[Steve]

Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the D40X, a new digital SLR incorporating a 10.2-megapixel CCD. The D40X is scheduled to launch worldwide at March 22, 2007 (TBD) and is a sister model to the D40, which has a 6.1-megapixel CCD.

While maintaining the compact size and portability of the D40 camera body, the D40X produces even more outstanding, detailed pictures thanks to its 10.2-megapixel CCD and cutting-edge digital technologies. Its resolution power makes it easy for users to print up to A3-size pictures or crop aggressively without losing any fine details. The D40X is loaded with everything you need for truly amazing images: a 10.2-megapixel CCD, Nikon’s exclusive 3D Color Matrix Metering II, an improved Image Processing Engine and superb Auto White Balance. Together with a world-famous Nikkor lens, these features combine to ensure perfect exposure, refined details and natural, vivid colors.

The D40X shares the D40’s ergonomic design and streamlined interface, which means the same intuitive operation that’s simple and fun – even for entry-level users. The bright and clear viewfinder ensures precise composition, while the 2.5-inch large LCD monitor utilizes an easy-to-use menu system and a wide viewing angle so that everyone can navigate their settings and view their images with ease. There is also a handy built-in Help menu: simply press a button and useful information on key features is displayed on the LCD monitor.

The D40X is fast. Its near-instant power-up (0.18 second) and fast, reliable responses help photographers act on the moment, while the continuous shooting mode lets photographers easily capture up to 100 JPEG images of action as fast as 3 frames per second. The camera’s razor-sharp autofocus ensures crisp images for a wide variety of photographic scenes.

Flash photography is simple with the D40X because the camera employs Nikon’s market-leading i-TTL flash control, which evaluates ideal flash exposure automatically and accurately, even in difficult lighting situations.

Eight Digital Vari-Program modes offer creative shooting options that are optimized for common shooting situations. Fun, fast and simple, they are as easy to use as rotating the mode dial. For further control over aperture and shutter speed, P/S/A/M modes are available.

Exclusive in-camera image editing features are available in the Retouch menu. One of the main features is Nikon’s exceptional D-lighting, which brings out details usually lost in underexposed areas of an image while retaining the proper exposure in brighter areas. Photographers can correct red-eye easily, or use Monochrome effects to change an image to Black-and-white or Sepia tone. Nikon’s bundled software, PictureProject, also allows users to edit images on a computer. PictureProject makes transferring, organizing and sharing images incredibly simple, while the optional Capture NX software offers even more creative control.

Some of the D40X’s major improvements include an even longer-lasting battery that allows up to 520* images per charge (470* images for the D40), faster continuous shooting at 3 frames per second (2.5 fps for the D40) and a wider ISO sensitivity of 100 to 1600, plus HI-1 (200 to 1600 plus HI-1 for the D40).*CIPA standards, with Built-in Flash used for 50% of the shots

While it inherits many advanced digital and optical technologies from professional models, the D40X and its sister model, the D40, are Nikon’s smallest, most compact digital SLR cameras. By offering everyone mobility, ease-of-use and incredible pictures with great resolution, the D40X welcomes everyone to the world of Nikon digital SLR photography.

Sales release schedule
To launch worldwide at March 22, 2007