Hi Darrell, few weeks back, i also posted the same question. i was deciding between Nikon D40x and Canon 400D. And to add complications to the matter, i was also looking at Olympus E510.
This post is rather lengthy. If you just want conclusion, scroll down to the bottom. :bsmilie:
The idea of getting E510 quickly dies off after some considerations. There are several advantages of the Oly E510 which i thought it would be good to have:- the SSWF for dust reduction and the built-in Image Stablizer. I'm only a starter in slr. So, i wouldn't really tell how good the camera is by just looking at it and taking a few shots from it. Most of my decision making factors came from the reviews that I read online. The Oly E510 is relatively new in the market, so there isn't much reviews on this camera. So, i decided to take this out from the list.
Next, back to D40x versus 400D. Both are good cameras for starters like me. Initially, i was more biased towards getting Nikon, because my brother also owns a Nikon system. Thought that we could save some money on lens and other accessories if I bought a Nikon too.
I went to one of the more popular shops listed in this forum (I shall not mention which). Asked to see the 3 cameras :- Oly E510, Nikon D40x and Canon 400D. This shop told me that there have E510 in stock, but do not have the display set. So, the sales person gave me a E410 instead. He told me that the body is exactly the same as E510. Only difference is the built-in image stabilizer. I wasnt really sure during that time. When I felt the E410, i didnt really like the grip. So, that also made me decide not to consider E510. (by the way, E510 and E410 have totally different bodies. their grip are so different!)
When I asked for the other cameras to compare side-by-side, apparently, the salesperson acted blur and kept the Oly. Didnt have a chance for me to compare all 3 cameras side by side. Anyway, I like the grip of both D40x and 400D. Personally, i didnt quite like this shop. The sales person didnt really want to explain to me the differences in the models. Just said "see what you want lor". He was even making fun of my friend who accompanied me to the shop. The saleperson thought that I didnt understood what he was talking with his colleague. They were joking about the singlet that my friend wore. i told myself never to go back to the shop again.
Anyway, forget abt this shop. If you really want to see and feel these cameras, without anyone disturbing you, you can go to the new Courts at Tampines (next to Ikea). They have all of the above cameras on display. Free for customers to try out. Salesman hardly come and disturb... :thumbsup: . But price wise may be a bit on the high side. They have the Olympus E510 on display too. The grip is also excellent. Very different from the E410.
Conclusion:
Now, i spent about 40 minutes at Courts Tampines to feel and try out the D40x and 400D. Both felt good in my hands. Grips were excellent. Finally, i found the tie-breaker between the two cameras. I noticed that for the D40x, if you need to change settings like ISO, White Balance, AF mode, you need to go into the menu and find the functions you need. In the 400D, there are actually buttons on the body which you can access easily. I find it a lot more convenient to have these buttons easily accessible. Finding them in the menu will definitely take up more time. I realised that higher end Nikon dslr (like the D80), have the buttons easily accessible on the body. But the D40x does not. You'll need to scroll thru the menu to reach those functions. Actually, at the point, i wasn't sure if it is really so. I asked one of the salesperson at Courts. He told me that it is true.
So, this became the critical factor that made me chose the Canon 400D over Nikon.
By the way, i didnt get the camera from Courts. I bought it from John 3:16. I think their price is still reasonable. Shall not mention too much on them too..
Hope this help in your decision making. Good Luck!
(Note: All these are my personal opnion. I may be wrong in what I said above and I do not mean to say which camera is more superior than the other. The factors mentioned above are important to me, but may not be important to other people. Everyone is free to choose what they like. I have my own critiria for camera selection, others also have their own criteria. I've made my choice. It is your choice now.):sweatsm: