Nikon D40 Caring for the Camera and Battery Cautions, Lens contacts Keep the lens contacts clean

Caring for the Camera and Battery: Cautions

Do not drop: The product may malfunction if subjected to strong shocks or vibration.

Keep dry: This product is not waterproof, and may malfunc- tion if immersed in water or exposed to high levels of humidity. Rusting of the internal mechanism can cause irreparable damage.

Avoid sudden changes in temperature: Sudden changes in tem- perature, such as occur when entering or leaving a heated building on a cold day, can cause condensation inside the device. To prevent condensation, place the device in a car- rying case or plastic bag before exposing it to sudden changes in temperature.

Keep away from strong magnetic fields: Do not use or store this device in the vicinity of equipment that generates strong electromagnetic radiation or magnetic fields. Strong static charges or the magnetic fields produced by equipment such as radio transmitters could interfere with the monitor, damage data stored on the memory card, or affect the product’s internal circuitry.

Do not leave the lens pointed at the sun: Do not leave the lens pointed at the sun or other strong light source for an extended period. Intense light may cause the image sensor to deteriorate or produce a white blur effect in photo- graphs.

Blooming: Vertical white streaks may appear in photographs of the sun or other strong light sources. This phenomenon, known as “blooming,” can be prevented by reducing the amount of light that falls on the image sensor, either by choosing a slow shutter speed and small aperture or by using an ND filter.

Do not touch the shutter curtain: The shutter curtain is extremely thin and easily damaged. Under no circum- stances should you exert pressure on the curtain, poke it with cleaning tools, or subject it to powerful air currents from a blower. These actions could scratch, deform, or tear the curtain.

Handle all moving parts with care: Do not apply force to the bat- tery-chamber,card-slot, or connector covers. These parts are especially susceptible to damage.

Lens contacts: Keep the lens contacts clean.

Turn the product off before removing or disconnecting the power source: Do not unplug the product or remove the battery while the product is on or while images are being recorded or deleted. Forcibly cutting power in these circumstances could result in loss of data or in damage to product memory or internal circuitry. To prevent an accidental interruption of power, avoid carrying the product from one location to another while the AC adapter is connected.

Cleaning: When cleaning the camera body, use a blower to gently remove dust and lint, then wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth. After using the camera at the beach or seaside, wipe off any sand or salt using a cloth lightly dampened in pure water and then dry the camera thoroughly.

The lens and mirror are easily damaged. Dust and lint should be gently removed with a blower. When using an aerosol blower, keep the can vertical to prevent discharge of liquid. To remove fingerprints and other stains from the lens, apply a small amount of lens cleaner to a soft cloth and wipe the lens carefully.

See “The Low-Pass Filter” ( 105) for information on clean- ing the low-pass filter.

Storage: To prevent mold or mildew, store the camera in a dry, well-ventilated area. If the product will not be used for an extended period, remove the battery to prevent leakage and store the camera in a plastic bag containing a desiccant. Do not, however, store the camera case in a plastic bag, as this may cause the material to deteriorate. Note that desic- cant gradually loses its capacity to absorb moisture and should be replaced at regular intervals.

To prevent mold or mildew, take the camera out of storage at least once a month. Turn the camera on and release the shutter a few times before putting it away.

Store the battery in a cool, dry place. Replace the terminal cover before putting the battery away.

Notes on the monitor: The monitor may contain a few pixels that are always lit or that do not light. This is common to all TFT LCD monitors and does not indicate a malfunction. Images recorded with the product are unaffected.

Images in the monitor may be difficult to see in a bright light.

Do not apply pressure to the monitor, as this could cause damage or malfunction. Dust or lint on the monitor can be removed with a blower. Stains can be removed by wiping lightly with a soft cloth or chamois leather. Should the mon- itor break, care should be taken to avoid injury from broken glass and to prevent liquid crystal from the monitor touch- ing the skin or entering the eyes and mouth.

Batteries: Dirt on the battery terminals can prevent the cam- era from functioning and should be removed with a soft, dry cloth before use. After removing the battery from the camera, be sure to replace the terminal cover.

Charge the battery before use. When taking photographs on important occasions, ready a spare EN-EL9 battery and keep it fully charged. Depending on your location, it may be difficult to purchase replacement batteries on short notice.

106 Technical Notes/Caring for the Camera