Newer Nikon Camera with significant quality difference over the Nikon D40x?

I bought a Nikon D40x six years ago and later added a Nikon 18 - 200 mm lens. I like the camera and the photos it takes. People often compliment my photographs. But on a cruise recently, I was amazed at the quality of the portrait photos the ship's photographers took with their Nikon cameras. I asked the guy how he got such great photos and he said "start by buying a $3,500 camera".

My question is what model or price of Nikon camera would I need to move up to in order to see a difference in my photos? I know equipment isn't everything but a much larger sensor has to make a difference so where is that sensor size level ( and thus price level) where a newer Nikon model would show a better quality photo?

I went from a D40 to D7000 and it was noticeable if you pixel peeked or were shooting at high ISO (800+). The nice thing about the D7000 is some settings are more easily accessible and being able to use AF lenses. Having the extra pixels is nice if I need to crop, but also amplifies problems with the photographer's technique. I still use my D40 as a second camera and it still takes nice images.

You'll find that the photographer's skill (composition, posing, lighting, camera adjustments) is much more important to getting nice shots than a fancy camera body. Having the proper lenses is also important.

Your D40 probably uses a CCD sensor, and the current Nikon line up will be using CMOS or backlit CMOS sensors. So yes, the image quality and low light performance will be improved on the newer models.

You don't have to spend $3500 on a camera body to get great images, you just have to switch brands.

I started out on a Nikon D3000, then switched to a Sony A65. The A65 was a massive leap in better IQ, and the sensor stabilization was phenomenal (3.5-4.5 stops). I switched again to a Pentax K-5 for the sublime image quality, and the sensor stabilization which levels the sensor, astrotracer, perspective control, tilt shift effect, and all my lenses have stabilization - and get this, sensor stabilization is better and more consistent.

Ultimately, mirrorless is the way of the future, and the Fujifilm models are producing film-like images. It doesn't have sensor stabilization, but everybody is raving about the lens range which are ludicrously sharp - some are sharper than Canon and Nikon pro gear.

If you wanna take better photos and have a sharper lens range, go with either Pentax or fujifilm. Yeah, you could upgrade to a D7100, but a Pentax K-3 will clobber it.

With $3500, you could buy a Pentax or Fujifilm body, plus some really great lenses, and you will achieve image quality that will rival or beat a $3500 Nikon body (Or Canon).

Nikon and Canon do not give the Budget camera consumer what they want, and thats where Pentax and Fujifilm come in - with image quality to rival the professional gear from the big two.

Nikon and Canon aren't the only ones who make cameras, in fact they're getting taken to school by some of their rivals.