Nikon D40 Troubleshooting

Lens is not attaching correctly to the lens mount.

Ensure the contact between the lens mount on the camera and the lens is clean. If the lens mount is broken, replacing the lens mount is very simple.

Screen displays unusual colors or visual cracks.

You will need to replace your screen.

The problem isn't your screen, it is your camera. Most likely, your camera is simply frozen.

Unfortunately, you will have to do a hard reboot. Remove the battery pack from the camera. Push and hold down the power button for at least 20 seconds. Put the battery pack back into the camera.

Your mainboard may be fried. You will need to purchase a new one.

If you have tried all of the above and still cannot awaken your camera, your mainboard might be toast. Search online or go to a nearby camera store and find a motherboard replacement. Make sure it is the same model as the previous one installed on your camera.

The camera is likely out of battery. A simple recharge should do the trick.

Remove the battery pack from the camera. Place the battery in the battery charger that came with the camera. The battery may take several hours to charge. When the battery is completely charged, place the battery back into the camera.

The battery compartment may be dirty. Cleaning it should help.

With the battery removed, take a cotton swab coated with a small amount of rubbing alcohol and clean the contacts on the inside of the battery compartment. Try and remove any dust you may see. This dust may be preventing the battery from making a strong connection with the camera itself.

Your battery may be bad. You will need to purchase a new one.

If you charged your battery for a couple hours and your camera still will not turn on your battery may have died completely. Look online or go to a nearby camera store and find a replacement for your battery. Make sure that the new battery is the same model as the previous one as inserting the wrong type of battery into your camera may cause permanent damage.

Your memory card may not have room for more images. Try making more room on the card.

Plug the memory card into your computer, copy the contents, and then delete the pictures off the memory card. This should free up room on your card to hold new pictures.

Your memory card may be damaged or corrupted.

Try using a different memory card. If the camera is able to save images to this card it is likely that your original card has gone bad. Formatting the card may help, but be careful as formatting the card will erase all of the data on the card permanently.

Your pins may be filthy from daily usage.

This will require dismantling the camera and cleaning the pins.

The flash can be disabled in the settings. Make sure it is enabled.

Go through the settings menu and make sure that the flash functionality is enabled. Try taking another picture and see if the flash is working now.

It takes a lot of battery power to use the flash function. Try charging the battery.

Turn the camera off and remove the battery. Place the battery on the charger and charge it for a couple of hours. After the battery is fully charged try using the flash again.

The flash will not pop up but all of the above has been checked.

A pin has been dislodged in the flash compartment. You will need to open up the flash and reset or repair the flash pin.

Camera displays [ - E - ].

Insert a memory card. If memory card is already inserted, troubleshoot using the above "Memory Card is Not Saving Images."

Camera blinks [ E r r ].

Try pressing the shutter button again. If the issue persists, contact your local camera store.

When you look through the viewfinder, you only see black.

Ensure that the lens cover is removed from the front of the camera.

Image is hazy or scratches are visible when you look through the viewfinder.

The viewfinder has become covered in dirt and grime after day to day use or it has been scratched. You will need to clean or replace your viewfinder.