Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) by Canon
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Digital camera reviews of Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
Digital camera Review: A work horse
Summary: 4 Stars
What can I say about the Canon 40D that hasn't already been written in dozens of photography magazines and web forums? Probably not a whole lot! LOL!!! If you are seriously considering this camera, chances are you are already familiar with the brand if not the model by now so I will just highlight the things I've found useful and the things I have found annoying about this camera (and YES, there are some things I've found annoying).
First let me say that for a "mid level" DSLR, the piece of equipment is, as my review title states, a serious work horse. Having stepped up from a Canon Rebel XT, which was a great DSLR in it's own right, I was quite impressed with the quality, both of the camera itself and the images it creates right out of the box. My first gripe however is that after using my XT for a while, I found the 40D to be rather bulky and cumbersome. If you are just stepping up to a "pro" level camera from something like a regular point & shoot or if you are like me and simply have small hands (or as in my case, both!), this is something to be aware of. The best analogy I can give is to be used to driving a small compact car like an old Chevy Chevette and suddenly finding yourself behind the wheel of a '56 Buick Roadmaster! It's large, it's heavy and it feels rather awkward. Personally I also find having the info LCD on the top of the camera instead of the back of the camera to be...well...stupid. I really don't like having to stop and "tilt" the camera upwards just to read my settings. There is a button on the back to use the rear screen for this, but it's an extra step to have to do it...I thought the lay out of the Rebel XT was much nicer in this regard.
Now as I said, the image quality this camera produces makes the annoyance of the camera's size and poorly placed info LCD well worth dealing with. Even with my "cheap" third party lenses, the images that have come off this camera have been superb. I've cropped images at close to 100% that have still been very printable. Also I shoot in mostly Aperture Priority mode and I've found the camera to be pretty much right on the nose most of the time. Speaking of crops, another thing to be aware of is that this camera does have an APS-C sized sensor (NOT full frame) so there is aprox a 1.6x crop factor involved with the lenses. Not a complaint mind you, but something to be aware of. Please note however this IS just a crop and not an actual zoom factor...and there IS a difference.
And speaking of "IS"...this leads me to my second gripe. If you are already familiar with Canon, then you should know by now that they have not yet started to incorporate IS or "Image Stabilization" into their DSLR's the way many of the other camera makers have. As such, you usually have to pay a great deal extra for this feature as most Canon IS lenses are rather expensive. In fact with the exception of a couple of recently introduced EF-S models, Canon IS lenses start around $600 and the sky is the virtual limit compared with many other brands with many of their lenses costing several thousands of dollars.
All and all, this is a great camera but it's not "perfect" in the way some Canon aficionados would have you believe. Another minor gripe was that moving up from my XT I had to purchase new spare batteries all over again as the "Rebels" and their higher end counter parts use different batteries...even though both are Li-ion. The same is true of many of the accessories as well...I had to get a new remote, the vertical grips aren't compatible, etc., etc.. If you already own a Rebel, this is something to be aware of as you'll have to replace all of these accessories that you've already shelled out cash for!
Now after reading this I'm sure you're asking, "With all these issues, is it worth it?" and the answer is yes. I've gotten shots with this camera that simply would not have been possible with anything else I've ever owned (digital or film). The focus is fast and accurate, I've had no compatibility problems with any of my lenses (although I do have one fussy flash unit from ProMaster that still won't work with it) and once you get used to it, this camera has a lot of very useful features, such as Highlight Priority, etc.. If you already own Canon EOS gear (remember, this bugger won't work with FD equipment) then it's a very worth while upgrade considering the price drop. If you don't need the high ISO's of the new 50D or the full frame wonders of the 5D Mark II, then the 40D is a wonderful investment and should serve you well for many years.
Digital camera Review: A worthy Upgrade
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had the 20d for 3 years now, and passed on the 30d when it came out.. Just not enough of an upgrade for my money. Then the 40D showed its head.. and Wow! Finally a worthy upgrade! The Huge display LCD makes my 20d look like a child's camera... The live view, I figured would be for amateurs, but I was Wrong! Live View mode allows you to fine-tune manual focusing like never before. With the live mode turned on, you can digitally zoom into any area on the live image, and see it at 5x or 10x zoom, and you can see your focusing change down to the millimeter!.. It's awesome.
Also, the 10mp is nice, but honestly you will likely not even notice this difference.
If fast photography is your thing (sports or wildlife) nothing beats the 6.5fps.. I thought the 20d was fast, but it feels old compared to this new machine.
One bit of advice, get at least a 4gb card.. If you shoot raw or raw+jpeg like I do, then you will fill those 1 and 2gb cards in no time.
The feel of this 40d is much the same as all the series, but the back buttons have been moved to make room for the huge LCD.. Not a big deal, but you will be able to adapt.
Almost forgot, the settings dial now has 3 custom options on it.. Very Cool. This effectively allows you to make custom functions for one touch changes to every important setting all at once. I have one setting that has 400 ISO, continuous shooting, center weighted metering, and several other settings, all for shooting animals on the run. With one turn of the dial, all my settings are now set for landscape; 100ISO, 1/2 stop exposure bracketing, evaluative metering, ect..
It effectively makes missing a photo opportunity impossible, as you don't have to spend 3 minutes making all your adjustments to the camera to adapt to your situation. This is one of the main reasons I pony'd up for this bigger brother to my 20d.
All in all, I'm a very happy customer, and unless you really need full frame (I know we can talk ourselves into anything), this camera will make you smile. :)
P.S. don't expect to get much out of your 20 or 30D on eBay, as they are going for pennies on the dollar.. keep it as a spare or give to your mother.... ok, sell to your mother..
Digital camera Review: AMAZING
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the body and the EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM lens separately. I am new to SLRs however, I have spent the last couple of years taking pictures with no less than 3 higher end digital point and shoots from several manufacturers. This camera and lens blows them all away. I have been able to take panning pictures of my 8 year-old riding a bike in low light without a flash and they turned out sharp as a tack. If you are new to Canon DSLRs, you will need to read the manual very carefully since this thing is complicated to operate correctly, and listening to a few digital photography podcasts wouldn't hurt either.Digital camera Review: Always good quality
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this just before Christmas, I got this to be more family friendly due to the fact my other camera was a larger and heavier one. the other camera may have been a better one, but this will do just fine. I have always used canon and will continue to do so. Make sure to get at least 4 gig CF card. There is some relarning to do.There are great forums to read and learn from.Digital camera Review: Am i the only one to think that the display sucks big time?
Summary: 2 Stars
it's big, ok, but the pixels are so so big and the colors so inaccurate. When in the field, it's impossible to say if the focus is right or not. Makes me strongly think about bringing it back.
The Nikon D300 will have 922k pixels, the Canon 30D only 230k!!!!