Hi daphne. I met Dino (forgot his lastname) last night, a DPP senior ata.. And got a simple lecture regarding ML-L3 and the cable release. They are actually different. The ML-L3 is basically a radio remote of D40 camera... allowing you to trigger the shutter at a distance, seemingly the same as you handhold it and trigger it with your finger... Unlike the cable release which actually lets you control the shutter for a longer exposure time.. (bulb mode) It is somewhat a switch which lets you open and close the shutter at longer exposure you desire. Just sharing... ^_^ I'm into landscape photography so i might go for the cable release. ^_^