Nikon D40 vs Olympus E-M10
The Nikon D40 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in November 2006 and January 2014. The D40 is a DSLR, while the E-M10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D40) and a Four Thirds (E-M10) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 6 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 15.9 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D40 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon D40 and the Olympus E-M10. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The E-M10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D40 is only available in black.



If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-M10 is notably smaller (16 percent) than the Nikon D40. Moreover, the E-M10 is markedly lighter (24 percent) than the D40. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D40 nor the E-M10 are weather-sealed.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D40) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M10). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-M10, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.
Concerning battery life, the D40 gets 470 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL9 battery, while the E-M10 can take 320 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-5 power pack.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

| Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nikon D40 | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 470 | n | Nov 2006 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | 119 mm | 82 mm | 46 mm | 396 g | 320 | n | Jan 2014 | US$ 699 | ebay.com | |
| 3. | Nikon D40X | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 520 | n | Mar 2007 | US$ 729 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Nikon D50 | 133 mm | 102 mm | 76 mm | 620 g | 400 | n | Apr 2005 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Nikon D60 | 126 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 500 | n | Jan 2008 | US$ 629 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Nikon D70 | 140 mm | 111 mm | 78 mm | 679 g | 400 | n | Jan 2004 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Nikon D70s | 140 mm | 111 mm | 78 mm | 679 g | 500 | n | Apr 2005 | US$ 899 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Nikon D80 | 132 mm | 103 mm | 77 mm | 668 g | 600 | n | Aug 2006 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Nikon D3000 | 126 mm | 97 mm | 64 mm | 536 g | 500 | n | Jul 2009 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Nikon D3100 | 124 mm | 96 mm | 75 mm | 505 g | 550 | n | Aug 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Nikon D3300 | 124 mm | 98 mm | 76 mm | 430 g | 700 | n | Jan 2014 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Nikon D3400 | 124 mm | 98 mm | 76 mm | 445 g | 1200 | n | Aug 2016 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 13. | Olympus E-M10 II | 120 mm | 83 mm | 47 mm | 390 g | 320 | n | Aug 2015 | US$ 649 | ebay.com | |
| 14. | Olympus E-P5 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 37 mm | 420 g | 330 | n | May 2013 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 15. | Olympus E-PL7 | 115 mm | 67 mm | 38 mm | 357 g | 350 | n | Aug 2014 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 16. | Panasonic G6 | 122 mm | 85 mm | 71 mm | 390 g | 340 | n | Apr 2013 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 17. | Panasonic GX7 | 123 mm | 71 mm | 55 mm | 402 g | 350 | n | Aug 2013 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D40 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 29 percent) than the E-M10, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D40 features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M10 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M10 is 39 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.0. The sensor in the D40 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M10 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the E-M10 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 6 MP of the D40. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 7.85μm for the D40). However, it should be noted that the E-M10 is much more recent (by 7 years and 2 months) than the D40, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M10 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-M10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-M10 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D40 are 15 x 10 inches or 38.2 x 25.4 cm for good quality, 12 x 8 inches or 30.6 x 20.3 cm for very good quality, and 10 x 6.7 inches or 25.5 x 16.9 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Nikon D40 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 200-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.
In terms of underlying technology, the D40 is build around a CCD sensor, while the E-M10 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the E-M10 offers substantially better image quality than the D40 (overall score 16 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.8 bits higher color depth, 1.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.7 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nikon D40 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 21.0 | 11.0 | 561 | 56 | |
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 884 | 72 | |
| 3. | Nikon D40X | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.4 | 11.4 | 516 | 63 | |
| 4. | Nikon D50 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 20.9 | 10.8 | 560 | 55 | |
| 5. | Nikon D60 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.5 | 11.4 | 562 | 65 | |
| 6. | Nikon D70 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 20.4 | 10.3 | 529 | 50 | |
| 7. | Nikon D70s | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 20.4 | 10.3 | 529 | 50 | |
| 8. | Nikon D80 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.1 | 11.2 | 524 | 61 | |
| 9. | Nikon D3000 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.1 | 563 | 62 | |
| 10. | Nikon D3100 | APS-C | 14.2 | 4608 | 3072 | 1080/24p | 22.5 | 11.3 | 919 | 67 | |
| 11. | Nikon D3300 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.3 | 12.8 | 1385 | 82 | |
| 12. | Nikon D3400 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.8 | 13.9 | 1192 | 86 | |
| 13. | Olympus E-M10 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
| 14. | Olympus E-P5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.4 | 895 | 72 | |
| 15. | Olympus E-PL7 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.4 | 873 | 72 | |
| 16. | Panasonic G6 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 21.3 | 11.5 | 639 | 61 | |
| 17. | Panasonic GX7 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 1080/60p | 22.6 | 12.2 | 718 | 70 |
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The E-M10 indeed provides for movie recording, while the D40 does not. The highest resolution format that the E-M10 can use is 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the E-M10 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the D40 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the E-M10 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D40 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-M10 has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D40 and Olympus E-M10 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

| Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nikon D40 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 3. | Nikon D40X | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 4. | Nikon D50 | optical | n | 2.0 / 130 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
| 5. | Nikon D60 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 6. | Nikon D70 | optical | n | 1.8 / 130 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 7. | Nikon D70s | optical | n | 2.0 / 130 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 8. | Nikon D80 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 9. | Nikon D3000 | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 10. | Nikon D3100 | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 11. | Nikon D3300 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
| 12. | Nikon D3400 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
| 13. | Olympus E-M10 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 14. | Olympus E-P5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 15. | Olympus E-PL7 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
| 16. | Panasonic G6 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 1036 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
| 17. | Panasonic GX7 | 2760 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
| Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. | |||||||||||
One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The E-M10 has a touchscreen, while the D40 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.
The Olympus E-M10 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.
The D40 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the E-M10 uses SDXC cards. The E-M10 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the D40 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D40 and Olympus OM-D E-M10 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

| Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nikon D40 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 3. | Nikon D40X | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 4. | Nikon D50 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 5. | Nikon D60 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 6. | Nikon D70 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.0 | - | - | - | |
| 7. | Nikon D70s | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 8. | Nikon D80 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 9. | Nikon D3000 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 10. | Nikon D3100 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 11. | Nikon D3300 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 12. | Nikon D3400 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | Y | |
| 13. | Olympus E-M10 II | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 14. | Olympus E-P5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 15. | Olympus E-PL7 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 16. | Panasonic G6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
| 17. | Panasonic GX7 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the E-M10 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D40 does not provide wifi capability.
Both the D40 and the E-M10 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D40 was replaced by the Nikon D40X, while the E-M10 was followed by the Olympus E-M10 II. Further information on the features and operation of the D40 and E-M10 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D40 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M10 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D40 or the Olympus E-M10 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Nikon D40:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (470 versus 320) on a single battery charge.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (29 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in November 2006).

Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M10:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 6MP), which boosts linear resolution by 59%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (16 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.8 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.3 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.7 stops ISO advantage).
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.53x).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 230k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (119x82mm vs 124x94mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 126g or 24 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More modern: Reflects 7 years and 2 months of technical progress since the D40 launch.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M10 is the clear winner of the contest (23 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D40 and the Olympus E-M10 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D40 or the E-M10. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

| Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nikon D40 | .. | 81/100 | .. | + + | o | 4.5/5 | Nov 2006 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2014 | US$ 699 | ebay.com | |
| 3. | Nikon D40X | .. | 79/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2007 | US$ 729 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Nikon D50 | .. | 78/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2005 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Nikon D60 | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2008 | US$ 629 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Nikon D70 | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Jan 2004 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Nikon D70s | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 5/5 | Apr 2005 | US$ 899 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Nikon D80 | .. | + | .. | + + | o | 4.5/5 | Aug 2006 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Nikon D3000 | .. | + | .. | 72/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2009 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Nikon D3100 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Nikon D3300 | 3/5 | + | .. | 77/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2014 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Nikon D3400 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 76/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2016 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 13. | Olympus E-M10 II | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2015 | US$ 649 | ebay.com | |
| 14. | Olympus E-P5 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 78/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2013 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 15. | Olympus E-PL7 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2014 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 16. | Panasonic G6 | 4/5 | + + | .. | .. | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2013 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 17. | Panasonic GX7 | 4/5 | + | .. | 79/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2013 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. | |||||||||||
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check D40 offers at
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Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 2000D vs Nikon D40
- Canon SX720 vs Nikon D40
- Fujifilm X-T3 vs Olympus E-M10
- Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-M10
- Nikon D3000 vs Nikon D40
- Nikon D40 vs Olympus E-400
- Nikon D40 vs Panasonic G3
- Nikon D40 vs Panasonic LX15
- Nikon D610 vs Olympus E-M10
- Nikon Df vs Olympus E-M10
- Olympus E-M10 vs Panasonic G9 II
- Olympus E-M10 vs Sony RX100
Specifications: Nikon D40 vs Olympus E-M10
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
| Camera Model | Nikon D40 | Olympus E-M10 |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
| Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
| Launch Date | November 2006 | January 2014 |
| Launch Price | USD 499 | USD 699 |
| Sensor Specs | Nikon D40 | Olympus E-M10 |
| Sensor Technology | CCD | CMOS |
| Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
| Sensor Size | 23.7 x 15.6 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
| Sensor Area | 369.72 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
| Sensor Diagonal | 28.4 mm | 21.6 mm |
| Crop Factor | 1.5x | 2.0x |
| Sensor Resolution | 6 Megapixels | 15.9 Megapixels |
| Image Resolution | 3008 x 2000 pixels | 4608 x 3456 pixels |
| Pixel Pitch | 7.85 μm | 3.76 μm |
| Pixel Density | 1.63 MP/cm2 | 7.08 MP/cm2 |
| Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
| Movie Capability | no Video | 1080/30p Video |
| ISO Setting | 200 - 1,600 ISO | 200 - 25,600 ISO |
| ISO Boost | 200 - 3,200 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
| DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 56 | 72 |
| DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.0 | 22.8 |
| DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.0 | 12.3 |
| DXO Low Light (ISO) | 561 | 884 |
| Screen Specs | Nikon D40 | Olympus E-M10 |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
| Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.53x | 0.58x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 1440k dots | |
| LCD Framing | Live View | |
| Rear LCD Size | 2.5inch | 3.0inch |
| LCD Resolution | 230k dots | 1037k dots |
| LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
| Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
| Shooting Specs | Nikon D40 | Olympus E-M10 |
| Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
| Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
| Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/4000s |
| Continuous Shooting | 2.5 shutter flaps/s | 8 shutter flaps/s |
| Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
| Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
| Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
| Storage Medium | SDHC cards | SDXC cards |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
| UHS card support | no | UHS-I |
| Connectivity Specs | Nikon D40 | Olympus E-M10 |
| External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
| USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| HDMI Port | no HDMI | micro HDMI |
| Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
| Body Specs | Nikon D40 | Olympus E-M10 |
| Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL9 | Olympus BLS-5 |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 470 shots per charge | 320 shots per charge |
| Body Dimensions |
124 x 94 x 64 mm (4.9 x 3.7 x 2.5 in) |
119 x 82 x 46 mm (4.7 x 3.2 x 1.8 in) |
| Camera Weight | 522 g (18.4 oz) | 396 g (14.0 oz) |

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