What are the maps modes on my nikon d40?

Question

sorry i mean M A S P

Answer 1

M is manual.  You set aperture and shutter speed.  This setting is good to use in tricky lighting and any night shots, like the moon, fireworks, etc.

A is aperture priority.  You set the aperture and your camera sets shutter speed.  Good for scenics.  You can select a wide aperture (small f number) to blur the background, or a small aperture (large f number) to get more sharpness from close to far.

S is shutter priority.  You set shutter speed and your camera sets aperture.  Good for sports or anything that moves.  You can choose a slow shutter speed to show blur (use a tripod) or a fast one to freeze motion.

P is program.  Your camera sets aperture and shutter speed.  Good one to start with, until you get used to your cameras settings.