Compared to...

Studio scene comparison (higher sensitivity)

The D40 delivers a clean looking image at both ISO 800 and 1600 which maintains its detail well, although not as detailed as the Pentax K100D images.

ISO 800

Nikon D40	Pentax K100D
Canon EOS 350D	Nikon D50

ISO 1600

Nikon D40	Pentax K100D
Canon EOS 350D	Nikon D50