chapter 7, and to agent extraordinaire, Margot Maley Hutchison, for her continuing help and encouragement.
Last but oh, so not least, I am deeply indebted to technical editor Chuck Pace, whose keen eye and vast experience set me on the right track whenever I mistakenly thought I should go left. Thank you, thank you, for sharing your time and your expertise the book would not have been the same without it.
Publishers Acknowledgments
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Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development
Project Editor: Kim Darosett
Executive Editor: Steve Hayes
Copy Editor: Heidi Unger
Technical Editor: Chuck Pace
Editorial Manager: Leah Cameron
Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth
Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Composition Services
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Layout and Graphics: Alissa D. Ellet, Jennifer Mayberry, Ronald Terry, Erin Zeltner
Proofreaders: Caitie Kelly, Betty Kish
Indexer: Ty Koontz
Wiley Publishing Technology Publishing Group
Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher
Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director
Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director
Publishing for Consumer Dummies
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Introduction
N ikon. The name has been associated with top-flight photography equipment for generations. And the introduction of the D40 and its sibling, the D40x, only enriched Nikons well-deserved reputation, offering the power and flexibility of a digital SLR in a revolutionary, compact size and at an equally compact price. When history looks back on these two cameras, its a fair bet that theyll be recognized for enticing millions of former point-and-shoot photographers into the SLR world.
Im also willing to wager that if youre new to digital photography, SLR cameras, or both, youve got more than a few questions. For starters, you may not even be sure what SLR means or how it affects your picture taking, let alone have a clue as to all the other techie terms you encounter in your camera manual