Nikon D40 is a powerhouse DSLR to explore your unkempt talents with its easy-to-use interface and powerful features. Due to its high-performance CCD sensor and exclusive Nikon image processing engine, its color consistency and graphics strength are superb.
The compact design duly assists in hassle-free handheld photography. Also, a 2.5in RGB viewfinder is a bit larger than previous versions, making objects look brighter and clearer in daylight and at night.
The DSLR camera performs well when paired with an appropriate object-oriented lens. Following is a list of a few of the best Nikon D40 lenses that are compatible with your Nikon D40 DSLR:
Best Compatible Lenses for Nikon D40 Digital SLR in 2022
Best Wide-Angle Lens: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
“Nikon AF-S 14-24mm works great for seasoned portrait camerapersons. F/2.8G aperture make things more colorful and dynamic at all lengths and lighting conditions.”
Wide-Angle Pro: Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM ELD SLD
“102.4-degree wide focal range delivers exaggerated perspective, large aperture and superior elements make Sigma 10-20mm a perfect recipe for landscapes.”
Best All-In-One Lens: Tamron AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC All-in-One
“Tamron 18-200mm is an experienced all-rounder, excels in long-range stability, and does great when it’s dark out there.”
A Renowned Portrait Lens: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens
“Portraits, street photography, travel, indoors, outdoors, nocturnal shots, name it and it’s done.”
Top Zoom Lens: Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Zoom Lens
“Yes, it zooms in to the mountains. Stunning details with a wide focal range makes Sigma 70-300mm fit for any situation.”
Best Telephoto Lens: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED
“NIKKOR AF-S 55-300mm begins where a kit lens part ways. Controlled zoom together with awesome splish-splash is what makes Nikon 55-300mm the best lens to start with.”
1. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm F/2.8G Wide Angle Lens
Nikon’s exclusive 14-24mm wide-angle lens delivers sharp and immaculate in-built image enhancements at all zoom angles and light settings.
The powerful design, backed with cutting-edge elements make photography experience immense in terms of color-depth and contrasts.
Features
- With Nikon 14-24mm, capture perfect details with immaculate graphics, thanks to their exclusive ED glass and PGM aspherical elements that reduce all the possible aberrations in a flurry when processing the captured photo.
- The focus length for architecture, sports, and wildlife photography has been quite impressive with Nikon AF-S 14-24mm. SWM responds quiet and quick in videos, and simultaneously eliminate the unwanted hiss in the audio.
- The high-speed focusing motor also ensures clarity and contrast along the way. At varying focal lengths, the lens utilized internal focusing that greatly assists in eradicating wonted noises.
- For macro shoots, 14-24mm focuses as close as 0.9ft in 24mm FP setting. For landscapes, the 14mm stretches the viewing field around 114 degrees when used with the appropriate DX camera.
- For ghosting and flare reduction, the lens encompasses a Nikon-made nano-coating material on the edges of its lens elements which ultimately improves image clarity, sharpness, and overall color depth.
- For nighttime shots, the near-round aperture can be maximized to f/2.8G for smooth and noise-free foregrounds together with smudgy background results. After-shot photo-rendering is fastest in Nikon 14-24mm, thanks to its fastest processor algorithm and compact build.
Pros
- ED glass plus PGM aspherical elements comprehensively cancel out noise and distortions from photos
- Close-up focusing up to 0.9ft from the object
- Works great in daylight as well as at night
- Wide aperture for low-light photography
Cons
- Too expensive for a second lens
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2. Sigma 10-20mm F/3.5 Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Sigma 10-20mm comes with a reasonable price tag with all inclusive features one can find in expensive landscape zoom lenses. The viewing angle (i.e. 102.4 degrees) is even better than most of the wide-angle Nikon lenses.
Plus, the high-speed processing sways the photographer’s experience with color-laden and extremely congested graphics at bright- and in low-light modes.
Features
- The macro compatibility works great with close-up nature shoots and product photography. There’s a large petal hood on the front element to obstruct unwanted light exposure to the lens.
- For landscapes, architecture, indoors, and outdoor photography, the special low dispersion and aspherical elements provide with exquisite image quality.
- Plus, Sigma’s super multi-layer lens coating protects direct-light flares and ghosting effects for still and moving pictures.
- For low-light conditions, the aperture expands up to f/3.5 throughout the zoom range to ensure perfect brightness and grain-free results indoors and at night.
- With a bright viewfinder, photographers can always switch between the modes and settings, override autofocusing, or tweak around with background blurs.
- A hyper-sonic autofocus motor keeps the noise at bay when recording videos at varied focal lengths.
Pros
- Wide-angle perspective (102.4 degrees) for architecture, landscapes, group photos, and nature photography
- Near-round aperture helps in capturing vibrant photos and videos in low-light conditions
- Two ELD and an SLD element neutralize all aberrations in the processing mode
- Ultra-silent HSM ensures quick and quiet AF
Cons
- Viewing field too stretched out for portraits
- AF functions does not work in Pentax 1st series and K100D DSLRs
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3. Tamron AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 All-in-One Lens
Tamron AF 18-200mm is the most eligible all-rounder lens for capturing anything. The wide-ranging focal length together with phenomenal graphics makes worldview more vibrant and stunning from the viewer’s perspective.
The high-end color intensity, tack sharp graphics at farthest lengths, and perfect edge-to-edge smoothness makes photography experience far better and spectacular with Tamron 18-200mm.
Features
- For beginners, no lens is as affordable and diverse than Tamron’s AF 18-200mm. It zooms in more precisely and with immaculate stability throughout the focal length.
- The exclusive Vibration Compensation assists in handheld photos and videography modes, ensuring blur-free and sharp results in real-time.
- For autofocus, Tamron’s super-fast DC micromotor is exclusively designed for quicker response to the movement sensors alongside smooth and quiet operation when mounted on an APS-C camera.
- For night-time shoots, the 7-blade near-round f/3.5-5.6 aperture amicably compensates for the grainy bursts and smooth up pictures and videos in the processing stage.
- Tamron 18-200mm offers spectacular results in architecture, portraits, sports, nature photography, landscapes, and more.
- For post-photography image enhancements, the lens features 16 elements in 14 groups including ED and aspherical elements for aberration control and SIC for flares and ghost effect elimination.
Pros
- Tamron’s exclusive Vibration Compensation image stabilization to balance shakes and thuds in photos and videos
- All-in-one zoom lens for everyday photography
- 16 elements included for picture enhancements
- Compact design and powerful construction
Cons
- Mediocre design with average ergonomics
- Do not buy if you need a special-purpose professional lens
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4. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm F/1.8G Prime Lens
Optimized for paparazzo, made for photographers, Nikon’s best-in-line NIKKOR 35mm prime lens has set the benchmark in portrait photography.
The superior color blend, super-sharp graphics, and top-notch processing powers make the lens the best in the world for capturing stunning lens-blurred pictures at fixed lengths.
Features
- The aesthetic backgrounds, coupled with piercing foreground visuals create strong isolation effect when filming portraits and macros with Nikon 35mm. Together with a round aperture of f/1.8, the results are more than stunning from normal viewing angle.
- The viewing angle for 35mm lens is same as viewed from a human eye which makes the image even better aligned and appealing to the viewer’s perspective. Also, the aperture helps in softening up the grainy photos in low-light conditions or at night.
- For accurate focusing, Nikon 35mm got a super-silent SWM which, without shifting the crucial lens elements, trails the fast-moving subjects with extreme accuracy.
- AF modes can be shifted to manual and then to M/A manual override to get the perks of both manual and auto modes simultaneously.
- To make things even better, Nikon 35mm encapsulates multiple aberration-control components together, including the exclusive aspherical elements for coma effects and various other distortions.
- For efficient light transmission, color consistency, and anti-ghosting, the lens offers a complete Super Integrated Coating on the elements stacked together with a sturdy rubber coating on top.
Pros
- Inbuilt image enhancers and superb graphics controls
- Nikon 35mm offers three focusing modes
- Exquisite and aesthetic construction
- Viewing angle equals human vision
- Metal Mount Adds Robustness
- Lightweight, Easy to handle
Cons
- Not recommended for the novices
- The lens offers no zoom at all
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5. Sigma 70-300mm F/4-5.6 DG Macro Motorized Telephoto Zoom Lens
Sigma 70-300mm is simple and wide-ranging go-to lens for all of your photography needs. The wide zooms with special macro magnifications make it an all-round lens for nature lovers as well as for portraits.
The lens is compact in size and highly ergonomic for anyone who loves taking photos. From portraits at 70mm to magnified snaps at 300mm, Sigma provides solution to all your requirements in a single package.
Features
- The lens barrel comprises 14 elements in a 10-group setting, including SLD aberration-control glass and multi-layer coating that eliminates flares and ghosting effects.
- The elements also enhance image quality, color-depth, and improve contrasts in processing modes.
- For low-light conditions and night-time portraits, Sigma 70-300mm features a 9-blade round diaphragm.
- The camera iris opens up the aperture wide up to f/4-5.6G, embracing adequate light to ace the shot in all lighting modes with sharp results.
- The aperture width automatically contracts in daylight for exquisite lens-blur photographs and sharp portraits with blurry backgrounds.
- Together with telephoto zoom, Sigma 70-300mm provides with first-rate macros with its 1:2 magnifications.
- Besides, the viewing angle ranges from 34.3 – 8.2 degrees to cover a diverse field of perspectives with the lens.
Pros
- Wide-ranging zoom for portraits, telephoto, and macro photography
- 9-blade circular aperture for stunning pictures in low-light situations
- Rugged assembly
- Affordable
Cons
- Average design
- Check compatibility before buying the lens.
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6. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm F/4.5-5.6G Telephoto Lens
Nikon telephoto range is better equipped and expansive compared with the competing lenses.
The exclusive Nikon VR II image stabilization, together with the specialized High Refractive Index (HRI) elements makes Nikon 55-300mm atop the rivalry for the best zoom shots with seamless stabilization.
Features
- The focal length alters nimbly with the moving objects being captured. Assisted with a powerful and super-quiet SWM, the lens’s iris never takes its eye off the action.
- At 300mm, the level-II stabilization ensures shake-free video-making and still photographs.
- In low-light environment, Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating steps up the foreground sharpness and smudges in the background, reduces ghosting and flare effects in daylight.
- For color and contrast enhancements, 55-300mm incorporates two ED glass elements. These elements create dramatic lens blur effects with distortion-free dynamics in handheld and tripod modes.
- NIKKOR DX 55-300mm serves purpose in portraits, landscapes, architecture, macros, and ultra-zoomed telephotography, all praise to its sprawling focal range.
Pros
- Spare zoom included for refined shots at 300mm
- VR-II image stabilization plus tripod detection enabled
- Focuses macros up to 4.6ft from the subject
- Swift and Silent PWM for AF
Cons
- Too large for a travel bag
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Conclusion
Always count on your instincts if you are to select one from the above-mentioned lenses. You must, because all the lenses compiled in our catalogue are best in the business, thanks to their remarkable reviews over the internet together with personal recommendation from our team.
For best mid-range results together with wide aperture and adequate zoom, Nikon 55-300mm and Tamron 18-200mm are the ones to choose from. For top-scale nature photography and macros, Sigma 70-300mm has always been the photographer’s choice.
If you are into details, clarity, and perfections, nothing gets as specific as Nikon 35mm prime lens. Else, go for Sigma 10-20mm or Nikon 14-24mm for paramount landscapes, architecture, and macro photography.
Frequently Asked Questions
All the lenses with DX-type compatibility are fully compatible with Nikon D40. However, FX-type lenses also work in DX-crop modes when mounted on Nikon D40 DSLR.
Sigma 70-300mm and Nikon 55-300mm are perfect utility lenses for long-range wildlife photography, thanks to the Vibration compensation technology incorporated in both the lenses. VR and VS lenses stabilize widely zoomed objects without distorting its scope and smoothness.
Nikon D40 offers wide spectrums for beginners as well as professional photographers. The ease of access allows beginners a great start in Auto settings. Also, the in-camera image editing saves the hassle of tweaking the results in complexly structured photo-editing programs. The Help (?) option assists users in understanding the functioning of selected modes.
Nikon D40 includes a bright SLR viewfinder with 8x magnification making it easier to manually focus low-light objects. In addition, the built-in speedlight with i-TTL auto flash control delivers detailed exposure for night-time photos.
Nikon D40 has cutting-edge Eight Digital Vari-Program settings, including night portrait mode. The AI-assisted night mode automatically adjusts ISO and aperture for night photography.