I was very hesitant to buy a real SLR cam, and had been following it on TV and in magazine for about 2 years. Right now the price on it is pretty decent especially at WOLF/RITZ CAMERA in California USA. It comes in a kit of goodies, bag, extra long distance lens, and 18 classes. i AM HAPPY WITH MINE! I AM THE ENVY OF THE TOWN! , WITH MY FANCY FAST CAMERA! (YEP I KNOW THERE ARE EVEN FANICER ONES- BUT THIS ONE IS MINE!)

PS DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE TO GET A CHEAP BUT GOOD TABLETOP TRIPOD?

Judy.

Nice to know about your D40. I'm thinking of getting one and finding lot's of people liking the D40 and D40x. For me it's quite an investment ('bout a years savings) so it's nice to find ordinary joe's enjoying the scene. But your photo tells me you're no ordinary joe so no offence. Can't help with the tripod but over here in Wales, U.K. they often bundle them with cameras. I'd have thought you were 'sitting pretty' in U.S.A where everything seems cheaper than us.

The D40 appreciation group.  Yes, I love mine too.  I've just bought a great, but expensive, lens for mine - the Nikon 18-200mm vr (£420 on ebay).  I wanted a telephoto lens that would extend up to 200mm or 300mm somewhere and seriously considered buying the more expensive Nikon D80 because it can autofocus older lenses.  But, I thought, do I want to part with the D40, and the answer was no.  The D40 can autofocus on this amazing lens - so always remember that you don't neccesarily have to part with your D40 if you want to to go telephoto. 

Tabletop tripod?!  Velbon do small tripods for £20 or so.  They're OK for the price.  However, I've found that I feel safer with a larger tripod, because although the D40 isn't a big camera, it's still big enough to easily overbalance a small and light tripod, especially if you buy a bigger lens.  Manfrotto do fairly portable tripods for £70 or so, like the 728.  They also do the cheaper "Modo Mini 785SHB", which could probably fit in a rucksack.  Hope this helps.