Building on the success of Canon's perennially popular "prosumer" EOS 20D and 30D models, the EOS 40D advances the state-of-the-art for mid-range digital SLR cameras, making it a natural first choice for advanced amateur photographers and entry-level professionals, and an ideal second body for more established photo pros. Indeed, given the level of feature upgrades and improvements, technological wizardry, and user-requested creative controls, the Canon EOS 40D SLR's "prosumer" appellation may refer more to its accessible price point than to the exceptional quality, clarity, and resolution of the images it creates.
From the camera's newly enhanced, 10.1-megapixel CMOS imaging sensor (designed and manufactured by Canon) and its proprietary and super-efficient DIGIC III image processor, to its completely redesigned autofocus sensor and fast, 6.5 frame-per-second (fps) continuous shooting capability (for bursts of up to 75 Large/Fine JPEGs or 17 RAW images), the EOS 40D SLR puts the fun in functionality and makes serious photo business a positive pleasure.
The 40D is capable of shooting 6.5 frames per second
Indeed, at 6.5 fps, no digital SLR in the EOS 40D mid-range class and price category has so high a continuous shooting capability, making it ideal for shooting--and actually capturing--speed-sensitive outdoor and wild-nature shots as well as a wide variety of action and sports scenes. The speed of the EOS 40D SLR comes from Canon's balanced combination of its latest processor, DIGIC IIII, DDR SDRAM high-speed memory, four-channel-per-line sensor readout, and two separate motors for shutter and mirror operation.
Canon EOS 40D Highlights
Display's the Thing The most easily visible upgrade on the EOS 40D Digital SLR is the camera's larger 3.0-inch LCD screen (compared with the EOS 30D's 2.5-inch monitor). Still, size is only the beginning of the difference between these two cameras' displays. In order to increase viewing ease in outdoor conditions such as bright sunlight, Canon raised the brightness level of the EOS 40D camera's 230,000-pixel LCD screen, broadened the color gamut, and narrowed the viewing angle from 170 degrees to a still wide 140-degree perspective in all directions. An added advantage of the larger-sized display is the ability to use a larger font size for text, making it easier to read setting and menu options on the screen. The camera's menu is organized in the same tabbed format as the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR.
Canon extends its "ease-of-reading" policy to the EOS 40D SLR's viewfinder as well. The upgraded viewfinder increases optical magnification from 0.90x to 0.95x, expands the viewing angle from 251 degrees to 264 degrees and raises the eye point from 20mm to 22mm.
A rugged magnesium alloy exterior delivers enhanced durability
Enhanced Durability Recognizing the often rigorous shooting conditions encountered by professional and advanced amateur photographers, Canon design engineers made the EOS 40D SLR's magnesium alloy exterior even more ruggedly dependable than its predecessors with upgraded dust- and weather-resistant construction, particularly around the camera's connection ports, battery compartment, and single-slot compact flash (CF) memory card door. Should the user inadvertently open the compact flash card door while the camera is writing to the card, a warning will pop up on the LCD screen and an open door "alarm" will sound, but the image(s) will continue writing to the memory card without interruption. The EOS 40D SLR also retains many of the outstanding features of the EOS 30D model, such as its fast 0.15-second initial start-up, its extremely durable shutter (rated up to 100,000 cycles), its top shutter speed of 1/8000 second, and 1/250 maximum X-sync flash shutter speed setting.
Improved Image Quality Although it is based on the image sensor used in the EOS Digital Rebel XTi, the EOS 40D Digital SLR's 10.1-megapixel CMOS APS-C size image sensor has been significantly improved thanks to the use of larger microlenses over each pixel to reduce noise and expand sensitivity up to ISO 3200. The EOS 40D retains the model 30D camera's 1.6x focal length conversion factor (compared to full-frame digital image sensors or 35mm film) and is compatible with the full line-up of Canon EF lenses as well as the Company's expanding selection of high-quality, affordable EF-S lenses created specifically for Canon digital SLRs with APS-C size image sensors.
Adding to the improved virtuosity of the images captured by the EOS 40D SLR is the camera's 14-bit Analog-to-Digital (A/D) conversion process. Able to recognize 16,384 colors per channel (four times the number of colors recognized by the EOS 30D SLR's 12-bit conversion capability), the EOS 40D camera is able to produce images with finer and more accurate gradations of tones and colors. The EOS 40D also incorporates the optional Highlight Tone Priority and High-ISO Noise Reduction functions first introduced earlier this year with the EOS-1D Mark III Professional Digital SLR.
DIGIC III DIGIC III is the latest generation of Canon's proprietary image processing engine. DIGIC III technology ensures that the fine details and natural colors of the images are optimally recorded and, as an added bonus, is also responsible for the EOS 40D SLR's high-speed performance, faster signal processing, and even its efficient energy consumption.
sRAW In addition to retaining the RAW image capture capabilities of its predecessors, the EOS 40D SLR now offers a more manageable "sRAW" recording format. In sRAW mode, the number of pixels is reduced to one-fourth that of a standard RAW image and the file size is cut in half, while retaining all of the flexibility and creative possibilities associated with full-size, conventional RAW images.
9-point AF ensures precise focusing
Improved Autofocus and Exposure Control While the EOS 40D SLR maintains the nine-point wide area AF coverage first introduced on the EOS 20D camera, Canon has made significant improvements to its speed, precision, and functionality, minimizing subject recognition problems in the process. The EOS 40D camera's completely redesigned nine-point AF sensor provides cross-type AF measurement at all nine focusing points for maximum apertures up to f5.6, and for the first time in any EOS camera, the central AF point offers enhanced precision for both vertical and horizontal subject contrast when using EF or EF-S lenses featuring maximum apertures of f2.8 or faster. AF calculation speed with the EOS 40D camera is 30 percent faster than the EOS 30D model.
The Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR retains the same 35-zone metering sensor as its predecessor. Available patterns include Evaluative metering, which is linked to all AF points and is set automatically in the Basic Zone modes, Centerweighted average metering, Partial metering, and Spot metering, covering approximately 9 percent or 3.8 percent of the viewfinder at center, respectively. The camera's E-TTL II autoflash and 12 exposure control modes (11 AE modes plus manual) are also unchanged from the EOS 30D SLR model. However, as a result of consumer input, Canon has added three Custom exposure modes. As an added convenience, particularly for wireless flash operations, users can adjust the flash settings of the Canon Speedlite 580EX II directly from the camera.
The Canon EOS 40D camera offers ISO speeds from ISO 100 to ISO 1600 in 1/3-stop increments. Users can also opt for a high-speed setting of ISO 3200. For the first time in any EOS camera, the 40D model offers Auto ISO capability in Creative Zone exposure modes. This valuable new feature adjusts the ISO speed to the optimal setting based on low light or shaky shooting conditions. Additionally, the EOS 40D provides full-time display of the active ISO speed setting, both in the viewfinder as well as on the top LCD data panel.
The Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR is also the first camera in its class to offer two interchangeable focusing screens in addition to the standard precision matte screen. Users can opt for a grid-type focus screen that makes it easier to verify horizontal or vertical alignment while determining image composition, as well as the Super-Precision Matte focusing screen that makes it easier to grasp the "sweet spot" of manual focusing when using a lens with a maximum aperture of f2.8 or faster.
Enhanced Live View with grid
Enhanced Live View Previously the province of the EOS-1D Mark III DSLR (one of Canon's top-tier professional cameras), the Live View function now gives EOS 40D camera users an expanded and exceedingly convenient and comfortable set of shooting options. By permitting the framing and capturing of subjects using the camera's LCD screen instead of the viewfinder, the shooter gains a 100 percent field view to more easily achieve the desired composition. A new Custom Function on the EOS 40D allows autofocus during Live View by pressing the camera's AF-ON button. At that point, the reflex mirror goes down and AF is carried out in the normal way. Letting go of the AF-ON button resumes Live View functions. Also, in the Live View shooting mode the user can magnify the image by five or ten times in order to ensure that the shot is optimally focused. Live View is at its best during tripod shooting--particularly for close-up photography where precise focusing is imperative. As a side benefit, the Live View shooting mode helps to reduce vibration by lifting the reflex mirror out of the optical path well in advance of the exposure, improving image quality at slow shutter speeds. A new electronic 1st-curtain shutter function in Live View mode reduces release time lag and operational noise even further to avoid spooking wildlife or disturbing people nearby with unwanted camera sounds. Additionally, as the release time lag is miniscule, even instantaneous movements like a bird taking flight can be readily captured.
EOS Integrated Cleaning System First introduced on the EOS Digital Rebel XTi camera, the EOS Integrated Cleaning System is a prime example of trickle-up technology and is now becoming a standard feature on all new EOS Digital SLRs. The camera's Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit uses ultrasonic vibrations to literally shake dust particles off of the low-pass filter in front of the sensor each time the camera is powered up or shut down. Users also have the option of engaging the "clean now" function at will or bypassing it altogether. Additionally, the EOS 40D SLR's manual sensor cleaning function raises the mirror and allows users to clean dust that has stuck to the low-pass filter. Dust that has been shaken or blown loose is then trapped by adhesive at the base of the sensor unit housing, preventing the problematic particles from reattaching themselves to the filter when the camera moves. The second part of the cleaning system is a software solution that maps the location of any spots that may remain on the sensor. The mapped information is saved as Dust Delete Data and attached to the image file. Subsequently, the offending dust information is subtracted from the final image during post processing with a compatible personal computer, using the supplied Digital Photo Professional software.
Improved Software Among the most valuable features of the Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR is its compatibility with Canon's Picture Style Editor (PSE) 1.0 software. With PSE, shooters can actually design the look of their photographs by inputting their own preferred style, color, and tone curves. The EOS 40D Digital SLR also ships with the latest versions of Canon's powerful software applications, including Digital Photo Professional 3.1 and EOS Utility 2.1, which now support the camera's Remote Live View and Dust Delete Data functions, as well as incorporating a broad range of additional improvements designed to improve image quality and speed up workflow. Also included are ZoomBrowser EX 5.8 and ImageBrowser 5.8 for easy browsing, viewing, printing, and archiving with compatible computer operating systems, including Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows XP, as well as Mac OS X.
Accessories (Not Included--Must be Purchased Separately) New system accessories for the EOS 40D SLR include the redesigned high-capacity Battery Grip BG-E2N, which facilitates high-volume shooting and easier vertical shooting. Compatible with up to two BP-511A battery packs or a set of six AA-size batteries, the battery grip approximately doubles the number of shots that can be taken, compared with the battery power of the EOS 40D SLR alone. The BG-E2N grip features new sealing material around the battery compartment to better resist water and dust. The new model replaces the original BG-E2 grip and is compatible with the EOS 20D, 30D, and 40D models.
Designed exclusively for the EOS 40D SLR, the new Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E3A permits wireless transfer and back-up, as well as remote control of the camera in Live View mode. It can also be connected to various GPS receivers or Hi-Speed USB 2.0 external storage devices such as convenient flash drives or high-capacity hard drives with much larger storage capacity than the memory cards in the camera for instant back-up as images are captured. Compact and affordable, the WFT-E3A wireless transmitter also doubles as a vertical grip and requires its own BP-511A battery pack in addition to the battery installed in the camera body.
What's in the box: EOS 40D digital SLR body, eyecup Eb, wide neck strap EW-100DGR, video cable VC-100, USB interface cable IFC-200U, battery pack BP-511A, battery charger CG-580, "Great Photography is Easy" booklet and "Do More with Macro" booklet, EOS Digital Solution Disc, software instruction manual
LegalDisclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
LensType: interchangeable
Manufacturer: Canon
MaximumResolution: 10
MediaType: CompactFlash (CF)
Item Model Number: 40D Body
MPN: 40D Body
OpticalSensorResolution: 10.1
Package Dimensions: 5.50" H x 7.10" W x 9.60" L
Package Weight: 4.20 pounds
PackageQuantity: 1
ProductGroup: Photography
ProductTypeName: CAMERA_DIGITAL
ProductTypeSubcategory: slr
Publisher: Canon
ReleaseDate: 2007-08-30
Studio: Canon
Style: 40D Body Only
Title: Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
UPC: 689076799485
10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality poster-size prints
Large 3.0-inch LCD display with enhanced Live View and broadened color gamut
6.5 frame-per-second continuous shooting capability (for bursts of up to 75 Large/Fine JPEGs or 17 RAW images)
sRAW mode; 35-zone metering system; integrated Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit
Powered by BP-511A, BP-511, or BP-512 lithium-ion battery pack; stores images on CF cards
Great camera. [A reader from NY]
Great camera for the price. It's not often you can get a prosumer/semi-pro camera for less than $1,000.
The camera is comfortable to hold and has a sturdy magnesium alloy body. It takes better pictures than my Rebel XSi even though I use the kit lens and 55 to 250mm IS telephoto lens I used from my Rebel.
Not perfect. The LCD could be a little bit brighter, and the limited Live View could be a little less cumbersome, but all in all it's a great value.
Awesome! [Joseph M. Sapulich]
This is an excellent camera body especially when using L series lenses. I paired this with Cannon's 24-70mm L glass and the images are amazing. The detail and image quality is outstanding on all counts. The raw files produced with this camera are perfect for Lightroom and CS3 photo enhancing. Oh yes, I was worried that the LCD Live View wasn't bright enough after reading some of the reviews but after using it under various lighting conditions it's fine. No worries. For price and quality, you can't beat this camera.
feels smooth and solid in your hands [Paul Johnson]
I've owned this camera for about 6 months now and love it. I use it as a primary with a 30D as back-up and shoot sports with a Sigma 120-300 2.8 lens. The 6.5fps shutter speed ensures I get the perfect shot and the metering is spot on. I debated buying the 50D when I purchased this camera, but after considerable research I am convinced the pixel density on the 50D is so great, my image yield would be marginally better especially considering I am shooting at fast shutter speeds and high frame per second rates.
Good camera. [M. Spring]
I don't own one yet, but i have used the Canon 40D and i really like it. I'm a beginner, and I currently own a XTI. It's been a very good camera. No problems with it so far. Comparing the two, i think they are both equally matched in quality. Granted, the 40D has more features, but both are good. I don't have a big desire to purchase a 50D(due to reviews and what i've seen), but i can't say alot till' I try one. The 40D has very good picture quality, live view, 6.5(almost 7) Fps continous shooting, and much more. If your upgrading, it's worth the upgrade.I'm looking foward to getting my 40D when the time comes.
The perfect upgrade from an XS/XT series camera. [Itsmeagain!]
I have a Canon Powershot A720is and a Canon XSi, and was planning to upgrade to the Canon 50D until I read the mediocre reviews that camera was receiving. So, I took a closer look at the Canon 40D, and was impressed by the findings of several technical review sites. I went to a local camera shop to look at the 40D and was impressed by the many different customizable settings I could make to it, and holding the 40D made my XSi feel like a cheap plastic toy. Pick up a 40D and you know you are holding a real camera. The photo quality of the 40D is excellent, even though the pixel count is slightly less than the XSi; the picture quality of the 40D appears better to me. The Auto-Focus is noticeably better than my XSi, and as least as good as my A720IS (What? Yes, my A720 has excellent, silent auto-focus capability!). There is a bit of a learning curve, but most of the features can be picked up by just using the camera and reading the instructions. I can certainly recommend this camera to anyone who takes his or her shooting more seriously than just 'point and shoot'. Also, the camera is 'Made in Japan' (not China). The included Canon software is excellent; I now shoot almost exclusively in RAW, rather than just JPEG, and use the Canon DPP software (included) to process those photos. This is the way to go if you want to get into more serious photography! I purchased my 40D body at the same time as a Canon 70-300mm IS USM lens, a perfect combination of camera/lens for nature and portrait photography. ADDED: A few minor complaints after using the camera for a while: First; as an eyeglass wearer, the viewfinder information is located a little distance below the viewfinder view, causing me to move my eye from one to the other, rather than taking it all in at once, and the view is vignetted. When I remove my glasses this isn't a problem, but I prefer to keep them on. Second; there isn't a viewfinder shutter for taking live view or long exposure photos with my eye away from the viewfinder. Instead, Canon includes a cheap, flimsy rubber cover that requires me to remove the eyecup to install it. It is time-consuming and antiquated. It is stored on the neck strap and the neck strap weight causes it to stretch and come off the viewfinder sometimes. I finally took it off the strap and tied it to my tripod with string since I will use it only when the camera is on the tripod. It reminds me of the good old days when we carried a piece of electrician's tape to cover the viewfinder. Finally; the self timer indicator light cannot be disabled. Mounting the camera on a tripod and using the self timer is a great way to take rock-steady macro shots, but that bright yellow flashing light can scare the insects, lizards, etc. So I cover it with electrician's tape! In spite of these minor gripes, this is still a great camera, just not as great as it could be.
Canon 40D with 28-135mm IS Lens, Superb [TomVette]
I've owned SLR cameras for many years. I've used this camera with the Canon 1.4 50mm lens, the Canon 70-300mm IS lens and the Canon 28-135mm IS lens that was included with the kit.
The 40D is an excellent camera. Focusing is very fast, dynamic range very wide, and ISO noise is very controlled and useable to ISO 3200. ISO range that is extended and fairly noise free is a real advantage during low light photography. I've found that many historical sights in Europe have limited lighting and flash photos are not allowed. It is in these settings that stabilized lens and expanded ISO capability are the difference between an excellent picture and one that is really unusable.
The 40D is very well made. It and all of my Canon lens are labeled made in Japan. Many of the Canon 40D competitors are built elsewhere. Japan in many circles is still considered the premier manufacturing location for ultra high quality complex electronics. This reputation was a factor in my choice of Canon line. The 28-135mm IS lens focuses very very fast, is quite sharp and the zoom range provides nice flexibility while minimizing the distortions that are present in higher range lens.
The Canon 40D is rugged, designed to professional standards, takes great pictures, is very flexible and should last for many many years. Highly recommended.
A Solid Piece of Equipment [A. Ribo]
I've used this camera for over a year before switching over to the Canon 5D Mark II and writing to give an overall impression of the camera after roughly a year of usage. Which is positive.
Build quality is excellent. It's taken a fall a couple hundred feet down a hill in Kerry Park in Washington attached to a battery grip, tripod, and a 70-200mm f/4L lens and still turned on and functioned properly. However, the chasis at its base received some trauma and i forced the thing back together with a screw driver resulting in its inoperation. Got it repaired to good working order from Canon after a couple weeks turn around and a bit of money.
The way the camera feels is excellent. It's sturdy. Lofty in a way (compared to my 5D mark II). Easy to adjust settings on the fly without much thinking. When I shot manual, I'd hit the thumb wheel for my aperture, then I'd fine tune the shutter speed with the top dial. All while eyeing my subject through the viewfinder eyeing the light meter for proper exposure. If i needed extra ISO. Easy push of a button for that then cranking the top dial. The overall layout for the camera was very well thought out and I was quite happy with it.
I've taken well over 5,000 photos with it. Has a good burst rate and excellent center focus. Fair dynamic range and photos are good from ISO 100-400 with no signs of noise changes.
3 inch screen is excellent. I've used live view many times to compose my landscapes and still lifes when angles were difficult.
The camera has now become a back up to my 5D mark II (which is surprisingly lighter).
I've used this camera for street photography, travel, landscapes, and people.
Top notch [Pger]
I replaced my Rebel XT with this beauty, well worth every penny. This camera is built like a tank, has plenty more features than my XT and pictures look way better , I was expecting almost no change in IQ however I have to say I am pretty impressed as they look indeed better.
Awesome! [Cleaning frenzy]
This is a great camera, it can do everything you need, even to get your photos published. I now have > 30 photos published in top scientific journals and books using it. Owned mine for < 1 yr now, it's great!
well worth the money [Jefferson Lustre Gunio]
had a rebel xti previously and i thought rebel gives me very nice photos but when i experienced the 40d i just can't believe how much clearer and better the results. i really like the size too, i have a big hand and now i got a good grip of the camera unlike with rebel half of my palm is like hanging. also the camera has some nice extra features like you can put it on high iso and it has built in noise reduction which you can turn on and off. really nice if you're not into flash photography. there's a lot more nice features in it, i have to say it's really worth the money.
get more for your money [J. williams]
read the reviews, and there all right, great cam for the money, fast for sports, great for modeling, and for anything... stop thinking about it and buy it
better than i could have even imagined [C. Case]
I upgraded from an xti, so all around was impressed. a ton of new features and the shutter speed is awesome. there is no waiting to take a shot. this camera is a must have!
Don't worry about the Canon 50D - buy this camera! [Newport Reader]
If you are ready to move up to a DSLR and appreciate the great optics/ low light performance of Canon cameras, then the Canon 40D is a great choice. I have been shooting since I was 5 Y.O. (and that is a long time). I have used 120 film, 35mm and now digital SLRS. I have owned Kodak, 2 Olympus, 2 Nikons and now 2 Canon cameras. I have been exclusively using Nikon and Canon for the past eight years. The Nikons were comparable in build quality and functionality (and lens quality) to the Canons but the pricing clearly was not - so the value proposition is clearly with Canon. Most recently I was shooting with a Canon 20D with which I traveled quite a bit. I have many great enlargements from these trips on our walls. I loved that camera faithfully until I started using the 40D.
I was given a Canon 40D as a gift and I couldn't be happier with the results I am getting. The quality of the images are noticeably better and I feel I have more latitude in how I approach the subject matter I perfer to shoot. There are many improvements in use (menus and controls), metering improvements (accuracy and spot metering), speed (6 FPS and much faster start up) and new features (live view and programming improvements)that have made a great difference in my photographs. I am shooting more and have recently bought an Epson R1900 printer (terrific!)to have better control over the entire process.
I was concerned, as you may be, that the Canon 50D was available but if you take the time to read the comparative reviews (make sure to do your internet research) you will find that the increase in MP produced perhaps inferior or limited performance at a higher price. If you believe in Canon and don't want to spring several thousand more for a Professional DSLR then you won't make a mistake in buying this camera - especially with the recent price reductions. You can put that money toward a great lens!
40D - Yes please! [Objective Reviewer]
Pros: Great image quality, easy to use, great UI, reasonably priced (used), very decent high FPS capability, very good battery life, quiet shutter, live view occasionally helpful in real world shooting, nice viewfinder, decent built in flash, very good high ISO performance
Cons: Physically large, 1.6x crop, CF only storage.
Review: After using the Rebel XT (which I still like quite a bit) I decided that I should get a bigger fancier, more expensive camera to take on vacation to Japan. I had quite a bit of buyers remorse right before I went on my trip, because it took a good $650.00 out of my bank account (purchased Used). BUT as soon as I got to Japan, and I actually just walked around for 2 weeks looking to take pictures, I found that the upgrades in usability vs. the Rebel XT were well worth it. The superior click-wheel roll-ey wheel interface made getting settings right and in a hurry, easy. I also like the customizable "my menu" feature, which further simplifies use. So, it's great. If I could change anything, I would make it take SDHC cards/ weather seal the whole body, and that's about it. From what I understand 12MP is about as many as you want on a 1.6x crop sensor. I feel no envy toward the 50D. But, the 5D MkII does look fabulous to me...
100% recommended, Perhaps the best 1.6x crop body camera evar!
love this camera [D. Barrett]
This line of cameras is perfect for thoughs of us on budgets. Some of the greatness of the nice cameras with a resonable pricetag. The 50D is out now, buy it, its better.
The one to buy! [P. Wiklanski]
Digital SLRs have become all the rage and there are seemingly new (and questionably improved) examples coming out seemingly everyday. Through all of the choices the same principles of camera buying still hold true. Buy the best camera that you can afford that gives you the finest images that you will be proud of.
I come from a long history of cameras; I got my start using all manual Olympus OM-1s and Bronica ETRSi (medium format) cameras before finally making a jump to autofocus. With that move I adopted the Canon EOS system based on the quality of its lenses and the stellar eye focusing system. Fast forward into an increasing digital age and I found myself using digital point and shoots far more than I had expected until finally I decided to add a digital SLR to my collection (I still shoot the manual cameras for more artistic control).
While looking it was clear that I didn't want to give up my Canon lens collection so that pretty much narrowed my choice, not to mention that the great reputation for the Digic sensor. Initially I looked at the Rebel XSi, EOS 40D and 50D, figuring that in this spectrum I would find the best choice. The reviews on all 3 cameras are very positive, deservingly so. The Rebel is a great camera however its two biggest drawbacks are its plastic body which just doesn't feel up to the rigors of a aggressive use, it also does feel a little, well, plasticky. The next factor, and the deciding one at that is its Lilliputian dimensions. It's frankly, just too small. I've talked to a number of camera sales people who have all agreed that they find that it's a great camera for women or men with small hands. While it bills its size as an asset for travelling and its lightness a bonus for carrying, I find that it's just too small to hold well.
The 50D, also a fine camera is just that little bit out of the price range for me. Not to mention, that from published reviews, the differences are not necessarily strong enough to warrant the additional price.
Which brought me to the 40D, I love the layout of the camera, it fits my hands like me other EOS bodies. I appreciate its size, its sense of "heft" and the texture of its body. Its grippy without being sticky, with its coated metal chassis it inspires confidence that it will not be prone to damage or cracks. It simply feels like a quality, professional tool, which is what I want.
The included lens produces great results; the images are crisp and wonderfully accurate in terms of color and contrast. I don't generally rely on the screen on the back but it too offers a great preview. In terms of options and controls, it offers anything that you could wish for. I have read people that wish for a tighter spot meter though I am not bothered by its size, I use Photoshop to micro adjust exposure anyway.
This is a great camera; it will do all that you ask of it. The images are great, its build quality fantastic and its battery life stellar. If you have existing Canon lens you'll be able to continue to use them, if not, well then you're in for a treat as Canon optics are great. Each of Canon's SLRs cater seemingly cater to a particular audience, though I feel like those lines are blurring. If you seek a near professional caliber camera with plenty of expansion options that is capable of producing your best images then this may well be the camera for you. If you are on the fence between it and the XSi, compare the way both feel in your hands, decide which you prefer. If you are looking at the 50D, ask yourself if you are really going to make use of the additional features or whether you'd like to invest the price difference in a lens.
For my money the 40D is a fantastic deal that is more than capable of continuing to expand my personal photographic creativity, let it do the same for you.
LOVE IT [P. Culp]
I upgraded from the XT and was really amazed by the difference. I didn't think that my photography would change too much but it certainly has. Everything is very clear and the colors are so much better.
So far, I love this camera! [C. J Prunty]
I have not had or used this camera long enough to know if there are reliability issues looming (that others seemed to have encountered), but I am extremely pleased at this point. I have not had a SLR for about 20 years, and have been dealing with early digital point and shoot models (it has been 5 years since I bought a new camera). So, given that, it probably wouldn't take too much to make me happy. But, I have to say, for this price range, my expectations have been met!
Most of my pictures will be close-ups (both indoors and outdoors) and nature pictures when I am out hiking. I paired this body up with a fairly expensive Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens, so some of the quality I have been seeing is due to the lens. So far, I have taken indoor pictures, mostly closeups of some jewelry I have made. I used the Canon software to transfer the pictures onto the computer to zoom in onto the details. I was very surprised in the clarity and sharpness I got, not even shooting in the highest quality mode, or with a macro lens.
Now, I can't wait for the right weekend to go out hiking and check out the spring blooms, or go to the botanical garden after the butterfly display opens!
Awesome Camera [Ganesh Jayaraman]
Excellent camera. Pair up with any L lens from canon and you get amazing pics.
The best camera I've owned. [30/90]
I was attempting to upgrade from my xTi and found the 40D to be a really great suit for my needs. I could not justify the additional cost of the 50D for my use, but I was not at all disappointed with the quality of this proven veteran. I have found the Camera to be very user friendly and unintimidating. It's ease of use invites you to try more creative shooting techniques and the results are almost immediately rewarding. There are also many reference books available to walk you through some of the more intriguing features. I love the camera.....can't put it down.......I look forward to every weekend shooting opportunity. I never seem to be anything but totally pleased with the results. This camera makes me look like a pro, and I'm a budding amateur, at best.
Superb Piece of Equipment [T. Mishler]
Makes you want to take your old camera out and run over it! There are reviews here that go into great detail and they are likely more qualified than I to offer their opinion. I just want to say that I am an amateur, perhaps better stated "hobby" photographer, and this camera has blown me away. I recommend to anyone with an interest in taking GREAT pictures.
Canon 40D [Y. Becerra]
Terrific camera!!! Shoots like a standard SLR, large preview screen, 6 frames per second is excellent for sports events. Amazon had the best price and option to pay off in one year. I couldn't find a better deal.
Upgraded from rebel xt [Nicole S.]
I had my XT for over two years and was starting to feel the need to upgrade my camera. I did a ton of research before i finally decided to go with the 40D.
I have to say, when i first got my 40D, i was a bit overwhelmed by all of the new buttons i had to learn. Sitting down with the manual for about an hour helped me learn where everything was and what the new buttons do. I totally love how this camera is set up. I love the wheel!
This camera is very big compared to my rebel. And i love the way it feels in my hands. Sometimes my hand would cramp up with the rebel because i have long fingers. I dont have this problem with the 40D.
The camera takes amazing pictures.
The only thing i'm not crazy about is more often than not, there is a color cast on the preview screen. But there is no color cast on the pictures when they are uploaded to the computer. So its not a big deal, but it really freaked me out when i seen all my pictures had a blue cast in the previews.
I look forward to many happy years ahead with my 40D.
Makes me feel like a pro... [P. Sokolowski]
I decided to comment on my camera since I've just purchased a new lens here and relayed heavily on people's comments. Perhaps I can help someone now... Ever since I started experimenting with the options and settled on AV mode and Manual - my photography has been appreciated by even more people, including myself. The camera also has automatic modes available that produce great pictures if you don't have time to figure out your options. The quality is always there and options are easy to set - at least the ones a novice such as myself really needs. You can enable LCD display for photo taking as well - with a grid (if you choose it)... Anyway - what I also love about the camera is the play back option... with a scroll I can quickly review the photos and zoom in to decide on the sharpness, then delete (also easy) right on the spot. I can't comment on the flash as I generally don't like flash photography and if I need extra light I always bounce it of the ceiling - so I have external flash for those special needs...
I found myself to fall for a shallow depth of field (blurry background) so even thus the 28-135mm serves me well - I am getting an 85m 1.8 lens for new opportunities. Don't get discouraged if your photos are not sharp all the time - it's really just a function of lenses and light conditions. Pay attention to the light and you will be happy with your outputs:)
Canon EOS 40D and Amazon.com review [D. Willemin]
I purchased an EOS 40D camera through Amazon.com several weeks ago and have been amazed by the images this camera provides. They are wonderful. The camera is very well built and the 28-135 lens I got with it has proven to be exactly what I need. And purchasing it through Amazon.com has been a very pleasant experience...my camera was shipped the same day my order was received and I got it in perfect condition. The only question I have is "Why didn't I do this sooner?"Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens
40D is simply awesome!! [Mario S. Jimenez Jr.]
If your looking for a fast camera that has excellent image quality, this camera is for you! 6.5 frames p/second is excellent for sports and any other fast action. It is a very well constructed camera that will last for years. One of the most useful features that I use a lot is the ability to access the menus of the 580EX II through the camera's menus! A lot of the features you see on the Mark III are incorporated in the 40D, such as the ability to work with the 580EX II to determine the proper white balance, set the flash's settings on the 40D menu in stead of having to change them on the flash, and the menu layout itself. I really enjoy this camera and have a lot of fun with it, and I know you will too!!
Upgraded and happy [Cean A. Taintor]
I am an amatuer photographer and previously owned the Rebel XT and absolutely loved it. I wanted something to keep up with my growing son as well as my abilities. So far I really love this camera. Unfortunately, my son has been on the move double time so I've had little time to play with it in the past 3 weeks that I had it. It has met all the expectations I've read in the reviews. I do agree that having a decent lens will reap the full benefits from this camera.
Well worth it [M. Fischer]
I finally upgraded my venerable original Digital Rebel to the 40D. While the 50D offers a few more bells and whistles, the value is clearly with the 40D. I just returned from a Southern Caribbean cruise where the camera got quite a workout. The battery life was excellent. The picture quality was excellent. The relative performance was outstanding. No complaints whatsoever.
I would stronly recommend this camera to anyone.
good for student [stretch armstrong]
got this for a photography class i am in works great takes great photos
i love it
Canon EOS 40D (body only) [D. Pham]
Pros: - 10.1MP - Fast 6.5fps - Solid and rugged magnesium body - Picture styles and C1, C2, and C3 functions - Massive and intuitive menu feature - Dials and buttons for a faster and manual controls of f-stop and shutter - The kit lens is better than the rebel series' - 3.0" LCD - Very fast start-up time and virtually no distinguishable shutter lag - Plethora of shooting options and functions available - EF and EF-S compatible - RAW, JPEG, or RAW+JPEG shooting - Canon software DPP
Cons: - 1.6x crop reduces effectiveness of wide-angle - Pop-up flash is near useless - 3.0" LCD is lacking in color and resolution
Thoughts: I've upgraded to the 40D from my Canon SD870 IS and the jump is huge. Even though the 50D and 5D mark II is out, the 40D is still a good value. I've used this over the course of 6 months and I love it! I have taken this exploring many places: in rain, sun, and humid and have used 5,000 actuations. It's rated to about 100,000 actuations so I've fine just shooting away. I've used this body in conjunction with my 24-70mm f/2.8L and 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. It is a solidly constructed camera with those L lenses. A weather sealed package allowed me to shoot in light rain while touring Asia, but I'd dare not shoot in anything more than that.
The 3.0" LCD is nice but doesn't show the full color range as when viewing on a monitor. Live view is good only for showing the composition. It is a bit slow for shooting anything moving. The viewfinder should be the first and only place to go. Also, using only the viewfinder allows you to better brace the camera for less blur. Be sure to use the on-camera highlights feature in review to show parts of the picture that are overexposed.
I don't recommend using the pop-up flash unless used with a pop-up diffuser. A dedicated flash unit like the 580ex II is highly recommended. Using pocketwizards or even just the wireless infrared is a good start.
This is a very nice starting camera. If and when I decide to buy a new full frame camera, this will be a nice backup camera. I use this with 2 SanDisk Extreme III 8GB CF memory cards. Try not to get too big or too small of a memory card. 10.1MP shows up as 3888x2592. For JPEG, files are about 4-5mbs each. For RAW, files are about 10-20mbs each. The 40D has the option to shoot both RAW+JPEG at the same time, but at a reduced rate since the buffer can't keep up. I shoot almost exclusively in RAW, and the buffer is about 6 shots continuous. In JPEG, the buffer shows 99. High speed burst is a good option to use, and I used it for 3 shot bursts.
The manual controls are good. A dedicated wheel to the right of the LCD controls the f-stop and a smaller wheel behind the shutter release controls the shutter speed. ISO, metering, color balance, shot setting, AF, and AE lock are right behind that wheel on the top right corner. The grip on the body feels easy to use and the finish is just right all around.
The bundle that is included with the camera is nice: the industry standard neckstrap, DPP, cordless wall charger, and li-ion battery pack. The neck strap is decent, but I wear it backwards as it irritates my neck. Digital Photo Professional is the proprietary software that is included and it is great for after shot changes for white balance and to a small part, exposure compensation at 1/3 stops. The battery charger is small and does not have cords to deal with; the prongs fold down and plug directly into the outlet. The battery pack is li-ion, charges relatively fast, and looks like 2 AA batteries combined.
Bottom line: Highly Recommended! If you're in the market for a DSLR and are looking at the rebel line (XSi, etc) you might as well get the 40D or other x0D series instead. The difference is +$200~ but you get so much more value.
Awesome camera! Great Upgrade from the XT/350D [J. N. Carter]
This was a huge upgrade from the 350D I got a little more than a year ago as a starter body. I can't get over all the little things that make this upgrade unbelievable. There's a huge difference in the grip, which was always too small for me on the XX0D line. Controls are easy to navigate because of the extra "click-wheel". Auto-focus is incredible... I'm finally getting those USM motors to work in near-dark conditions. I'm able to get shots off that I simply couldn't have imagined, and the focus is spot-on with minimal noise in the resulting image. Couldn't be happier!
Terrific [M. Fry]
This camera has been getting quite a workout since my daughter bought it. She is a photography major in college and has already taken over 400 pictures with it in the week that she has had it. Pictures are very clear and camera has been great.
A Great Upgrade [Maclen]
I bought the Canon 40D as an upgrade from my Canon 400D XTi, and what an upgrade it is! Everything from the sturdy feel of the body, to the great image quality is a big improvement over the 400D XTi. Even something as simple as the sound of the shutter click is a noticeable benefit for me.
Although the XTi is a great camera, which I used to capture some really terrific shots, the quality of shots taken with the 40D is vastly superior. I'm using the same lenses as I did with the XTi and when I did side by side comparisons with the same settings, the images taken with the 40D have much better detail and sharper contrast, giving the photos better depth. The colors are truer, and shooting at low light with a higher ISO setting is also clearly enhanced using the 40D.
The body of the 40D feels solid and comfortable in my hands. The heavier weight of the 40D provides much better balance when using larger lenses on the camera. With the same lenses on the XTi, the camera feels unbalanced, even using the BG-E3 Battery grip. The controls on the 40D are intuitive, and I really like the control dial. Function menus are structured so they're easy to navigate.
Given the price reduction of the 40D due to the introduction of the 50D, I felt it was a great time to upgrade, and I'm glad I did. After doing some research on the 50D and comparing it to the 40D, I couldn't justify the extra cost of the 50D, since the minimal benefits of the 50D didn't outweigh the added cost. If you're planning on upgrading and deciding between the 40D or the 50D, I'd recommend the 40D.
A great upgrade and a great product.
Great Camera [Ump107]
This is my first DSLR after upgrading from a 35mm SLR it is a little complicated at first but after a short learning curve this camera is great. The picture quality is excellent, and the camera functions are very easy to use. The Live view feature is great for portrait and still life photography. It really helps you get the most out of your shots. You can get great quality images at all the ISO settings with little noise. The weight and feel of the camera are such that when you hold it you know that this is a good solid piece of equipment. The onboard flash works very well but as always a speedlight makes things better. The custom user functions allow for quick selection of settings for changing environments. All in all this a excellent camera. And I am very happy I upgraded to this rather than the rebel series of cameras, the features and reliability of this line of camera should serve the serious amateur/ hobbyist very well. I have recently noticed a few of the local professionals using this camera or x0D line as well.
Awesome Camera [J. Harrison]
Upgraded to the 40d from a Rebel XT and couldn't be happier. The focusing is fast and accurate, the viewfinder is big and bright, and it ISO performance is excellent. The 3" LCD is a nice touch and the new menu system works phenomenal. The new shutter mechanism is very quite and fast, 6.5 fps is great when shooting sports. The interchangeable focusing screens are awesome, highly recommend the EF-D. The live view works great for macro and you can tether it to your computer, its pretty amazing.
The 40D is an excellent camera and with the prices down now that the 50D is out, its an exceptional value.
My first DSLR [VIPin Maheshwary]
After doing 2 months of research on this and some other cameras, I finally took the plunge and bought this gem - my first ever DSLR (I owned an a film Olympus before this).
I must say I am amazed by this camera and what all it can do. I must also mention that I got an amazing deal on the camera - I got it for $660 after all taxes and shipping and everything that you can imagine from Costco, so I am even happier about it.
I bought the legendary 24-105 f4 IS lens (from Amazon) to go with the camera, and I am blown away by the results.
Lovin it [Jennifer Grossman]
I finally pulled the trigger on a camera to upgrade from my XT. My XT served me well over the past 2 years but I have really outgrown that camera. I couldn't really justify the extra ~300 for a 50d so I ended up with the 40. I couldn't be happier. There isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said. It's a great camera, solid construction and takes great pics.
Canon 40D [P. Winters]
I purchased the Canon 40D last month. I had a Canon XTi, but wanted a better camera. I found just what I was looking for in the 40D. I also got a great buy through Amazon.
great pick! [D. Kinzie]
Great step up from the xti, here are a few things I noticed right off the bat:
more iso options (125, 240, 640, etc)
- imo, way better high iso performance (i coudln't shoot above 800 on my xti without seeing mass noise, Now that same noise iso value is equal to 3200 or "h" iso...then again im using high iso noise reduction setting on, another bonus!)
-much faster shutter speed (does come in handy...and call me a nerd but the shutter sound is more appealing =) )
-LIVE VIEW
-bigger camera, feels more sturdy in your hands
-jump features (can choose, 1, 10, 100, kinda cool...)
-big wheel on back of camera makes it easier to adjust aperture
-sRaw is kinda cool, for shots that you plan on putting on the internet, but not printing...and still wanna use the raw file adjustment in photoshop
-3" LCD screen, i didn't care about size at the time, but after using it, now it's hard to go back to the smaller xti screen.
-water 'protective' battery and cf cartridges...i don't plan on shooting in the rain but nice to know they took the time to implement that just in case.
I think you will enjoy the 40d more than the xti (400) but that money could always go to better lenses, it's up to you what should come first. For me, the 40d made taking pictures more enjoyable. After selling my xti, i didn't have much out of pocket cost, and that money wouldn't have bought me an L lens like I want, so I figured it was a great upgrade for the money.
Excellent Camera and Amazon Service! [Silicon Sam]
Excellent price and service. Only minor complaint is the packing from Amazon was less then perfect. Packed in a large box, but camera was packed in one corner of box, all padding was off to the side. Coming from a 300D and 10D, this camera is a big improvement! I highly recommend the 40D with all the discounts available right now.
Just what the photographer ordered at a better price [Linda J. Jacobs]
Great camera! Perfect the advanced amateur and the beginning professional. A great camera to grow with as well. the camera is managed by buttons on the back rather than an involved menu. Hence it is easier to learn and easier to make adjustments while shooting. I upgraded from the 20D and it was worth the price of admission. With the introduction of the 50D, prices on this model came down. the bigger LCD is great and so it the option to magnify an image before moving on. I would highly recommend this camera.Canon EOS 20D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
A great all around camera/lens combination [M. Fagan]
I'm not going into all the lurid details, but this is a GREAT camera and the 28-135 IS is the lens I use day to day with it. It gives a very good range of focal lengths and the IS feature helps with the camera shake at slow shutter speeds that all zoom lens suffer from.
My only caveat is that they're a bit heavy together. Not nearly as bad as some though!
If you can't afford the 50D this is an amazing value and the images are superb. I've printed up to 12x18 with this 10 Mpixel camera and had good results. Depth of colour and sharpness are first rate.
I recommend it highly.
Just get it [T. C. Neely]
I shoot professionally full time specializing in advertising and weddings. When I got into advertising I was unsure if this 40d would produce a big enough file to accommodate billboards. I've been proven wrong.
10.1 megapixels is sufficient for full sized billboards. For weddings, in my experience anything larger than this file size would be overkill for the type of prints wedding couples want produced.
The color accuracy has amazed me as well as the endless list of custom functions. You can truly trick this camera out to suit your individual shooting style.
The body is rugged... I don't make a habit of dropping my gear like a schmuck, but if that is your disposition then you will appreciate the magnesium alloy body.
The size fits nicely in big hands and the weight is ideal over larger cameras such as the Mark II series which I have had the pleasure of shooting with.
I will not be upgrading to the new 50d. I will instead be upgrading to the new 5d mark II once that comes out. Only for my own gluttonous reasons though.
Take my word. This beast will serve you well!
Excellent choice for Digital SLR [David R. Mcneely]
I did a lot of research on digital SLRs before my purchase. Based on those findings, I chose the Canon EOS 40D. So far it has performed as advertised and the photos are very good to excellent even in the "point-n-shoot" mode. I would definitely recommend this camera to my family and friends.
novice photographer [CC]
I read many reviews on amazon before purchasing this camera and its one of the best purchases I've ever made. I know very little about cameras but have learned a fair amount just reading about the functionality this camera offers. My wife and I went on a safari and peopled raved about our pictures. You will not be disappointed with this camera.
Great for first time dSLR'er. [Christopher Raissi]
There is not much that I can say about this camera that hasn't already been said by others here on Amazon. What I will add is some personal perspective.
I have been using point and shoot digital cameras for years. I bought an S2 IS three years ago because I wanted a nice digital without spending dSLR money. That camera served me well, but after three years it has started to limit my creativity. After much research, including the reviews by others here on Amazon, I decided to go with the EOS 40D.
For me there was a toss-up between the XSi and the 40D, but what pushed me in the 40D direction was ultimately the size of the camera. I'm a big guy. When I held an XSi in my hands it just felt too small. The 40D felt just right in my hands. Another motivating factor was the kit lens. The EF 18-135 is far better than that which comes with the XSI.
After spending a week with the camera, I can say that I am fully satisfied. It takes great pictures and allows me a large degree of creativity. With the camera I ordered a guidebook that is helping a lot. As for the pictures, they have very little noise. As I take more and more pictures in the different modes, I am able to take better and better shots.
One important thing to mention for those upgrading from P&S is that RAW is amazing. I typically have better unfinished results with RAW than I ever do with jpg. After some finishing, they are unparalleled. I can't wait until I get some more experience. I already have people telling me they're willing to pay me for my shots.
worth the money [Keith Jagwood]
a camera with lots of possibilities, robust and excellent picture quality- for a reasonable price.
Outstanding Camera [M. Fischetti]
I bought the kit. Camera and Lens, and I am glad I did. The value added by the lens is great. The lens has a great range from 28-135mm and I have it on the camera all the time. It is well suited for most situations you will come across in everyday shooting. It has reduced the amount of lens changing I have done in the past. The camera is well constructed and feels like a piece of professional equipment in your hands. The controls are clear and well placed. The only control I wish that had been done differently is the Power switch, but after a little time with the camera I have gotten used to it. The camera takes great pictures and is very fast. I love the way the camera is almost instantly ready as soon as you turn it on. I have not been able to notice any lag or delay between shots. The 40D has many automatic modes that will take a great picture for you. There are also creative and a manual mode for the more advanced people that buy this camera. As well as three presets that you can program manually to suit your common picture taking needs. The battery has a very long life span. You can take hundreds of pictures on a single charge. Having a spare battery with you is always a good idea and worth the price. If you're considering purchasing this camera you can't go wrong with this camera. I give it a big thumbs up. The only consideration you might have at this point is to perhaps go to the 50D which just came out to market.
Pleasurable Upgrade [C. Brown]
After shooting for a short time with a Rebel 35mm film camera, I then decided to go the route of digital with various point & shoots. Finally, after only looking for point & shoots with manual controls, I went back and got myself a digital SLR in the rebel XT. It fulfilled my appetite for fully manual controls, but i still wasnt pleased with the size (i have rather large hands), weight, color (it was silver), or the ISO speeds and noise.
I didnt have much money and was trying to decide whether i should go with a used 30D or 40D. I read a lot of info here on Amazon and a few other places. I finally settled on looking at a used 40D. To my surprise there was a vendor here that sold the body for cheap because it was an open box. The body had never been used but the lens was missing from the kit.
After receiving my 40D i couldnt have been more pleased. It was the right size and weight. Felt very well balanced in my hand especially with a large 70-200mm lens on it. My Rebel had felt toyish with that lens attached. The ISO speeds could go well over the 800 ISO i was used to with the rebel. I also dont seem to get as much noise at those high speeds.
The live view is the feature that beat out the 30D, but i dont find myself using it that often. Id much rather just look through the viewfinder.
Im also liking the large aperture wheel and its placement by my thumb. Much better than having to press a button while spinning the shutter wheel like on the rebel.
All in all this was a great purchase. I use the 40D almost daily. i cant get enough of taking such great photos with it. I recommend this to anyone who wants a prosumer grade camera...
Great for capturing fast moving children [Elizabeth Van Wie]
I wanted a camera that would take sharp photos of the kiddos in action. I needed speed and was tired of the shutter lag that accompanied so many digital cameras. This camera has not disappointed. I have used it at the beach, pool, football games and just trying to get a good photo of all three kids together. I download all my photos to a Mac computer and it is effortless. For these purposes, the camera has been great.
Probably Better Value than the 50D [S. J. Simmons]
I upgraded to this camera from the 10D in July 2008 only to find out a few weeks later that Canon was going to bring out the new 50D. I was initially very irritated, but I've had a couple months now to play with this magnificent camera. This is an extremely well-built camera. I just shot an outdoor jazz concert at night hand held with no flash. I needed to use ISO 1600 to get a decent shutter speed with the available lighting, and I was somewhat skeptical that my photos would be useful. I was amazed to find very little noticeable grain. I only really noticed it in the shadows. There's no way those images would have been usable on my 10D.
The 10 megapixel sensor is more than enough for most any setting I can foresee (you can print 11x14" or larger just fine). The antidust system works like a charm--I haven't had any problem with dust on my sensor. The 3" live view screen is an added bonus I hadn't counted on. It is much easier to see that my images are sharp. The battery lasts for well over 500 exposures without using the internal flash. It has 9 autofocus points that work both horizontally and vertically, making them very effective.
I do have a few minor gripes, but they are very minor:
1) There's this confounded print button that I'll never use, but there's no dedicated button for a mirror lockup. It should be customizable (I think Canon has fixed this on newer cameras).
2) The new picture style function is very nice, but not easy to use if you want to make your own settings.
3) I wish Canon would spread out the AF points so that they are not so close to the center of the view finder. If there were four closer to the "rule of thirds" they would be more useful.
4) I have had an issue with using my external flash. There's a very small lever under one of the metal plates of the hotshoe. When you remove an external flash, sometimes it gets stuck down. If that happens, the internal flash will not pop up because the camera thinks the external flash is on. You can pop that lever up with a pin and it's fine, but it's still a little annoying.
If I had the extra money, I probably would have wished I had waited for the 50D. From what I can tell, that's going to be a significant upgrade from the 40D. However, at an additional cost of almost $500 (really, a 50% increase), I'm just not sure it's going to be worth it. I'm pretty happy with the 40D.
Great buy, worth every penny [D. Sheppard-Brick]
Many other reviews cover this product more in depth, so I will bullet point it Pros 6.5 frames per second, great for sports Improved color for vibrant pictures Noise reduction is incredible, noise at 1600 not noticeable Big Screen, easy to preview shots 10mp for poster quality prints Ergonomic, big and fits comfortable in hand Lightweight, doesn't tire out your hand after a long day of shooting
Cons: Size C image sensor (1.6 crop factor) Autofocus a little less accurate than the D1 for obvious reasons
Great DSLR!!! Canon does it again! [Nancy Roberts]
Anyone looking for a decently priced semi-pro digital single lense reflex camera, look no more. It's fast ( 6.5 fps ), self cleaning and just downright feels more expensive than it is. I also have a 20D, which is a great camera, but wanted to have a spare because of the number of lenses I now possess (10-22mm, 17-70mm and 70-300mm). Yes, the 50D is coming out now, but unless you are blowing up your pix extremely large, there is no need for anything more than this one. I think the Nikon product is lovely, but not worth the extra $$$ for both body and lenses, when you see the quality of your photos from this SLR.
Fantastic camera. Buy it! [S. Barrett]
Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
We replaced our Canon 10D with the 40D which was stated to advance the state-of-the-art for mid-range digital SLR cameras. It does that in spades with a newly enhanced 10.1 megapixel inaging sensor offering a fast 6.5 frame per second autofocus continuous shooting capability.
We primarily use this camera for wildlife photography, utilizing some action shots, and the speed sensitivity for this is fantastic.
A larger 3.0 inch LCD screen increases viewing ease, especially important in wildlife photography. Raised brightness levels allow for viewing ease under bright sunlight conditions. Also the larger font size for viewer window text is helpful. The upgraded viewfinder expands the viewing angle to 264 degrees and raises the eye point to 22mm.
The 40D comes with a durable case (black or magnesium alloy) and weather-resistant construction. With a 14 bit Analog-to-Digital conversion process, the 40D is able to recognize 16,384 colors per channel, resulting in more accurate gradations of tone and color. It also offers two interchangeable focusing screens, unlike its predecessors and its autofocus offers enhanced precision at f2.8 or faster.
Comes with an eyecup, wide neck strap, video cable, USB interface cable, battery pack, battery charger, EOS Digital Solution disc, software and a couple of photography and macro booklets.
Add the wide-angle lens of your choice and you're set to go.
So far, so good! [T. Brenholts]
I got this as my first DSLR. The learning curve is somewhat steep, but levels out quickly. Anyone coming from digital point and shoots will be amazed at how much easier a DSLR is to use; and image quality is breathtaking. This is a tool that will draw you in to the hobby, not push you away. Be forewarned, though; although it is easier to take nice pictures, you instantly are placed farther away from the best pictures you can take!
Build quality is outstanding, the camera is solid. It fits the hand well, and controls are easily accessible by feel while looking through the viewfinder. Battery life is very good, even with AF/IS lenses; I burned through a 8G card while shooting action sports, but never needed to change batteries.
From what I understand, this camera will be marketed alongside the new 50D. Although I can't say which is the better choice, I can say that this tool is very satisfying.
Just buy it. [T. Tommasino]
After my Digital Rebel XT died on me on the first day of a five day trip to the Amazon, I decided it was time for an upgrade. I have only used it a few times, but I can tell you it's sweet! The best improvement over the Rebel XT is the auto-focus ability - one giant step forward. The focus used to wander quite often using my 75-300 IS lens, but not anymore. Thank you!
Canon 40D & 28-135mm IS USM lens combo [Kelli D. States]
Excellent camera, excellent lens. Couldn't be happier with the purchase. I just wish I had known the 50D was being announced before I bought it, lol. But, received quickly and I'm quite happy with the purchase.
Good choice! [Sergey Nozhkin]
It's very nice camera. High speed shooting, the good quality of shots when the high ISO speed is set, Live View is useful mode when Auto focus cannot provide the good focusing.
Totally satisfied [Stephen Bay]
I own a Canon XTi camera and was very pleased with it. The 40D is a step above the XTi. The image quality is a step better. When you buy a particular brand of camera, whether it be Canon, Nikon, whatever, you "get in bed" with them because of ALL the accessories. I have more money invested in Canon compatible lenses, than just the camera. The Nikon D300 came out and it is a step above the 40D. I could not consider going for it because of having to start over again with all new lenses, flash units, etc. The 40D is a very high quality camera and the owner sees this the minute you turn the camera on. I am very picky when it comes to picture quality, and although a $4,000 camera will be better than the 40D, I have to be practical. I think the 40D is the best deal (camera) you can get for this amount of money.
Great upgrade! [Frank R. Shoemaker Jr.]
I started off with the Digital Rebel..... next was the 30D.......but the 40D is better than the previous two put together. If you want to take some serious cameras on a middle budget, this is the camera you want!
The 40D - a review from the point of a Rebel XTi owner [A. Brewer]
The 40D is an amazing camera, it's loaded with features, takes incredibly sharp photos, and is an all around fun camera. As is tradition with my reviews - i'll break this down into a pros and cons section for readability. Also at the end of the review, i've included some remarks on canon's big brother model for this camera, the 50D.
Pros -
-Autofocus capabilities - one of the biggest advantages of SLR cameras of today as opposed to SLR cameras of many years ago is the ability to autofocus. Not only is the autofocus with the 40D fast (with the 28-135mm USM kit lens) it is also fairly accurate. A difference between this camera and canon's lower EOS models (400D, 450D, etc...) is the performance of the camera in low-light situations. I am a former owner of a Rebel XTi (aka 400D) and the camera's ability to focus in low-light situations (Without firing an AF assist beam) was moderate at best. This is completely different with the 40D. Also, while the XTi and 40D both share 9 autofocus points (and so does every canon EOS model up to the 5D), the points on 40D are much more sensitive and accurate.
-Dynamic range - the camera allows you extreme flexibility in exercising your desire to get the creatively correct exposure (if you don't know what this is check out "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson). For example, in comparison to the Rebel, the camera adds an extra stop at the shutter speed (1/8000 sec), includes an Auto-ISO setting, and you don't have to set the ISO at 1 stop increments (i.e. ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600). A nice feature on this camera is that it has three Custom settings on the dials where you can save presets for various shooting situations (for example, I have C1 set as my mirror lockup setting - so instead of entering the custom function menus and finding the mirror lockup and enabling it, i just turn my dial to "C1").
-Speed - at 6.5 fps this camera is a machine! To get anymore than that you'd need to have a 1D Mk III. Unfortunately adding the BG-E2N (or BG-E2) battery grip doesn't add any speed to this already blistering mark (unlike it does with some Nikons) but 6.5 fps is going to be more than enough for most proam photographers. Of course be sure to get a quick memory card (Don't waste your money on the SanDisk Extreme IV though becuase I don't believe the 40D supports the new UDMA standard - you're better off with a nice Extreme III. Also, as a side note, for the next two weeks or so SanDisk is offering a big rebate on its cards - check it out).
-Image quality - with the correct equipment (a good tripod, the 40D, the 28-135mm USM lens, and canon's $50 shutter release) the sharpness in the photos that this camera puts out are amazing (before even using an unsharp mask in photoshop). Of course the photos are still high quality while handholding - but some situations mandate that a tripod be used (and really if you always want to get tack sharp photos, then all situations mandate it). The bottom line is you won't be disappointed by the IQ. Even the JPEGs on the camera are high quality (thanks to Canon's Digic 3 image professor). Despite this, i still recommend shooting in RAW + JPEG format for those tricky lighting situations.
-The LCD - granted, the LCD is the 900,000 pixel LCD that's found on the D300 (also several hundred dollars more expensive) or the 900,000+ pixel VGA LCD that will be found on the new 50D (see more info below), but at 300,000 pixels and 3.0'', the LCD is a big plus. The brightness on the LCD of this camera is much improved over earlier EOS Rebel cameras so that you can check out the specs of you photos in the high mid-day sun without looking around to find a shady area. The ability to view the three separate RGB histograms on this camera is a big plus (as opposed to just the brightness histogram).
-Build Quality - with its rugged magnesium alloy body and the weatherproofing measures canon has taken, the 40D is built like a truck. If you're going to invest over $1,000 in a camera you'll want it to be able to take a beating. I'm confident in the fact that the 40D can withstand the daily wear and tear of using it. Granted this isn't the 1Ds Mk III which you can essentially take into a tornado and come out without a scratch on it, but it's also not $7,000.
-Noise levels at high ISO settings (ISO 800-1600) - If you plan to be shooting in low light situations, you'll undoubtedly be forced to use higher ISO settings. Of course higher ISO settings is going to make the images noisier (grainier) as well as possibly distort the color and decrease contrast. The degree to which the 40D is plagued by these issues is very small. While i try to make every exposure at ISO 100, there are some situations where I have to reach up for ISO 800-1600 and I'm never disappointed by the resulting photographs.
Cons -
-Cost - This toy does of course come at a fairly hefty price premium. At $1150 this camera is not going to be for you if you're very budget conscious. Especially because 1150 is just the beginning, all of you newbies out there will soon discover that as soon as you get the camera you'll be lusting for (very expensive) lenses and (less expensive) acessories.
-Weight - the weight on the 40D is certianly formidable. If you're looking for a camera that's light-weight and small - take a look a the EOS rebel series. This factor might not affect you if you don't plan to haul or carry your camera around for longer periods of time, but if you do plan to use it in such a manner go to a local camera store (or electroncs store) and be sure to put the camera in your hands, hold it, get a feel for it.
-Get the 40D now or wait for the 50D? As some of you may know, Canon announced that it will be producing what I view as the bigger brother of the 40D and surprisingly they're going to call it the 50D. I imagine the idea of waiting for the 50D has crossed some of your minds - so I've outlined below some of my ideas on the issue.
-Increased number of MP - The number of megapixels on the 50D will be 15.1 as opposed to the 40D's 10.1. On the same sized sensor, this raises issues of noise, but canon claims the noise levels on the 50D are 1 or 2 stops below those of the 40D. However, if you plan on consistently making very large prints - then this will be an advantage. For the rest of us - it's really not worth the extra money.
-Digic 4 image processor - Like i mentioned above, the 40D has Canon's Digic 3 image processor while the 50D will have the updated version of this processor - which will probably make a small difference in IQ for someone who shoots in JPEG, but if you shoot in RAW and edit your photos anyway - it doesn't make a difference.
-Expandable ISO feature - The camera has the ability to shoot at ISO levels up to 12800. This is a useless feature. There will really never be a need to use an ISO level that high. It's really just a marketing thing because Nikon cameras can reach ISO levels that high.
-Speed - the 50D will only be able to shoot 6.3 fps as opposed to the 40D's 6.5 fps. This is probably a negligible difference.
-LCD - as i mentioned above, the LCD on the 50D will be a 900K VGA LCD which promises to be better for viewing images in the field. If you really rely on your LCD for your workflow then this is a big difference.
-Face detection technology - like many of Canon's point and shoot models, the 50D has incorporated face detection in its live view mode. This is nice but not really that useful because you can just select which AF point you wish to utilize. Plus Live View really runs the battery down on the camera.
-HDMI output - once again, this is a marketing thing, if you really like to look at your pictures on your big screen HD TV though, this is a nice feature.
-Cost - of course the 50D is going to cost more than the 40D with the approximate cost for the body $1400 and the cost with the kit lens (supposed to be the new EF-S 18-200mm) at somewhere between $1600-1700. The final issue is time. While Canon says that the 40D will be available in October, it's likely that the camera will be delayed because that is often how things work out.
Canon EOS 40D DSLR Review [Tims]
It is the most awesome camera with limitless possibilities. Taking pictures is fast and easy once you do a bit of experimenting and practice the same. The pictures captured are so real and alive that it surprises me. And especially the live preview shooting is like an added blessing. My Congratulations to Canon for introducing such a wonderful camera. Cheers..!!!
Great Photography With Ease! [M. Marinkovich]
I've wanted a D-SLR for the longest time, and I always knew Canon made some great cameras. However, now that I've had this for over a month... the EOS 40D isn't just a great camera... it's amazing!
The pictures are outstanding (even in compressed mode!), and this bad boy is so easy to use. I've never used an SLR camera prior to purchasing this (I'm a TOTAL novice here LOL), and in just a weeks time, I felt completely comfortable shooting pictures fully manual.
Features: The 3" screen is awesome for quick reviewing pictures. My friend has a 20D (I think it's only a 2" screen), and it's so difficult to tell whether or not the picture turned out good.
The AF on this is awfully quick, and really shines when shooting multiple frames per second. I took my 40D to the zoo only days after having it, and my goodness... I couldn't believe the quality of the pictures.
Liveview is pretty cool... but I prefer using the viewfinder. Much easier to tell if the picture is focused.
Battery life is great, and when it's time to recharge... it charges up pretty quick.
I definitely like the IS (Image Stabilizer) that's on the 28-135mm lens. I have a pretty steady hand, so shooting pics at slower speeds still turn out great!
Comfort: The camera seemed a little large at first... but I noticed it fit in my hands very well. Another friend of mine has a Rebel XT... and I HATE it. It's so small, my hands cramp up after using it for a few minutes.
Build Quality: The camera feels very solid when holding it, which adds peace of mind as far as lasting a long time.
OVERALL: I really feel that the novice photographer can enjoy this camera, and not feel intimidated with the amount of features it offers. I'm sure the vets out there can REALLY appreciate what this camera can do. I highly recommend this product!
You should appriciate that you can get your EOS 40D only $900.00 [Last Samurai]
EOS 40D is still offering best value even EOS 50D is going to be available.
The EOS 50D Was Announced Today [Dennis in Houston]
The EOS 50D, which is the upgrade to the EOS 40D, was announced by Canon today. It will be available in October. If you are considering the 40D then you might want to also take a look at the new 50D. Specifications are on Canon's web site, canonusa.com. The EOS 50D has 15 megapixels and other improvements. Tks.
40D upgrade from the 30D [J. S. Coile]
Love this camera. I decided to upgrade the 30D after waiting for a while. The cleaner high ISO images from the DIGIC III processor and the Live View were the two main selling points. I love low light flash free photography. This body meets those demands in ACES.
Build (much like the 30D) is solid with a few physical refinements and improvements. It makes a great second body for my 1D MarkII that is a well tested workhorse.
Much quieter than the 30D (and the MarkII). All those familiar controls that make photography a smooth process (I'm sure Nikonians feel the same about their cameras). Improved sensor density, custom functions and 3" LCD for review are big pluses.
In keeping with all of my delayed decisions to upgrade in the past, Canon followed suite just weeks after my purchase by announcing the release of the 15MP DIGIC IV Canon 50D. I would guess this will drop the price of the 40D even more but I have no remorse. This is a super camera!
EOS Canon 40D [Eduardo]
I haven't really had the camera long enough to fully test it but so far, it is outstanding. I've always been a Canon shooter so the feel and functions are familiar. I like it.
Great Camera, Solid Build [Professor Bubba]
This camera surpassed my expectations and then some. Great speed and battery life. Damn near instantaneous start up times and lots of great features usefull to pro and semi-pro photographers. Make sure that whatever size CF card you get that its fast. I recommend the SanDisk 8 or 16 gig Extreme III. With this card I have basically zero lag between the card and camera. As quick as I can take the pics, this card is able to write them. Dont get any of Extreme IV SanDisk cards because you are just wasting your money , since the Canon 40d cant even handle the Extreme IV speeds. Rumors are saying the new version of this camera will be out at the beginning of the year , so if you can wait untill then do so, but if your like me and couldn't wait and needed this Camera right away then go for it. Great investment. 5 Stars NO DOUBT.
Worth the upgrade over my Canon 30D [D. Phillips]
I upgraded from a Canon 30D to 40D. I felt the extra features, newer technology and the difference in price over a 30D was worth the money. Things I like about the 40D right away were; larger lCD, double the FPS (which allows the 40D to compete with the 5D and older Mark II's for HDR and action shots), improved menus with ISO information, and the new 14bit A/D color sensitivy.
Things I don't like are the LiveView(it's hidden in the menus), the printer button, size of the sensor, and a lack of new technological features.
Just a great camera! [M. Morgan]
There's really nothing more that I can add to the already excellent reviews...except to just echo what just about everyone is saying -- this is a great camera. In fact, in the sub-$1000 range, I don't think you could possibly buy another one. I checked three or four of the leading photo magazines and e-zines....and they all rave about this baby. And I have to say, I agree.
I use to shoot for fun with my old Canon AE-1, which started back in high school in the late 80's. That camera eventually broke a few years ago, and I gave it away to someone who could fix it. Since then, I've tried to scrape by with a few cheapies, but they were not the kind of camera that made you really want to go out and take pictures.
Then I started borrowing my uncle's now-fairly ancient 10D, and the love of picture taking came back.
The 10D-40D series are cameras that makes you want to take pictures. That was probably the main reason I purchased the 40D over the Rebel 450D -- this one just feels so much more sturdy in the hands. The higher resolution on the newer 450D (12mp vs. 10mp) really doesn't make a lot of difference for what I want to do. The features on the 450D would have been plenty for my amateur photography, but it just didn't feel as nice to shoot with it. If you are on the fence about 450D or 40D, my advice would be to go to a camera shop (or even a Best Buy, which usually has both on hand) and 'feel' them out for yourself. When I did it, the feel just wasn't there for 450D.
This is a great kit deal too with the 28-135mm lens. Don't mess around with any kits selling you the ultra-low end 18-55mm kit lens, and please don't buy the 40D and then drop another 170 bucks on a cheapie lens. That's like sticking a Mazda Miata engine inside a Corvette. But the 28-135mm is no cheapie. This is 400 buck lens going for 150 less in the kit. The USM (ultra-silent motor) and IS (image stabilization) features make the 28-135mm a very nice, very versatile lens for starting out. The expense is not that much more than 18-55mm, but it's totally worth it in the long run. So if you are just starting out, this is definitely the best kit to go with.
As always Amazon shipping is amazing. I ordered the thing on a Monday morning, added standard shipping (8 bucks extra), and the thing was at my doorstep the very next day. Unfortunately, I ordered my CF card through Newegg (which has a pretty good shipping reputation!), and so I had to wait another 2 days before that arrived.
FIRST DAY OWNER . . . I'M STUNNED! [Robert E. Glasscock]
As a long-time Canon EOS Elan IIe (film) owner, with lenses, I've waited to move to digital (till the quality and affordability met my needs / budget). I wanted to stick with Canon (yes my old AF lenses work with the 40D).
Did my research, went to my local camera store, checked my old lenses on the 40D, tried nicely to "deal" with them. They still couldn't touch Amazon's price for this kit.
In the four days (yes, only four) it took for the 40D to reach me (free shipping, incidentally), I bought and read David Busch's book dedicated to the 40D. Highly recommend it. So I was ready.
My camera arrived early this morning. Battery fully charged. I waited till later this afternoon, when the light is better, and took it shooting.
Nature stuff. Children on playgrounds. Birds. Animals. Speedboats on the river. A volleyball game. Portraits of my nephew's wife and their one-year-old daughter (no-flash shots and built-in fill-flash shots). Some with IS on, most with IS off.
Just basic stuff to see what the Basic Modes did on default. Looked at some histograms as I shot, but didn't make any adjustments. (Now that I've looked at the defaults, I will start tweaking the settings for my own preferences.)
Over 300 shots, in JPEG Fine only. No RAW (yet.)
Got home, plugged the CF card into the reader (both from Adorama, though after the fact I realized I could have gotten a slightly better deal from Amazon).
Using FastStone's free Image Viewer (which I wanted to try), I started sorting through my shots, comparing them side by side, tagging those I wanted to delete, batch renaming the ones I kept, etc.
I must have examined my first shot for five minutes, minutely examining the details. Stunned! STUNNED! At HUGE magnifications!
With every shot, I just kept shaking my head in amazement. Virtually FLAWLESS exposure! (One or two had slight clipping in highlights (on the histograms), yet still with incredible detail. One or two were slightly soft on the subject's focus (my fault). Incredible color!
Continuous bursts on the volleyball players and the speedboats and the bikers on bike trails were jaw-dropping! PERFECT focus! PERFECT exposure! At 6.5 fps! (Unheard of, even just a few years ago, at this price point.)
I'm fluent in Photoshop, but prefer to get it right the first time, in the camera.
I've yet to scratch the surface of the 40D's capabilities. Can't wait to get into the "Creative Modes" tomorrow. And then move on to "Custom Modes," etc.
I'm a semi-pro. Got my first SLR when I was 15. I'm 64. I've had 'em all, and loved 'em all.
But I haven't been so immediately impressed, FLOORED actually, by a camera system in my life.
Particularly at this price point, the 40D system is a remarkable achievement.
Outstanding Colours! [R. Pullicino]
After upgrading from the 350D I am truly impressed. I recently shot a wedding with the 40D and I was ecstatic with the results! The richness in colour is simply amazing. I do not regret this purchase. Two thumbs up for the 40D!
Canon EOS 40D [Dan]
This is an upgrade from the EOS Rebel XT. I am very pleased with the quality and features in the 40D. Image quality is top notch. I had considered the Nikon 300D, but it's additional features are not worth a cost of 50% more.
I got the best! [Andre Wiggins]
I was looking into the Canon Rebel Xsi and came close to buying it when a friend asked, "Have you looked at the 40D?" It was out of my price range, but after testing it in a few shops, I loved how it felt in my hands. I agree with other enthusiasts that the Rebels are too lightweight, and I'm a big guy so I need something sturdy to keep up with me. Had I held the Rebel during beach shoots, I would've been a little overprotective of it, feeling it would drop at any moment (even with the strap). Not the case with the 40D.
I love the 6.5 fps. It captures incredible images. The colors are vivid and professional-looking. Much better than my Canon A620 point-and-shoot. I've moved up to a camera I respect, and the price difference is justified. I love what it does, but more importantly, I love the anticipation of what it will do once I master it.
Worth every penny [Rob Bryant]
I just received my Canon EOS 40D with the 28-135mm lens kit (Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens) yesterday and haven't been able to put it down since. I contemplated going for either the Nikon D300 or the Canon EOS 40D for portrait work and am in no way regretful. I also ordered the Battery grip. All I can say is... FINALLY!! First of all it is pretty hefty (Not heavy) but is definitely has the 'Professional' feel to the body even without the lens. I added the 28-135mm lens and battery grip and this camera screams 'Hey everyone I'm really serious about photography.' I have absolutely no gripes about this camera. I have used the Canon Rebel XT in the past and this camera is in a league of its own. If you're in-between in your decision, don't be. Just get the camera and you won't be sorry. I know I'm not.
So far I'm lovin' it! [R. A. Mauritsen]
I got this as step up from from my Digital Rebel and it's far improved. i've very satisifed with the capabilites and results so far!
Amazing shots! [cam man]
This camera is amazing! The picture quality is incredible. I have a couple shots hosted here :
[...]
I could not believe the amount of detail in the camera. Those were taken with the 18-33is lens
Amazing camera, best DSLR yet [Robert Bowen]
I finally upgraded from my well-used, well-beaten 10D that I bought in 2004. It held up very well to my semi-pro use, but I was starting to get frustrated with the start-up lag and lack of exposure range.
The 20D and 30D never seemed that much better than the 10D, but from the first moment I held the 40D I knew it was time to upgrade. The big screen and minimal start-up and shutter lag times grabbed my attention at first. The auto-ISO was also a bonus in the camera store.
Once I got out in the field what really impresses me about this camera (which is at least as sturdy as my old 10D) is the wide exposure sensitivity. These days I have much more flexibility in choosing lighting, and don't have nearly the same problem with blown highlights that I did with the 10D. The images also require much less processing to bring out the best of their colors and sharpness. I've printed many right out of the camera.
40D - First DSLR, couldn't be happier [Brandon Smith]
I bought this kit nearly 4 months ago and couldn't be happier.
The learning curve was a little steep, being that this was my first DSLR, but once picking it up and shooting regularly and reading everything I could get my hands on, I feel pretty comfortable with it.
Interchangeable lenses is my favorite part about DSLRs. Moving from wide angle to zoom is easy and worth the hassle for the image quality you get from the canon 40d.
I originally purchased this camera for its burst capabilities for sports shooting and have since paired it with a 70-200 f/4 L. I am extremely happy with the results.
Exceeded my expectations [Jose F. Gonzalez]
Since I started using my 40D several people have told me the pictures I have taken look like a professional took them. The camera has exceeded all my expectations.
Canon 40D. An awesome camera [Randy E. Frazier]
I spent a fair amount of time in research before purchasing this camera. Before buying the 40D, I was the owner of a Canon XTi. I had already purchased the 24-105 USM Zoom lens (an awesome all purpose lens) so I knew I wanted to stick with Canon. Besides I am a skydiver and all the videographers/aerial photographers at my dropzone rave about the durability and quality of photos of Canon. I was initially thinking about buying the XSi--I was attracted to the 12.2 MP. But when I started looking into it more I came to realize that unless I was printing a photo larger than 9X12 I wouldn't ever really need the 12 MP. Plus those images take up a LOT more storage space--and it seemed like the overhead requirements were beyond what I needed/wanted.
What I did find though was that a number of the improvements in the XSi were already in the 40D --and then some. You can do your own research, but after looking at the specifications of the 40D vs the XSi, there really wasn't a contest about which camera I was going to go with. This is twice the camera of my XTi --and although it is larger and a bit heavier due to the metal (not plastic) body, I can still easily fit into the back-sling camera bag I was already using for the XTi---and it is no problem to carry.
I like this camera very much and I am very happy with my purchase!
Dan Ferrell [Dan S. Farrell]
I am thrilled with my new camera. It is still so new for me that I am still finding out things that it can do. The price was great and the quality is amazing.
one day delivery [T. essler]
I love how quick the shutter is , this is my first slr but find this slr to be very user friendly, and have been taking exceptional pictures. i still have alot to learn . i do wish i had got a 300 mm telephoto lens
Perfect Camera [Jared]
The Canon 40D is everything a photo enthusiast needs. The camera delivers exceptional pictures every time and combined with the 28-135mm lens, Canon has produced and outstanding package.
The controls are user friendly and within easy reach for quick adjustments. Focus and exposure are spot on. I shopped months researching the perfect camera and the Canon 40D has filled each and every expectation and then some.
Excellent value [S. Widjaja]
I have owned this camera for almost a year and so far the only camera in the same class that exceeds its performance is Nikon D300. But D300 costs almost twice as much as 40D. I can spend the money on a nice lens.
Everything about this camera is excellent in my experience, except for its LCD which is lame compared to D300. Try shooting in very low light condition and you will find out what I am talking about. Its Auto-Focus system is very good in dim light.
Even after 1 year, I think I have used at the max 50% of the features of this camera (which is probably 25% of Nikon's). In other words, when you are looking for a DSLR, look for (1) Basic features: Auto-focus performance, noise-performance, (2) the supporting systems (Lens, flashes, software) - which at this point are dominated by Nikon and Canon.
Moving up in Quality [M. A. Moss]
Recently purchased this camera after using a cannon SD500 for 3-4 years, basically as a point and shoot. The 40D can also be used as a point and shoot but you wouldn't want to purchase this camera for that purpose. It has a lot of features and moving from point and shoot to this camera means a steep learning curve for the uninitiated. I am still learning about it and taking a class in digital photography. This is a great camera and is high value for the money. Be prepared, it is a little heavier than the Nikon D80 which I considered.
40D is a great camera [Michael L. Hicks]
My Canon 40D is a professionally orientated camera. I love it. Also it was delivered in a timely manner. Thank you, Amazon.com.
Canon EOS 40D [M. Chavez]
I upgraded from a Rebel Xti and let me tell you, it was the best decision I made. The value that Amazon.com offers is seriously unbeatable. The quality of the camera is beyond my expectation and durability is wonderful. If you are an amature, semi pro, or just a photo is a hobby, then by all means purchase this camera. For the value and quality you cannot go wrong here!
Canon EOS 40D [A. Zielinski]
I am completely satisfied with this camera. The speed is great (especially the 6.5 frames per second), features are great, the screen is large and easy to see in sunlight.
The lens is quite good, but i can't say it is great. As with most consumer grade digital SLRs, the 40D has a 1.6x field of view crop factor, so the 28-135mm lens is more like a 45-215mm lens on a 35mm film camera. This is an excellent range for taking portraits and people shots, and makes a great 'everyday' lens. However, it lacks the wider angles that you may want for scenery, and for indoor party/group shots. (I am looking for a wider angle lens now to handle those requirements). Lastly, and this is by far the worst thing i have to say about this lens: it does not have a lens lock... when you are walking around the lens tends to point down, and gravity causes the zoom to slowly extend all the way. This is annoying and can cause some unexpected bumping of the lens.
Well, that's my 2cents. This is the best camera I have purchased, and i am very happy with my decision.
EOS 40-D Prosumer camera A+ [A. Szabo]
First off what a great deal from Amazon, price was right, in stock and fast delivery. This camera can be used by serious recreational or professional photography people. The camera was a upgrade from Fuji equipment and I am pleased to say that my expectations were exceeded. I highly recommend the 28-135 USM IS lens along with the 60mm Macro f 2.8 lens for close ups and portraits. The one complaint I do have is that Canon does not provide a lens case/sack or a lens hood with either lens. But you can pick one up off Amazon or Ebay for the cheap from Taiwan for 1/3 of Canon's cost.
Nice Step Up [C. Roenicke]
I recently purchased the 40D as a replacement for my Rebel XT. The XT has worked great but eventually it broke down (after any warranty was up) and gave the dreaded Error_99. But enough about that, the 40D.
For the purpose of the review all my comparisons will be the Rebel XT. The first and most noticeable difference between the two is the weight and build quality. The 40D has a metal construction which adds weight (not good for hiking) but also adds a great deal of confidence in is integrity.
The menu system is vastly better than the XT because of dual wheels, this allows one finger to control the page and the other to control the item selected on each page.
The other vast improvement is the way buttons are laid out. That is, on the 40D everything you could possibly want is at your finger tips. This means an increase in the potential shooting speed, but also is a steep learning curve as there are a lot of buttons.
Finally the lens, the 28-135 IS is great. Image Stablization allows you to get pictures with a shutter speed of 1/10 that look like 1/80. This means that shooting in low light without a flash or tripod is possible. The magnification is not amazing, but allows for decent pictures of average size flowers. Finally, as with all DSLR's that don't have a full sensor size, the 28 doesn't allows you to get back as wide as I'd like. Other than that it a great lens, and a great camera.
Good for Sports [James Becton]
A perfect back up to the Canon 5D. Great for sports in that you can set the continuous shutter for high speed. Really clips along for sports, car racing and brides running down the aisles. The live view is awesome for portraits in the studio when trying to calculate head size. The grid in the live view really helps in composition. Well built and would work well in school portrait sessions. Get one today especially with Canon rebates.
Love it! [Cool Arvey]
Love it! Still trying to learn all of its functions. But the pictures are incredible. and Amazon sold it at a great price.
Excellent camera [Z. Chapa]
I've been using Canon cameras since 1995, first an Elan 35mm, then a XT Rebel, and now the 40D, and by far this is the best camera I ever used, it's quality is outstanding, and the colors, definition and sharpness you get are awesome.
I do photography mostly on skydiving activities and on performing arts.
I'm very happy and considering you don't have to pay for development, it's price will be nothing when you think this is a camera designed for 100,000 + shots, it's alloy body makes it rough and trustworthy.
Some people talk about Sony Alpha or Nikon but for me Sony in the SLR arena is a rookie and Nikon was the best when 35mm were the standard, but on these days of digital photo, according to many experts, has become the second choice.
Highly recommended.
Great Upgrade from 30D [D_Sone]
This camera is an excellent upgrade from the EOS 30D. The larger, 3-inch screen gives a better feel of your images in-camera. The new, highlight tone priority feature has saved blown-out highlights by nearly 1/3 stop (2/3 in some cases) which is great in high contrast situations. It can shoot in high-speed continuous twice as long as the 30D. And with a SanDisk Extreme IV, I've gotten 6.5fps for 100 frames (JPEG) and 87 frames (RAW) before the buffer filled ... thats 1D territory. Live view, silent mode, 6.5fps, finger groove, larger screen, better AF, quieter shutter ...
Overall, Canon listened well on this model and made the minor tweaks and added the new features that Canon's 1D series cameras have. I love it and haven't looked back at my 30D.
Caution: Photoshop CS2 and older will not be able to process the new 14-bit RAW files the 40D produces. You will need CS3 to do it.
BEST SLR FOR YOUR MONEY [Thomas F. Thimons]
This is the best SLR for your money. I am looking into starting a business with photography and after a lot of research I chose the 40D because of price, quality and the Canon name. You won't find a better camera for starting out - unless you opt for the canon 5D for around twice the price!!! Basically, if you are like me - and may want to make a little money (no getting rich quick here), then buy the 40D (FROM AMAZON) and invest in very good canon lenses -- because they will transfer to your upgrade when you are ready!
The Prosumer SLR Value [P. MSakamoto]
Summary: I'm a very happy owner after 2 months and 3,000 exposures Pros: 1. Quick, accurate and flexible focus with easy selection of focus points. 2. Very good exposures in difficult light. 3. Rapid and logical access to controls and displays. 4. Flash metering and control, especially with the external 580exII, are superb! Cons: 1. Custom white balance set-up could be easier. 2. The manual is poor enough that I purchased and aftermarket book on the 40d. My Rig: 1. 40d body dual battery pack. 2. 17-85 EFS, USM/IS lens 3. 70-200 f2.8L, USM lens 4. 2x Telextender 5. Manfrotto monopod. 6. Lowepro Fastpack 250 backpack w/laptop compartment. 7. 580exII speedlight w/Gary Fong "Whale Tail" 8. 430ex speedlight to use as slave to 580 for fill. Uses: 1. Girl's fastpitch softball games. These range from bright sun to artificially lit night games. 2. Colorguard and drill team competition. These are often indoors or on field at night. 3. Product photography for high tech semiconductor equipment. This is usually on site vs. in a studio due to equipment size.
Discussion: I purchased this camera to take over where my Konica-Minolta 5d and Minolta legacy glass left off in my tireless effort to chronicle my kid's lives. The KM5d was not a bad rig, but as the kids got older the action moved too fast for the KM to catch it. The main issues were the focus speed and the shutter speeds allowed by the legacy lenses. Sony Alpha made some of these issues better, but that system only has two fast focus motors - for the 70-200 and one other. It's just very limiting and about 25% more expensive than Canon or Nikon equivalents. So, I decided to change to one of the two big guys. After extensive testing, I settled on the Canon system and the 40d in particular because of the speed of operation (at least in my hands) and the price point for the items I wanted, which ended up being almost $1k less than the Nikon solution based on a D300. Also, the Canon system had lenses that overlapped range where I wanted them to, and this is reflected in the system I carry. Many other reviews split hairs on ISO 3200 performance, and this got me going for a little bit, but the fact is that if you are pushing that hard, the photos are going to be very grainy. Slightly less or more is not the issue, IMHO. Over quite a broad range of conditions, this camera is just great.
So, now I have the equipment performance headroom that my KM was nowhere near providing, and my photography, which did NOT stink previously, has taken a good step up. I get the action shots on a more consistent basis. The slides into second base are spectacular! If you are looking for a step up from the older Canons, or are switching to a system with some breadth like I was, this is a great choice!
Very pleased with my 40D so far [Joshua M. Henly]
Background ---------- New to SLR/dSLR. I've been shooting a variety of digital P&S cameras for about 8 years.
Motivation ---------- Kept missing potentially great shots of my newborn due to slow P&S performance; indoor/low-light pictures rarely turned out nice; couldn't get a good shot of birds to save my life! dSLR looked like it could address these problems.
Decision Process ---------------- I decided on Canon, in part due to a relative to who has a nice collection of 'L' glass that I hope to borrow. :) I was waffling between the XTi/XSi on value/features, and I became aware of Canon's rebate on the 40D. So I went to a camera shop and tried out the 40D, the XSi, and the XTi. The 40D felt perfect in my hands, while the Rebel bodies felt small and awkward. It was just a matter of time before I convinced myself that the 40D with 28-135mm kit lens was worth the few hundred dollar premium over the XSi or XTi kit packages.
Experience So Far ----------------- I'm very pleased with most aspects of my 40D. Some warned that SLR photography was terribly complicated, and that I should start off on a "simpler" camera. But I've found it's simple enough learn the basic concepts, master them, and then gradually learn more advanced techniques. The 40D is a great tool for learning about photography. I'm spending almost all my time in Manual mode, and most of my pictures are coming out much better than I was getting with my P&S cameras. Plus, I'm having a blast with my new hobby!
What I like ----------- + Image quality. If I do my job and get the exposure right, IQ is really great. I'm also learning about how to post-process to recover photos where I blew the exposure a bit.
+ Viewfinder. I was concerned that I'd have trouble using the viewfinder, since I was so accustomed to using the LCD as a "live view" with my P&S cameras. Not so. I adapted to the bright and informative viewfinder immediately.
+ Speed. Startup time, taking a first shot, followup shots...all nearly instantaneous. 6.5 shots/second is astounding compared to my P&S cameras.
+ High-ISO performance. I'm very picky about noise, but ISO800 looks great on the 40D, and ISO1600 isn't bad. This would be unthinkable on my P&S cameras. The good high-ISO noise performance allows me to shoot more confidently in lower-light situations, and not have to use the flash as much.
+ Ergonomics. The 40D feels great in my hands. Heavier and bulkier than the Rebel line, but at just over 1.5 lbs it still feels comfortable to me even when I'm out shooting for a couple hours.
+ Menu/layout. Some complain about redundancy of the dials and joystick, but I don't mind having more choices. Since I'm in Manual mode shooting RAW most of the time, many of the menu settings simply aren't relevant to me. It took me maybe 2 days to get comfortable navigating and finding what I needed.
+ LCD. Nice and big, clear and bright.
+ Battery life. I'm getting around 500 images on a single charge -- very happy with that.
+ Auto Focus. For the most part, AF has been dead-on accurate and fast.
+ 28-135mm IS lens. I've had good luck shooting macros, portraits, landscapes, and everything in between. This lens is probably a bit outdated, but it is capable of taking really nice pictures. I think it's a great lens for a beginner to learn on.
What I don't like ----------------- - Power switch. What's been reported is true: the power switch is in a goofy and annoying location. It's not a deal-breaker, but Canon should change this when they update the 40D.
- Low-light AF. Sometimes in low-light situations the AF "hunts" for something to focus on. I don't know whether to blame the 40D or the 28-135mm lens.
- LCD. While the LCD is bright and easy to see, the 40D is well behind competing brands in the number of pixels in the display. More pixels could help the photographer determine with better accuracy whether a shot is in focus. Along the same lines, the camera uses a small thumbnail JPEG in the LCD display, so it is impossible even to zoom in and determine with certainty whether the shot was in focus.
- Print button. What a waste of a perfectly good button! :)
Bottom Line ----------- From my experiences so far, I highly recommend the 40D. With Canon's rebate it's a fantastic camera for the price. You can probably take just as good pictures with an XTi or XSi, so if you're interested in a Canon in this price range, be sure to try out all three before making a decision. For me, the ergonomic and speed advantages of the 40D were well worth the price differential.
This is a camera that can be put to good use by amateurs and professionals alike. Technology moves fast, and I'm sure in a year from now some of the features of the 40D will seem dated. But right now, in the summer of 2008, it's a really great value.
Canon 40D [Mich Ericill]
I'm only an amateur photographer and this is the first SLR I've ever owned. My first camera was a Canon powershot G6. Now that you know my point of reference....
The 40D is a top notch camera. I've owned mine for 5 months now. I've had no problems with any of the functions (everything operates like a well oiled machine)and for this being my first SLR I had no problems getting to know it, in other words it's user friendly.
Picture quality with Canon can't be beat. You'll not be dissatisfied.
Good camera [GeorgeK]
I've been a Canon camera user since 1955. This one gave me no reason to change that. I upgraded from a 10D. Big difference. I'm going to keep it.
The replacement [Stanley B. Watkins]
I couldn't be happier with this camera. I took it out for it's first shoot on the Fourth of July and captured images impossible to retrieve with any other digital camera i have ever owned, save for the 30D. I was able to capture a moving train with multiple exposures so fast that it almost seemed as if I were shooting a video. The camera recycles amazingly fast and each exposure was spot on in terms of color, contrast, clarity and focus. It was purchased as a replacement for the 30D which I had misplaced and couldn't find for several months. As fate would have it, the week after my 40D arrived, my wife found the 30D! I am still glad for the purchase. SBW
40D review [Bob Love]
Canon's 40D is a great camera and J & R provided a great price and excellent service...as usual for them.
The best canon (for now anyway) [Reginald Kenneth Dwight]
I have reviewed the canon 30D last year and I didnt think it would get any better but I am here to tell you otherwise. The 40D is an entireley new camera- not the same digic II processor as the 30D.It takes sharper pictures than the 30D. Try shooting in the landscape mode- it is the "hidden secret" of the 40D. the greens and blues are much brighter and sharper. The 40D is Canons hottest camera on their market as of now. It has auto ISO which can be helpful if your not an ISO freak and not into setting that feature. The shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to 1/8000 second on the 40D. (Very fast: the 1/8000 speeds equates to .000125 second on the digital clock).The body alone is going for around $950 as of July 2008. It is not an introductory camera nor is it a top of the line- it sits right in the middle.I will add more to this post as I start using this camera more.
Very pleased. [Happy Buyer]
The camera arrived well in advance of when I expected. Everything was packaged well.
Amazing Camera [Blake]
Just buy it. Seriously. The camera is amazing. Get this with an L series lens, and you will never look back. The photos are simply stunning. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful this camera is.
40D - A Big Step Up From The XTi! [Victor Delauz]
I was the proud owner of my first DSLR, a Canon 400D/XTi, about two years ago. Recently, though, when Canon announced a $[...] rebate on the 40D, plus a $[...] loyalty upgrade rebate on top of that, I knew it was time to upgrade from my XTi to the 40D. WOW! Am I glad that I did!!! Although I loved my little XTi, the 40D is a COMPLETELY different animal! The move from a consumer DSLR to a prosumer DSLR is one that I was worried about, because of the perceived complexity, but the 40D is actually much easier to use because of the improved menu system and the dual LCD windows. Also, after holding the very-well-built 40D, the XTi now feels like a toy. Don't get me wrong, the XTi is one heck of a camera (I imagine the successor, the new XSi, is that much better). If you're thinking about the upgrade, don't think anymore, JUST BUY IT!!! If you're new to the world of DSLRs, though, I suggest buying an XTi or an XSi and learning its functions for at least one year, then upgrade. You can't just jump into the world of DSLRs from an all-automatic point-and-shoot. There's too much of a difference between these types of automatic-everything cameras and the DSLRs, which is why you should first learn with a less expensive DSLR and work your way up. This way, if you find that you don't like it, find it too complicated or simply can't learn it, you're not out too much in the wallet.
Have both 40D and Xsi, 40D is my choice. [M. Hsu]
Great construction, solid. Feels like a pro. Xsi is great also, but once you start to get into the lens business... 40D is a clear winner. Xsi is just a bit small for most of the lens. Just did a shooting in an event for my kid. It performs great. I picked the 18-55mm kit lens for this even, it comes out great. However, I wish I had picked faster lens. I only have 4GB card currently. So, the pictures are taken in sRAW and Medium JPEG format. I posted the mJpeg on flickr. No adjustment was made. All are without flash in P. Most are with AUTO ISO. Some in 1600 or H ISO. Enjoy. [...]
The best professional Camera in the market. [Dr. Ahmed Dardeir]
Hi everyone, Before I purchased canon EOS 40D, I had done my home work. What I mean by that is checking every web site for the best camera in the market, every search engine for the best price and quality, consumer reports, consumer reviews and most of the retail store reviews online. Believe me when I tell I have been lsearching for 4 months at least! Here is the conclusion: This is the best (Budget wise $1300 - $2500) professional camera in the market in term of picture resolution, picture quality (not too red or too white, great skin tone), Image stabilization(when you use your hand not the tripod), sport pictures (moving objects, this camera takes 6 pictures/SECOND!!!), Easy to use (you have to read the manual for few hours first), The quality of the picture, the quality of the camera( not too light and not heavy), and the durability (if you take care of this camera, it will stay working with the same efficiency for 20 years at least! Remember, Canon professional grade cameras are the most expensive ones in the market, Do you know why? Because you pay for what you get. It is an asset for every home, business, or any time you need a camera to take memorable pictures. P.S. All parts in this Camera even the battery are made in JAPAN. Good Luck.
Amazing Canon 40D camera. Love it [M. Shnaider]
Amazing Camera.I bought it for sport events. Make amazing pictures in low light places. Really good bargain.
The only complain is about a big screen with low resolution. It's not always clear if pictures are sharp.
Awesome! [Michael J. Joosten]
Out of the box the Canon 40D works great. I am very impressed how simple it is to shoot great shots witht this camera and lens combo. It has more features than most SLR's and I am very happy with my purchase. I highly recommend this camera and escpecially at this price point!
Excellent Digital SLR, Easy to use [J. Taylor]
I have now had this camera for two weeks. This is my first Digital SLR. It was recommended to me by a Professional Photographer for my local Pro Football and Baseball team. I was originally going to get a 450D (XSi), however he talked me into getting the 40D. I am very impressed with this camera. I previously had point and shoot digital camera and a very old 35MM Film SLR. I was taking very good pictures within an hour of receiving. It took that long to charge the battery for the first time, so I read the manual. Please read the manual and search youtube for some tutorials. Controls are very well organized. The menu is very straight forward compared to my Digital Elph and Powershot S3. The 28 to 135 lens that came with my camera is a very good starter lens and I will probably use this for quite a while before investing in an upgraded lens. My only complaints so far is this camera is much larger and heavier than a Digital rebel. While this helps me since I have large hands, my wife doesn't like it at all. I may invest in the grip/battery upgrade which while increasing weight will give it a better handle. The built in flash is one of the best built-ins I've ever used. I have no plans to get an external flash anytime soon because of this. This camera seems to be very well thought out, if that makes sense to you. I believe the controls will soon become second nature to me like my old 35 and I will just concentrate on composing the shot. I highly recommend this camera.
The best camera money can buy [muxamed]
This is an amazing camera and worth every penny of it's price. I have a Rebel XTi as my second body and can say that 40D feels much more mature, it feels more like a "real" camera. XTi is somehow fragile, 40D is really robust. The ergonomics are really great and the camera feels just perfect in my hands.
Picture quality is very good. It is at it's best in RAW format. Colors can be little washed out when shooting JPEG (nothing that can't be fixed in Photoshop). A couple of real world advantages of this camera compared to the cheaper alternatives are, besides it's fantastic build quality and robustness, camera's high ISO performance, autofocus speed, fast continous shooting and larger viewfinder. ISO 1600 images are perfectly usable for A4 prints. I find the top LCD very usable and almost never use the back LCD.
A great camera and highly recommended.
great camera! [snarf]
Great DSLR with tons of features and most importantly, the pictures are amazing. I bought the kit and also got the 24-105mm L lens and couldn't be happier.
Almost pleased [O. Georgiev]
Everything is good... just that battery charger... it is not suitable with the Europe standarts :(
Outstanding performance [Blazing]
This is my second DSLR purchase. I own the original Digital Rebel camera and its been fine, although with sluggish performance (burst frame rate and sometimes slow autofocusing). I struggled with the decision between the new, less expensive EOS Rebel Xsi, or the EOS 40D. The Xsi has higher resolution but resolution wasn't the major purchasing factor. I take a lot of sport pictures for hockey, baseball, lacrosse, etc. and it was more important to shoot with 6+ frames per second speeds. The 40D was more expensive but with the $[...] for previous digital rebel owners, it was getting closer to the Xsi price. I decided to go with the 40D and I've been delighted ever since. The performance is excellent as well as the picture quality. The magnesium-alloy, sealed body has proven to be the hidden gem. I've been snapping pictures at kids baseball games this summer and with the dirt/dust, I have piece of mind knowing the camera is sealed. This is a great camera and worth the slightly higher cost than the digital rebel class products. And the kit lens (28-135mm IS) that comes with the 40D is a significant upgrade from the original 18-55mm that came with the digital rebel. The $400 street price 28-135mm IS lens was only $[...] when you buy it as a kit with the EOS 40D camera.
So much better than rebels [K. Minne]
I upgraded to this camera from a rebel xti and I have to say it's better in every single way. It's better in ways that can't necessarily be expressed in specs. Yes, the xsi has higher resolution, but that's such an insignificant feature compared to what the 40D is capable of doing. Just the bigger viewfinder, second wheel, and really short shutter lag is enough for me to be extremely happy. Noise characteristics are a lot better than xti, period. So much more detail is retained at high iso even though both cameras have the same sensor specs. It seems like people who don't like the camera either got a dud, or don't really know how to take a picture and post process it properly. I have almost 800 pics on my first battery charge including a TON of reviewing and live view usage.
Awesome camera! [Scott Biehl]
This is an unbelievable camera. It shoots fast and takes great pictures. I thought it may be difficult to use but it's as easy as those cheap digital cameras from Wal Mart.
Recent purchase: Canon 40D w/ 28-135 kit lens [Benjamin Tong]
I concur with J. Austin's review. The product itself seemed fine, but the packaging was very subpar. The box the camera came it was probably 8 times bigger than the camera itself. Lots of room to protect or move around. Mine had 18 airpaks inside. Of the 18, only 8 remained inflated, while the other 10 had "popped" by the time it arrived at my house. If you're going to use air paks, at least use enough to fill the airspace between the product and the box. Mine looks like it could have accepted at least 18 more air paks. Or, how about using something that won't/can't pop, like packing peanuts or scrap newspapers or something? As it stands, the camera and all the other gear inside seem to be in perfect condition. I even used Amazon's call back line and logged complaints with that department. They just said "it won't happen again". This was before I even explained just how poorly it was packaged, and they didn't even ask me to explain. I subsequently ordered a camera bag from Amazon. That box arrived crushed as well. Most likely the fault of UPS. But, knowing that UPS doesn't give a rats behind about boxes and if they get crushed, Amazon should take that into consideration when choosing their packing method. $2 worth of peanuts is nothing compared to having to deal with a $1,000 returned camera. I will carefully consider where my next expensive purchase is going to come from.
The camera and lens work wonderfully and I can recommend it to anyone who wants an entry level dSLR, but can't grip the smallish XSi.
ronj [Ronnie G. Jacobs]
The canon 40d is the best camera I have ever owned, more than I expected. I would recommend this camera to any upgrading from the entry level DSLR. I had the canon rebel,and the rebel xt wonderful camera, which I still own and using it for backup to the 40d. Thanks AMAZON and Canon for the rebate which put it in my price range.
perfect camera for the price and very high quality [Murat Cihan]
first of all this is very cheap product comparing the others And it has best functions on it Build is perfect Ergonomics is the best pictuer quality is perfect speed is excellent 14 bit converting is really good exposure is always correct you can buy this product without any hesitating do not thing to buy other brands or canons other bodies it is just enough for photograph lovers use tamron 17-50 f 2.8 lens with this and live view is just perfect it is usefull despite others sayings.one day every d-slr will have live view
Great Semi-Pro Digital Camera for Amateurs and Pros alike! [Don]
A couple notches above entry level digital SLR's and a notch below the best Canon Pro cameras and excellent for novice users as well as pros who can utilize all the camera features. The auto shots are amazing. The build quality is solid. I struggled with buying the kit lens versus an "L" series Canon lens for quadruple the kit lens price and I'm glad I went forward with the kit lens. Sharp pictures and brilliant true to life colors. I'm not a pro and no way could I justify the price difference when comparing photos.
I just went from film to digital with this purchase and am sold on the digital. With digital you see the shots immediately and can delete or keep. With digital you can learn so much faster because of this instant view benefit. Digital cards are reasonably inexpensive now and can be re-used over and over again. Thousands of shots to develop your photography skills is easy to do with digital.
The Canon 40D with the current kit lens is a purchase I doubt you will regret. I'm so glad that I purchased mine before my recent trip to Disney World. Initially I was contemplating to wait 6 months for Christmas. Whew! Glad that thought was short lived.
Love it [Gina U. Jeong]
I love my 40d! It feels so solid in my hands and the features are perfect.
Fantastic DSLR [TW]
I usually spend a lot of time researching electronic before I purchase it. And it was the same with the Canon 40D. I was debating between the 40D and the 5D. The 5D was substantially more expensive, but I really wanted the a full-framed camera. The 5D has been around for a couple of years and the new refresher model will be out around Q3 08'with better features and functions. I just couldn't wait that long per I had a few travel plans this summer that needed the camera. So the decision was made to go with the 40D.
This camera is amazingly fast with the DigicIII processor and 6.5 frames per second. The live view function helps a lot for those moments when you can't view the shot through the view finder. With a 3" screen it makes viewing on the live view mode simple to see the details. The autofocus in live view mode is also accurate and clear (you need to push the autofocus button near the right thumb for it autofocus; pushing down halfway on the shutter button to autofocus does not work for live view). For the price, this camera is a bargain with all the high-end function it has.
The grip, weight distribution and overall feel of the camera is very solid and gives you a great balance for any shot.
I would highly recommend this camera for people that are upgrading from a XTi or considering to go into photography. Not to make light of its "mid range" dslr modeling, but this camera is used as a second camera or backup for many professional photographers and wedding photographers.
Wonderfully refined upgrade from the perspective of a 30D user. [Bond... James Bond]
As a long-time 30D user with 5 Canon lenses, I bought my 40D to accompany my existing 30D in dusty African safari locations where it becomes rather difficult to change lenses in areas with blowing dust and to accommodate the need to quickly switch between wider-angle shots and telephoto zoom lens shots. Not to repeat all of the previous accolades from other users and product reviews out on the Web, I will just say that nearly every aspect of the 30D has been improved in the 40D. The various ease-of-access layouts of buttons, options, and menus is much improved over the 30D, as is the ability to customize the various camera settings more to the way each user may want to use their camera, along with nice little touches like displaying the ISO in the viewfinder (yes!). Taking shots also feels nicer because the 40D has a noticeably quieter mechanism. And with the Internet-retailer price of the 40D at the time of this writing being more than $700 cheaper than the Nikon D300, this is a camera packed with value.
The one minor quibble that I do have with the 40D's ergonomics is that I really would have preferred the row of buttons on the back to go along the left side, the way they were positioned on the 30D, instead of being lined up along the bottom back edge of the camera. Every so often when I have the camera slung from the strap, the (Playback) or (Info) button gets accidentally pushed and I look down to see the LCD screen displaying an image or the Info information. I never had the buttons bumped when they were aligned on the left edge on the 30D. The bigger 3-inch LCD screen is brighter than the 2.5-inch LCD on the 30D, but it still has the same 230,000-pixel count. Canon should have also increased the pixel count on the larger LCD, grrrr.
My favorite add-on accessory for my 40D is Canon's Canon EF-D Focusing Screen for Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR Camera While there are third-party focusing screens for the EOS 30D, I really love this gridded focusing screen, and its usefulness has grown on me as I have used it over time.
One additional note... While I have purchased various electronics from Amazon before (including camera lenses), I chose to purchase my 40D from, ahem, another online Internet camera store. This decision was not based on price, since both the other site and Amazon had nearly identical prices, but was based on Amazon's hit-or-miss quality of how well they cushion the products that they ship nowadays. It seems that Amazon has gotten more and more sloppy and careless with how they package goods in the past one or two years, with the bubble wrap and air pillows not sufficiently being filled to hold products firmly inside their external shipping boxes. While having books sliding loosely in the cardboard shipping container is not an issue, I have received numerous CDs from Amazon where the CD case was heavily damaged, and I did not want to risk having such an investment like this camera being thumped and tumbled around in the process of shipping. Ironically, Amazon ships books very securely, with thick plastic shrinkwrap tightly securing the books to a cardboard backing, whereas electronics boxes sometimes slide and tumble too easily inside the Amazon shipping box.
it's an awesome camera [jjcrews01]
This is my 1st DSLR and it's awesome. I had it for about 2 weeks and use a 2GB CF card and already filled it up twice. The pictures are amazing just using the all auto setting and the canon lens that came w/ the camera. I'll admit the flash is not as adequate as I would like it, so that's my next thing to buy (either the 430 or the 580). Recommend this camera even over the XSi as a beginner camera. Better to buy something that would last a few years longer than buying a cheaper one now and upgrading later.
Upgraded from a 400D / Digital Rebel XTi [MISHARY A. RESHAID]
This review will be based on the differences and noticeable features when upgrading from a 400D / Digital Rebel XTi.
The 40D is an amazing camera, well built, fits nicely into my hand when equipped with the hand grip. It's heavier than the 400D so that makes it really balanced for heavier lenses.
Shutter speed is a main feature on this camera, with the 400D I had to work with 3fps (frames per-second) to capture any movement or action. Now I have 6.5fps to work with, which is double the speed, and gives you some pretty cool action sequences.
LCD is bigger, which I guess says it all in the features section.
Focusing is lightning fast when compared to the 400D, but again it is to be expected with this mid-range D-SLR.
The image quality is just awesome, the 40D has plenty of features and I'm still learning about it as I go.
You get the ISO in the viewfinder, in the 400D you didn't. It's a great way to remind you if you still have your ISO at 800 when shooting in bright sunlight.
If you're a 300D/350D/400D owner and you're thinking about an upgrade, this is it.
Fantastic [S. Bello]
I can't think of anything I don't like about this camera. I love it! It blows away everything else I've every used. My father owns a 20D and he's very jealous. The view screen size is wonderful and much bigger than the 20D. It also takes much better pictures as far as people's skin tone and such. The IS 28-135mm lens is great and I'm glad I purchased the kit instead of just the body as I saved about $300.
My thoughts after upgrading from Rebel XT [R. Wood]
Ok, I have not read all the previous reviews so sorry in advance if this has already been covered. My Rebel XT that I've owned for 18 months recently decided to take pictures that are all black (me's thinking the shutter curtain is broken) so I quickly ordered a 40D since my daughter's softball season is coming to a close. After spending a weekend with the 40D taking sports/action photos and general playing around, here are my primary comparisons between the 40D and Rebel XT, in no particular order:
1) I was concerned that the heavier/larger 40D would be a negative in terms of weight/size and fit in my camera bag. To my relief, it fits in my bag, weight really isn't an issue, and the larger size only takes about a day to get used to. In fact, after spending the weekend with the 40D, the Rebel seems too small.
2) 6 frames a second is a *huge* difference from 3 frames a second. I was able to capture action with the 40D that I often missed with the Rebel at my daughters fastpitch softball games.
3) Focus is much improved over the Rebel. Out of 500+ shots, I only had a handful where the focus did not hit. Compare that to about 10-20% on the Rebel.
4) I use the 70-200 F/4 L IS for Softball. During twighlight games, I was able to actually use ISO 800 to keep the shutter speed up. ISO 800 was just too noisy IMO on the Rebel. I'm not sure if IQ on the 40D is better than the Rebel or not in other aspects - it certainly isn't worse, maybe just a tad better..??
5) I love the thumbwheel - I can very quickly review and delete pics between pitches (say, if I was shooting a batter and she didn't swing), which was more cumbersome to do on the Rebel.
6) I'm hoping the automatic sensor cleaning keeps dust off the 40D sensor better than the Rebel
7) Haven't setup the custom C1/C2/C3 settings yet - but I can see they are going to be very valuable
8) So what don't I like? Really, it's only one minor item - I like the On/Off switch and location better on the Rebel. Oh, and since the screen on the back is so big, I can't see how anybody can shoot without getting nose/cheek prints on it.
So there you have it. Would I recommend upgrading if you have a good XT/XTi? Hmmmm...tough question. It's kinda like getting a newer, nicer, better car with more features when your existing car is, in most respects, just fine. I wrestled with fixing my XT, buying another XT/XTi, or getting the 40D - but after 2 weeks (haven't paid the credit card bill yet though...) I'm solidly satisfied I chose the 40D.
Very nice camera! [Alan Yahnke]
I had the 30d for about a year and a half. I thought that was a wonderful piece of equipment. I like the 40d even better. You would have to actually shoot both of them to know the difference though. It is a worthwhile upgrade because it has so many things that are better than the 30d. Too many to list here. As wonderful as the 30d was, this is a much finer piece of equipment. The pictures are even better on top of all the other upgrades. I was planning on the 1ds mark III for the large sized sensor and +21 MP, but too much money at present. I bought an old Crown Graphic 4x5 for the big landscape studies instead. Expensive to shoot, but cheap to buy. For the medium sized pictures there is the Mamiya RB67 which shoots 120 or 220 sized film if you have the respective backs. I scan the film on an Epson V750. This one is excellent up to 12x18 and even pretty good at 20x30 if you are not too picky. It is very fast and easy to use and produces excellent results. It also feels good in your hands. I sell my pictures on a regular basis. No complaints here.
Fantastic Camera [Justin K. Fritts]
Adds a little bit of weight and size on the 400D (Rebel XTi) but it also adds a lot of wonderful features and some increased quality. Most notably for me was the noise level seems much lower on the 40D. Personally I like the size increase, I have large hands and the XTi always was so small in my hands. The kit lens is also quite nice, no, its not an L lens but its much much better than the 18-55mm that comes with the Rebel series.
Added features are great, custom shooting modes, dual wheel control, custom menus, spot metering, just to list a few. Absolutely great camera.
Great Camera [I. Bojilov]
I purchased this for a friend but the build quality is excellent and is far better than my "begginer" Pentax 100d
Best buy for me [B. Schepman]
Always wanted one and with our first born on his way and after carefull review and comparing went for the EOS 40D with the 28-135mm lens and until so far (4 months) no regrets whatsover!
If you want to, be the professional that decides on all the settings, and if not, all is done for you making beautiful pictures too. Sports picture mode works like a dream when I used it for a rafting day out with friends as did my wife with a blowcart event.
I took the Speedlite 430 external flash and can recommend getting one because the only downside I have found with the camera so far is the built in flash. It works only for close shots but makes the pictures very bland (white). But that is about all I have found so far.
Love this camera, can't add to the rest of the reviews [M. Boyle]
The rest of the reviews say it all in tech words mostly. I'll just say that if you are an SLR fan, this is the DSLR you should jump in with. It adds features that previous DSLRs lacked. Although it's not the end-all camera, it is pretty much future proof. If you need better image quality, then you need to spend the 6k on a 5d or something else higher end. For people who are just coming into DSLR from point and shoot or from 35mm, this camera provides all you need in auto features at great quality. I recommend the Magic Lantern Guide (DVD and/or book), it helped me get to know the camera much quicker. also [...] has loads of info on the camera.
40D Fantastic [Kevin B.]
I just went through the debate between the 40D and XSi. I finally chose the 40D since it is supposed to be built to last, and the recent $200 rebate from Canon placed the cost ($950 body only) on par with the XSi ($800 body only) at the time of this review. Up until now, I have been using an XT and in only 2 years (and about 6000 photos) the auto focus (AF) LEDs began burning out. One is completely gone and the others have dimmed considerable. I have not found anyone else with this problem so it could be that I had a bad XT. Never the less, the XSi has similar dot type AF LEDs and I was worried that an investment in the XSi would lead to another camera with a limited lifetime (I depend on these LEDs a lot).
Although I liked the compactness and lightweight of the XT, little did I realize how convenient the 40D is for fast switching of settings. I love this! I won't go into all the positives/negatives of the 40D as it has been beaten to death by now. However, I will mention a few minor pros and cons that are either seldom mentioned, or not mentioned at all.
Pros: 1. Much better AF LEDs - more visible squares instead of little dots, hopefully longer lasting. 2. More multi-controls and generally setup more user friendly.
Cons: 1. Auto WB is a little off - especially with incandescent lighting and AUTO setting (seemed more accurate on my XT) 2. Thin male pins for the remote connector. Male means that there are pins instead of sockets. The sockets are on the switch itself (RS-80N3 or equivalent). This means if the thin pins bend, the camera gets hurt instead of the cheaper switch. I wish Canon had stuck to the 1/8" stereo jack as that solution was much more rugged and allowed the wire to rotate (the wire on the RS-80N3/equivalent point out in the direction of the lens only).
Hope this helps!
The latest generation of a highly successful line [Michael J. Butler]
Having used a 10D for about five years, and having passed up on buying the 20D and 30D, I finally decided it was time to update. This camera is just as easy to use, with several improvements, including a much bigger LCD screen. Since it is a direct descendant of my older camera, it felt very familiar immediately, with no "learning curve." I highly recommend this for the "part-time pro," that is somebody who must rely on the performance and reliability of a camera to get the job done and get paid, but who doesn't have the day-in-day-out volume of business to justify the price of a $7K+ "real" pro camera. It is an exceptionally good deal.
Canon 40D [D. S. Territo]
After using a 20D for a year or so, the change to the 40D wasn't that big a jump.
The sensor cleaning at startup and shutdown is a nice feature.
The auto focus is spot-on and faster than the 20D.
All in all the purchase was a good move and well worth the upgrade.
Canon 40D [K. Simpson]
I have only had this camera for about two weeks, and I can honestly say this will make you feel like a pro. Everything about it is top notch, I couldn't decide between this camera or the nikon d80. But after going out shooting with this I've had a lot of people asking me about it. The interesting thing even nikon owners. Buy this camera you won't regret the purchase. It is quality all the way around and the pictures are outstanding.I'm finally getting a hang of the manual mode and it won't be long before I never shoot automatic again.
worth every penny [Christina Natale]
I've been slowly moving up in the camera world. The 40D was an upgrade from my Digital Rebel XT. I almost can't believe how happy I am with this camera and wish I would have gone straight from film to a "prosumer" camera.
First of all, this camera feels great in my hands. Everything about it is set up well. This is actually what made me choose Canon over Nikon when I decided to switch from Minolta film cameras to digital. For me, the Canon cameras were easier to navigate, and I like the placement of the buttons on the 40D, as well as the dial to manuever throught the menu. It was very easy to move from my Rebel to the 40D.
The only thing I miss that the 40D does not have, is an "erase all" option when deleting pictures. I liked that and used it often with my Rebel, but really, it's not that significant in the grand scheme of things.
This camera has some very nice functions, and I have been very pleased with the quality of my photos so far. So far, I've just been shooting on manual mode, and I agree with some reviews that I read that having the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed visable in the view finder is really nice. I cannot wait for this summer to really put this camera to good use as I spend time with loved ones and go on trips. Thanks Canon for a great product!
Love the Canon 40D [Sadonna Lingnau]
Upgrading from the Canon Rebel Xti has been the smartest move ever. The Xti was my first dslr and only had it for 7 months then sold it so I could up grade. At the time I was trying to chose between the 40D and the 5D. So glad I got the 40D because it just blows me away. I like the fast shutter speed specially in sports mode. My daughter plays soccer and keeping up with her is a must! Still learning all there is about this camera each day I am learning something new. At first I was uncertain about the Live View feature but it has come in handy for when I do still life shots. Still trying to figure out the auto focus in this mode.
The EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens really help make this camera. I was so happy when I found out that it came with it instead of the standard kit lens canon puts on their cameras. Don't really like the macro feature of the lens but I like how I am able to get close to a person while taking pictures. This lens is great for weddings and portraiture photography. I also purchased the 50 f/1.8 II lens. With the 50mm and the 40D together wow does it take amazing shots!!
If you are stuck between a Rebel and the 40D or even the 5D you don't need to go any further. THIS is the camera to get and you wont be sorry at all. Yes the 5D is a full frame camera and is 2 mega pixels more but that's basically it! You can't get any better then the 40D and the price!
To see some of my work you can go to [...]
Nice camera [Thomas G. Gray]
I really like it. I like the weight, the feel, and overall a lot more then the XTi. I hated having the screen always be displayed on the XTi where it is now auto turned off on the 40D.
Thanks, Canon
Una excelente dSRL de Canon [Edmundo Zacarias]
Esta es una camara magnifica. He sido dueño de varias Canon, por lo que a la hora de irme a una dSRL, me decidà por la EOS 40D ya que la Rebel XTi no llenaba mis expectativas de velocidad y calidad fotografica. Y no me equivoque, la camara es excelente, rápida con el lente EF 28-135mm del kit inicial de compra. Si le sumamos toda la gama de lentes Canon que hay disponible. Esta es la mejor camara Precio Valor para los entusiastas Prosumer. Altamente recomendada.
awesome [JJP]
Now being sub $1000 in price you can not beat this value. Most people will never need more than 10MP. If you want the durability of a pro camera, this is the one you want.
Canon 40D - 2nd Look [Jon Jon]
Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
UPDATE: I figured out how to get the best image performance from my 40d. I had been shooting in Landscape mode, which kicks the "Sharpness" level up a couple of notch's that was causing the high noise level. After decreasing the sharpness level to "2", the ISO noise was greatly diminished! The reddish images were a result of the WB being set to Auto by default. After changing the WB to Daylight, my shots look more natural.
ORIGINAL POST: I bought this camera because I wanted to upgrade from my RebelXT thinking there would be a major improvement in image quality; and after reading the stellar reviews here. The first thing I noticed after the first couple of shot was that images shot with the 40d were redder than the XT. I then noticed very high ISO noise levels on settings above ISO 200! I could not believe this, so I took some test shots with my XT and compared them to the 40D. To my surprise, the images shot with the XT at ISO-1600 looked better than the 40d images shot at ISO-200! In the 40d menu, I verified that Long Exposure Noise Reduction, and High ISO speed Noise Reduction were enabled. I really like the feel of the 40d, but to me, I need a camera that's going to produce virtually noise free images up to ISO-800. The 40d is a huge disappointment.
My best DLSR yet... [Deen-Low]
I use to have a Nikon D70... the Canon 40D is 1,000x's better. I use to have a Canon 20D... the Canon 40D is an excellent replacement.
The live view is great. The self cleaning sensor is a nice feature, although not sure how well it really works. I still find myself cleaning the sensor every few hundred actuations. The 3" LCD is great for reviewing pictures, altho, some of the newer cameras have much higher resolution than the 40D's LCD, but I'm not bothered by that. The size, weight and feel of the camera is top notch. Menus are easy to navigate and I love the available custom settings that you can just dial in. Every one has already offered their .02c about this camera, I just thought I'd share my experience through a short short short summary compared to some of the other great reviews already present.
Good lord! [D. Schultz]
I just got my 40D. I have an XT. I did a couple of comparison shots - good Lord, what a camera compared to the XT (and from what I have heard the XSi is not that great of a leap up but in megapixels, build quality even down some say). I knew it'd be good but my goodness, I haven't even played with some of the settings yet and out of the box - out of the box - I put it on Manual and played around. Contrasted shots with the XT. CONTRAST - no comparison at all. So this is how all those guys take such great pics, hum...? : )
Get it. You'll love it. You won;t be sorry.
WOW [John Knepper]
I love it. I own Canon's Rebel XT & G5 cameras. This 40D has not dissappointed me and only reconfirms my faith in Canon. I love both of my older cameras but this feels like driving an Acura versus a Honda. The familiarity of the old with a tremendous boost of confidence to produce even better photographs for years to come. Great price as well through [...] as well! You won't regret buying this camera, esp with the 28-135 MM lens.
from a rookie [William S. Tyson]
I am having so much fun. I have no idea what all you tech people talk about in your reviews. I do know, I bought a camera above my ability and I never will use all its capabilities - But, I don't care, the beauty of these pictures and the 6 frames per second are incredible. The shots I've gotten at softball games, I just start laughing. They are so good, it has made me a pro. just kidding. I am loving life, the camera is so worth the price, cannot wait until snowboard season with the kids. Stan
I highly recommend this camera & make sure you buy from Amazon [Jimmy P.]
No doubt this is a great camera. I bought body only along with 50mm f1.4 lens and images are extremely sharp. Live view is great although I prefer looking thru the viewfinder and the camera body feels very solid and professional. I was very impressed with Amazon's fast free shipping and great price. I looked everywhere (online & retail) to find lower prices but no one could beat Amazon. Free shipping is extremely fast, it arrived 6 days faster than the expected delivery date. I was glad I didn't pay for faster shipping. I highly recommend this camera.
Great Pre-Full Frame camera [Darwin Sayo]
We originally had the Canon XTi and decided to upgrade to the 40D. As soon as we picked it up it was love at first shot. It's slightly bigger in the grip but definitely pleasantly noticeable. The large dial on the back also was a welcome change because on the XTi, F-Stop change required you to press a button and then roll the mini dial. There are so many different "upgrades" to list. My recommendation is that pass on the XTi and get this kit. You get a huge break in price when you get the the lens together in this kit. Have fun with it.
Best Fit [Jeff Ronan]
I went to my local camera shop without a budget in mind determined to get a really good DSLR. I admit this was maybe a little crazy but this is an approach I sometimes will take to shop for features, fit and function and then roll the price into the analysis on the last step. I had no existing buy in to an existing brand or any inventory that I needed to be compatible with. This left me free to look at Nikon, Pentax, Sony, Canon and a couple of others that escape me now. I actually think that almost any of these brands have fine products. I am convinced they all have marketing departments that are professionals at price pointing and feature trade offs. Plus my local camera shop buyer knows how to buy and make sure he covers all of the price points.
So after going through abut 8 models all lined up on the counter I ended up selecting the Canon 40D. Here was my rationale at the time. Most of the models in this price area have remarkable similar features and prices with the end result being there are pretty simliar. So with the feature, function, price trade offs being relatively equal I decided on the Canon 40D. This camera fits my hand better than any other model regardless of maker. It also at 6+ frames per second was faster than any other camera without REALLY ignoring price.
Now that I have had the camera for a while there are more reasons to own it then the sales rep was able to pass on at the time of sale. The build quality is just awesome and there are more options for controlling the 40D than I had a clue about. Another thing I discovered are the Canon L series lenses. I now have two of the F2.8 zooms each of which cost more than the camera. So in the future I am bought into Canon camera bodies but the 40D and the L lenses produce stunning results. So for me the fit and function were just right and the future is bright (F2.8 at 200MM). So if you think you will add lenses to your bag I would put that into any camera body decision. The 40D and the 70-200L F2.8 with the 24-70L F2.8 zooms will be around for a long time.
Wonderful Camera! [Justin B. Goins]
This camera has a very professional feel and good ergonomics. As far as physical build quality, it's very nice; much better than the lower end SLRs that Canon produces. The shooting speed is wonderful when trying to capture fast action. The autofocus works very quickly and accurately. While not cons, I should point out two details: 1) The camera's live preview is only designed to operate in the advanced modes (not in the point & shoot modes) 2) The camera's heavy duty build comes at the cost of a little more weight. If you are simply looking for a camera to casually carry around, this isn't it... but then again, you probably wouldn't be looking at an SLR. :) I would highly recommend this camera to anybody wanting durability and quality without the $2000+ price tag!
Canon 40D [Rsensors]
Moved up from the 20D. Excellent upgrade for anyone considering a move from the 20D, XT, XTI, etc. My level of experience is an advanced amateur photographer. I primarily take sports photos (soccer) The HUGE buffer and the 6.5 frames per second make the 40D a welcome addition to my equipment list. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!
EOS 40D is a SUPER camera! [Snowstar]
I love my EOS 40D. (I ordered from Amazon and had it in three days). It's easy to use and the buttons and dials one needs are right at your fingertips. The menus are easy to navigate too. It has impressive response time, and the photos are great. It I get a bad one, it's usually something I did and not the camera. I'd recommend this camera to anyone looking for an SLR that's probably a step-up from the Rebels, but not full-blown pro. Price was nice too.
greatest camera i've used [K. Jones]
I'm totally bias (love canon)
but out of the Canon cameras I've used this one is my fave
Its not huge, its not too small (like the rebel) the 40D fits perfectly in my hand, big screen is great. its super fast, high quality images, the functionality of this camera is what stands out, simple yet powerful. easy and fast to make ajustments to your shutterspeed and aperture.
great camera. if your not taking photos for giant building sides go with this camera.
Great camera, but things to know [Mighty Oak]
I just got my 40D 2 days ago so I haven't worked with it much yet, but it does seem at first glance to be all that people say it is. The only information I'd pass along for you to consider is that the packaging done by Amazon was really poor. Fortunately, the box the camera itself was packed in provided enough protection that nothing was damaged. However, Amazon put the camera box inside a larger box with minimal packing material so the smaller box was sliding around freely inside the bigger box.
The other thing I would point out is that with the flash unit in the down position there is a bit of an annoying rattle sound from the flash mount area when you rotate the camera from side to side. With the flash up the rattle disappears. Per the manual, this is 'normal' (page 175 of the manual). Would these things have changed my purchase decision? Maybe not, but still I would have rather known than not. I still give it a 5 star rating just because from what I can tell so far it is an awesome camera.
Canon EOS40D--Great Camera. [C. Calder]
I've long been a serious photographer for years. I've owned a Canon AL-1 35mm for years and then owned Sony digital Mavica. I decided to move up into the DSLR cameras. I looked at the Nikon 40D and many others. I spent many months examining specifications of many cameras before deciding to purchase the canon EOS40D with the EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens and a 4GB memory card. It's an excellent camera and I'm excited to get to know it. First, let me say whatever your background is, you can't go wrong with this camera. If you want professional high quality images, this camera is capable of producing them for you. If you want, you can stay with the automatic settings and point & shoot, it will take excellent pictures for you. If you want to get more involved and "roll your own", you can! The knobs and controls are very easy to understand and remember. You can control as little or as much as you want. The LCD screen is large and the menus use large fonts, colorfully which makes it easy to read. The camera comes with all the software you require for most work. Professions will still want to use Adobe Photoshop and/or Adobe Lightroom. I did purchase a spare battery. I wanted the 8GB memory card but couldn't justify the cost. After taking pictures for awhile, I feel that was a good choice. The 4GB card is large enough for most photographers and most work. I'm picky! I want to take and produce the highest quality photos that I can. I use Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Adobe Lightroom. I purchased X-rite Eye-one to calibrate my LCD monitor. I also purchased the X-rite ColorChecker Macbeth color chart and along with the snap-n AcrCalibrator version 1.2 for adobe Photoshop CS3 to calibrate my camera and create presets for my camera when I use the RAW mode.I import my 40D RAW files (.cr2) into adobe bridge and into Photoshop CS3 without problems. I use adobe RBG(1998) as my color manager. This is by far the best camera I have ever used. It is a reliable true friend. I have added the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM lens to my collection. You won't go wrong with the this Camera.
My wonderful camera [B. Gibbs]
I absolutely love my new camera... I am still learning about it but I already know it's great... It takes very high quality pictures and is just what I was looking for.... Bonnie
Canon 40D [Sal J. Catizone]
Superb....this Canon 40D lives up to all my expectations. All the added features above the 30D are well implemented.
Canon EOS 40D [Miguel Julian Patiño Hernande]
I love this camera, the live mode is the best for almost any kind of shooting, you can active it and zoom your object, allowing you to manually focus exactly what you want, I recommend to buy a Canon RS-80N3 with this camera, so you can take completely advantage of this live mode.
Great camera, fits perfect on my hand. Access to all the functions is easy and fast, it takes about a day to get use to the controls.
Great camera [T. Brunswick]
This is fabulous camera. I've been shooting for about 5 years and made the jump to the 40D from the Rebel XT. There are so many great DSLRs out there from Nikon, Sony, and others these days but I really love the 40D. It is a solidly built camera and the photo quality is superb. I've been shooting on the 40D about 3 months and have no regrets. Wonderful camera.
It's all it's cracked up to be. [Donald Tolin]
I have used the 40D a lot in the 3 weeks I've had it. I had a D60 before and several other digital cameras. This one has all of the features I wanted, has a great feel and good balance. I will be using it a great deal in the future even though it is somewhat heavy for field work.
Great camera [Stein Ingvaldsen]
This is my first digital SLR and I am very happy with it. Easy intuitive interface and it takes great photos.
This is a great camera with a great price! [Truth Seeker]
This is a great camera. I am new to DSLR and have been using Canon for many years and this is why i chose 40D, through the buying process i have looked at Canon Digital Rebel XTI, Nikon D300, Olympus E510. D300 is a great camera but it is out of my price range.
Since the purchase, i have acquired External Flash 400EX and the combo produced amazing looking flash pictures which are far better than the built-in Canon Flash.
The camera is not hard to use but I have to admit that there is a learning curve for DSLR at least for me.
Overall, I'm very satisfied with this purchase.
Love it [L. Mir]
I have the 20D that I use for wedding photography, and was looking for a 2nd body for a backup. I chose the 40D for 10.1MP and the larger viewfinder. I also was unimpressed with the 5D reviews. I have to say that I really like the 40D. It is quick, the buffer is large, and the addition of creative zones are a big improvement. The price couldn't be better for a 2nd unit, and now my 20D is getting some much needed rest :-)
I have shot over 2000 shots with no issues. I normally shoot in Aperture Priority or Time Priority settings for the most versatility.
Awesome camera [J. Graham]
First off - this review is from an entry-level photographer, I have only had point & shoots prior to this. This is my first DSLR so I don't have a ton of experience...I just want to take great pictures, mostly of the family, pets, vacation, occasional sporting events, etc. This camera is great. I just got it over the weekend and I am so amazed by the awesome pictures that I am already seeing. Anyone thinking of getting this camera - don't worry, you will not be disappointed. Also, the IS lens that is included in kit is pretty nice too. You can definitely notice the IS at work. I tried out an older zoom lens that my dad had (w/o IS) and there was a noticeable improvement with the IS lens.
40D is a Quantum Leap Over Rebel Series [T. Ireland]
As a fan of the Canon family of DSLR cameras, when Amazone offered a Gold Box Special on this exciting new model that had come out, I jumped on it. As a former owner of the Rebel Xti camera, I was already familiar with a lot of the camera menus and software that Canon includes with its product. But I didn't expect the quality build that this new model has.
Its metal body, although adding considerable weight to the camera over my Rebel series camera, also adds a very comfortable feel in your hand. It truly feels like a Pro-sumer product that it professes to be.
For the advanced enthusiast this camera is a must have either as your primary body or as a backup for your professional model.
Great camera, lousy lens [Richard C. Drew]
We all know how great the camera is. The lens in this kit is one of the worst made lenses I have ever seen. When fully extended the front of the lens actually wobbles! Looking through the viewfinder while the autofocus changes, you can see the image jump up and down as it shifts around. Cheaply made. You're better off buying the body only and opting for a better lens. Because of the conversion factor, the 28mm is closer to a 45mm - pretty useless. You have to be around 10 feet away to fit a couple of people fully in frame!
Followup: Have been using the camera for about three months. The package came with the 28-135mm lens - a really cheaply made, poorly assembled, waste of glass and plastic. Front of lens wobbles over 1/8" when in, just under 1/8" when zoomed. While trying to focus or zoom, the image shifts all over the place while the lens wobbles.
Sent back to Canon for service. Received it back three weeks later with a note stating that it was working according to specifications.
Already called and read them the riot act. They are sending a call tag for a re-evaluation. We'll see what happens.
Bottom line - buy the body only and a better lens, not a package deal lens.
More followup: The lens has arrived back from Canon with a note explaining that This time the note included stated "The problem necessitating this repair is not covered by the limited warranty of your product" and further notes that the lens is returned "as is" and has no warranty. So Canon makes a defective lens, kind-of repairs it (It still wobbles, just not as much) then voids my warranty.
Canon EOS 40D [Roy A. Persinko]
Love the larger LCD and the self clean sensor. Major improvement over my 20D. Very pleased!
Perfect Camera for Artist [B. Marks]
I have had a 20D for about three years now and have been using that for my fine art photography. The 40D is a great step up from the larger LCD screen, additional image controls, the new raw file format, and the larger photo buffer to name just a few of the improvements. I still have more to learn on using (and abusing) the 40D, but so far I am liking it alot.
Fantastic Camera [G. Cope]
Recently wanting to upgrade my Canon 350D, I was undecided between the Canon 40D and 5D. Given I photograph a lot of birds and wildlife, the features the 40D provided in this regard completely outweighed the 5D.
Since using the camera for a few months I will have to say what a great camera this is for the price. The few things of note that I have noticed greatly improve over my previous camera body: fast shutter, image quality, low image/iso noise, sensor cleaning, custom settings, and solid construction (this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the incredible features available on this camera).
So far my only real complaint is that darn red light on the back of the camera that illuminates during exposures (not a great feature for long exposures).
Awesome Camera [SpeedRacer]
Have had this Camera for about 2 months now, and all I can say is WOW. Previously had a Canon 20D that I had for years without one single problem, and decided it was time for an upgrade. I can not believe the difference, and how far Canon's technology has come. Have always been a Canon user, so can not offer any comparisons to any of the Nikon's, but I can say you will not be unhappy with this camera. I use this camera to mostly take photo's at sporting events, and so far, have taken well over 20,000 photos with this camera in the short time that I have owned it, and I can't think of one complaint so far. I mostly shoot with "L" series lenses, and have not had any lenses or compatibility issues at all.
I can not think of any reason not to buy this camera, and can not offer one compliant, this thing is great.
40D viewfinder and LEICA lens [Cheng Man Sum]
I would like to share my experience about the advantage of using 40D with LEICA R lens. I compare the viewfinder of 40D, 400D and 5D at CANON showroom. The brightness, contrast and magnification factor are better than that of CANON 400D camera. I am surprised at the fact that contrast of 40D viewfinder is higher than 5D, which is very important for focusing manually. Using the standard viewfinder screen of 40D, I am able to focus successfully with a LEICA 90mm f2 lens. I focus with aperture setting at f5.6 without openning up f2.
I love mine. [K. Jalaludin]
There are enough tech reviews out there.
Simply I had no regrets of getting this as an upgrade from my EOS400D. Practical features that I use, better built then the 400D, & I just love the fast shutter.
I don't see myself upgrading for the next couple of years.
A SUPERB CAMERA [Baddstuff]
I've been into photography for over 20 years and have used film cameras from Nikon, Canon, Mamiya, Pentax and Hasselblad. I'm not going to get into this brand is better than that brand because in truth they are all good. A lot of it boils down to personal preference. I have used a Sony digital camera for the past few years and I just recently got the 40d as my first DSLR. This camera is superb! I already own a Canon A2 film camera with EF lenses so I knew I was going to get a Canon and this was a great choice. Others have gone thru the features and highlights so I won't bother. All I can say is if you have your eyes on this camera, just get it. You won't regret it. [..]
stop shopping and buy this camera [aputerlady]
LOVE this camera. It's my first DSLR and I love it. Great for indoor and outdoor shots. The separate controls for f-stop and shutter speed make manual shots very easy. The automatic controls make this as easy to use as a point and shoot. The size is big enough for for large hands but easy to handle for small hands. The grip is very comfortable and the weight is well balanced for all day use. 10.1 MP is a great size for large prints or heavy cropping. The manual sucks for first time DSLR users. Get David Busch's book.
Excellent, 5 star, Highly Recommended!! [Rita L. Lawrence]
I've been using this camera since it's release and: I have to say it feels good in my hand, perfect size for small hands. The sensor cleaning isn't at all the greatest! The viewing screen is amazing and the noise reduction feature it has is VERY amazing! I use ISOs higher than I ever have at times because the image doesn't suffer as much! Functions are easy to access and utilize while shooting! Excellent camera for the price.
Great Camera! [Tammy J. Vallee]
I've had the camera a few months now and LOVE it. I upgraded from a digital rebel and at first was unsure of what I thought---but then after using it a few times it became my new best friend!!
Canon 40D - The good choice DSLR camera for matured photographers [Simon S. Tong]
Since the announcement of Canon 40D, it is probably the most versatile DSLR camera I can find in terms of both of its design and ease of use.
Great Camera [B. Clemens]
I'll start by saying I bought the kit lens (28-135 IS) to go with my 20D that got handed down to my niece. I shot fifty or so exposures with it just to make sure it was in working order and, for what it is, it's a fine lens. I wouldn't pay the $400+ retail price for it, but for a $200 kit lens, it's a fair deal. Build quality's on the cheap side and it's soft wide open on either end, but it sharpens up considerably at f5 on the wide end and f6 zoomed and is solid at f8 and above throughout the range. The IS works well. The zoom range is excellent for a goof off or vacation lens. Beyond that, its merits are questionable.
As for the camera, I honestly thought my next upgrade, having gone from Canon film bodies to the original Digital Rebel, and then the 20D, would be to the 5D. I love the idea of a full frame sensor but can't justify spending the cash on a 1DS Mark II, much less III. The 5D had come down in price enough, and I was ready to pull the trigger. A friend of mine talked me into looking at the 40D, and it does have some drool-inducing features. And, without the kit lens, it was about 40% less than the 5D. So I ended up with this, and I have not been disappointed.
The features I love:
Interchangable focus screens- I apparently have balance issues, because every landscape photo I've ever taken has undergone a Photoshop free transform before presentation. The grid screen has solved that little problem. I think its also improved my overall composition.
Improved viewfinder- It's almost shocking when you first put your eye up to the viewfinder. Everything's so crystal clear and so well presented.
The build- Quality, quality, quality. Still getting used to the button placement, but I like it. Very quiet.
The custom presets- Brilliant, particularly if you shoot often in the same lighting environment with the same lens (indoor sports, theater).
Live view- Yes, it's a pain in the rear to use, but it's less pain than trying to compose night shots through the viwfinder, particularly if your tripod is set lower or higher than eye-level.
Digic III processor- It's fast and, after shooting a few hundred RAW+jpegs, I have to say that I'm very impressed with the color and tonal accuracy. It's a vast improvement over the previous processors.
The rest of the updates I could take or leave. The autofocus may be faster, but I don't see a huge improvement in accuracy. The self-cleaning sensor is probably nice to have, but I never had a problem with dust on the senor in my other two cameras. The screen size is nice, but I was never unhappy about the screen on the 20D, and the resolution didn't make a leap. And my only complaint is the crop factor, but the selection of ultra-wide angle lenses is improving.
I noticed in some reviews people mention needing high pixel counts to get good enlargements. This is not true. The 6.1MP Digital Rebel writing in large jpegs had enough muscle to provide razor sharp 16x20s so long as you weren't crop-happy. Pixel count is just one small measure of overall image quality. Your ability to capture a good image will have an impact on how big you can print long before the pixels come into play. There isn't a DSLR on the market today that isn't capable of creating images that can be "enlarged" to full poster-size prints, if not larger. You just need to focus on making every pixel count.
Best SLR for the bucks!!! [Chi W. Yan]
Highly recommend this camera (body only). Too bad they don't allow built in flash to be pull back for bounce flash effect.
Excellent camera [Sarah Griffin]
I have had this camera for about a month and I really like it. I took pictures of my son skateboarding and there was no delay in the shots and each one turned out great. The quality of each picture is outstanding. The only drawback is that it is a pretty heavy camera and I may not use it on all day trips. Otherwise, I am very satisfied with my purchase.
Canon EOS 40D is a great camera!! [DMG]
I've had a number of 35MM SLR's in the past and more recently a number of point and shot digital cameras. So I decided it was time to step up and get a Digital SLR. I'd been waiting for the Rebel XSi to come out thinking I'd get one of those since it was less expensive. But for a few dollars more I was able to get the 40D with a great Image Stabalized 28-135mm lens (which you need to multiply the zoom level by ~1.6 to compare to a 35mm equivelent lens since the 40D's CCD is smaller than a 35mm frame). You get a faster shutter speed, better ISO rating, more frames per second in burst mode, and it's more weatherproof. Yes a few less pixels but in reality unless you are printing something larger that 8"x12" that is not really a factor. So the 40D, at it's price point, is one of the most capable camera's on the market in my opinion. And I'd buy it again anyday. I've been very impressed so far and, while I hate to admit it, my ability is now the limiting factor with my photo's not the camera!!
Does everything you could want in a camera [Robert D. Smith]
This camera does everything that you could ask. It has great low light image quality. For example, it is fantastic for capturing indoor basketball action shots in a poorly lit gym at ISO 3200. This allows you to get the high shutter speeds you need. The focus is fast and accurate. The controls are well designed. I especially like the three user definable custom settings.
The only other camera to consider is a Nikon D300 but that costs about $500 more.
Well worth the upgrade from a 20D [Laurence A. Petersen]
I have owned a Canon 20D ever since they were released, I was madly in love with it, however since getting the 40D it has sat on the shelf and is for sale. I took the 40D to Death Valley for the wild flower bloom, it did great. Then to a local area for more wild flowers, again it did great. I also took it to a Cutting Horse contest that is an annual event in my area. I used my 20D last year and it struggled, very difficult lighting conditions, covered outdoor arena with very low light levels. The 40D out preformed the 20D completely. Shooting at high ISO with a fast shutter speed I got better pictures then last year. A side by side comparison showed a vast improvement by the 40D over the 20D. If you are thinking about getting this camera stop thinking and do it.
Great Camera [Robert N. James]
I wanted to purchase a digital SLR. Many years ago I had purchased a Canon film SLR which was the A-1. I was very satisfied with it and now it is obsolete and you can't even find lenses that will fit. Long discontinued. I decided to stick with Canon. At first I was looking at the Digital Rebel XTi. Then Canon released the update to the 30d. I saw numerous raves about the 40d. Amazon had the camera with a kit lens, the 28-135 3.5-5.6 IS USM lens. I decided to upgrade my choice and bought this camera. I haven't regretted my choice.
I am a rank novice and know little about digital photography but this camera will help you immensely with its many program modes. The wonderful thing about digital photography which has been mentioned many times, you take a bad picture you erase it. And its so true. Study your manual and experiment and you will be taking wonderful photos before long. The 40d is bigger than the Rebel and much studier. It's body is magnesium alloy which makes it heavier but its not objectionable. This is a "crop camera" with a focal factor of 1.6. This helps with telephoto but wide angle hurts as it magnifies your focal length by 1.6. It accepts both EF and EF-S lenses.
I will give you an example. I bought the camera in November 2007. This February a co-worker and friend asked me to come to their daughter's wedding just to take snapshots. They had hired a wedding photographer. I said I will but I didn't know how the pictures will turn out as I was still learning how to use the thing. No matter they said, we have a photographer hired anyway. I took the camera, the 28-135 kit kens and a 580EX II Speedlite. I let the camera and the flash make most of the decisions concerning settings and using techniques I had remembered from my film SLR days I made about 175 various shots. Never done a wedding in my life. To my amazement the majority of the shots were great. So much so the parents of the bride told me that my snapshots were on par with the professional they had hired. No not all were good. There were lighting miscues. The reception was under florescent lighting and I overlooked that fact with camera settings. Post processing helped a lot.
All in all I am very pleased with this camera and would recommend it to anyone who is in the market for a digital SLR camera that is not a full frame camera. One other point, if you have a Nikon or a Canon camera look into DxO post processing software. It matches the particular camera body and particular lens to process the image. It is a great program especially if you shoot with the RAW format.
Bob James
WORTH THE WAIT [K. Smith]
I did a year of research before I settled on this camera. I'd been using 35mm forever and needed the right motivation to switch to digital. THIS IS IT! Very easy to use. Battery life is great. Huge screen. (I still get nose and cheek smudges on it but I'm learning not to squish my face against it) The inherant ability to review shots instantly and adjust has made me an instantly better photographer. I love it. You will too.
canon 40D [Jeffrey C. Morris]
Having sold all my previous Canon film cameras ,F-1, incuded, I am very impressed with the Digital cousin , 40D and its 28-135 lens. In auto mode it does a very satisfactory job . I am learning more about this camera every day. Very Pleased.
Upgrading from the Canon Rebel XTi to the Canon 40D [Grant Brummett]
Canon 40D Review
These are my personal thoughts and feelings from the first days with my new Canon 40D after having had a Canon Rebel XTi for about a year and a half after having taken about 30,000 photos with the Rebel and now about 2,000 with the 40D. These are only my personal feelings your mileage may vary.
Pros:
Favorites menu! Auto ISO in all modes 1/8000th shutter speed and 3200 ISO at last! Flash using Canon Speedlite 430EX is right on the money! sRaw, save space and small exported JPEG's actually look better! Super fast in all aspects: turn on, operation, auto focus, shooting Great feel in the hands, fits like a glove, I could shoot all day long! Rear LCD screen, better then my old Canon Rebel XTi but could be sharper Raw files you gotta love, very good noise control, responsive and colors to lust after Auto White balance that actually works pretty good! High speed 6.5 fps shooting! I have yet to hit the limiter when shooting high speed
With some Canon lenses (17-55 EF-S F/2.8, 24-70 F/2.8 L, 16-35mm F/2.8 L II, 17-40 F4 L, 85mm F/1.2 II L, 135mm F/2 L, 70-200 F/2.8 L, 70-200 F/4, etc. etc) this camera has built in lens Auto Lens Vignetting correction using peripheral Illumination control see Auto Vignetting comments below:
Cons:
Power Switch location Rear LCD shooting info has to be turned on each time and no auto-off when brought up to face Rear LCD is not 100% when checking critical focus, some images that looked sharp on the LCD were not back on the computer Camera user settings C1, C2, C3 lose on-the-fly updates when camera goes to sleep Neutered auto ISO range only goes up to 800 ISO.
It fits my hand like a glove; I especially love the rubberized coating around the right grip.
Where did everything go? My power switch and screen display. You better have your owner's manual handy because this is a different camera from the Rebel XTi.
WOW this camera shoots fast! It has a precision to it and speed both in focus and number of shots my Rebel just does not have. Got to buy more CF cards though as they fill fast shooting in Raw at 6.5 FPS and they are bigger then the old Rebel Raw files.
I continue to be impressed with the ability of the Canon 40D Raw images. Not only are they a leap beyond the XTi Rebel in appearance they respond much better to changes in Adobe Raw. I especially like how responsive the 3200 ISO shots are to the noise filters. ISO 3200 once I process it through CS3 Raw noise reduction actually looks like my Rebel looked at 400 ISO!. And the colors man oh man they are breath taking.
Speaking of breath taking! The rear LCD is amazing. I haven't had to touch the brightness at all which is good because I have a really good idea if the image came out or not. Not so on Rebel where I had to run the brightness all the way up on the rear LCD and so could not judge if the exposure was correct not to mention it was hard to see the photo itself. This 40D screen is huge bright and breathtaking.
And I love the favorites menu. Set your own deeply buried and needed settings right there. Like mirror lockup! Or live view!
Love the grip that rubber really helps me get a grip!!
Now for the now so good. Who the hell decided to put the on off switch down on the bottom middle? I swear I have reached over with my right thumb by habit a dozen times to turn the camera on and off.
What the heck? On the C1, C2, C3 settings if you make any adjustments on the fly and then the camera goes to sleep the settings go away. Will have to make a short cut under favs to adjust the settings on the fly.
All in all though I continue to love this camera and after shooting it for a little over a day I picked up the Rebel XTi and it felt like a small unresponsive plastic toy!!!
I will continue to update this review as I have more time, right now I'm at about 2,000 photos.
Auto Vignetting peripheral illumination control:
When shooting using your new 40D Canon has this super sweet Auto Lens Vignetting correction that works with some Canon lenses (17-55 EF-S F/2.8, 24-70 F/2.8 L, 17-40 F4 L, 16-35 F/2.8 L II, 85mm F/1.2 II L, 135mm F/2 L, 70-200 F/2.8 L, 70-200 F/4, etc. etc) both in camera with JPEG's and in RAW using peripheral Illumination control in Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP). No more vignetting when shooting wide open!!! When shooting Raw open the file(s) in DPP and click on NR/Lens Lens Aberration Correction / Tune and click on Peripheral illumination. The 40D has already picked up the amount of vignetting based on focusing distance, zoom setting used and F stop from the lens and has saved the information with the Raw file. You can just click on Peripheral illumination and use the suggested amount or you can adjust the amount using the slider if you don't like the amount automatically suggested. If you shot JPEG then you get the auto amount. SWEET!!!
3-11-2008 Update
Went out with the Canon 70-200 F/2.8 L lens on servo mode high speed 6.5 fps setting and had a blast. I tracked cars, planes, birds in flight, this baby just locks on and keeps tracking. My Rebel would maybe get one or two in focus frames of a bird in flight that was it. This 40D I can get 10 to 20 all in razor sharp focus before the bird is out of view. I'm practicing on pigeons around the house so they aren't in view for long. Can hardly wait to try it out on some bigger birds as it would be a cakewalk.
3-13-2008 Update
Flash using Canon Speedlite 430EX is right on the money! Let's face it, there are times you just have to use flash. And with my old Canon Rebel XTi it was a chore. The Rebel's flash metering was almost always off and inconsistent. What a pleasure to find the flash exposures with the Speedlite 430EX mounted on my Canon 40D to be nailed right on the money every time.
The 40D continues to delight!
3-25-2008
Used the 40D at a wedding this weekend and WOW. This camera is a leap beyond the Rebel XTi. The auto white balance actually works pretty good at least with florescent lights. And the few times I had to use flash it was pretty close to a perfect exposure. The color depth when using raw is just incredible I am selling my old film cameras. The client actually liked my tweaked 40D photos much better then the film ones I shot using ULTRA COLOR 100 Kodak Film.
4-7-2008 Focus test update. As a test of auto focus power I tried the Canon 85mm F/1.2 L II Lens (this lens will push your auto focus to the limit even with the USM) with the Canon Rebel XTi and Canon 40D back to back. Talk about over taxing the system! I thought this lens was slow to focus on the 40D. The 40D will focus from minimum distance to infinity in a second or so with this lens (all other USM lens faster then I can even time or think). The Rebel takes what seems like an eternity to focus through the limits with the 85mm F/1.2 L II or well over 2 seconds. The funny part is how unbalanced this combo feels the Rebel XTi is this little camera body hanging off the back of the lens. Still in the end the Rebel does focus and you can use it even though you have less shots in focus then with the 40D. Even so I'm thinking most people that can afford this lens will be buying at least a 40D or higher.
5-11-2008 Update
On a client shoot late yesterday I was reminded just how important the large 3 inch color LCD viewing screen on the back of the 40D is. Time after time I would show the client photos on it taken with the 40D and Canon 85mm F/1.2 L II lens and they would just drool. The people along with them were asking for business cards and setting up additional photo shoots. I am a pro photographer I make 100% of my money from photography so selling additional clients is extremely important.
5-20-2008 Update
Under $1000 now for a brand new in the box with warranty Canon 40D! Common on you shouldn't even be reading this far, you should have already ordered this has to be the bargain of the year.
At a wedding this weekend I traded out my 40D for my daughters Rebel XTi (my old camera) to take some wider angle shots with the 17mm as I had the 85mm F/1.2 L II mounted and just wanted to get some quick shots. Man was I spoiled, you take a shot with the 40D you instantly see the play back. Now the Rebel XTi seems: Very light and small, slow, slow to respond, slow to play back, viewfinder is narrow and dark and fuzzy. That makes the 40D a little heavier, faster, fast to respond fast to play back and the viewfinder is wide, bright and sharp by comparison.
Update 8-22-2008
Continue to love this camera! It just continues to rock!! And now the difference between my Rebel XTi and 40D are far more appartent even then when I first got it. It's hard to go back to a Rebel after shooting a 40D at 6.5 Frames Per Second!!
Just a quick note of how much better photos are from this camera when shooting raw if you use Canon's Digital Photo Professional (DPP)that came free with the camera. A friend of mine recommended I try it and I did a back to back comparison between processing RAW to JPEG using Adobe Photoshop CS3's Adobe Raw and Canon Digital Photo Professional. There is no comparison!!! The DPP photos are much clearer and sharper and have better contrast and resolution!!! The DPP software is a little more crude in the menu dept and feature dept then Adobe Raw. But the results are worth it. I challenge you, take some shots with your 40D in RAW and process them using DPP and compare to whatever else you are using. You will be shocked!!!
10-03-2008 Update:
I read a review of the new sRaw format and they suggested using it for low light shots especially when you just want to save the file as a low 72 dpi JPEG for use on the web anyway. Much to my shock after a lot of comparison photos using a tripod, live view, manual focusing, and manual shutter and F-stop to eliminate variables they are absolutely right!
sRaw format high ISO (1600 and 3200 iso) photos exported as small 17inch 72dpi JPEG photos look sharper and have less noise then photos taken with the full Raw format!!!
As a bonus when shooting sRaw the file size is half as big only 8mb vs 16mb on average so you can get a lot more shots on your card.
01-03-2009 Update:
I just bought a new Canon 5D Mark II. I don't use my Canon 40D much anymore. Mainly when I need the faster frame rate for birds or as a backup camera at weddings. The 5D Mark II is that much better!
1-20-2009 Update:
The way the Canon 85mm F/1.2 II L Lens eats batteries when on my Canon 40D may be a software glitch. I got notice that firmware update Version 1.1.1 for the Canon 40D fixes a malfunction that in rare occurrence causes a low battery indication to be displayed when using the EF 85mm F1.2L II USM lens. Depending on the battery check timing of the camera, the battery level displayed on the camera's LCD data panel may shows Battery will be exhausted soon or Battery must be recharged, even though the battery capacity is sufficient.
I am installing the fix and will see if this causes the early battery dead indication to go away.
4-11-2009 Update:
I almost never use my Canon 40D anymore now that I have my Canon 5D Mark II. The photos are that much better then the 40D. I mainly use the 40D as a backup body at weddings and if I need the speed of the 6 frames a second for birds in flight. The 5D Mark II raw photos respond much better in DPP and allow much better cropping. Still if I could not afford a 5D Mark II and were on a budget I would be very happy with the 40D as a main camera as it has proven to be a very reliable camera even after thousands of photographs.
Great camera [Me]
The 40D is a great camera. The automatic sensor cleaning is nice to have, the pro feel it has when you hold it is great, and best of all for me, it shoots in ISO 1600 wonderfully and even 3200 decently. Advanced features such as mirror lockup and full support for all sorts of flash accessories come in handy too.
Great Camera [glory days]
I have owned this camera now for 2 months and it rarely ever takes a bad shot. This is my first DSLR camera. I used to have a canon ae-1 but this camera is awesome. I purchased this camera for sport action shots and this camera does a great job of taking sports action photos. I would be considered an amatuer photographer who probably takes pretty good pictures. There is alot of things on this camera that I am learning about but that is the fun part-trying new things. I will say I did spend money and got the 200 2.8 canon l lens. I will say if you want great pictures you need the lens to go with the camera.
The real thing [Bruce S. Murray]
I have been planning to buy a high quality digital SLR camera for a while and when I finally decided on the new EOS 40D by Canon I thought i would just go out and pick the best price and buy.Little did I know. I found the price range from $400.oo to $ 1200.oo for body only.As I dug in I encountered a stange internet "phenomenon" called misleading advertising.Some of these "cheaper" cameras were sold as authentic Canons yet on inquiry I was informed that I was looking at a plastic bodied camera instead of the magnesium one as always showcased as Canon's design. Also I was informed to upgrade for more money to a "retail" box which contained all the extras since these "cheaper" ones came with nothing but the body...no software..no battery..no neck strap. Some, on the other hand came with everything including the kitchen sink FOR THE SAME AMAZING LOW PRICE. I realized something was fishy when I was literally hung up on by vendors, when I questioned these deals.These were often vendors of "reputation",advertised in good photography magazines. I was discouraged to the point of thinking that the only way I could buy a camera safely was at a physical retail store which wasn't convenient at all for my location in upper Michigan. Even e-bay was scary. Then I thought I would try Amazon and I knew the best price was a reasonable price at this store...I found it ..clicked it and bought it on the spot.It arrived in 4 days and it was and is the real thing...an amazing camera that I am just beginning to realize the potential of,to capture stunning photos.
GREAT CAMERA [marvin]
I had originally planned on getting an XT or XTi, but decided that this camera would be a better fit, and last longer. I'm very glad I made that decision! The pro features that this camera includes are a welcome addition to those of the Rebels.The screen is HUGE, and the control wheel on the back is very nice. High ISO performance (3200) blew me away! If you are on the edge deciding between the XTi and the 40D I would encourage you to get the 40D - it costs more, but it will take you a lot further without upgrading.
digital slr [M. G. West-Klien]
Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) I also included the 18-55mm zoom lens. I own a 30+year old Canon AE-1 which I've loved but we have entered the digital age so I finally purchased the EOS before my trip to Europe last fall. I am still learning all that it is capable of doing but so far I am really enjoying it. Takes terrific pictures. Easy to upload to the computer. I take the chip to the camera shop to make prints - also easy. I may buy additional lenses as my abilities improve.
Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera [Gadget Hound]
The Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR is such an excellent advanced camera that I'm finding it difficult to express my feeling in ordinary language. I previously owned the 20D for about a year which I thought was excellent, then upgraded to the 30D which simply blew me away, and now a year and a half later I've splurged on the 40D - which has left me speechless! I can't imagine what the successor to this 40D can possibly improve upon - but I'm going to have to be satisfied with this one for a long time to come. My first SLR was an all-manual Contax D (1956) which still works BTW, then the Canon AE-1 (1973), and some digital point and shoots prior to the 20D. Given this perspective, I can only say that the 40D is truly an amazing piece of equipment. There's just nothing wrong, other than a rather extensive learning curve on how to use it properly.
great upgrade for the 20D [Renato Prata De Frasson]
I had a 20D and loved it, the 40D is a great upgrade if you need: -higher frame rate -self cleaning system (if you changes lenses) -live preview (I wish I had LP when I was working) -better noise reduction (it has even less noise than my 20D even with extra resolution)
I love the camera but I just upgraded because I sold my 20D for a great price, otherwise I would wait for the price to go lower.
Update:
After one year of use under different wheather conditions (1 Iowa Winter and 1 Brazilian hot summer) Camera still works great =)
When I bought my 40D I also got the Delking pop-up shade to go with it [...]
The opaque pop-up screen protects the LCD screen and prevents it from being in contact to your face or fingers, keeping it clean. Underneath the pop-up screen you find a transparent plastic screen that will still protect your LCD from outside agents. It is not incredibly good to provide shade in bright environments, not helping to review the pictures under the sun light.
Perfect! (Well almost) [Troy Brown]
I have been looking at this camera for a while now, and finally took the plunge to purchase it. I upgraded from the Digital Rebel 6.3MP. Both cameras are great, but the 40D is just in it's own league. I don't mind the extra weight of the body, and in fact prefer it. It feels great in your hand. I also purchased the 580 EX II flash with the camera and they compliment each other very well. The flash and the camera are in constant communication and flash keeps up very will with the high-speed continuous shooting of this camera. The camera has been fun to learn, but it is similar enough to other Canon products that the learning curve is not steep.
I compared this camera to the Nikon D300 and had a hard time deciding between the two. What it came down to was the sensor itself. Nikon is a great name, but they don't make their own sensors (yet). Sony makes the DSLR sensors for Nikon, and if I wanted a Sony camera, I would just buy a Sony.
The only feature I wished it had was a full-frame sensor, but none of the cameras in my price range had this. You just have to remember the 1.6x conversion when looking at lenses that are EF lenses. EF-S lenses already have the conversion.
You won't be disappointed with this camera!
Excellent camera [Susannah H. Moore]
I own 2 40D cameras and I find them to be excellent. I have owned several Canon's in the past and they were the same, very reliable and able to withstand abuse. A good choice in cameras
General review on the Canon 40D [Mark Coons]
Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
As lots of people have reviewed this camera and discussed the improvements of the 40D as compared to the 30D, I will skip all that.
I previously owned a Rebel XTi a fine camera and a big improvement over my Rebel XT (which I still own). But I found myself missing shots at low light sporting events because the AF (auto focus)speed was too slow. I also found that my hands hurt from holding the XTi for long periods of time.
So I sold my XTi and bought a 40D. I am certainly glad that I did.
The ergonomics of this camera make it easier for me to hold, especially for long periods of time. The larger viewing screen is also a plus for some one like me with aging eyesight.
The layout of the controls is a lot easier for me. It's just so much easier to adjust the EV compensation using the main dial on the 40D.
The increased burst rate is very helpful to me when shooting sports or marching bands.
The AF speed is a huge improvement over my XTi. It's so much faster that I can now use some of my slower lenses in situations that did not work at all with the XTi.
The image quality produced by the 40D is astounding as well.
Let me close by saying that if you shoot sports with a Rebel XT or XTi the 40D would be a great investment for you.
WOW!! [Jeffrey S. Green]
This Canon EOS 40D camera is an excellent step into the next technology of picture taking. My wife matched it with a Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens. It does everything that she wants. She has been taking pro-amateur pictures for twenty years. All I hear is WOW!!
Very impressive camera [T. Foster]
I've had my 40D for a week. I'm not going to provide a technical review, as many others have already done a great job at that already. I appreciate those reviews, as they helped me decide to get this camera. I'll cut to the point and tell you that this is a great camera. It can be customized for any individual user, or set to one of it's basic modes for those not interested in the details of photography but who still want amazing pictures. The first pictures I took, using some of the simplest settings, came out great. I am also impressed with Canon's software package. Processing RAW images is very easy. As someone new to digital SLR photography, I can assure you this camera is well suited to even the novice photographer. I also purchased a book about the 40D, and am very glad I did. If you're new to digital photography, having a book to provide some education is a great idea. That's it, short and sweet. This camera gets 5 stars.
My favorite Canon [Sim]
This stuff is to replace my EOS 10D, you should try to experience how good it is since words are not enough to tell; but I really love it.
Easy to use and the pics look great (Without the help of Photoshop) [David A. Morehead]
Things I really like...
Live view.
You can magnify the image on screen 10x's so checking focus is very accurate. Also, you can see the exposure change on screen while you are trying different settings. The same is true for white balance. Not sure which white balance to use? Put it in live view and try all the presets and see which one looks the most accurate. This is very helpful! Live view is also great for taking low level shots that wouldn't be possible if you had to look through the viewfinder. Also, it is great for overhead shots. Works great if you are in a crowd and cannot see your subject. It is also good for candid shots. Being able to take pics while not looking through the viewfinder helps you get very natural pics. (No posing or looking nervous that their pic is being taken) Also, Live view is 100% view. Very helpful! What you see is what you get.
6.5 frames per second. You can get the exact shot you want when you subject is moving. Or, if you don't have a lot of light and you forgot to bring a tripod, fire away and one of your pics will be sharp. You will have to delete a lot of crappy pics but at least you will have one pic that is not blurry.
Easy navigation through menus. The top knob goes from menu to menu and the wheel on the back goes up and down the menus. This is a very efficient way to do this.
Auto ISO
Sometimes I use a higher ISO than I need to for low light situations. Auto ISO helps you choose the exact ISO you need. The lower the better.
Comes with a cord to be able to look at your pics on a TV. I love using this to review photos before I download them to the hard drive. I get rid of the duds before they start taking up needless room on my hard drive.
3 inch screen makes it much easier to read menus. Also, reviewing pics is easier. The screen is brighter than previous models so it is easier to see it in bright sunlight.
ISO in viewfinder.
Spot meter. (could be a smaller circle but this is not a huge deal)
Low noise levels at high ISO's. It helps you get decent low light pics until you can afford the very expensive wide aperture lenses. Also, it helps you get more depth of field when the their isn't a lot of light to work with. ISO 3200 is surprisingly useful!
Custom menus-saves time if you have to switch settings in a hurry.
Highlight Tone Priority; It gives you more dynamic range. Less blown out highlights with very little downside. (It takes away ISO 100 and ISO 3200)
Shutter speed 1/8000. Amazing!! You can use large apertures in very bright sunlight giving you a very shallow depth of field affording you more creative options. I took some hand held pics at this setting the other day and it looked like I used a tripod! I zoomed in a lot and the photo was very sharp.
10 Megapixels. Leaves you lots of room to crop and still print big pics.
Things I don't like...
Flash must be used for auto focus assist in low light. It should have a separate light for this.
View finder not 100% view. (but live view is!)
White balance is not accurate for indoor lighting. I have to use an expo disc or gray card to get accurate colors inside. Apparently Nikon is better at this. Canon needs to catch up in this area.
Having to purchase different focusing screens. The Nikon D300 comes with different focusing screens.
The 40D not a perfect camera but it is a really good camera and the price is very fair. I enjoy using mine and the picture quality is excellent. I am learning that photography isn't all about equipment. It's about finding a camera you enjoy using that inspires you to take pics. The 40D makes me look forward to taking pics every time I use it! Thanks Canon for a great camera.
skills is better than equipment [Adrian Urbano]
For those who keeps on looking/buying canon 40d and selling it for nikon d300, you're not being reasonable, arguably both cameras work well, mine works well for me but i don't need the fancy of being able to use the tons of functions of nikon d300, it's obviously priced way more but canon 40d makes a lot of sense to me, the moment i saw this i know i can be at ease of it, before i've used my friend's nikon d40x, there are lots of things i can do with it, but there are some functions that i can't access that i have to dig everything just to use a certain function, canon's products ever since are very user friendly, the interface is simple but meaningful, the placement of the buttons and all. you don't need the higher resolution lcd screen, live view? yes it's useful in macro and some tripod work shots, but earlier photographers didn't need lcd to check if their photos are good, for me the live view is a welcome addition, but it's not that essential for every photographer. 40D is good for what it is, everything (or almost everything) you need is already here, as long as the camera has manual, aperture/shutter priority mode, you're good to go. 40D is phenomenal at least for me (good image quality, responsive 6.5fps with digic III, excellent ISO noise handling, sensor cleaning, rugged construction, wide lens range of ef and ef-s system), it's all up to you to decide which camera you want and consider your budget.
Great camera [Just for fun]
I've been waiting for this camera for at least a year. My 20d was a great camera. The improvements to the 30d were not that great. The changes from the 20d to the 40d was enough for me to buy the 40d.
My wife will Kill me [Jerry Lysko]
I still like my point and shoot camera, but as I learned more about Photography I was unhappy with the camera noise generated. So I looked for something more fulfilling, and settled on the Canon 40D. Please read all the knowledgeable reviews, and see for yourself why I liked this camera. As earlier stated I am a point and shoot guy because I can slip the camera in my pocket. I got enough personal body weight to lug around, so I really didnt want a big clumsy camera hanging around my neck. This camera only weighs a pound and 1/2, I could live with that. I read all I could about this 40D, and I liked what it would allow me to do. When I decided that this was the camera for me. I was very patient and looked for coupons and deals, and finally found a price I could live with, but my wife would kill me if she knew how much I spent. The camera has lived up to all my expectations, I dont treat it like a fragile china, I purchased it to use it, and thats exactly what I do. I use the camera in all types of weather. I have not been disappointed. the camera noise I complained about with my P&S is gone. My only real problem, is now other people want me to take pictures for them. . .Rats! they never asked when I use my point and shoot. Just like a comfy pair of shoes, this camera is High Priced, but a good buy.
already impressed can't wait to actually learn how to use it!!! [junebug]
this is my first digital slr...i purchased without research, but coming from a family of photographers, who have used all the top names in brands...i figured i couldn't go wrong with this camera. i spoke to the sales person in regards to my needs and i finally decided on the canon 40d...i was tossing around the idea of a nikon, but the cost of the lenses and availabilty compared to the canon products helped steer me down the path to the canon 40d. i also purchased the ef 70-300mm IS USM lens which is awesome...i am extremely satisfied with the results so far. thanks to jodi for that awesome, informational review!!! will update as soon as i get to know my camera better...
40d is Amazing! [S. Liberto]
I upgraded from a Canon Xti and this 40d is beyond my expectations.There are several new features that I am just learning about but I love it already. I highly recommend the DVD from Jumpstart on this camera because the manual doesnt tell you everything.
Perfect [Brendan Falkowski]
I waited 20 months since the Canon 30D came out to buy an SLR. I'm not disappointed in the least. Recommended fully, hands down you won't regret it.
Awesome! [A. Chandler]
This is easily the best camera I have ever owned. I can't fault it and it has produced some of the best pictures I have ever seen. It's expensive but you get what you pay for and I think this was worth every penny!
Great camera - but FOREIGN buyers take note!! [Max Hanemann]
As bought from Amazon the camera only carries a warranty valid in the U.S. & Canada. Even if your customer registration with Amazon shows that you reside abroad and presumably will have a problem with any warranty issues Amazon will ship to any U.S.-address you give. So take care!
Advance amiture SLR Camera Canon EOS 40D [Roger Robertson]
I purchased this camera Canon EOS 40D as the next step to replace my Canon Digital Rebel (EOS 300D). Though the price tag is high for people like me who are on a tight budget, it was well worth it in the end. It is worth visiting the Canon web site prior to purchase to be informed of the features and performace. I am trying to capture images of birds, often in flight and something capable of numerous continous shots was needed for me. This camera has that second only to the PRO line which would cost over $4,000.00. Once you own one, read the manual carefully, there are a lot of additional settings that passed me by until I carefully read the entire manual. Compared to some of the other SLRs that I have stood next to while photographing, this camera is noticably quieter though not silent. This is a full size body (larger than the Canon Rebel XTI) and with the extended battery pack whick is worth purchasing for those (like me) who will do full day outings. You can also attach a hand strap that causes the right hand to feel like it is gloved; it eases the need to grip the camera so firmly during extended outdoor picture taking sessions. In addition for those who haven't tried the extended battery pack, it also has another shutter button, and quick function controls like the camera has in the shutter button area so you can hold the camera at the bottom (more naturally) while taking those vertical images. The lens that comes with this kit is very capable. I use the stablisation mode in most situations and have got great results. With the sensor being smaller than standard 35mm film (the 1.6X conversion factor) the 28mm will not seem wide enough of a view for some cases but other than that it does a wonderful job for the price. In RAW format, memory will be used up quick (compared to my previous 6mp camera) so I recommend 2GB memory cards or larger for RAW. With the price of memory cards finally dropping the average price; look for a good deal on cards with 120X (10MB)write/read speeds or higher. By doing so you will avoid holding this camera back and enjoy nearly no wait for the next shot whether you just shot single or a continuous serious of shots. For those intertained with performance, in JPEG, I can get up to, if not more than 60 continous focused shots before the camera needs a moment to catch up.
Canon EOS 40D review [Joan Hanna]
The Canon 40D is an excellent camera. Add a Canon 17 - 55mm f2.8 IS lens and you have a very good low light camera. I liked the Canon 10D before I got the 40D and was surprised how much better this camera is. The 3 inch LCD and live view is a real improvement.
Just superb [Gogoo]
I have bought recently this body and I use it with Canon 24-105L and Canon 75-300 IS. Also it is prety heavy, it's really great to have in any occasion. I think it's a little 'lazy' AF in dark conditions.
Great camera [B. Barboza]
I will admit I am a long time Canon fan. I remember my first SLR as a canon and I have never myself left the brand. I have played with plenty of Nikon's out there and they are good camera's but for myself it will always be canon. That being said....
Canon's 40D is a great camera. I am still learning how to use all of it's features but so far the pictures have been coming out great. I will say a few features I haven't yet mastered are the white balance( I seem to have better luck manually setting it than leaving it to auto ), and I haven't really settled on how to best use the custom shooting profiles 1, 2, & 3.
Build quality is great though, feels firm in the hand (the 24-70 f2.8 L doesn't hurt). Super fast camera especially with the focus and lag between shots which is nearly inperceptible.
This would be a great backup camera for professionals and a great camera for amateur photophiles.
A great mid-range SLR for heavy duty [Michael Sandman]
Why would you buy this camera when you can buy a Canon 400D or Nikon D40x for about half the price? Or: Why would you upgrade from your current Canon 20D or 30D?
The 40D is more than halfway up the scale that starts with smaller, lighter, plastic-body single lens reflexes like the Canon 400D or Nikon D40x and goes up to the amazingly capable and tough cameras used by professionals. The 40D is a lot less than halfway up the price scale, so depending on how much you use your camera and what kinds of photography you do, you could consider it to be a bargain. If you plan to haul your camera around a lot, you'll like the strong all-metal body, despite the added weight and size. If you want to get the most out of Canon's full-featured external flash guns, you'll like the integrated flash control capabilities. If you want to take a series of photos very quickly to get the best shot of a sports event or a child's facial expressions, you'll like the ability to rip off 8 shots a second. If you want to take photos at night or macro photos - extreme close-ups -- you'll like the ability to flip the mirror up to get the steadiest possible shots on a tripod.
But if you don't think you'll ever use a tripod, you probably don't need this camera.
If you're thinking about upgrading from a Canon 20D or 30D, the 40D has worthwhile improvements. I upgraded from a Canon 20D. I've taken about 1000 photos with the 40D and I'm quite pleased with the improvements. The most useful are the much larger LCD and the "live view" feature. The big LCD makes it a lot easier to judge the shots you've just taken, and it's brighter and more easily visible in sunlight than the LCD on the 20D and 30D. (On the other hand, it doesn't have more pixels, so the shot is not as crisp as one would like.) Live view lets you use the LCD instead of the viewfinder (which you can do with any inexpensive digital camera). That means you can frame and focus easily when you're taking a photo from a very low angle, as you might if you're doing macro photography. And it's great in crowds because it allows you to hold your camera up over the heads of the people in front of you and still see what your camera sees.
The 40D also has a more user-friendly menu than the 20D/30D, and you can specify up to 3 custom settings that allow you quickly change to a combination of aperture, speed, ISO, and other settings that you use frequently. The 40D also has a built-in mechanism that shakes dust off the sensor. (The sensor on the 20D didn't seem to attract a lot of dust, but I'm pretty careful when changing lenses.)
If you buy the camera in a kit with a Canon lens, be careful about what lens you buy. Remember that cameras in this category - under two grand - have sensors that are smaller than the frame of a 35mm camera. Therefore, if you use a 50mm lens, the camera's field of focus makes it look like you're using an 80mm lens. (Multiply the lens' focal length by 1.6 to get the effect on a 40D, 400D, or any of the Nikon equivalnets.)
The 40D may be bundled with an inexpensive 18-55 mm lens that's pretty basic and covers the same range as a 28-80mm lens on a regular film SLR. That's a very usful range -- wide angle to modest telephoto. Or you can get a 17-85mm image-stabilized lens that has a very useful range - equal to 27 - 135mm. But the images need some work on your computer to correct distortion if you're making enlargements of wide-angle shote.
Or the kit may include a 28-135mm image stabilized lens that acts like a 45-215mm lens on these "1.6 crop factor" cameras. As such, it doesn't have enough a wide angle range suitable for landscapes or photos of groups of people. Of the three, I'd choose the 17-85mm. But if your budget can handle it, consider buying the 40D body and adding the excellent Canon 17-55mm image stabilized ("IS") f/2.8 lens, which has to be purchased separately. You might also consider the much less expensive Tamron 17-55mm f/2.8 (which lacks stabilization and is not quite as good as the Canon 17-55.)
If you already have a Canon SLR and an additional lens with a Canon mount, it's a no-brainer to consider the 40D. But if you're buying your first SLR, do take a good look at the Nikon D80 or the Nikon D300, which is more expensive but which has some nice features. And there are also very capable cameras in the same price range from Sony - the Alpha 700 - and Olympus.
Great camera [Jean-Marc TETEVUIDE]
So far I am very happy with the camera. I had a 20 D and I wanted to upgrade but with an upgrade that was worth it. The camera hndles better and the outside appearance is definitely improved, larger screen, better grip and seals. I haven't finished experimenting with all the new features but I hae already made some great pictures mostly landscape and outdoors but also low light / night pictures. I still use my original 28-135 but have ordered a new lens still to come.
Always good quality [T. Kenny]
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.
Well worth upgrading from my 20D [Mary Jo Sminkey]
I've long been a user of Canon cameras and always have to decide if it's worth the cost to upgrade to newer models. I skipped the 30D but decided it was finally time to upgrade when the 40D came out. Since there are already some good detailed reviews of this camera, I'll just run down some of the great improvements that made this a winner for me.
1. Larger LCD. Yes, it could be higher resolution but it's so much bigger and clearer than the 20D that I barely notice. Also higher resolution usually comes at the expense of battery life, so it's always a tradeoff.
2. Live View. Not for everyone, but I find it really useful for certain shots that I do tripod-mounted.
3. New menus. I love the new menuing system and particularly the ability to have my most commonly-used functions on one screen. A real time-saver out in the field.
4. Sensor cleaning. Okay, probably not going to mean never cleaning the sensor again, but any improvement in dust is good.
5. ISO display. Yeah, I don't have to remember what ISO I had set, it's there in the display all the time.
6. Much better buffer and higher fps. Big improvement here over my 20D. I don't always run into buffer problems with the types of photos I do, but it's nice to know it's not even a concern for me any more. The power-up is also way faster than my 20D.
7. From 8 to 10 MP. Not a big deal to me, but as long as the image quality and noise are the same, bigger is better!
8. Bigger viewfinder. Wow, noticeable improvement here too, it really doesn't feel as "tight" as the 20D.
9. Quieter mirror. Really important for some of the situations I shoot in. I sure would like it even quieter, but glad to see it's getting better as the 20D was annoyingly loud.
10. Custom User Settings. Ability to create 3 sets of custom settings for specific shooting situations is something I will definitely use. I shoot both indoor and outdoor canine sports and have very specific settings for each, this is a great time (and mistake) saver.
11. No accidental loss of photos if you open the card door. You had to be careful with the 20D not to open the door to pull out the memory card before the camera was done writing the images or it would just instantly power down. This has been fixed in the 40D.
There are a bunch of other various updates and changes that are of less interest to me...sRAW, some weatherproofing (better than none, but needs to be complete to really be worthwhile), wireless capabilities, tilt correction with the crop function, high ISO noise reduction, etc. It's clear a lot of work went into this camera and it definitely shows. It's a pleasure to hold and shoot with and will definitely be getting a lot of use with me!
All I know is, this thing takes a great picture [Michael L. Andrews]
I'm a pretty novice user, but I bought this for my wife who's slightly more advanced, so I'll leave all the technical mombo jumbo the the pros who have already written reviews.
As an amature, I read the manual, played with the dial, then put the darn thing on "auto" and shot some amazing pics of my kids.
Another family we're friends with had their Christmas photos done professionally. They weren't quite estatic with the photos, so they came over, my wife shot some pics on "auto" and it blew away their "professional" shots.
Do get the lens kit with the 28 to 135 lens.
Also, the big LCD on back is really nice.
Finally, I bought through Wolf/Ritz, took in a Best Buy $100 DSLR coupon and they honored it, plus you get 9 free classes on how to use a digital camera in something other than "auto".
I did buy the white balance disk for an extra $150. Canon doesn't make it, but it supposedly replaces light meters. If you know what you're doing it can make a big difference when shooting in indoor lighting.
Don't forget the lens protector. Another $50 but worth it.
I didn't buy their "protection plan". It's like $350 and covers you for 2 or 3 years. I called my homeowners insurance carrier, added a $0 deductable personal property rider for $30 per year and it has better coverage than the stores plan. I have USAA, so I can only speak for their policy. Obviously check all the details with your carrier.
The best camera ever [Agron Islami]
Until now i would say it is the best Canon ever produced for a low price. First of all the body design is more unique than in other cameras and especially the 30D. The part over the Flash has more accented and sharper edges which makes this camera look unique. In the back part the LCD is also a revolution. i am able to see more of the details but this is connected directly to the battery life. The more you use the LCD the less battery you have. But if you have a short preview time, the camera works just fine. The Live View Mode i think is not for me. In order to capture a photo i have to really prove that the object is in focus by playing with the focusin ring of the lens. The camera is not able to focus on a specific part of the scene by itself. For some users this might turn out to be a helpful way of shooting. In the end i am proud that canon released the 6.5 Frames per Second on this camera. It works perfectly! also the sound of the mirror when a picture is taken sounds amazing, it makes you wanna take more pictures with this camera. If you already decided to buy this camera, I suggest you buy only the body of Canon 40D with the Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.5 lens. I am surprised with this lens after reading mostly negative comments. Personaly i have to say that is a very good lens. It focuses fast, no noise when focusing and it is a great range. Also don't forget the f2.8 apperture! This combination is great for which i am proud that i invested. cheers
Minor upgrade to 20D = Perfect [Timothee H. Howland]
I upgraded from a 20D that got stolen. Small improvements on a product I found to be perfect. Most noticeable after 1,200 frames: (had 30,000 on the 20D) - Body and grip larger (not bad at all). - Larger LCD so much easier to see for review. - LCD viewing angle so much better for showing pics. - Live View handy for arms-over-head shots.
Anyone else have problems with bright blue spots (noise) all over black/dark areas of low-light shots, in Lightroom? I'm sure it's a post-processing issue, but I never had it with the 20D.
Great, Great Camera!!! [Marco Margaritelli]
For once I was glad that I procrastinated on the purchase of a Canon SRL camera. A couple of years ago I was going to purchase the 20D, then the 30D, but time past by and this great camera came along... Definitely worth the wait! Great piece of art.
Mirror Lock Up Comment [A. GREEN]
I just wanted to address the reviews about the mirror lock up not having a quick button. I have found that using the custom settings (C1-C3), you can create your settings to include the mirror lock up and I have also set the drive on the timer mode for the custom with the mirror lock up. To save these in the custom functions, make the settings on the camera you would like (mirror lock up, ISO, Drive Mode, Picture Style, etc) -> Go to Camera Settings -> Register -> Choose C1, C2 or C3 -> Select OK.
In addition to that you can also customize the "My Menu Settings" and place the mirror lock up on that screen so that you do not have to go through multiple menus to find that specific function.
I have found this to be a fantastic camera and agree with other reviews on the pros and wanted to address the mirror lock up comments if it helps in the evaluation of this camera.
I have upgraded from the Canon Rebel XT to the 40D and also have the Canon Elan 7e and EOS 1N.
Very happy [P. Braun]
I went from a Canon xti to the 40D. Both are great cameras. The 40D has some very nice features. I'm sure the more I learn the camera(and there is a lot to learn) the better my photos will be. I think in the beginning the users manual will be my best friend.
Amazing camera, but can not open RAW in CS2 [mhnstr]
I upgraded to the 40D from the 300D and what a difference! The 40D is an amazing camera. The camera feels very good in your hand, but it is a bit heavy.
A big problem with the 40D, however is if you use Adobe CS2 and shoot RAW. Adobe has not made a RAW converter for the 40D. Instead, you must use Adobe's free DNG converter to change your RAW files to Adobe's digital negative file. This adds an extra step to the process of viewing and editing your files. And if you want to save the original RAW file, the DNG file is HUGE! A RAW file that is 10 Mb in size becomes a DNG file that is over 20 Mb in size. This is a large investment in space if you shoot a lot of RAW files. I suppose the alternative is to upgrade to Adobe CS3, but for that you must pay several more hundreds of dollars. Also, Microsoft's RAW viewer will not be able to open your RAW files. None of this is a big deal, however if you don't shoot RAW.
PROS: Too obvious and numerous if you are upgrading from an older dSLR or from 35mm film technology. CONS: a) Size b) Live View is problematic (other reviewers have noted this as well)
SIZE: Too big in size for consumers and for outdoor or travel use. This is a BIG camera - much larger than the XT or XTi. I like big because I have big hands and size doesn't come into play in a studio setting - unless maybe you are shoooting live moving models. Buy the XTi instead if you were/are used to the smaller size of a Canon AE-1 film camera.
LIVE VIEW: My understanding is that the LiveView feature "heats up" the CMOS and thereby introduces noise into the shot. That issue detracts from the intended use of LiveView in Product Photography under hot lights while LiveView-ing on an LCD monitor - if anyone has other experience - please let me know. We are still getting familiar with the camera but we have put it through quite a few operational paces directly related to our business use.
LOW LIGHT: We've yet to get it in the field for night photography tests but that is not an operational field for use for us - more at my hobby and art - but the blacks in our product photography are noiseless - unlike our Olympus C2500L.
INTENDED USE: My purchase of this camera is strictly for the part of my business involved directly in a) Product Photography and b) Giclee printing. It fits into our workflow perfectly with Adobe CS2-3 and we won't be lookng back - we're glad to dump the film camera. My previous camera was an 35mm AE-1 Program film camera which is the same size as the Canon XT and newer XTi dSLR's. My other dSLR is an 8 year old Olympus C2500L which is about 2/3rds the size of an AE-1 and continues to be a fantastic digital workhorse camera for product shots intended for online catalogues or small image catalogues.
LENS: The standard Canon EOS Kit lenses are generally various stages of horrible EXCEPT for the EF 28-135 IS USM Standard Zoom lens. This lens has decent reviews and it is a perfect walkaround (outdoor) lens - I was rather surprised to see that it had a 72mmm filter thread. One should consider getting that lens for the smaller XT or XTi models as the 40D isn't what I would call a walkaround camera body. A professional acquaintence uses the XT for outdor model photography, backpacking and city shoots and they are perfectly sized for such assignments. Most outdoor duty really only requires a consumer point and shoot model anyway.
We can't help but be impressed and thrilled with the Canon 40D - unless the dreaded Canon "ERROR-99" should rear its ugly head (check forums on other EOS models). Oh, I should mention - 1) Only shoot in high-end RAW and 2) any dSLR capable of large RAW shots MUST be paired with a FAST (60x or better) flash memory if you intend to do ANY burst shooting.
Good shooting!
Review Canon 40D [Glenn A. Mire]
I was a little concerned as I upgraded from a 30D I purchased only 6 months ago. I was learning where and what all the button were and knew the 40D had rearranged some of them. NO PROBLEM! The new locations make much more sense and fall easy to hand. The customizable user menu screen feature is very handy. The pictures are definitely clearer. The Live View is perfect for tripod shooting, especially for shooting products where you can zoom in to pick up the textures of the product for extremely clear sharp focus. The only downside at all of the camera is that I was expecting the Live View to operate like it does on my pocket camera. NOT. The auto focus DOESN'T work when in live view. You have to push the AF button to have it focus THEN you can push the shutter button. If you're shooting tripod composed shots - no problem. If you're trying to shoot action shots using the Live View-well it just isn't going to work well for you. Other than that, I love it. The extra 1.5 shots/sec of the motor drive; the different options now available make the upgrade worth the few hundred I 'lost' when I sold the 30D.
Great Camera [Raouf Bishay]
Over all it is improvment than EOS 30D, littel on the heavy side but it is worth it.
Significant difference over the 30D [B. Jaber]
I initially started out with a Rebel XTi. That was WAY too small and tiny....poorly constructed... not recommended for field use due to too much plastic. Then I upgraded to the 30D (40D wasn't out yet). The 30D was great...no complaints, really. Once the 40D came out, I said "What the heck!"...traded up for the 40D. That was a great decision and there's been no looking back. The new features in the 40D are significantly noticeable. The Auto ISO is really helpful in daytime shooting.
I do a lot of long exposure night photography and the 40D really excels here. The 3 custom settings on the dial are heaven sent.
My only complaint about the 40D is that you can no longer delete all pictures by clicking the "trash" button twice. You have to go into the menu and reformat the card. The trash button in playback mode only lets you delete an individual photo. It's not that big of a deal, though.
If you're having any reservations about this camera....set them aside and get it... it's worth every penny.
Incredible [K. Kaufmann]
I will be honest, I know absolutely nothing about photography!
I bought this as a gift to myself because it's something I have ALWAYS wanted to do and I get so many ideas for photos. I am also obsessed with Art Wolfe's photographs because they are diamonds!
I was really considering buying a Canon Rebel XTI and did a lot of research about it. But when I picked up the canon 40d it just felt right! It's sooo much money though so I financed it and I have never been happier! I go out every weekend and shoot photos instead of going shopping or laying around the house!
I have booked my first engagement photo session for $100 which will help me pay for the camera and I offered 100% refund if they didn't like it.
So far it's been a trial and error with the camera. I have read through the canon book like 3 times in the past couple of weeks and it's really not that great unfortunately. It does explain how to get the different settings, but it doesn't explain what the settings do. I guess that is my fault because I really do not know what I am doing when it comes to photography but I wish there were more pictures in the book of "this is what happens when you do this setting". I'm a visual learner I guess.
Luckily, I have been doing a lot of online research so it's slow coming. I wish I had a better sight because my lighting always seems off. Anyway! The main point of this is if you're thinking about the decision between this and the XTI, go with the 40d! My mom bought an XTI and has been wishing she had my camera because it just takes great pictures, the body is built strong, it's so much fun! there are so many settings and it's fabulous!
One other thing, I went to a park the first week I got it and there was a pro photographer who has been doing it for like 20 years. He seemed REALLY upset that I had this cam and he didn't. He had a 30d and He was like "You don't even know how to use that cam!" It was kind of embarassing but it still made me feel good that I have such a wonderful piece of equipment. He told me that I should have waited for the 60d to come out but he said it will take me like 10 years to outgrow my camera. If only I could afford some good lenses hehe!
Works great even for a professional [J. Vestal]
I work full time as a freelance photographer covering a variety of events from triathlons to weddings, and this camera will do it all! I've owned two of the 10d, 20d, and 30d and have been pleased with all. But I believe this current model represents a bigger jump from the previous models. It feels more robust, is faster, and the image quality is excellent. There are a few things that a 1dmIII or a 5D could better, but if you want a camera that can do it all, well this is it. I would like to point out to people buying there first DSLR for just a hobby a few things. This camera and whatever lens you have on it will draw attention to you. There is no way to pack light. You will spend at least $3000 more on flashes and lenses to scratch the surface of the canon line-up of accessories(if your only going to buy 1 lens, don't buy an SLR, multiple lenses are the whole point). You also must be willing to learn some basics of photography (aperture, shutterspeed, and ISO as a bare minimum)or this camera will just fustrate you. In all, this camera is a well made tool that is worth the price if you need it.
OUTSTANDING! [Readalots]
After a decade of watching the developing digital SLR market, a month ago I stepped back into the single lens reflex world purchasing a Canon EOS 40D (I shot a T-50 in the 1980s and a EOS 650 through the 1990s). To date, 27 days later, my wife and I have taken over 1120 shots and we have only one word to describe the 40D- OUTSTANDING!
This lightweight (about 4 lbs. with attached 28-135mm lens) SLR is phenomenal. Its tough magnesium body houses a brilliantly arranged 10.1 mega pixels, Digic III processor, 2.5" LCD monitor, CF size card, self-cleaning sensor, terminals (for pc, video out, remote control, and digital down load), a mode set dial (that includes "basic zone", "creative zone", and 3 "custom user" settings), along with a multitude of the usual Canon SLR functions and features (1.5" LCD function panel, auto focus button, red-eye detection, access lamp, shutter priority, pop-up E-TTL auto flash with AF-assist beam, etc.). The 40D hosts all EOS lenses, TTL and EX series "Speedlites", and is powered by the long-lasting BP-511A rechargeable battery.
This formidable camera takes clear and brilliant photos up-close (within a few inches) and far a field (with a 300mm). The Digic 3 is fast, allowing this SRL to take up to 5 shots in 1.5 seconds! (I find myself taking 12-20 snaps with every pose thus presenting several choices for printing.)
The novice "photo bug" might find the EOS series complicated (with several dials and buttons). Someday, technology will adjust the mirror for live view monitor usage with every setting (and not just in the "creative zone"). The 40D photo results override these minor details.
The EOS 40D is vastly recommendable over all other cameras. It is a perfect gift candidate. Get your 40D soon and you will see- it's OUTSTANDING.
Great Camera! [Stephanie S. Sams]
I owned the 20D and sold it for this model....and I'm very pleased with my purchase! It has many upgrades over the 20D and 30D (too many to list). I find it to be very user friendly and the photos you can get with this camera are spectacular. I recommend it highly!
Best Camera yet [Daniel]
I started taking photos at a very early age when black and white film was popular and later color slides. Now in the digital era, photo cameras have come a long way. While I love sophisticated P/S cameras with lots of options to manually select your settings for your photo composition like the new Canon G9, the quality of the image never really satisfied me, you can see the difference between a 10MP P/S or 10MP DSLR in quality with the naked eye, it does not need a magnifying glass to differentiate the two and see the graininess of the photo from the P/S and the clarity of a DSLR photo. This becomes more and more visible the dimmer the lighting conditions get like under sunset or night conditions and your ISO speed has to move up to 400 and higher as high as 1600. Also the speed of a DSLR can be up to 10 frames per second, the 40D shoots at 6.5fps the XTi at 3fps, while a even sophisticated P/S may only take up to 2fps. If you take action photos like in a Formula One race or go to the Olympics this can be critical. But the lag of speed never bothered me as much as did the image quality. I have tried many pro P/S cameras by now the Canon S70, S80, Canon SD900 (for its nice size), and lastly the G9. Neither really satisfied my taste. Last year I briefly had a Canon 30D, a very nice camera, but because of removable lenses, dust sticking to the sensor became an issue for me. Now Canon has developed a "dust shaker" technology that rids most of the dust every time the camera is turned on or off. The EOS integrated cleaning system, a very nice feature. After being fed up with the Canon G9 and Canon now having a "dust removing" technology I bought a Canon 40D with Canon's 28-135mm USM image stabilizer lens. I really like the nice large LCD and all the new and improved functions. Now with a Canon DSLR you can have a "Live view" and see the actual image on the LCD before you shoot. I always liked a Live view in a Pro P/S camera seeing my image on the LCD before you take your photo, now you can have the very same with the Canon 40D. Since digital cameras became 2MP I've been "upgrading" my camera every other year to the latest mode,l but in the last 2 years I had 4 different cameras. I hope and think that my new 40D will bring me the joy for many years not just 2, but at least 5 years. Yes it is heavy to lug around and carries a steep price tag of US$1500 including Canon's nice 28-135mm image stabilizer lens but the image quality I get in return is something I don't want to miss any longer especially on my planned RTW trip. I recently took this camera on my trip to Honduras and returned with stunning images, that blow previous images from my advanced P/S cameras out of the water. I simply love the detail, colors and manual settings especially during sunset or action shots.
Short, to the Point Review... BUY IT! [D. Waterman]
There are reviews that spend alot of time getting to the point. I won't be one of them, since I have been able to sum this up simply. Buy It.
Why?
I spent years with Canon, and switched to Nikon DSLR's back in 2005. I like Nikon, and they are fine. However, when the Canon 40D came out, I looked at what it was competing with, and what it offered in comparison to the Nikon line-up. I would have needed to go to the D300 to get the same, or close to it, and I would still have missed the 6.5fps. So I switched. And when my 40D came, and I finally charged the battery and put it in my hands, I realized how much I missed Canon, and just how refined this camera is. The pictures are beautiful, and the camera feels like a $3,000 piece of equipment. It is heavy, solid, and sounds great when using it. If you are on the fence, I strongly believe you will not be disappointed in this camera.
Fabulous! [Lily Bellamy]
This is the camera I've been WAITING for! :) I previously shot with the Rebel XT which was a great little camera..but was ready to upgrade and this camera was the perfect fit! I didn't expect to be as impressed as I am.....the focus is SO fast and SPOT on- amazing. The colors seem more accurate also (I shoot in RAW) but for me the other selling point besides the super fast and tack sharp focus, is the lessened noise at higher ISOs. With my XT I had visible noise at 400 and up...with the 40D I can shoot comfortable at 640 and 800, run a little noiseware and it's great! It did take me a little while to adjust to the added weight/size from the XT...but after a few weeks it became 2nd nature.
Canon 40D review by new SLR user [Steve M.]
Excellent Camera. It takes beautiful shots and is both easy and challenging to use (automatic vs. manual modes). With little over a month of use I recommend it to anyone looking to step up from point and shoot cameras into the dSLR realm. I have used both the basic and creative picture taking functions (Automatic and Manual). They allow for an amazing capability in capturing photographs in various conditions. I strive to use the manual "creative" zones more and more but when I need to take a quick shot it is easy to quickly switch to the auto mode (either full or Program AE) to ensure I do not miss anything.
The instruction manual is easy to use, thorough and small. It makes a good "take-along" reference guide if you are using a dSLR for the first time.
The screen is big and bright providing accurate color representation and preview of your shot. (zooming function helps to determine the sharpness of the shot) The camera is a bit larger than comparable dSLR's, but it has a solid ergonomic feel with a thoughtful button and user interface design. Also, while the live view function is a "nice-to have" in the dSLR realm, I have found it invaluable in taking family/group pictures while staging the camera for the shot. (Using grid lines to ensure everything is aligned). The image stabilization found in many canon lenses is amazing and I wish had known earlier (even when purchasing a point and shoot) how helpful it is in taking better hand held, no flash, low light photos. Many brands of point and shoot and dSLR cameras now have this capability.
As an avid point and shoot (35mm, APS, and digital) amateur for the past 12 years I have always thought about moving into the SLR world. It was a big step and am glad I purchased the 40D. It has been a great experience and has fortified my hoby of taking pictures. I look forward to using it at any free moment I get (unfortunately, like many of us, I wish I had more free time). I still take my handy pocket size point and shoot when it isn't easy or appropriate to carry around the larger SLR.
I have also found the following books helpful as I learn more about photography. (especially when experimenting with the manual modes)
-"Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson -"The Camera" by Ansel Adams
Hope this helps.
Great Camera [Philip Joy]
I have had the Canon D50 and the 20D. Both of these were great cameras, but the 40D is a major step up! The camera is well built, full-featured and quiet. Love the larger screen and bright viewfinder. I highly recommend this camera! Works great with my 10-22mm, F1.4 50mm, F2.8 70-200mm IS L and my 24-105nn L lenses.
200% improvement over rebel xti(which I own) [Roberto Flores]
the "Live view shooting" feature is every reason why I bought it withing my budget. Using my rebel xti after 300+ shots through the viewfinder in one day, my eyes can no longer focus because I cannot shoot with glasses. This feature together with the ability to set the ISO in 1/3 increments (among others which I have not used) should help improve the pics that I take for my entry level wedding, etc. photography venture. I love this camera just for these features mainly.
Pleased! [JK in NY]
I absolutely love this camera. My only lens at the moment is a Tamron 18-250mmm ... BTW an EXCELLENT lens. Pics are as sharp as they say, and I like the program that comes with it.
My only complaint is a lack of an HD output for hooking it right to my HDTV.
January 2008 - Added a Sigma 170 - 500 zoom, and my love for this camera (and my lenses) grows. Spectacular sunset pics in Mexico ... next stop is Egypt, but the ultimate tests will my jungle/island trip this summer.
Tripod needed for use with the long lenses.
Amateur Sports Photog--Thumbs Way UP [Bruce F. Mackenzie]
Just bought the 40D w/ the 28-135 IS Canon lens from Circ City, about $1400. I've used the Rebel 35mm before this, and have been using pocket digital for 4 years. Tired losing all sports images of my kids' incredible plays, I decided buy the Canon 40d.
I used it for 2 games so far--one soccer, one football. I kept the mode in the sports (little guy running icon on the rotary) mode. I used it in cloudy conditions on day 1, bright sun on day 2. Excellent results of absolutely stunning photos of the kids in action. The image stab combined w/ extremely frames per second yeilds frozen shots that are amazing: eg: 6.5 FPS will allow you to push the button down about a second before a football punting situation, hold it down through the action, and have 6-12 photos of just before the kick w/ his leg 6 inches from striking the ball, then next will be his foot actually touching the ball, then the ball in the air away from his foot w/ the kicker in the air off two feet--flying if you will. Great stuff, the kids love seeing themselves frozen in the air. So, yes, this camera is fast and it makes a difference being 6.5 frames per second vs 3.5, in my opinion. Just buy at least 2MB memory (gives 400 shots w/ max resolution, but at 10/event, you could burn through it in one game, believe me), I'd say the 4MB would be better.
I just have been popping the memory card out and reading the photos directly into my computer, seems the easiest way to edit, plus doesn't run down the battery. Battery has been good, hasn't run out yet on either day, though I didn't use the flash much. Image Stab didn't take too bad of toll on it.
The camera does many more amazing things, right now I'm looking into aerial photography. Will update results, though I may need a stronger zoom. Very happy so far, sports shots well worth it, and I basically have no clue what I'm doing.
Canon 40D A+ [Maxton Cook]
I am a serious amateur photogapher & I love this camara. The ISO is amazing. Very noise free, good prints in lowlight up to ISO400. In daylight up to ISO800! 1600 a little noisy but still very useable especially with provided software post processing. Autofocus with Canon lenses has been spot on. Love the 3" LCD. Highly recommend for any one looking for a 1.6x crop DSLR.
The real 20D successor.... [Allan Gobin]
The 20D was one of those camera's that set a standard in its days and even today it's still very good and more camera than most people will ever be able to to exceed.
The 40D is a good and natural evolution. Handling wise...the 40D is simply a superior designed camera with a superior user interface. For a Pro this alone is worth the upgrade.
BUT...Canon has managed to improve the image quality too while increasing the pixel count. Less noise, much greater dynamic range, and better color. To the average person these differences will be difficult to see. It like the difference between a good lens and a L-class.
If you are just a beginning or don't take that many photos...the Canon XTI is a really good deal. If you take a lot of photos or is a Pro the 40D is definitely the way to go.
Exceptional New dSLR [RonAnnArbor]
This is an exceptional new dSLR from Canon. I moved from a Nikon D200 to Canon when I was dissatisfied with some of the lens selections for Nikon. I couldn't have been happier with this move.
The features are wonderful - easy to use features with a flick of button and the turn of the master dial. The sensor cleaner is an added bonus.
Live View is new and innovative - although it only works with manual focus. It isn't a feature that is going to help the day to day hand-held shooter, but for those occasional tripod shots where you want to see your composition or adjust your composition before shooting, its innovative and helpful.
The weight and "feel" of the camera are just about perfect -- things have good weather sealing, the heft of the camera feels good in your hand, and it feels substantial. Much better than the plastic-feeling Rebel series.
A great camera for advanced amateurs as well as professionals who want a light, fully-featured dSLR. Beginners can shoot out of the box, but will be overwhelmed by all of the features.
One of the things that I would always use to recommend an advanced Canon over the Nikon's is their inclusion of the creative zone and basic zone features even on their advanced cameras. For those quick sports, landscape, or nightshot photos, its a breeze to flick the dial and shoot.
Highly recommended. Note that you might not like any of the kit lenses. The 28-135 doesn't have enough focal length, and the standard 18-55 doesn't have sufficient low-light capability. I recommend skipping the kit lenses and ordering a faster basic lens, or a more inclusive longer focal length zoom lens.
Overall, a great camera.
Great Upgrade [G. Werden]
I had a 10D for quite awhile now and it was becoming a bit long in the tooth.
I had thought of upgrading to the 20D or 30D when they came out. Though each of those were nice upgrades I did not feel any of them were compelling enough to pull the trigger.
When the rumblings on what was going to be included in the 40D started happening, I waited to see what would happen and there were enough new features to justify the upgrade.
The ones that immediately caught my eye were
1.) Sensor cleaning 2.) Live View 3.) A big jump in megapixels from my 10D 4.) Quicker focus
In other words these were the main "wish" list for me.
I could not be more pleased with the camera and the results.
Of course manual sensor cleaning is always needed despite built in sensor cleaning, but having the sensor cleaning and mapping features seem to be working so far and if it means the sesnor does not have to be cleaned as often, it is a plus.
Though I still shoot through the view finder the majority of the time the Live View is a nice feature and works well and I am glad Canon finally has it in their dSLR.
People sometimes get too caught up in megapixels, but the jump between the 10D and the 40D is a substantial one. Going from 8 megapixels (if you have a 20D or 30D) may not be that noticable, but from 6 megapixels to 10 is noticiable for cropping.
The Canon 40D is also quick to focus and is good in low light. As others have noted there are many other upgrades and features which also contribute to making the 40D worthwhile.
Bottom line is you have any of the D series and like them, you will like this camera. Well worth the move from a 10D and probably the 20D. The 30D is a bit closer call I would guess.
Another great Canon camera [R. Sealy]
Great camera! Exceeded my expectations by a mile. A pro product all the way.
Should you upgrade? Heck yah! [moofahoof]
After less consideration than I probably should have given such a big purchase, I decided to upgrade from my Canon 20D to the Canon 40D shortly after it was announced. Let me start out by saying that I haven't been disappointed by my rash decision; Canon has improved so many aspects of the camera since the 20D (two models ago) that it's definitely worth upgrading if you're using a 20D or earlier. For those of you with 30D's, that might be a harder decision as fewer things have changed.
Without trying to be too wordy, let me list a few of my favorite new or improved features over the 20D (in no particular order).
- Huge, beautiful LCD screen makes it much easier to see and show others your photos. - Playback mode now lets you see the RGB histogram as well as the traditional luminance one. - Hitting the info button twice shows an enlarged and easier to read/understand view on the main LCD of the data normally shown on the top LCD. For example, when switching metering modes, it lists the name (spot, center weighted, etc.) in addition to showing the symbol. - Much improved menu system which is better organized and easier to navigate. - Custom menu which you can populate with those items you use the most (I *love* this feature). - Three custom modes on the mode dial which you can pre-set as you desire. - Much hyped live view mode which lets you compose photos with the LCD screen is actually pretty useful for macro work, or any shot which you want to focus manually. You can zoom up to 10x to focus precisely on a certain region. - Can you say six and a half frames per second! Wow! - ISO is now displayed in the viewfinder which makes it easier to see when you've left it on 1600 by accident. - A new auto ISO mode is included which attempts to choose an ISO fast enough so you can handhold the camera. One less thing to worry about when shooting in situations where you don't have time to mess with the ISO setting. - Beautiful grain on the images - I like the way the grain (noise) looks better than the 20D. - Ultrasonic dust shake off system for reducing sensor dust. I still have managed to get a few flecks of dust which won't come off, but after taking 5000 photos with many lens changes in the wild, it's not nearly as bad of a problem as on the 20D. - Improved autofocus system is more accurate than before. - 14 bit RAW files! This gives you many more gradations to work with than 12 bit (16,384 per channel instead of 4,096).
I'm sure there are many other things I've forgotten. I've been using the camera now for over a month, taken 5000 shots, and love it!
There are still a few things missing about this camera which I wish Canon had addressed.
- Still can't use infrared shutter releases with this model. Canon lets you use these with the consumer oriented digital rebels, so why not on the 20, 30, and 40D models? Go figure. - Optional wireless file transmitter / GPS connection, but why not just build wireless into the camera?
Go upgrade before your old camera is worthless! You can still sell the old one now before too many people get the new ones.
Amazing camera [Ahmad Alnusif]
I upgraded to the 40D from the Digital Rebel XT (350D). This is one amazing camera. I do most of my shooting in low light areas, and I was not satisfied with the XT's performance, even with a flash.
But the 40D is another story altogether. The photos it produces are great even in low light situations. They're vibrant with color and with almost no noise upto ISO 800.
Highly recommended!
Love this one [Chung T. Nieh]
This is the replacement of my old Canon 10D. Compare to 10D, there are several things I really like it: first is the 3" screen as I know is largest cureently which let you view the picture clearly. The size is big help to my old eyes. Second the pictures replay on camera are much faster almost immidiately after you took. The third one is "screen cleaning" performed everytime you turn on and off camera which I have not notice any difference yet but I hope it works. The fourth is fast continus shooting, 6.5 pictures per second. I have not used this yet but sure it well help when I go air show. There are several functions more than 10D. 10 mega pixles is not that important to me for most the pictures I took. All the L lenses work with the new camera and I think the quality of picture is depend on lenses. It is little big and heavy than 10D but not much. It is cheap than 10D I paid 5 yeas ago. Overall, I love it.
Amazing [K. Gregoire]
Before this camera I had a Minolta Dimage A2 and a digital point and shoot. My main subjects are children and other family members. The reason we upgraded was to get a camera that could capture speedy kids and to break into semi-professional photography. This camera is amazingly fast. The kit lens is actually a pretty good lens. It is not a professional $1500 lens, but it is pretty good. The image stabalization is very helpful. If you want great shots for family or are planning on beggining your photography carreer I absolutly recommend this. It is pricy, but well worth it.
Canon 40D Camera [Stanley W. Abell]
Love the camera. It is much smoother sounding and operating than my 20D and my Digital Rebel XTi. The display is twice the size of the one on my 20D and 1/2 again as large as the Rebel XTi. Recently went on vacation and took over 3000 shots (yes, 3000) and had no battery or memory card problems. Battery usage is very good and I only had to change the battery twice during my entire vacation. I recommend this camera to amature & professional users alike.
Canon 40D [Robert Herbert]
This is an upgrade from a Canon 10D. I thought the 10D was good but comparred to the 40D it is a Brownie. This 40D is an outstanding camera. It lives up to all the reviews and is actually better than expected. Can't think of anything negative to say about it.
Canon 40D Review [John F. Bush Jr.]
The Canon 40D DSLR is a great camera. I own the 10D which I have been exceedingly happy with, but the 40D offers some great improvements. The larger LCD monitor and the information screens provide essential data about the images. I particularly like the capability to shoot just RAW files. The 10MB file size facilitates enlargements w/o using 3rd party software. Also I like the capability to change the picture style. The 10D doesn't have those features. I set the camera to the neutral style with Aperture-Priority and have been getting great exposures. My primary zoom is the EF24-105mm F4L IS USM lens. I have to get use to the 95% coverage looking through the viewfinder, but that's not an issue. I highly recommend the 40D to those currently using the 10 and 20D bodies and are planning to up grade.
A great camera - with room for improvement [Black Belt Systems]
I'll start off by saying that yes, this really *is* a great camera. I bought it as body only, then added a Canon EF 100 f2.8 Macro USM lens. If you're not familiar with that lens, it is fairly heavy, and so the camera has felt heavy to me since day one. But it is the lens creating that impression.
The 40D starts up, shoots, and shuts down quickly; With the right lenses, it creates clear and consistent photographs; it is hugely flexible, pretty much to any degree you want to flex. Some of the things that have made themselves known to me by how well they work are, in no particular order, the great battery life... I use the LCD a lot, shoot a lot, and generally fuss continuously with the camera, and it just "keeps on going" which is enormously pleasing (this is with the stock battery and a BP-511A spare pack to swap in.) The feel of the camera - just a nice handful of goodness, it really suits my hands, which are large. The clarity of the viewfinder. I wear glasses, and after a little playing with the adjustment, it was *perfect*, first time ever with any camera. This thing is *fast*; it really can do 6 or so frames a second (depends on the shutter speed, of course) and the AF is also fast which makes for more images, and more good images. I love all the preset modes, and I've already had some fun in manual and a *lot* of fun in aperture priority, which pretty much suits the way I think. I particularly like the AF display and the way you can control it; I prefer a single central AF point so I can control focus at the half-press point, and the camera was perfectly agreeable to that. More points did some interesting things with depth of field, and I look forward to experimenting with that, too.
I would buy this camera body again in a heartbeat if something horrible happened to mine, like I dropped it down a well or larval (and soon to be deceased) human beings got hold of it and used it as a kickball. It also offers some optional features like wifi that sound like great fun, though I confess I can't speak to them as I've not tried them.
There are some things I think could have been done better, though, and since you're probably looking at the camera wondering what the downsides are, rather than looking for what made everyone happy, that's what I'm going to focus on.
o The worst problem, by far: The images that the camera uses to let you review your shots are FAR softer than the actual photos, to the point where you can't really tell if you got the focus nailed, or not. This is not a nitpick - this causes me to take extra shots because I literally can't tell if I've hit the mark, or not. I am hoping this can be fixed with a firmware update to the camera.
o That fabulous LCD, huge and bright and crisp, looks awful every time I look at it after shooting through the TTL viewfinder. This is because it has a huge NOSEPRINT on it. Has anyone at Canon ever taken a look at a human face? Placement of the monitor should be offsides and inset so that it isn't a grease magnet. Or do they expect me to wash my nose every time I snap a picture out in the field?
o While I'm harping on the camera's ergonomics, the power switch isn't very easy to manage. I have very short nails (I'm a guitarist and a martial artist, neither of which encourage nail growth) and getting that switch to swing on and off sometimes takes more than one try; that may, someday, lose me a photo I really wanted, especially considering how fast the camera starts up otherwise. I really wish it had a deeper pit for my finger and a more positive tractive surface to drag it on. It's too short and too smooth.
o When in Live View mode, meaning, you're presumably shooting using the LCD instead of the viewfinder (after cleaning your latest noseprints off of it, of course), autofocus doesn't work. But wait, it does. *If* you press a different button. Apparently the power budget of the camera is pushed a little too close to the edge if you use live view *and* autofocus because the mirror is locked in the up position. So they... moved AF to another button? Look, either let me do it, or don't let me do it, but quit changing what the controls do underneath my fingers. That's just poor interface design. Maybe you should have turned it off by default, then let us blatant power-spenders turn it back on, kind of like how ISO 3200 works on this camera (it's a menu option, not initially enabled. Requires RTFM or at least someone telling you what to do.) Anyway, I don't like how this works. At all. But it's a nitpick.
o When you're not in live view mode, the camera will display your shot in the LCD for 2 seconds, then blank (this time is adjustable, somewhat, in the menus. But 2 seconds is the shortest time for it to work at all.) You have to wait for the preview to go away (2 seconds) to enter play mode so you can really take a look at it. I think it should directly enter play when it is in that 2-second "grace" period after the shot; the fact that it doesn't costs me time, at least in some situations. And time, in photography, can mean lost shots.
o Print button - come on. I can think of a hundred things that would be more important to put on a button than "print." That's just... silly.
o I would have liked to have infrared remote firing of the camera. This is MUCH more flexible than the 2s or 10s delayed firing option it has now. You can go out and sit with a group and putter around indefinitely with infrared; even 10 seconds isn't a lot of time to get out there, regulate your breathing, meld into the group photo, and stop staring down your 3rd cousin Hotisha's bodice. Uh, not that I would do such a thing. No. Not me. Cough.
o It isn't easy (meaning, you have to use a deep menu) to clean out all the images on the CF card. Should have been, really. it *is* easy to delete images one at a time.
o The weather flap on the USB connection (and external fire, strobe, and video connectors) are a little difficult to grasp (I have essentially no nails, remember), and they really are just rubber flaps - I fully expect them to wear out, as they don't have proper hinges or otherwise use reasonable bearing surfaces. I *really* don't like having to struggle with the flap every time I want to grab pictures from the camera, which is several times a day on days when I'm *not* seriously shooting. I might *have* to buy that wifi accessory...
These are, in the end, mostly problems I would characterize as "nitpicks", and with the exception of the soft review images, certainly nothing to get in a frenzy over (well, maybe the placement of the LCD screen too... but that certainly isn't a problem only found in Canon products.) This is a fabulous camera; I can't imagine anyone actually regretting buying one unless they've been working with far, far more expensive gear than this. I gave it five stars, and that's just how I feel about it.
About me: I've been into photography since about 1965, my last camera was an Olympus E20, a 5 MP camera with an *excellent* all-occasion lens, macro to telephoto, and an insatiable appetite for batteries. Moving up to a 40D was a great experience for me. I'm not a pro, maybe semi-pro is fair, my experience with cameras includes both BW and color developing, all manner of large format boxes, several 35 mm cameras, and ten or eleven digital cameras from the 320x240 dawn of digital cameras to today. I am also an engineer (EE) and the author of a very extensive image processing software suite and several RAW processing plugins; consequently I am intimately familiar with how digital cameras actually work.
40D is terrific [DonD]
Canon has really done it - the 40D is fast on autofocus, and Live View suits my needs (classroom camera demos and macro shooting) perfectly. Many other tiny improvements add up to an easier and better camera to use. I highly recommend it - especially for the price. It's cheaper than my 20D was!!
Canon Came up with the Perfect SLR digital camera. [Suzi Moore McGregor]
Finally, an answer to all the earlier problems for digital SLR Cameras! What we've all been waiting for: The built-in sensor cleaner---no more shipping your camera off to have the sensor cleaned. Other features are the shooting speed, which equals a film camera. There's over 10 million mega pixels, enough for all your professional work, a large LCD screen, and a built-in fill flash. I'm happy. The price was right and included the shipping. thank you!
Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
An EXCELLENT camera [Rhys M. Berryman]
It's hard to write a meaningful review when I've barely begun to get familiar with my new 40D, but so far I am NOT disappointed. I have found no problems; all functions appear to work as advertised. One word of advice: if you're accustomed to viewing the shot via the LCD, it CAN be done with the 40D, but is awkward. Get used to using the optical (through-the-lens) viewfinder, like a film camera. You can still see what you've just shot on the LCD screen, with adjustable viewing time. Typical of Canon, this appears to be a fine camera, with features for the beginner through advanced photographers. You can start out with "point-and-shoot" (automatic everything), and advance to as many manual settings as you like. At this point, I recommend the 40D! Be sure to buy a lens to match the quality of the camera; I suggest an "L" series lens. Beware of "starter" lenses, which degrade the quality and which you will want to upgrade almost immediately.
Best of the Best. [Carlos J. Guerrero]
Greetings to all; I am not a professional photographer, just an amateur with enough economical means to support my photography hobby. I just received this machine, it is simply fantastic. I wanted to upgrade my Digital Rebel XT (which by the way has been a loyal friend) and I decided to go with the 40D since I think the 5D is a bit over priced for my needs. In any rate, the machine has a great LCD screen, the controls and menus are easy to find and use and if you are familiar with Canon products it will not be all that hard to figure the machine out since controls are very similar in nature to the rest of the Canon products. The machine has an immense amount of features that I have not discovered yet but one of the features that I like the most is the "live view" feature which just like a point and shoot lets you preview the shot before you actually shoot it. I would not want to get all technical in this review at this time, there are many technical reviews on this machine already plus I can't consider my self to be savvy enough to be able to technically elaborate on this product, however, if you can afford it, by all means go for it, I am quiet sure you won't regret it, from the way it feels in your hands to the way the shutter sounds after firing off a shot. All and all impressive machine. I am looking forward to use it for as long as time permits.
Very, very good [Mesmerizer]
Very briefly, what would have been my first doubt: yes, it uses the same sensor as the XTi, but also: yes: the image quality IS better then the XTi. Images are smoother, they post-process much better. Bigger viewfinder alone was enough to make me happy for getting it. Handling is great, only wish the buttons below the LCD were different color or marked better, in dim light they tend to disappear. It's big, heavy and solid, a joy to use.
Fantastic 40D [Barbara H. Gorrondona]
The Canon 40-D is a wonderful camera. Excellent quality photos combined with so many new features that I couldn"t go into all of them here. I have taken it to my 7 year old grandson's birthday party & along with my 17-55 efs got greatshots in candle light without the flash& many action shots of children playing wildly on the playground. I have taken wildlife in the state park near my home with my 70-200L4 is. The af & rapid shooting modes kept up beautifuly & I got many keepers. I have 15 grandchildren & my husband & I travel 3or 4 times a year. I have had other dslrs including the canon rebel & the 30D. I have taken many wonderful shots with these cameras but because of the new features in this camera, such as live view for macro & landscapes, the improved af s& rapid shot capability, it is even easier & more exciting than ever to get really exceptional shots with a much higher percentage of keepers. I have shot whales in Alaska & Mauii & I can't wait to get similar opportunities with the 40D. I would recomend it to anyone who loves photography & wants a lot of camera & fun for their money.
Great Camera [R. Graham]
I moved up from the Rebel XT which I had used for over 2 years. The EOS 40D has a much bigger and brighter viewfinder, is built better and feels much more substanyial in your hands. The 40D is extremely responsive. It focuses faster and more accurately than the Rebel. The menus are more comprehensive and everything has been well sorted out. The live view option is wonderful for macro work. So far, no complaints at all.
superb [Nick]
The camera is awesome. I'll let the pros below me tell all the technical stuff, they seem to have it pretty under control haha. Right out of the box, charge the battery and start snapping away. Im new to SLRs and some of the manual settings are a little out of my league right now, but the interface is easy and Im having fun learning everything, thats what its al about, right? The auto mode is pretty good though when you get lazy.
However, unless you have a lens that you're going to use or for some reason absolutely loathe the lens that comes with a kit, find one that includes the lens kit, you'll save about $150-200 instead of buying separately.
Not since the F1 [Dr. Dave]
I suppose this review is less for professional photographers who are thinking about moving up to the next great digital camera and more for photographers who have been put off by the camera/cost issue when considering moving into digital media. In the past, I have always felt that I could get digital results at least as good as the most expensive digital cameras by scanning a slide or negative on a relatively inexpensive scanner. I have held off buying a digital camera until I felt I was buying a truly professional quality camera at a good price. Through the years, the list of reasons for converting to digital photography has become increasingly long, but until now (at least in my opinion) it has never included "professional quality at a good price." The 40M meets that need for me. It has many more features than I can imagine ever using, but in the end it is affordable and shoots at professional standards, and I think that counts a lot. But connection to the camera also counts a great deal.
I have used Canon cameras since I bought my first F1 in the mid-1970s. During this period I wrote industrial articles and always provided my own photographs (and needed a bullet proof camera). The F1 and a Pentax 4X6 were my primary work cameras. But I liked the F1 so much, it was also my primary play camera until the light shoe fitting finally wore completely out. I loved that camera so I replaced it with another Canon, the EOS ElanII, which I never much liked. I never felt "connected" to that camera. In fact, photography has been a bit of a pain since then. For the past 10 years I have seldom really enjoyed a photo outing, and had pretty much quit carrying a camera at all.
The first time I picked up a 40D, I felt the kind of connection I used to feel with the old F1. It feels like an extension of my wrist. I carry it like I carried the F1, in my hand and not around my neck -- ready to lift and shoot.
Intrestingly, I especially like the camera's weight. It is heavy; that's nice. I have always felt an SLR should be heavy enough to overcome any shutter shake. But, perhaps more important, the camera feels like a camera and not like a deck of cards.
I have checked out the many features of the camera but they are discussed in great depth by others in this venue who know much more than I do about the capabilities of digital cameras. As for me? I use the features and find them much better than my Elan -- but that ain't saying much.
On the other hand, I have always liked the lenses I purchased for the Elan over the years, and they work nicely on the 40D.
In brief, I have found much to like in this camera and some things to love. At the same time, I have found nothing I dislike. I am back to going on photo outings just for the joy of using the camera. For a person waiting for professional quality at a reasonable price? I think the wait may have been over with introduction of the 30D but is certainly over with the introduction of the 40D.
AMAZING [Robert Lopez]
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.
A worthy Upgrade [Matthew Miller]
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..
Unbelievable DSLR camera [F. R. Vining]
This is without doubt the best camera I have owned. Smooth action, quiet shutter, rapid fire release. My opinion: it is light years ahead of its competition. When you pick it up, you KNOW you have a REAL camera in your hands. Pictures are excellent. If you are serious about photography, choose this over the 30D (I have both). There is more than $300 difference in the camera, compared to the 30D...more like $800 difference.
Phenomenal Camera! [Jeremy R. Telford]
Amazing upgrade to my beloved 10D. The 3" review screen is an amazing asset in the field to make sure each shot is perfect. The LiveView feature makes it possible to preview a shot in various modes prior to taking the shot. Allows you to get the exact shot you are looking for before you even release the shutter. The clarity is amazing even at a poster-print size. A definite recommendation for any mid-level pro-sumer. A great upgrade to previous Canon DSLRs.
The Wow affect! [Jeffrey Newman]
When I took the first couple of shots with the 40D, my reaction was Wow.
The 40D is 80% to 90% of the 5D, The slight change to the control layout is an improvement. Spot metering, is a real plus. The sensor seems to have significantly lower noise than the 20D. This is my new happy-snap camera. It goes everywhere with me. I've only taken a few thousand photos so far, and I have to say I am very impressed. I really look forward to the times I can get out just to take photos with the 40D.
For it's class, just a little lower than the 5D, this is the finest camera I have ever seen. The value, the bang (or should I say click) for the buck is the best value I have ever seen. The 40D, delivers more than I ever expected to see in a camera at this price point. I think Canon, has once again, undeniably taken the lead, in the Digital SLR camera market with the 40D.
Last but not least, ordering through Amazon, I was able to get the 40D when all of my local camera stores were sold out...
solid camera [Denis J. EVANS]
I will not try to summarize the many tech reviews of this camera. There are plenty of highly competent websites to visit for this info.
Firstly, cameras are personal and this camera just feels great in the hand. It is complex to use every facility but to take competent shots is easy.
I said I would never buy a DSLR without serious dust removal/masking facilities. I have owned this camera for a month and no dust problems so far, Eventually it will need to be cleaned professionally either by me or someone else - that is a fact of DSLR life. But serious congratulations to Canon for addressing the problem head on.
So how does it work. Well the beast is simply superb. It's like a marriage - it takes a while to meld - same here - after a month we are still learning how to do things better together. But so far everything is working as well or better than could have possibly been expected. And considering the hype surrounding this camera that involves very high expectations.
A further comment: this imager is so good that you need very good lenses to see its best. I'm afraid both kit lenses fail this camera miserably. It's not that they are so bad, rather that this camera is so good. I expected this.
Now I have to fork out for an EOS 70- 200mm IS USM, to really see what this camera can do. The kit 17- 85 USM is not so good at the wide end. That is not the camera's fault. You can see what this camera can do by looking at the long end of the 17 - 85mm.
Life is full of compromises. The best camera/lens would take great photos but would be so heavy, you couldn't lift the kit up a mountain. The 40D is hikable (just): [...] shows some 40D images taken very far up (2605m) a mountain. Now I've gotta pull the 70-200 f4 up the same mountains! Ugh!
Bravo, Canon! [Steven A. Hoagland]
I received the Canon EOS 40D on 9/26/07. From the time I took it out of the box and held it, I knew I was going to like this camera.
Ergonomics: I've been using a smallish Rebel XT for almost a year, so the larger size and grip of the 40D was a delight. And the 40D is nice and grippy in all the right places. And all the controls fall readily to your fingertips--very ergonomic.
Build quality: It has some heft to it, which lends a sense of sturdiness and quality. Also, the extra weight provides a better balance for my EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM lens. My Rebel XT, when I had the strap around my neck with the camera hanging down in front, would tend to twist forward under the weight of the lens. With the same lens mounted to the 40D, the camera tends to stay straight--much better balance.
Viewfinder: The viewfinder is another thing that Rebel XT owners will smile about regarding the 40D. The viewfinder is much larger and brighter than the Rebel XT's.
Top LCD: The top LCD display has lots of helpful information that remains displayed at all times (f/stop in Av mode, white balance setting, est. remaining shots on card, battery indicator, metering mode, auto focus mode, exposure scale, ISO, and shooting mode (single shot, 3 fps, 6.5 fps, or timer)). I look at the remaining shots indication all the time.
Rear LCD: The rear LCD is huge (3-inches). And the lettering is large, bright and easy to read--much better for those of us who have difficulty seeing small writing close up. I find that it can be read even if you turn the camera almost all the way sideways to your face. Therefore, the 140 degrees viewing angle rating appears to be quite conservative. The menu options are well-organized, intuitive, and easy to navigate and use. You can set the amount of time the image displays on the rear LCD after you take the shot (Review time = Off, 2 sec., 4 sec., 8 sec., or Hold). I did notice that, despite how very bright this display is, in bright sunlight, it is nearly impossible to see the image in the display. So, I just had to look for some shade (or shield the display from the sun somehow).
Taking Pictures: The 40D lends so much confidence, it is almost impossible to adequately describe. Especially with the excellent EF-S 17-55 lens, there seems to be no shooting situation you can't conquer. The Auto Focus (AF) locks on fast and sure with a quick "beep-beep" in all lighting situations. I generally have the camera set to just the center AF point, since I want to choose the specific spot I want to focus on. The 40D has a high-precision cross-type center AF point that, when used with an f/2.8 or larger lens, provides twice the sensitivity as the other AF points. Lately I've been utilizing the 40D's Highlight tone priority mode and the High ISO speed noise reduction mode. The Highlight tone priority mode expands the dynamic range from gray to bright highlights and the gradations in between become smoother. This mode forces the minimum ISO to be 200. This is no problem, since the 40D produces very low noise, even at elevated ISO speeds. I have noticed that detail in highlights is well-preserved, though I still frequently need to reduce the highlights in post-processing (I shoot RAW almost exclusively). The High ISO speed noise reduction mode applies noise reduction at all ISO speeds, which is particularly effective at high ISO speeds. This mode also reduces noise in shadows. I am having no problems with noise on this camera. And despite this in-camera post-processing, in Photoshop Elements, I still can level, saturate, sharpen, etc. to my heart's content and still wind up with a sharp image, due to the excellent 10.1 megapixel sensor, and the inherently low amount of noise it produces.
Live View: I briefly played around with the Live View mode hand-held, since I have yet to receive my new ball head I've ordered for the tripod legs I recently received. It is really convenient to move the little joy-stick on the back of the 40D to place the little box over the point of interest and zoom in 5x or 10x and manually focus to fine-adjust the focus. You can auto focus during live mode by holding down the AF On button until you hear the quick "beep-beep" of the AF locking on (rear screen goes blank), then release it and the Live View display comes back on immediately. When you press the shutter release in Live View mode, it is nearly silent, since the mirror is already locked up and out of the way. [Note that you initiate Live View mode by pressing the "set" button in the middle of the big wheel on the back of the 40D and the mirror locks up and out of the way immediately, and you get a nearly full-screen, live view on the large rear LCD with info underneath showing (in Av mode) f/stop, exposure scale, shots remaining on card, and ISO speed.]
General observations: The battery seems to be lasting a long time, despite me playing around with the Live View mode, and spending a lot of time going through menu items and deciding which modes I want to use. As of this writing, I've taken about 200 photos (some of which are posted here for you to see). I got the 8GB Sandisk Extreme IV Compact Flash card, so I can just walk around popping off shots without worry of running out of space. I have received a Bogen-Manfrotto 055mf3 tripod, but I am waiting on the Kirk BH-1 ball head to arrive. Then, I will give the Live View mode a thorough going over.
Conclusions (9/29/07): This camera simply does all that is asked of it. There is no better camera that can be used with the top-performing Canon EF-S 17-55 lens, since the 40D is the best 1.6x crop Canon camera body, and the EF-S 17-55 lens can only be used on 1.6x crop Canons. The 40D is ergonomic, sturdy, feature-packed, high performance, high IQ, low noise, and an exceptional value. I'm sure many pro shooters will be snatching these things up, too. And I'm going to have a ball exploring all that it can do. Bravo, Canon!
From the hands of a first-time DSLR user [A. Hung]
I made the jump from a Canon S2 IS (with which I was very happy using) to the 40D recently. I consider myself an amateur but with a decent amount of disposable income, and having outgrown the S2, the 40D was the next logical step in terms of moving to a DSLR, having cross-shopped it's predecessor the 30D and the Rebel XTi.
The 40D's advantages over the XTi and 30D were considerable enough that I could justify the increase in price, and not feel like I had "settled" for something that I would later on regret. Yes, the technology of camera bodies progresses so quickly that the 40D might easily become obsolete by this time next year, but at the same time there's enough in this camera that I think, for someone like me, it will be very hard to outgrow it.
I will be using this camera mainly for photographing outdoor action, specifically automotive racing and events. For me, the 6.5fps will be extremely important. The live view is not a big plus for me, I don't foresee myself using that feature much.
The amount of features can make the camera a little intimidating for a beginner. If I was on a tighter budget, its very likely that I could have been content with the XTi, or Nikon's D80. One thing that I am still having trouble getting used to is the inability to use the LCD as the viewfinder (except in live view mode, it's not really the same thing). Also, at 10 megapixels, even the S-normal sized pictures come out huge. It's not like the S2 IS, where I could upload casual shots onto the computer and not have to resize, simply save and upload and publish. But then again, this camera isn't for the casual photographer taking casual photos (at least, not JUST for that purpose).
Novice Photo Enthusiast [W. E. Bolduc]
I have not had it long, but recently took it to NAPA Valley and was surpised at the quality of many of my photos (I'm still trying to learn its features, so some shots were not as good as I expected.) Looking in the area for a class. I did find it cheaper (by nearly $200.00) and with more (especially an additional lense) included at two other sites, so do what I did not do . . . research for a better deal.
Best Bang for the Buck, by far!!! [Adrian S. Paz]
This is the Best Bang for your Buck of any of the D-slr out there. The quality is great, and the build is also wonderful. Pair it with one of the fine L series lens, like the 17-40 F4 or the 24-105 IS and you have a true Picture taking machine!!! It is basicly a Mark 3 in Pro-Consumer clothes!!! Blows the pants of all the other brands out there and the image quality is almost the same as a 5D. The 14bit processing helps give a lot more Color detail and depth to the Photo. The Guy from Alaska about the Mark 3 was right about the wonderful colors, and the 40D has them as well. Puts the Nikon D200 to shame, at a fraction of the price! I got mine From Sal's Camera in La Verne CA since Amazon was on backorder and I am so glad I got it, it is by far the finest camera I have ever used!
Excited 300D user goes upscale... [Michael Horn]
As a 3 year dRebel (300D) owner - I've spent the interval time acquiring better lenses than the kit lens I originally purchased rather than upgrade camera bodies. My old (300D) friend has served me well over the years with Battery Grip, Eye Piece Extender and a host of affordable Canon lenses that I've used for portrait and general walk-around photography. My review is more subjective that capability based - as it has renewed interest in portions of my hobby I've not experienced since the 35mm film days. This purchase has supercharged my excitement in digital photography like nothing since my first hands on with the 300D.
In looking for another camera body and lens combination - I considered the XT/XTi series but my attention quickly turned to the newest 40D. I'm a serious semi-pro (do extensive portrait work for formal charity fund raising events) and wanted to upgrade to a second camera body and give my charities the finest portrait work I could afford.
The 40D had enough features (many still being practiced from the manual-highly recommended) that allowed me to invest in this next generation camera body. I ordered the camera with the BG-E2 battery grip - Eyepiece Extender with a diaptor insert to compensate for my eyeglasses) side hand strap (which I absolutely LOVE) and the 28-135mm 'kit' lens to compliment my 'portrait posse' 50mm f1.8 and prime 85mm f1.8 that I also absolutely love - tack sharp and bokeh to die for (jmho)...
The body of the 40D is solid as a rock - the kevlar/plastic 300D never gave me problems - but... this inspires more 'confidence' to last a longer time (more camera - less expendable computer feel). The fps for action shots is outstanding - on a 4 gig CF memory card (SanDisk Extreme II) is adequate for my needs and pocketbook).
Added to this was an upgrade from my 420EX TTL speedlight with a newer 580EXII ETTL which is giving me BEAUTIFUL indoor high ceilinged shots (using a flash diffuser) with no blowouts to date and great exposures over a variety of indoor situations. The 420EX is now a wonderful slave unit to the 580EXII.
I'm now shooting RAW instead of JPEG for the majority of my shots and the difference is noticable. Better able to tweek these RAW images in photoshop also.
If I'm sounding like a kid with a new toy - well - yes! This rig and upgraded accessoriues has breathed a little excitement into this digital photographer. The 3" LCD, Liveshot capabilities and IS 28-135 lens has given me a burst of creativity on the MACRO side not present with other lenses I have owned. A new light tent has renewed my interest in my wristwatch hobby with wonderful macro shots.
This camera body exceeds my present digital photo experience - but as I go thru the manual I'm learning so many useful items on focus range, manual exposure techniques, ISO, and speedlight boundaries the 300D never had. It will be about another month or so before I am "comfortable" again with my ability to better utilize this camera than my 300D mainstay.
This camera is not for everybody - the XT/XTi being a great pro-sumer body for the 'average' recreational photographer (jmho). As I get more serious - I can now concentrate on a series of 'L' lenses to continue my semi-pro hobby. New photographic worlds I could not imagine await me using this camera body. A camera that feels like it will last a lifetiime (until a better technology emerges anyway).
Excellent all around [Mark]
Picked this up last monthwith the lens. After using the camera with the kit lens I'm convinced the lens is very good. The lens sells for about $400 but with camera, it only adds $200. I also bought the Sigma 10-20mm lens from Amazon and this lens is great for ultra-wide angle photos. It really completes the set of lens I'll need.
Now, for the camera, I think its fantastic. Its got a solid magnesium alloy body and looks and feels more expensive than it is. It's got all the features you would want including Live View which can come in handy at certain times. The 10.1 megapixels is an improvement over the Digital Rebel at 6.3 megapixals. The camera is very fast at 6.5fps compared to the rebel's 2.5fps. The rebel can only take 4 pictures until the memory catches up but the 40D can take up to 75! That is really good.
Another thing I love is that the camera displays the iso in the viewfinder and the LCD info screen. That is very handy compared to the Rebel. The 40D is the first prosumer SLR to have a 3" screen. The screen does not have as many pixels as the Nikon's new D300 but that camera cost's about $500 more.
Are the pictures that much better than the Rebel? Not really. The Rebel takes phenomanal photos but you just won't be able to enlarge as much. You won't have the control on the Rebel as you will the 40D.
Is it worth upgrading? I say yes because I have had the Rebel for almost 4 years now and this new 40D will probably be the last SLR I'll have to buy (unless it breaks). 10.1 megapixels is way plenty and more would be redundent so hopefully this is the last camera I have to buy.
Hope this review helps you decide.
Everything I expected, but takes time to master [JC]
I love this camera, I had been putting off for years to buy a digital SLR and finally pulled the trigger. I am by no means a pro, but I am tech savvy, so I love all the knobs, buttons, and possibilities to customize.
I will say that there is no substitue for skill, no matter how good the camera is. Out of the box I started taking pictures and while the quality was impressive, it wasn't exactly magazine-quality or like what'd you see on brochures--that's going to take more skill working the aperture and speed settings using Manual.
Also, another thing that's very important but often overlooked: Vista comptibility! I didn't even need to install drivers, just plugged in USB and got my pictures. This is not typical! I have several other gadgets (camcorders, printers, etc.) and for some it was a nightmare to get drivers to work. What a relief to see Canon spend the effort to make their products work with current OSs. Thanks Canon!
Great cam! [GM]
My 40D arrived today. I'm loving it. 3in screen, large viewfinder, liveview with live histogram, solid feel of the body, pretty clean ISO800, ISO1600 images (at 10mp resolution) are all big upgrades compared to earlier Canons (400D/20D/30D).
What surprised me most is the so-called "3-D effect" that some people were claiming in other forums. Some pictures I took during daytime have depth (i.e. 3-Dness) that I wasn't seeing with 400D/20D/30D. Canon 5D is supposed to be similar in this respect. Some claim that it is because of smoother tonal gradation (i.e. high precision A/D, 14 bit raw etc).
If you are a first time buyer, skip the Rebel line and go to 40D (or, maybe 30D) directly. In my opinion, the color reproduction of Rebel line (300D/350D/400D) is inferior to that of 20D/30D/40.
Nikon D80 is also a pretty good camera with a lower price & decent performance. But, image quality at high ISO (i.e. ISO >= 800) is better with Canon.
Don't get the kit lens. I would recommend Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 or Sigma 18-50 f/2.8---both very sharp, great all-around lenses with performance comparable to Canon 17-55 f2/8 IS. I would also recommend Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 and Canon 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS further down the line.
Get a good monitor. If you want precise color reproduction, you'll need to calibrate your monitor. Spyder Pro etc. kind of products are good for that. On a bad/uncalibrated monitor, images from all cameras may look the same!
The Most Camera For Your Money [The Camera Eye]
The Canon 40D is the most camera for the money that Canon has ever provided. The highlights:
- The new improvded Autofocus: Yes, it's still 9 point, and I was skeptical about how improved it would actually be, but having used in the field on several photo shoots, I was able to compare it directly to my Canon 5D, and the AF on the 40D was noticeably more accurate & sensitive to subtle differences within the Depth of Field. The new system performs especially well with my 135mm 2.0L, and my 70-200mm 2.8L IS. But this is what is advertised about it (i.e. better performance with lens w/ Maximum apertures of 2.8 and greater).
- The 3.0" LCD: Once again, comparing this to my 5D, which has a 2.5" display, the color reproduction is noticeably more accurate. Initially I thought that the colors were being captured differently by the camera, but when I realized they were very similar once I looked at them on the computer, it became apparent the difference was in the display on the camera. Also, the display on the 40D is brighter. I have not yet noticed as dramatic a difference as Canon has made it seem in their product detail when viewed in sunlight, but especially in darker settings, it is noticeable that there's a difference.
- The frame rate & buffer size: The increased buffer is very apparent, in particular at the low speed continuous setting (3 fps), where the speed at 3fps seems faster than the 3fps on the 5D simply because it can continue shooting (seemingly endlessly). In the high speed continuous mode (6.5fps), the speed is mind-boggling. I have not had a chance to fully test this out yet (look for a future edit to this).
- The viewfinder: The size and brightness are noticeably & dramatically better. The look through the viewfinder is so improved over my old 20D, they almost can't be compared. It's not quite as big as the 5D, but not far off either. And it's just about as bright as the 5D, if not as bright.
- The AF button on the back: Although I still use the regular half push on the shutter button the majority of the time, I have found the rear AF button to be very handy at times. At certain times, the way in which I hold the camera makes using the traditional half push much easier. However, as a tip, I have found that in focus-recompose situations, the rear AF button is invaluable, as it is MUCH easier to continue holding down the rear AF Button while recomposing and then snap the shot, whereas with the traditional system, it is more difficult to recompose without accidentally releasing pressure slightly on the shutter and having to try again (or accidentally taking the shot after it refocuses to an area you didn't want).
The menu system: The new tab based menu system is much more intuitive & much better than scrolling through one big list. If you've ever seen the menus on some of the more recent Powershot mini point and shoots, it's like that (similar specifically to my knowledge to the SD630, as that is the one I own).
Battery management: I used this camera at the Redskins/Dolphins home game last week, and I have a routine of where and how much I take pictures, and how often the camera is on. My camera came in the day I had a photo shoot with a model later, so I put in a battery I had already charged to use with my 5D, and left the brand new battery to charge at home. So, I was using one of my old batteries, in other words. This was not a long photo shoot with this model, I shot maybe 50 pictures of the shoot with the 40D. I never changed the battery before the game & what was noticeable was that the indicator did not drop off of "full" until the end of the fourth quarter, right before they went into OT. Since I was shooting with a new 40D as opposed to my old 20D I was shooting more, also - probably 33% more than normal. And with the 20D, if the battery had just been charged and no other use, it would have been down from "full" by halftime, slightly beforehand. The camera is clearly managing the power consumption better. (NOTE: The one improvement that did not make the 40D, disappointingly, is a better battery indicator - it's still the same annoying little 3 bars, of which 2 always go away when it drops from full, so really a two bar indicator).
- The speed of scrolling through pictures: I know this has to be a result of the DIGIC III processor. It's absurdly better than the 20D or the 5D. If you scroll the knob real quick to zip through a bunch of pcitures, it's there in a second or less. The best way I can describe it is the difference in a computer that you'd been running 256MB RAM on & you just upped it to 1GB. It makes the "Jump" button seem almost unneccesary, however, I'm glad that it's still there!
- Picture Style Button: This is very convenient. I hated looking for that through the long menu.
- Flash management: I don't have the new 580EX II yet, but with the 580EX, it's still noticeable that when using the E-TTL automatic mode, it does a better job of managing the output, using a lower output at times when I know it would have overfired or drawn more power on the 20D, and the end result is you can get more good shots quicker. NOTE: I was using the external power pack also. But I'm making my assessment based on use of the power pack with the flash when using the old camera as well.
- Visible ISO on the display on top. And better, although still familiar, layout on the top display.
Assessment: In terms of specs, this camera is amazingly close to it's new big brother the 1D Mark III, more than past models have been. This is a big plus to those of us who don't have a fortune to spend on the top of the line Canon cameras. The image quality of this camera is not noticeably different than that in the 5D, although there is a slight difference when you look carefully. And of course it isn't full frame, which is a minus in certain applications, and a plus in others. The improvements between the 20D and the 30D were negligible, to say the least - it was clear Canon was just extending the lifecycle of the 20D, and the 30D should have been called the 20D Mark II. However, the 40D has many dramatic improvements over both of these previous models, and scrapes at the heels of the 5D in all of the areas where the 5D once had a clear advantage - let's hope for a 5D Mark II (or 7D, or whatever it will be called) soon. I've been reading rumors that it will be the 1st quarter of next year. I will admit that when this camera was first announced, and the Nikon D300 announcement came a few days later, Nikon caught my attention big time. But obviously, with all my investment in so much Canon equipment, it was a no-brainer to continue with Canon. Even to own both brands would be a considerable additional investment for that one body, as I have no Nikon lenses. At this point I will preach the gospel of "L." To truly appreciate how good Canon photography can be, you need to own at least one "L" lens (although it will become more than one once you do, LOL). I own the highest rated (and still somewhat "affordable") L lenses, the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer USM AF Telephoto Lens & Filters & 5 Year Warranty & Accessory Kit(both previously mentioned here), the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, which I haven't used on the 40D yet, as I prefer the idea of using it on the full frame 5D for the wider angles it provides. I haven't used the 100-400 on it yet just because I haven't had a chance or the right opportunity. They're all worth every penny, and I would note that the 135mm 2.0L might be the best lens, period. It's defintely my best one, although the 70-200 2.8L IS comes close.
Once again, the 40D is the best body for the money that Canon makes.
Sharp, Fast, Well-built Canon Mid-range DSLR [M. Voltaire]
There are numerous great, lengthy reviews so this one will only be a short summary:
Pros: - Excellent resolution - Good dynamic range - Virtually noise-free even at high ISO - Great long exposure capabilities - Nine point auto-focus system - Large 3.0" LCD - Built tough (slid from seat to floor and hit metal bar making loud noise yet still alive and kicking) - Dust reduction with integrated cleaning system - Excellent battery life, even greater with optional 2-batteries vertical grip
Cons: - Poor automatic white balance performance - Slow continuous "burst" rate, small buffer - No mass storage USB support
Other: Would have purchased the 50D with higher megapixel for greater enlargement capabilities but did not want to deal with just-released model issues, but otherwise a great camera.
Best Camera I've Owned Yet! [P. McGuire]
First off, I'm no camera pro - very amateur. I moved from my P&S to a DSLR this summer. My first DSLR was a Canon Rebel XT. While I was happy with the XT, it was too small for my hands. So I plunked down $$$ for this Canon EOS 40D with the 28-135mm IS lens. My review will compare the XT to the 40D (as that's all the DSLR experience I've had).
I did not purchase this Canon EOS 40D from Amazon - that is why I've had this Camera since late August.
First off, the 40D is the perfect size for my hands. The Rebel XT would leave my pinky hanging cramping my hands after a few shots. The Canon EOS 40D is perfect in terms of hand comfort. All my fingers fit on the grip making the camera feel very solid. The 40D's build quality feels a lot better than the XT.
I noticed that my Rebel XT's autofocus would search a lot over and over. This was extremely annoying especially while trying to take moving pictures. I can tell that the 40D's autofocus is a bit faster and quite a bit more accurate in those situations.
Be aware that the 40D weighs quite a bit more than the Rebel XT. I am still getting used to the weight. However, I am noticing that the heavier 40D is a lot easier to hold resulting in a clear shot than the Rebel XT (at least for me).
The viewfinder is quite a bit bigger than the Rebel XT. I also noticed that it has a "tint" look and takes some getting used to. The viewfinder is a bit brighter than the XT as well.
As far as the lens goes: I had a 28-105mm (nonIS) on my Rebel XT. The 28-135mm is awesome. It zooms further than I've ever needed it to. What I like the most is that it has a nice macro range (better than my 28-105mm lens). The autofocus is extremely fast. I'm sure the Image Stabilizer has saved many of my pictures...
At Large Fine picture sizes average around 4.5MB per shot. So be ready to have a large storage device handy nearby (I use my 500GB external drive).
All in all - I will and have recommended the Canon EOS 40D as a good DSLR for the photography enthusiasts such as myself. I will be keeping this camera for many years. After all, the camera doesn't produce pro shots - the photographer does.
Wow - what a difference. - excellent Camera [L. Otero]
I just got my camera yesterday and I already can see how much better it is. I have a Digital Rebel (Yes the first one that canon came out with) for it's time was a good camera. Now the 40D is so much better, the image quality is great, although I will test that over the weekend. Menus and options allow you for better control. What I did not like: - minor things like the print buttom, come on! who is going to print from the camera? if you don't know how to transfer the picture to a computer and print from there you should not even buy this camera. The other one is on 40D there is no wireless remote control, that I will miss from my Rebel. I don't understand why Canon took such nice feature out of the camera.
But still, this is a great camera and I am very happy with it.
Now I just need go buy more memory cards.
The 40D is a great camera [Ruth E. Lakelee]
I put a deposit on the 40D two days after it was announced and picked up my camera last week. I have the 5D and just sold my 30D after a few days with the new 40D. I'm a Sports Photographer for the most part, and the 3 FPS on the 5D just didn't feel adequate to me.
My first experience with the 40D taught me to use K5200 for white balance indoor, and to make sure I'm not overexposed on my shots. Outdoor shots are beautiful, as are properly exposed indoor shots. Overexposed shots indoors have a ulgy yellow cast to them, I had to learn the camera. I really love the menu system on the 40D, it's so much easier & quicker then what's on the my 5D, it felt comfortable right away. The AF-ON button for tracking action shots is wonderful, and worth the money for the camera by itself.
The image quality on the 40D is excellent, IMHO better then the 30D which is why I sold mine right away.I wanted a better camera for fast action that had picture quality like the 5D. The 40D is pretty close, nothing quite equals the 5D images ( I don't have the Mark 111 ). As far as comparing it to Nikon's D300 coming out, I just sold all my Nikon gear to switch to Canon low noise images. Now Nikon addresses the noise issue by coming out with the D300, for me it's too late. I have excellent Canon L lens and two great cameras, I'm satisfied.
Wow factor [Mr. Paul Walsh]
I bought a Canon 20D just over 2 years ago and thought it was a brilliant camera. I've never had problems. I saw the 5D come out and didn't see a need to "upgrade" to it. But the new 40D is just something else. I have it about 5 days now and I'm like a child at Christmas.
There is just so much to praise about this camera - large LCD screen which is very clear, faster focusing, especially when using centre focus point, larger burst rate - ok, this has now caused me no end of problems, like firing off a burst of 20 images when I really only needed 3, and filling my memory card in no time.
This camera is well worth it's price. It's a brilliant step between the 400D and the 1D. I don't have the need (nor money) for the 1D Mk III. This new 40D is just what I need.
My first day of shooting with it was at a horse racing event. I was between two other photographers - one using a 30D and the other using a 1D. I felt like mine was capturing just what I wanted and in brilliant clarity. Ok, not the same fps as the 1D, but my friend with his 30D kept looking at me and laughing - it was because he would get 2-3 shots and I was taking about 20.
For anyone thinking of this camera - try it out. You will not fail to be impressed.
Detailed Review of the 40D - I Love My Canon 40D!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Jodi-Ann Richards]
I have divided this review into two sections. The first is a brief summary of how I feel about the camera. The second is a detailed comparison of the 30D and 40D based on my experiences with both cameras. After reading this section you will see why I gave this camera a 5 star rating. I loved my 30D but the 40D simply blows it away.
Update: 1/6/2008 I have added a third section to discuss general guidelines for determining if this is the right camera for you.
Update: 2/2/2008 In this section I discuss my thoughts about how the new Canon Rebel XSi might impact your buy/upgrade decision.
SUMMARY: In less than a couple of months I have gone from a S3 to a S5 to a 30D and I just got my 40D earlier on today. Wow! What a fantastic camera! The pictures that this camera takes are just amazing. I thought it could not get any better than the 30D but Canon has really taken it a notch or two up with the 40D. I want anyone considering buying this camera to know to get it right away. Trust me. It is worth every penny.
DETAILED REVIEW OF THE CANON EOS 40D: -The Outside The first thing that stood out is the larger, 3 inch, LCD screen. This makes reading the menus and changing settings a lot easier. Canon did not stop there. When I used the 30D I really wished reading the LCD screen was a lot easier when I was shooting outdoors in bright sunlight. When I did a shot I would sometimes have to quickly find a shaded area to view the screen. I am happy to say that Canon did address this issue as well. It is now a lot easier to read the screen in bright sunlight.
There are 2 new buttons on the outside that you can use to quickly access settings rather than wasting time going through the menu. - Info This allows you to quickly review your shooting information for an image - ISO speed, Picture Style and Metering Mode etc. There are two things that I really like here:
1. Highlight Alerts When this feature is enabled, if there any overexposed areas in the image they will blink when the shooting information is displayed.
2. AF Point Display When this feature is enabled, you will see the AF point(s) that achieved focus displayed in red.
There is another use of the Info button that I really like. It can be used to set the shooting information right there on the LCD screen. I prefer this option of setting shooting information as the names of the various icons are also displayed along with the icons. I remember when I just started using my 30D that I would sometimes forget which icon was for Tungsten Light vs. White Fluorescent Light when I was setting the White Balance using the control panel. Now the name of each icon is clearly displayed as I scroll through them on the LCD screen.
- Picture Style I really love this feature. There are times when I make a standard shot and then need to make a landscape shot. Then I would need to switch back to a standard shot. I can now do this really quickly without having to wade through the menu.
There is a new Auto Focus (AF-ON) button. Assuming that you hold the camera in a conventional way, this new button will be just below your thumb. It allows you to auto focus independently of pressing the shutter button. I found this feature really useful when making continuous shots of a trainer riding on the belly of Lolita the killer whale at Miami Seaquarium. I was able to maintain continuous focus right throughout the shots.
There are 3 new positions on the mode dial - C1, C2 and C3. You can register most of the current camera settings under them. Believe it or not but this includes not just the current shooting mode but even the menus and custom function settings. I cannot express enough what a time saver these new positions are to me. I find that I have to do different types of shots frequently so with my 30D I had to really change settings frequently. I can now save 3 of the settings that I use most often and have instant access to them. I also like the fact that I still have the option of making changes even after selecting one of these positions. For example, if my C1 was saved with an ISO speed of 400 I am not restricted to that ISO when I select C1. If I find that I only need an ISO speed of 320 I can make that change just as normal.
One feature that has been removed is the ability to use the Delete button to delete all images. I really liked this feature as there were times I wanted to delete all the images and it was more convenient to use the Delete button rather than having to go through the menu. However, I think it might have been removed because it was rather easy for someone to inadvertently erase all the images when they really wanted to erase the currently selected image.
- Start Up and Power Off When you turn the camera on or off you can't help noticing the "Sensor Cleaning" message. This was one feature that I really eagerly anticipated. Buying a camera at this price plus quality lens represents a substantial investment. It is really reassuring to know that the camera has dust reduction built into it. What I like further is the fact that if I need to do a quick shot at start up, as soon as I press the shutter button half way to focus, the self cleaning operation is suspended. I also have the ability to turn this option off for start up and power off and run it manually whenever I feel like. I also have the added comfort of knowing that if the self cleaning sensor unit does not get rid of all the dust, I can always append the Dust Delete Data to images and then use Digital Photo Professional (one of the provided software) to remove the dust spots. At first I was a little concerned about the impact on file sizes as a result of appending the dust delete data. It is important to understand that once the dust delete data is obtained it is attached to every image that is captured after that so I was really concerned about the impact of increased file sizes. However, it turns out that this data is so small that its impact on file sizes is really negligible.
- Shooting When I first put my eye to the optical viewfinder I could immediately see the benefit of Canon increasing the magnification from 0.90x to 0.95x - images are much clearer and brighter and of course, it is also easier to read the various settings. Another welcome change is the displaying of ISO right there in the viewfinder. I really love this. I never liked having to move from the viewfinder to the control panel just to see what the ISO was. Another small change in the viewfinder is the displaying of a warning (B/W icon) when you are shooting in black and white.
This camera focuses really fast and accurately. At the Miami Seaquarium I had to do several quick shots of dolphins doing jumps. The problem here is that you never quite know from which direction they will be starting. Despite this I never missed a shot. The 40D has the same nine focus points as the 30D. The increase in speed and accuracy is as a result of the points on the 40D being cross-type. This means that they are sensitive to both horizontal and vertical detail when shooting with lenses of F5.6 or faster. In addition, if you are using a lens of F2.8 or faster the center point is twice as sensitive as any other point.
If you want to increase the focusing speed and accuracy even more you can take advantage of the two optional interchangeable focusing screens for the 40D - the Precision Matte with Grid (Ef-D) and Super Precision Matte (Ef-S). The first optional screen is pretty much the standard included screen, with a grid that makes it easier to align vertical or horizontal lines when you are composing the image. The second screen is optimized for f/2.8 and faster lenses and makes it easier to focus manually with these lenses. However, if you are using a lens that is not f/2.8 or faster the viewfinder will look darker than with the standard screen.
Something that really stood out with the very first shot from this camera was the shorter blackout time and the quieter, more professional, shutter release sound. The 30D used a spring to lift the mirror while the 40D uses a motor in both directions which means that the mirror mechanism is both quicker and quieter.
At first I did not think much of the increase from 5 to 6.5fps for continuous shooting. However, when you couple this with the fact that the buffer can now hold twice the images that the 30D did you get some amazing results when doing continuous shooting. I have several action shots from the Miami Seaquarium with trainers riding dolphins and the killer whale and with the dolphins and whale pushing up trainers in the air. Trust me - they are awesome. It is fantastic that a non-professional can find a reasonable priced camera that takes such awesome action shots.
I am really happy that Canon decided to add Live View Mode shooting. I really liked that mode on the S5 point-and-shoot camera. I never used the optical viewfinder on that camera. I definitely will use the viewfinder most of the times on my 40D but I know there will be situations where it is more convenient to use Live View. Also, sometimes I just don't feel like putting my eye to the viewfinder. Well, I thoroughly tested Live View Mode shooting and, no surprise here, it works just as well as it did on my S5. You can even use auto focus while in Live View Mode. The new AF-ON button can be used for this. You can set just about every shooting function, such as ISO speed and drive mode, while in live view mode. The only thing you cannot change is the metering mode. There are two silent (quiet) modes to go along with Live View. Pay attention to the high temperature warning when shooting in this mode.
I have to mention sRaw here. I stayed away from shooting RAW with my 30D because of the file sizes. However, I am now using the new sRAW (small RAW) format and I really like it. A sRAW file is about a quarter the size of a regular RAW file. After applying all the usual post-processing RAW adjustments the resulting image is smaller in size than a regular image. However, this is not a problem for me for the images that I do decide to shoot in sRAW.
There are times when I want to take a shot in dim household light and I don't want to use the flash because I want to capture the moment just the way it was. Of course, there are other situations where you are not allowed to use a flash so this issue is also applicable there. The first thing to do is increase the ISO speed. However, in addition you also need to manually set the color temperature for the white balance. The problem with the 30D, however, was that it only allowed a range starting at 2,800K. With this minimum setting you could capture the moment without using the flash but the image would have an annoying orange look. The 40D allows you to set a minimum color temperature of 2,500K. With this new minimum the orange look is gone completely.
One of the things that I really disliked about my 30D was that it would instantly power down if I somehow opened the card door while it was still recording images. I am happy to report that Canon has now fixed this problem. Rather than powering down, the 40D displays a warning message that the CF door is opened on the LCD screen. More importantly, it continues to write the images to the CF card without any interruption.
- Ergonomics This camera feels just right. All the buttons are in the right place. It is not too heavy. It is amazing that despite all the new features Canon has added, the overall dimensions and weight of the camera have not changed significantly.
- Transferring Images to a PC I must say that this seems to be a lot quicker than with the 30D. With the 30D it took a while for the transfer utility to launch after I had connected the camera to my PC. However, this part of the process is a lot quicker with the 40D and the actual transfer process itself seems to be somewhat quicker as well.
- Custom Functions The new custom function, Highlight Tone Priority, can provide better highlights. However, depending on the ISO speed you are using you might notice more noise than usual in the shadow areas. There is definitely a trade-off involved and Canon has correctly chosen to disable this function by default. So far I have only done shots up to ISO speeds of 800. I did not notice any noise in the shots that I took with this option enabled but I suspect that it will show up at very high ISO speeds.
I absolutely love the new My Menu tab. It allows for the registering of up to 6 menus and custom functions that you find that you have to change often. This is another huge time saver even though you have to use the menu. Some of the items that I have to change frequently are the Image Quality, Review Time, White Balance, Auto Play and Live View Function Settings. I now store all of these under the My Menu tab. In addition I have also set this tab to be my default tab so it is shown first whenever the menu is displayed. Something else that I did to save even more time was to sort the items registered under this tab so I can quickly locate them.
- Tabbed Menu System The 30D had one long scrolling menu system. The menu was divided into categories with a different color for each category. You could jump from one category to the next. In contrast, the 40D has a tabbed menu system so it is much easier to get to an item when you do need to use the menu. The tabs and their colors generally correspond to the existing categories from the 30D. The shooting and image playback categories each has two tabs. The set-up category actually has three tabs. The custom function category has one tab. The My Menu tab, discussed earlier on, does not have a corresponding category from the 30D. Having multiple tabs for most categories further allow you to save time when searching for an item in a category.
- Weatherproof Battery and Storage Compartment Doors Once the battery and storage compartment doors are closed, dust and water won't be able to get into the respective compartments. This is a welcome improvement. I wish the entire body was weatherproof but I understand that that would have bumped the price up further.
- Direct Printing I do direct printing using a Canon Selphy Photo Printer. One of the less talked about new feature of the Canon 40D is the ability to trim (crop) an image right there in play back mode when doing direct printing. This is a really convenient feature but it does not end there. When you set the crop rectangle you can also tilt it by +10 or -10 degrees in 0.5 degrees increments. This allows you to correct a slightly tilted image before direct print.
- External Flash Management The built-in flash on both the 30D and 40D are good walk-around performers just like the 28-135mm kit lens. However, there are situations where I definitely need a high performance flash so I bought the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash to go with my 30D. I could not have been happier with this flash. The only small disappointment that I had was the fact that I could not configure the flash from my 30D. Canon has resolved this issue on the 40D so now I can configure my external flash right there from my camera. Please note that this in-camera configuration of the external flash currently only works with the 580EX II Flash.
- Metering The metering mode is the way in which the camera determines the correct exposure. The four metering modes from the 30D were carried over to the 40D with one significant change. The modes are as follows: -- Evaluative The camera measures the light intensity in several points in the scene. The results are then combined to find the settings for the best exposure. This is the default mode on both the 30D and 40D. -- Partial In this case the light intensity is taken from an area that represents about 9% of the viewfinder area at the center. I use this when backlighting causes the background to be much brighter than the subject. If evaluative mode was used in this scenario the camera would be fooled by the intensity of the light in the background and the subject would be underexposed. This is remains unchanged from the 30D. -- Spot The light intensity is taken from an area that represents about 3.8% of the viewfinder area at the center. This has increased from 3.5% on the 30D. I use this when I want the metering to be based on a specific part of a subject or scene such as a face, the eyes or a smile. -- Center-weighted Average With this metering mode, the light intensity is weighted at the center and then sort of "feathered" out towards the edges. I use this when there are many subjects in the central part of the viewfinder but there are small areas that vary greatly in brightness at the edges of the viewfinder. This is the same on both the 30D and 40D.
- Image Quality At the end of the day I am really interested in the quality of the images that my camera produces. The people viewing my images are really not concerned about the fact that my camera has dust reduction and all the other high tech features. What they are interested in is the final result that they see.
I know some people equate more mega pixels with better quality images. However, simply adding more pixels without modifying the sensor to handle the increase properly only degrades noise performance. This time around Canon not only increased the megapixel but also improved the sensor design. These changes, along with the DIGIC III image processor and a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter instead of the 12-bit in the 30D have definitely improved image quality. This was obvious from the very first shot I took with the 40D. However, that was in a well lit area. At the Miami Seaquarium I had to shoot at various ISO levels due to the unstable weather at this time of year. I did shots up to ISO 800 and there was absolutely no noise. Canon must be commended for this. Other companies got caught up in the megapixel war and lost sight of the goal of producing quality images. Something else relating to ISO that I really love is the fact that I can now use auto ISO in the creative modes. I considered it a waste of time having to set this on my 30D.
UPDATE: IS THIS THE RIGHT CAMERA FOR YOU? (1/6/2008) This section is really for first time buyers. If you already own a DSLR I am assuming that you know enough to use the specifications of the 40D along with reviews here on Amazon to make your decision.
After reading my glowing review of the 40D you might think that I would recommend this camera for everyone - absolutely not. The right camera for you depends on three main factors: - Your Functional Requirements for the Camera You need to identify the main requirements for the camera. For example, if you will be primarily shooting sports then obviously a camera that only shoots 3fps will generally not be a very good candidate unless you are shooting something like child soccer games. If you intend to shoot more fast paced sports then you will probably want at least 5 fps. If you are more into wildlife photography and will be shooting very fast moving animals in low light then ideally you will need a camera with very good high ISO performance and probably something like 10 fps.
Another important consideration is the maximum print size that you expect for your photos. Here is a summary of the maximum print sizes for different megapixels (resolution): 6 megapixels 8" * 10" 8 megapixels 11" * 14" 10 megapixels 13" * 19"
As you can see if your maximum print size is 8" * 10" then you are covered with even a 6 megapixels camera.
Once you have identified the primary use of the camera you can go look at the specifications of the main cameras on the market. Don't get caught up in the Canon vs. Nikon debate. Both companies produce great camera and lenses. Make sure you take the time to first read the specs and then the reviews about each camera. If you come across terms that you don't understand don't be afraid to ask your question right here on Amazon.
Lets apply what we have learn here so far. Assume that you are just interested in shooting pictures of your family and you have decided that 8" * 10" prints are the maximum that you are concerned about. Based on just functional requirements I would NOT recommend the 40D for you. I would recommend something like the Nikon D40 with 6.1 megapixels for a cost of just $470 which even includes the 18-55mm kit lens. You can even shoot 2.5 fps so you could use it to shoot the kids soccer games. The next two cameras on your list would be the Nikon D40x and the Canon Rebel XTi. Both cameras are 10 megapixels and allow you to shoot 3 fps.
- Your Budget After you have identified the ideal camera(s) based on functional requirements you have to take your budget into consideration. For example, based on functional requirements you might decide that the ideal camera would be a ID Mark III. However, if you don't have the $4K+ to buy it you might have to settle for the 40D which is its smaller sibling. You might even decide to go for the Nikon D300 instead. On the other hand, you might have a very generous budget and can afford to buy a more advance camera than just what is needed based on your functional requirements. Based on function requirements you might only need a Nikon D40 but can afford to spend $2000. In that case I would definitely recommend the Canon 40D or the Nikon D300.
- Your Personal Preferences You have to live with your camera. When you pick it up it should feel comfortable and inspire confidence. Before you buy any camera make sure you go to a store and actually try the camera so you see how it feels. This is totally up to you. What is comfortable and inspiring for one person might not work for another person.
As you can see the right camera for you really depend on things that only you can really decide. One of the main questions people ask me is about the Nikon D300. I do not own one so I cannot offer a review here but I have read the reviews here on Amazon and they are all very good. You can use the guidelines above to decide if that is a better camera for you. It offers a lot more features but is also more expensive. Do you need these additional features and can you afford the difference in price? Don't forget that you will need quality lens to get the most out of these expensive cameras. How do you feel about the difference in image quality and high ISO performance between Canon and Nikon? Is this even a concern for you as there are people on both sides that swear that the other one is better? Once again, only you can really answer these questions.
Here is my personal account of how I ended up going with Canon and the 40D. I wanted a camera that could shoot fast paced action, portraits and weddings. The wedding requirement meant that I needed a camera that had very good high ISO performance since I would need to make many low light romantic shots without using the flash. There is nothing to spoil a romantic picture like using the flash. I started out looking at the Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi. I hated the small size of the Rebel XTi. It just never felt good in my hands. I really preferred the Nikon D80. It even had more features such as spot metering that is important in wedding photography. However, when I tested the ISO performance of both cameras it was clear to me that the Canon definitely had superior performance when it came to high ISO. This does not mean that the Nikon was bad - just that the Canon was noticeably better. The official reviews by a prominent testing site had the same conclusions. I also felt that the Rebel XTi had better image quality than the D80, something else that was also confirmed on the testing site.
At this point I decided to look at the Canon 30D and the Nikon D200. The D200 cost more but it also offered more features. Both cameras were large enough where I would be comfortable with either one. I went to the closest camera store and tried out the 30D. They did not carry the D200 so I was not able to test it. I was really impressed with 30D but it had a problem since it was only 8 megapixels and I might need to blow up wedding pictures to 13" * 19". I went to a prominent site to see the official tests on both cameras. I was really surprised to find that when it came to image quality and high ISO performance the Canon once again received better scores even though the Nikon had more features. However, since I needed the 10 megapixels I decided to go with the D200. Hey, life is always about some trade-off and I have no problem with a Nikon or a Canon. I almost ordered the D200 when I found out that Canon would be releasing the 40D in a few months so I instead decided to go with the 30D and then upgrade to the 40D when it came out.
After four months of using the 40D I have no regrets. I believe it represents the best combination of features and price. However, this is based on my personal functional requirements, budget and preferences. You need to identify your requirements, see which camera fits into your budget and then make sure that you are comfortable with the camera. That is the best camera for you. What is best for me might not be the best for you. Just don't let the fanatics mislead you - both Canon and Nikon produce great camera and lenses. Pick one and stick with it. Once you have invested heavily in equipment for one there is no reason to be switching to the other. These two companies will always be trying to outdo each other which mean better products for us.
3/6/2008: If you are new to DSLRs and would like to get up to speed quickly with the most important concepts you can check out my Website at tajdigistudios for some notes. You will see a menu item titled Photographic Notes. They were added in response to several questions from Jennie. You can also see some of the photos I have taken with the 40D under the Portfolio menu item. The galleries display photos I purchased from iStockPhoto. Over time I will expand the notes to include photos to better demonstrate the concepts. The site is a DotNetNuke application so it is a bit slow when you first launch the application but it should be okay after that. 8/7/2008: I have started putting the photography notes into a free course at this website, tajdslrcourse.
UPDATE: THE IMPACT OF THE NEW CANON REBEL XSi (2/2/2008) The replacement for the current Rebel XTi, the Rebel XSi, is scheduled for release on 4/15/2008. If you are in the market for a serious entry level DSLR I strongly recommend that you take a look at this camera. Here is a list of the key new features: - Larger Viewfinder - 12.2 Megapixel CMOS Sensor up from 10 Megapixel - 3.0" LCD Monitor - Live view Mode including Contrast-detect AF - Spot Metering - Improved 9-point AF System - Redesigned Menu System (including My Menu as seen in the 40D) - Highlight Tone Priority (as seen in the 40D) - Continuous Shooting at 3.5fps up from 3.0fps - 14 bit A/D converter and processing - ISO setting displays in viewfinder and ISO button - Multi-shot Self-timer Mode - Auto Lighting Optimiser (boosts shadows after shooting) - Kit lens: Image stabilized version of Canon's 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens
It is slightly larger than the camera it replaces. At just $800 for the body and $900 for the kit this is definitely worth serious consideration depending on your requirements, budget and preferences. To be honest with you I think current 40D owners might be a little jealous of the features on this "baby" Canon DSLR. In my opinion the competition from Nikon has forced Canon to add more features than it would normally have done. Competition is certainly great for consumers in a free-market. I cannot wait to see what the 5D replacement will be like. I have been waiting on that camera since I plan to use it as my main camera and my 40D as a backup.
PURPOSE OF REVIEWS: My understanding was that the purpose of these reviews was for owners to share their experience with the product being reviewed. At the time of updating my review it is really disappointing to see that of 13 reviews, there are actually 5 which are from people who have not purchased the product and are simply rehashing the specs and/or engaging in useless debates about Nikon vs. Canon. This makes it difficult for potential buyers to quickly determine if existing owners are happy with the product and if not, why. I purchased a lot of items from Amazon, mostly books, and I find that I cannot simply rely on the overall ratings anymore. I have to wade through numerous negative reviews from people who do not even own the items. Another problem is the people who buy something that clearly could not satisfy their requirements in the first place. For example, I once saw a review of a book where the reviewer criticized the book for being a beginner's book. The problem, however, is that the book clearly stated that it was for beginners. The title of the book "Teach Yourself ... in 24 hours" should have been enough for anyone to know that this book was intended for beginners. Why would someone buy it then and then criticize for being such?
I think Amazon need to come up with a way of restricting reviews to people who have actually purchased the item in question from them. This would truly make the reviews more meaningful. In the meantime potential buyers need to carefully evaluate negative reviews. I am not suggesting that all reviews must be 5 stars like the one I gave the 40D. However, I really would like to see the reviews based on the experiences of actual owners. For example, has image quality increased or decreased with the increase in mega pixels and what is the impact when using higher ISO?
Just got this camera - It's Great! [The Smart Teenager]
I just unboxed this camera a few hours ago. I've just gotten into SLR Photography, upgrading from a Canon Digital Elph point-and-shoot. Let me just say: if you are an upgrader, you can't go wrong with getting the Canon EOS 40D.
First Impressions: -The Screen Size is AWESOME. It's really big. The only issue is that, when using the viewfinder, my face was hitting the screen. I decided to place a screen protector I had on it.
-Focusing is fast and accurate - I tested this in a relatively low light situation. I was very impressed in random shots and complicated shots where the focus wasn't evident the steps the camera took to pick an appropriate autofocus.
-Flash is powerful
-The lens included in this kit is wonderful for the many of the reasons listed above - Fast AF and IS (Image Stabilizing).
-The camera is very nice to hold. I was considering the Canon Rebel Xti as well, and the EOS 40D is definitely much more comfortable to hold. The bigger size, I think, is worth it.
-The viewfinder is nice, and gives you all the details you could want regarding your picture.
-The flash is powerful but won't 'overblow' - close flash shots of people's faces look good.
-I love the control scheme - much more intuitive than many of the point-and-shoots that I have used. The dial wheel is an awesome way to go through your images, and the "joystick" allows you to explore zoomed in images very intuitively.
Overall, I feel I have made a great choice in investing in this camera as I learn more about photography. Luckily, the camera is easy enough to use that one can use it as a very large point-and-shoot, giving me the freedom to take great shots while learning about the more complex details.
Great camera, versatile lens. [Charles Stanton King]
The Canon 40d a pretty serious camera for anyone who wants an advanced piece of equipment at a reasonable price. If you are upgrading from the Minolta/Sony/Pentax class of dSLR to the 40d you are taking quantum leap in noise reduction technology, color reproduction, and auto-focus precision among a large list of other features.
I won't mention too much about the 6.5 frames per second shooting other than it is exhilarating hearing the shutter click that fast for the first time. The live view feature is perfect for working with a tripod and macro shooting where manual focus is important. The ability to have live view displayed on your computer with full camera controls is handy when you need to reduce vibrations. Focus is fast, and almost always accurate in ideal conditions, very quick even when searching for focus. Menus are easily navigable with the wheel and joystick controls.
Overall image quality excellent. All your photos can easily turn out great after spending some time behind the view finder of the 40d.
The 28-135 EF IS USM kit lens is a pretty good deal, especially for photographers investing in a Canon camera for the first time. The money you save by buying the lens with the body is a very substantial amount at the time of this writing. The first notable feature about this lens is that it is image stabilized. The picture quality seems better than a stabilized sensor, but it won't keep my images blur free for as long. 28mm is a little wide with the 1.6 crop factor, ok for inside photography in large rooms, the 135mm on the high end isn't bad either, good for zooming in on faces for portraits or to bring the wildlife a little bit closer. Its minimum focus distance of 1.6 feet allows for some close-up macro photography when fully zoomed. This is also an EF lens, this means that if you ever upgrade to a full frame dSLR the lens will still work. It's not an `L' series lens, but if you're upgrading from lesser optics, it really is quite a luxury.
Canon 40D -- What I like... What I don't like [A. Parcher]
I was a long time owner of the Canon 10D which I quickly outgrew. Then, I upgraded to the 20D and have been using it for the past few years. I didn't think the 30D was a big enough step forward to warrant the upgrade. Going from the 20D to the 40D is a big leap forward.
Unboxing the 40D is about the same as the other two DSLRs I've owned. Manuals in both spanish and english, plus software for MAC and PC. I got the "body only" package as I already own the 28-135mm lens. That lens is just **ok.** and I really didn't want a 2nd copy. The battery is the bp511A so I can use the already charged one from my 20D. The strap is the same as the 20D. The compact flash memory is the same as well, so I didn't need to buy any new accessories to upgrade.
The first thing you will notice is the big display on the back. It's very nice compared to the one on the 20D. Although, I'm constantly afraid that my titanium rimmed glasses will scratch the screen. The screen is so much closer to the viewfinder compared to the little one on my 20D. I think I'll look for a clear film cover that will shield it.
The controls are very similar to the 20D/30D. However, they are moved around a bit. The menu structure is very different and it will take some getting used to. The first thing I thought of was my old 10D... and how simple it was just due to the sheer lack of features. The 40D has so many that it would be tough for a beginner to get used to them all. It might be good for beginners who are a bit techno challenged to buy a cheaper, used DSLR to get used to using a simple model... then sell it and upgrade.
The camera feels so much more solid than my 20D. The little motor that pops up the flash sounds really solid compared to the old 20D. Even the shutter sounds terrific. Very quick and quiet. The old 10D had a nice shutter sound as well. the 20D always sounded like thrashing metal to me. To contrast, the Nikon DSLRs have a slow sounding swish to them... this one is tight and quick. The camera feels about the same in my hand. Although the lines are smoothed out a bit compared to the 20D.
I tried out the live preview feature and found it annoying since I'm used to looking through the viewfinder. I think I would like it much more if this was my first DSLR as a conversion from a point and shoot where you typically only use a "live view." The LCD is viewable at a strong angle so the live view may be usable for when the camera must be held at odd angles away from the body... like over a stream or something. This camera is heavier than a point-and-shoot and you need your face to help you hold it steady. I found myself a bit wobbly when I was holding it out using the live-view feature. You'll need a high shutter speed to keep from getting shaky looking pictures.
So, what about picture quality?? It's a 10mp camera so the pictures are big. I have a workhorse MacPro tower and it has no problem working on the 10-12MB pictures that this camera produces (.jpg processing for now). I'm happy to say that the focus is spot on in all of my sample pictures from 4 different lenses (17-40 f/4L, 28-135 IS zoom, 50mm f/1.4, 100mm macro). The DPP software can be used to edit raw files if you choose to use it. It works pretty well and it was very speedy on my MacPro. You also get direct access to picture styles from within the computer software so you don't have to worry about setting it in camera. The pictures look very nice. The colors are very accurate. at iso100 the pictures are so nice and smooth. My 50 and 100mm lenses make the most buttery out of focus areas on this camera.
******ALERT****** as of this writing(9-2-2007), Aperture, Finder, Preview, Photoshop CS3 (ACR4.1), and iPhoto do not support raw image files from the 40D. This was the case with the 10D when I first purchased it and it took a few months for APPLE and Adobe to deliver updates. I'm sure Canon are working hard with vendors to get their updates in the works. The good news is that there are settings for RAW+.jpg so you can have both files when the software updates come through. If you don't like being on the "bleeding" edge of technology, then wait a few months before you plunk down the cash for the 40D.
***** ALERT UPDATE ***** As of 9-13-07, Adobe has released Camera Raw updated 4.2 which now supports the Canon 40D. As of 10-26-07, Apple's Aperture and Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) support Canon 40D raw files.
Picture styles are easily accessed from a dedicated button on the camera. They allow you to make quick sets for defining different picture taking scenarios. It basically does some basic post-processing work in-camera to save time later. It worked really well. I found that pictures even up at 1600iso looked usable for every day stuff (e.g. not blown up too big.). ISO can be set in 1/3 stop increments which is new for me. having iso250 just seems weird but it's actually very handy. Gives you the ability to really tweak the settings to capture as much detail as possible in a high dynamic range image (like a sunset, or a backlit portrait without fill flash). I haven't taken side-by-side shots yet but it seems like the images are more detailed with a wider dynamic range than the 20D. Maybe this is the 14bit image processing from DigicIII at work?
The camera seems more responsive than the 20D. The menu scrolling seems faster, file writing seems about as fast (probably a faster rate but bigger file).
One of the neatest features is the custom C1, C2, and C3 dial positions. You can set these up to "remember" camera settings for quick access later on. They act like the memory buttons on luxury car seats! Very handy if you take really different kinds of shots. I go back and forth from Macro to Landscape all the time so I can quickly dial in my base set and go from there.
The vibration dust remover might be a cool feature. I can't feel the camera vibrate or hear it working, which is nice. Apparently it vibrates for 1 second whenever the camera is turned on or off. I changed this setting so that it's only triggered manually by me. I figured I could just use it when I need it rather than have it going all the time. .
Another of my favorite features is the spot meter. The 10D and 20D never had this feature. Apparently the 30D does, but this one is slightly higher weight at the center point. I tried it out and it works really well in combination with the AF point selectors.
So what do I hate about the 40D? I really hate the Auto White Balance setting for indoor shots. You want to be sure to set the camera manually when you are taking the 50millionth picture of your dog. Otherwise it'll be all yellow looking. Canon, can you fix that please?? If you set it manually it looks great.
SInce I like to do available light photography I like to use mirror lock-up. I wish there was a button for that as do many other people. Canon finally has the iso setting in the viewfinder so we'll give Canon props for that. My last gripe is that the display screen could have a bit higher resolution. It's nice and big but could have a denser pixel set for really checking out your work.
Overall I'm sure anyone would be happy with this camera if you are willing to spend the time to learn how to use it. If you are a beginner, don't expect to take magazine quality shots on day 1. Wait at least till day 2 :-)
I must say that Nikon did come out swinging this time. The newly announced D300 is quite the camera. It will be interesting to compare the Sony CMOS pics to those produced by Canon. Had I not had a bunch of Canon gear already I might have given up the extra dough for the Nikon. Nikon (Sony) blues and reds always seem too punchy to me but that's just my personal taste. My good friend has a Nikon D200 and his pictures are just beautiful out of that camera. The Nikon D300 has some wiz-bang features but I'm not sure I would take advantage of them... nor do I think they will directly result in better pictures. Spend the $500 bucks you'll save on a photography class and you'll have more fun, meet more people, and be taking better pictures at 3 months than if you start with a really fancy camera that you can't figure out how to use.
I'm hoping Canon has been spending some time re-inventing as Nikon have over the last couple of years. The good news is that all of these cameras take good pictures; however, you have to know how to use them. When I pick up my friends Nikon is seems all foreign to me and I feel out of my element. He makes the same comments when he uses my Canon.
Check out lenses, too [D. LaVan]
I have bought many Nikon cameras, and am in the process of switching over to Canon. Some of the Nikon digital bodies do compete with the Canon digital bodies, but Nikon seems to have given up on making good lenses.
Try to find a F1.4 or F1.2 in any focal length made by Nikon these days... The really nice 28mm f/1.4 AF Lens Nikon discontinued is selling for about three grand (used!) since they are hard to come by.
Fine camera, not the right lens choice for most. [Hiram Grant]
[I'm not going to review this kit here, as I have an early hands-on review posted for body only. This concerns this kit lens].
Unfortunately, Canon has decided to include the 28-135 initially as the only kit lens. While not a bad performer, this older, made for 35mm design, is not a good match for the high performance 40D.
The 1.6 crop factor of the 40D makes the 28mm unacceptable to most for a wide angle solution. Thus, you'll probably have to drop down additional money in the future for a wider-angle lens. Although it costs more, the 17-85 IS is a very good solution that will give the majority of shooters all the wide angle they will need. Yes, it falls short of the 135mm range, but that length, too, is probably not enough range at the top; therefore, you'd have to expect to buy 2 additional lenses.
The one attractive feature of the 28-135 is the price. Canon's definately taking a hit, trying to reduce their supply of this lens. But by the time you read this, you might be able to get the just as afforable, new for digital, EF-S 18-55 IS. This will help at the wide side, allowing you to put your additional money in the telephoto.
Of course, if money is no object, look at the 17-55 f2.8 IS, or one of the many "L" series.
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras
Hands-on first impressions... [Hiram Grant]
Canon's new cameras at this level are often criticized as "merely an upgrade". This stems from two facts, Canon wishes to produce a desirable camera at a reasonable price, and they are starting from a pretty solid base. Yet if you look deeper, the 40D is the most significant upgrade in the 10D, 20D, 30D line. Of course, most things are much like the previous cameras. As far as size and weight, it's very similar, although I thought the grip improvements made the camera fit a little better in my hands. (I did not have an optional grip to try on the camera).
Most of the hype will be on the upgrade to 10 megapixels and the 3" LCD with "Live View". While the former may be criticized as merely catching up to the XTi and competition, we must not overlook the 14-bit processing. This is a huge boost in image capability if used properly. Those that shoot RAW, and those that understand the desirability of the "Hightone Priority", will gain the most benefit. The LCD upgrade is handy, especially combined with its greater color range, but "Live View" without autofocusing my not be that beneficial to most. However, something very interesting for some is "PC Live", which allows the user to connect to a computer, view the image live on that computer, and operate the camera (including focus) remotely from the computer.
While the AF improvements usually get second billing, this may actually be the biggest benefit to sports photographers (although the boost to 6.5 fps is welcome). The 30D only used a cross-basis system at the center point, where the 40D uses this system at all nine positions. This should greatly improve the off center speed and accuracy. Additionally, the center point (the most often used) has been boosted in performance.
The viewfinder has been increased in magnification, which should be welcomed to all. But people who must use eyeglasses should be amazed at the viewfinder being both larger and better eye relief (meaning they will be able to see the viewfinder better, even though their eyeglasses push their eye further back).
Durability has been improved (including extending the internal metal chassis inside the grip) making a good design even better. The sensor cleaning filter is also welcome.
Images look sharp, but I haven't really put the continuous AF (Servo) to a real sports challenge (just cars down a city street). Additionally, I don't have any real feedback on high ISO shooting, although Canon has traditionally done well here.
Comparisons to the competition are everywhere. Image quality wise, the 14-bit processing and hightone control can come in handy for more critical users vs. all other 10 megapixel cameras that are cheaper. For sports guys, the 6.5fps comes cheap, as $1,000 will only get you 3fps. Only the Pentax K10D comes close in build quality, under $1 grand.
As of this writing, Nikon has introduced, but is not close to shipping, the D300. On paper, it's all of the 40D and more (12 megapixel, higher quality LCD, more AF points), but at a price rumored to be $1,800-$2,000, body only. Additionally, Sony will soon have a higher end product. Will they have enough more to justify the price? Your call.
hobbyist moving to Canon 40D [A. King-jones]
Wow, what a difference. I have been using the Canon 540 point & shoot and decided to break the bank and go for this one. I am so pleased I did. I would love to sell some of my work someday and with this camera I feel that day is becoming a reality. Go for it! I can't believe the quality of the camera and photos. I recommend a mid range lens, I have a Tamron Macro and you will need a walk around lens.. but for now I am very pleased, the great 3 inch display is awesome and the auto view was sweet. I love seeing my results immediatly!! I don't think I will ever have the need to upgrade, only invest in new lenses
Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera [J. zhu]
since no one yet written a review for this camera body, I think I should write one just to give you some idea. The eos 40D is newly introduced in this August, Aug 07. One thing pops up to me is the LCD live preview. The LCD live preview is first introduced in Olympics DSLR. It allows the user to have live preview in the LCD like the most of the Non-DSLR do. It is useful to take pictures in a rather different angle such low in the ground. another thing is the 6.5 fps shutter mechanic. now you can shoot 6.5 pictures in a second up to 75 pictures. You will never lose any thing with this camera in continuous mode. The 40D now updated with a dust removing system which first found in the 400D. In my professorial opinion, it really doesn't useful. You just need to be cautious when you change the lens. The most important update to me is now that 40D has a bigger viewfinder. A bigger viewfinder means brighter, easily to focus, and bigger. Those entry DSLRs just aren't big enough.
In conclusion, the 40D is an affordable professional and serious amateur photographer's first choice. If you don't have one, you should own one.
40D vs 30D [Jean G. Savage]
I have a 30D and bought the 40D as a 2nd Camera. I like the 40D in terms of color and quality. The thing I do not like about it is that you cannot change the ISO in P/TV/AV mode like on the 30D. It does have great stability when shooting close-up items. I get good clarity. The colors are more vibrant. It seems like Canon was trying to make it think more for you. I prefer to set my own settings in other modes than in M. I do have to fudge with the exposure more in low light situations. Overall, I like it, but would consider a better upgrade in the future.
Canon 40D with kit lens [D. Hickman]
Tech specs in other reviews. For me, this upgrade from my Canon Rebel (300D) is amazing. This camera feels solid, and although noticeably heavier than the plastic ones (XT, XS and all the other low end Canons), performs well. It looks, feels, and sounds like a pro level camera, and the 6 FPS allows you to get shots missed with less expensive units. I shoot RAW only, and the other models just don't have the ability to grab as many shots as rapidly as the 40D. I bought it for the FPS and low light (3200 ISO) modes, don't notice much difference between 6.1 megapixels of the Rebel and the 10.1 of this model. Buy it for the features and quality, not the megapixels.
Works for the pro [Willy Widjaja]
I'll never regret bought this camera even though it's price keep coming down lately because of the new 50D.I familiar with all the features here and I am very comfortable using this camera.
If you have kids, you want this camera [J. Platt]
We have moved our way up step by step from a cheap kodak point and click to this Canon 40D over the course of 2 years. I have been using this camera for about a year now, and love it.
It's strongest feature is its jekyll and hyde personality, which is controlled by the little knob on the left side of the camera. My wife likes to take pictures, but really just wants to pick up the camera and push the button. For that all she has to do is turn the aforementioned knob to the "green square", and the camera functions just like a point and click. She gets fantasitc quality pictures with just the push of a button.
Now when you really what let the camera fly, turn that knob to Tv, Av, or M and hyde comes out to play. Once in one of these modes you have complete control over the camera settings and can be as creative as you are brave. 6 frames per second is enough to catch your kids doing almost anything, catch birds mid flight, and a variety of other actions shots. You get a large volume of shots, and because it is digital, keep only the ones you want.
With the intro of the 50D the 40D has become more affordable, and even with the kit lens will blow away any point & click. If you have kids, you want this camera.
Great product, terrible packaging [Orion]
This camera is superb; I'm in agreement with most of the other comments here.
I'd strongly suggest getting David Busch's book "Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography". Personally, I think it's required to get the most out of the Camera; it complements the manual superbly.
My only complaint was in the packaging used in the shipping. The camera box was poorly covered in bubble wrap, so it shifted out of that during shipping. Honestly, guys, is using a little tape too much to ask?
Even worse was the fact that the UPS box was partially open when it was taped shut. The camera was CLEARLY visible to anyone who looked at it.
Why not just put a great big "STEAL THIS $1000 camera" sign on the box and be done with it?
I've noticed no problems with the camera since it arrived, but I think I got lucky. So check your camera very carefully when you get it.
I'm dinging this 1 star solely because of the terrible shipping packaging. Otherwise, great service and a great price.
Great pro-starter camera. [David A. Bock]
This is a great camera for someone wanting to get started in professional digital SLR photography. It's going to be a great backup camera for us as well, it does decent in low light and not much issue with noise, though 3200ISO is pretty much unusable due to the high noise, but 1600ISO is quite acceptable if you have to get the shot. Great price now too and well worth it. Though I don't understand why people buy these cameras thinking they'll do better than a point and shoot if they're never going to take it out of Auto mode, and never going to by an external flash. If you plan on using this camera like a point and shoot consider getting the G10 instead, as it's an awesome little pocket camera and does right for the job! :)
I LOVE IT! [J. Green]
The quality of the pictures is amazing. The more I use it, the better, the picture. There is so much to learn, but that is what makes this camera so fun to use. Very easy to learn on.
Custom functions make this camera a breeze to use [joey]
I have owned this camera since June 2008, prior to this shot with Canon's PowerShot G2. So my review is based on upgrading from an old but still very good point and shoot camera with manual controls to a modern SLR. Since there are obvious difference between the two I'll concentrate on some of the features I like: Custom setting (C1,C2,C3) and the My Menu setting.
The 40D has a multitude of options available, highlight recover, iso noise reduction, mirror lock up, bracketing, live view, etc... but generally you don't need all of these options all the time, that's where the custom setting function comes in handy. Swapping between different shooting profiles is as easy as turning the dial.
Another feature I like is the My Menu setting as you can put your "favorite" menu items on this page giving you quick access to them as some of the settings are a few menus deep in the system.
Learning how to use the 2 features above to your advantage makes the camera that much easier to use.
A work horse [James T. Walczak]
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.
Best Price on Canon SLR with Warranty [E. Monroe]
I was a bit worried about buying an expensive electronic item on-line, but I had done my research and I knew I wanted THIS camera. I received it promptly. The local camera store had tried to scare me saying that cameras bought on-line had no warranty or if they did, it would be an overseas warranty. Well, mine came with a warranty from the US of A! I was using this camera within hours of receiving it after charging the battery. It takes beautiful photos and it is easy to learn. Be sure to buy a memory card. I hadn't realized it didn't come with one. I saved money buying this camera at Amazon and it is a great SLR for an amateur with aspirations of becoming a professional.
Worthy Upgrade From Rebel XTI? Should you buy the XSI? [William F. Wagoner]
After using a Digital Rebel XTI since it's release, I decided to upgrade to the 40D. First impressions are 100% positive - extremely well made, balanced feel, excellent viewfinder, fast & reliable. Picture quality is excellent - lower noise levels at all ISO setting over the XTI. Is it worth the difference in price over the new XSI? In my opinion, that depends upon whether or not a rugged, better sealed body is important. (also note that the XSI is a 12mp sensor). My only complaint is the bundled 28-135mm IS lens - the effects of the IS are barely noticeable. If I had to do it over again, I would have just purchased the body. This lens does take great pictures and the bundled price was exceptional though... Overall, a great camera for the money!
Great Camera in all respects except few flaws [A. akay]
I've been using this camera for about a year. Overall it has performed really well. Dust reduction works great. After 30D dust problems I can say I have no dust at all after about 12 months of heavy use. I like the live view and the bigger LCD. However the LCD is not adequate for reviewing sharpness even though it has enough resolution for (Live view) magnification (10x). It's got to do with the thumbnail Canon uses to display the pictures. Another gripe is bracketing only goes to -/+2 EV and 3 shots. The print button is still "useless" (dont know why Canon insists on keeping it). Auto ISO is very limited 400-800 only. Pictures are usually a bit on the soft side but not a problem if you use Post Processing. Hi Speed shooting works well and I captured some great shots with it. Overall I thinks this is a very good Prosumer camera which could have been even better if Canon had invested some effort to develop the right firmware to overcome some of these issues.
5 stars for the body, 3 stars for the lens [T. Briggs]
I've had this combo for about three months and have almost 7,000 captures. The body is fantastic! I love the features, ease of use and quality. The kit lens, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. After less than three weeks use there was a huge chunk (not a speck) of debris on the inside of the front lens element. The build quality is less than acceptable even by my standards - there is too much play in the front element when fully extended and when hanging from a neck strap the lens always extends all the way leaving it more susceptible to damage. If I were to do it again, I would save the money to invest in a prime or L lens.
Wait for 50D: No Control in Basic Modes, but a Great Camera [Karen]
Prior to the 40D I was using top rated point and shoot (Nikon Coolpix 4500, Fujifilm Finpix F30) and the "bridge" camera (Panasonic DMC-FZ50). The program modes are great on these cameras and allow some creativity (metering, drive mode, ISO) and also have manual modes for full creativity (within limits of the camera). I shoot mostly men's softball (afternoon, twilight, and evening lighting). The FZ50 met some of my needs but the images too soft and I couldn't get the large appeture nor the rapid burst speed associated with the 40D.
Right out of the box I wanted to see what the camera could do in the basic modes and found the images to be less impressive than my 4500, F30, and FZ50. The reason is that the 40D does not allow for any changes to the pre-set programs. It forced me to move right into the creative modes and use the features I paid for.
It's very easy to use and figure out -nothing surprising. It feels great in my hand (except that I had to cut my fingernails, ugh!)and the buttons and adjustment wheels well placed.
It's a great camera -I just think the lack of my photography skills prohibit me from working the camera to it's potential. Since becaming familiar with the creative modes, I've been able to get the shots I want. The burst mode is amazing, light to the touch(beware...until I got use to it, I was getting a gazillion shots per burst. I had to spend too much time sorting and deleting).
No problems to date. Cannon customer support has been wonderful. I called late at night and got through quickly. My questions were about understanding the camera better -no question was too small. Extremely friendly service.
After all said and done, it's a Great Camera!
I'm editing this review because Canon just announced the 50D will be coming out in Oct. 2008. The early previews on the 50D lead me to believe that it's worth waiting for. It's about $400 more than the 40D, but it sounds like they made changes that are better for the action photographer. Check out the reviews from www.dpreview.com. and sample photos for many camera and lenses at www.pbase.com. Both websites were very helpful in making my decisions.
Great camera [Jermaine Stewart]
This is my first DSLR and the only thing I didn't really like about it so far is the LCD. Sure its nice and big, but a better resolution and colors would be great. I just have to get use to knowing that my pics will look a lot better than what I see with the LCD. Otherwise, this camera is great and I know I haven't gone through all the features as yet.
I'm happy with it! [Richard D. Silvius Jr.]
I've owned the 40D for about a month now. I've been drooling over the 40D for like 6 months! Now that I have it, I see I was not idealizing it. It's every bit as wonderful as I imagined. Sure the D300 might be a little better in terms of specs and perhaps even with noise (I've never tried one, so I can't verify that), however, if you can catch a 40D during one of Canon's rebate sales (eg: right now), I think the price difference is very substantial. the 300 does for aroun $[...] body only. The 40D, with the rebate is less than $[...] WITH the kit lens, which is decent--it ain't no L--but for a kit lens it's pretty darn good!
More about the 40D specifically:
The live view function is a great boon. I find myself in all sorts of shooting situations where getting my eye to the viewfinder just ain't happening (low to the ground work, for example). Also, the 5x and 10x zoom is SO useful. I do a lot of professional portrait shooting, and this feature has rocked my world. What you see on the screen is simply much bigger than any viewfinder, and combined with the ability to zoom in on any area of the image to check your focus--I don't shoot portraits with a viewfinder anymore! (Note: you should use this technique on a tripod, preferably with a shutter release)
Image quality is what you would expect--absolutely beautiful.
14 bit A/D -- despite what people say--this makes a difference.
The software for controlling the camera via computer is cool--I don't own a laptop so I don't get the most from it, but when I do get one eventually, I think I will use this capability a lot!
Anyway, it's a great unit. Feels good in the hand, well built, well featured.
My only reason for giving it 4 out of 5 stars is because I wish it's pop-up flash had a commander mode like the Nikon DSLRs. Instead, you have to shell out $200+ for a clunky transmitter that you have to stick in your hot shoe. OR you could buy a 580EXII, and use that for your transmitter. A more expensive but better solution because you can use it to create catchlights in your subjects eyes while utilizing your remote flash(es) for background lighting, subject lighting, etc.
Good... but NOT great. [APB]
DISAPPOINTMENTS: After previously owning a 20D for 3 years it seemed like there should have been some significant improvements (and there has been). However, the 40D introduced an issue with the viewfinder (glare around the top focus point -- Note this is a known issue but Canon doesn't consider it a problem) and the selected focus point seems to be forgotten after powering down. Finally, the picture quality (in my opinion) appears to be equal, or in some cases less than the 20D (tends to have significant noise).
IMPROVEMENTS: The focus seems to be faster/better and the huge LCD is a blessing. ~5% extra in the viewfinder is very nice as well.
CONCLUSION: I would recommend waiting for the 50D so that Canon will hopefully get some of these things worked out.
Nothing is perfect...but [Charles Joliff]
For my useage the Canon 40D has been as close to perfect as I've found so far...I love this camera more with each passing day. I've only taken a couple of thousand shots since buying it a few weeks ago, but I'm thinking that I have finally found the 'one' camera I've been looking so long for...fulfills all my needs, and doesn't fuss at me when I stay out late at night either...lol.
Canon EOS 40D - wish the camera was as flawless as the images it takes. [gertielertie]
I purchased the EOS 40D as a replacement/upgrade to a Canon Digital Rebel from a long time ago. With unbridled joy, I shot several thousand images of the Stanley Cup Playoffs using this body and a new Canon lens that I'll review elsewhere.
The pictures created using this body were exceptional, and would be a solid option for anyone on the advanced amateur level to entry-level professional. I was enthralled with this camera, and recommended the camera to a large number of my photography friends. At the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs I had planned to attend a couple of Calder Cup Finals games and shoot. About 100 frames into the first game, I received an "Err 99" on the display screen. I was horrified, especially since I didn't have my backup with me. First I tried powering off, then on - same problem. I changed CF Cards, and still no change. I switched batteries, only to get that ugly-looking "Err 99" error again. As a last resort, I even switched lenses, thinking that maybe I had bumped my lens or something. And when I saw the "Err 99" message yet again, I sighed, packed away my camera and resigned myself to simply enjoying the game as a regular spectator.
Needless to say, this turned out to be a hardware issue (the shutter). Canon claims that the EOS 40D's shutter is good for 100,000 cycles. I've only had the camera for a couple of months, so I know I'm not even close to the shutters useful life. While I have it now sitting in Canon's Factory Repair Center in New Jersey, I know I will get it back soon. I'm just disappointed.
I did some further review and found this "Err 99" problem to be a common cause of equipment failure in the Canon EOS 40D. That having been said, I would still select this camera body for both daily and special events shoots. I believe that Canon will continue to support me on this issue. If you think that the hassle of having to walk through this process is too much for you, then you might want to consider one of the older Canon SLR Digitals - or try the new Canon XSi (fewer settings, more plastic, but great list of stock features to keep most amateurs happy).
Why Go Digital? [David C. Riddle]
Choosing my first "real" digital camera proved to be a bewildering task! As I already had a nice selection of Canon L series lenses,I didn't consider other brands of cameras. Should I go with the budget Rebel series or opt for the (expensive) full frame cameras? A trip to the local camera store quickly ruled out the Rebel cameras as I felt they were a little small for my hands and a bit too light weight (I hesitate to say "toy-like" but I have become used to carrying a moderately heavy camera). Given the rapid evolution of the digital SLR camera, I'll bet an affordable full frame camera will appear within a few years, so I backed off purchasing a Canon 5d for the time being. The 40d (with the current rebate) fit my budget and offered enough features to make it appear to be the best buy. Using the 40d makes me wonder my I was so timid about jumping on the digital bandwagon. Especially appreciated is the ability to adjust the ISO as needed and the instant gratification of seeing an image immediately after making an exposure. I figure the camera will soon pay for itself by eliminating the need to process and print the exposures I would consider "failures." I haven't really used the camera enough to make a full evaluation, but I suspect the 40d will prove to be as solid as my old F1 and EOS 1n 35mm cameras. Will the 40d make me a better photographer? Probably not! But considering the camera as a tool, it is a very nice machine.
A solid step forward with room to improve [Luving it]
Pro:
- Speed: power-up, continuous shooting. The high speed mode is so fast that I have to switch to the normal speed so I don't waste disk space all the time, and I am shooting raw+JPG on a SanDisk UltraII, not exactly the top of line disk. Comparing to my XT350D it's day and night. Canon seems to have solved the bottle neck of data communication between the camera and the disk once and for all! Feels like I can create an animation movie with this camera!
- ISO 800/1600 is dramatically better than 350D, ISO1600 is very useful now. ISO 800 is favorably comparable to ISO400 on the 350D. In fact now I found my old pictures from 350D@ISO400 to be annoyingly 'noisy'. Thought they were pretty clean before. This is especially true with the pics I took under indoor low lights.
- Customizable settings, very helpful (But could use a lot more of these considering how awful the overall menu/button/switch combo are needed to get to the core functionalities! But I'd rather wish for a more streamlined redesign on Canon's part...) Just found out that I can't even add flash compensation to user menu. Only flash control group function can be added. But I only need the flash exposure compensation, the single humble item, not the whole group... This is only one example. (Site Note: Just read that 50D is better. Will I'll be stuck with my 40D for as long as I can I hope. For one thing, mega pixel counts only makes the file larger - more disk space, slower processing time. I am no pro and can't afford to print wall size spreads so the 10MB is fine with me.)
- Works better with 580EX flash than my 350D XT, far better. 350D seems to have a hard time figuring out how much flash it needs in auto mood. Not 40D, fortunately.
- Battery life is very long. I was fiddling with the camera all night last night, figuring out the settings and features, flashing shooing, deleting, shooing, changing settings. Not one bar was lost on the battery today!
- Viewfinder is brighter and bigger, great! I can actually do some MF indoor with very little light!
Neutral:
- Build quality doesn't feel significantly better than my 350D, slightly maybe. The battery door is better, to a degree. The rubber pieces covering the USB/power/video are of questionable quality fit.
Con:
- No improvement on AWB in indoor lighting, still come out with odd looking color - awful. Flash solve the problem, but still awful.
- Menu system is convoluted, too many buttons/switches and the combination of them to get to the things I need. Why the 3 position power switch, why in that awful location? (I know, that is Canon position, but still, why? Power up is so fast, but from that location? Also, the print button is useless, so is the joystick, not much joy to use, and not much use at all. If these switches have to be there, at least give them more work to do!) This really is a software design issue. Canon should hire some consultants from Honda/Toyota. The layout and functionality on a Honda/Toyota counsel is so much straightforward comparing to a Chevy or a Lincoln. Americans use to believe that is because the Japanese cars are cheap with fewer functionalities.Might have been somewhat true 15 years ago. But the real genius in those simplified straightforwardness prove to be true winner in the end. There's always ways to do things in a lot fewer steps. Under the current design, the customization functions are much needed, but only as a last resort, should never be a substitution for fixing the somewhat time-honored poor design from Canon. Many folks like myself are still with Canon because its line of lenses and 3rd parties support too. But that might change. When I saw Nikon's new offerings, I almost jumped the ship...
- AE/over expose under bright sunlight, this is true with 350D as well. I sent my 350D for fixes back twice, and didn't fix the problem. Probably the problem lies in the hardware I am afraid rather than calibration. And too bad Canon only supports +-2 compensation. Under bright sunlight -1.2-1.7 seems to be about right for me.
- Auto-dust cleaning system is not working for me. My brand new 40D got dust spots on my ocean view pictures already, and many of them. I didn't switch lenses often and I didn't shoot in dusty places. Canon should save the dust info into RAW so each pics can be digitally cleaned afterwards. As it stands, dust data collecting is not straightforward at all.
- The LCD is big, but prove to smear and of very odd color. The resolution and color accuracy are simply not present. This probably was a cost cutting measure? Too bad. Bigger is not always better.
- The new software pack is faster and more useful. But raw processing is still slow. And 40D is only a 10mp camera and 1Ds doubles that, imagine that! My PC is quite up to date with 2GB RAM. But I still have to use raw to get the real picture I intended. JPG is so often ruined by the AE/AWE problems beyond rescue.
Bottom line:
A very solid and useful DSLR has very strong features in speed shooting. But the old AWB and AE problem remain unsolved. The menu system is a nightmare. What happened to user-friendliness? Ease-of-use? Straightforwardness? Making complicated things simple is genius. The other way around? Well, call it whatever you want.
40D is not the flagship, priced at $900+ is a bargain. But still, buyers of this group is not exactly in for the bargain. Just hope Canon can really solve the AWB/AE problems in the near future. Oh, a better LCD too. Bigger is not always better, so true here!
Huge upgrade from point and shoot [David Trebacz]
Couldn't be happier with the 40D. I made my chioice after doing a lot of online research between Nikons and the Canon Rebel series. I even considered a 30D. It is my first DSLR, after many point and shoot digitals. I also purchased the Canon 75-300mm IS and 50mm lens.
What I was impressed by: Overall it is very easy to use -controls and menues are intuitive. Especially considering it's my first DSLR. Display is big and bright even in bright sunlight. Battery life is great. So far, I see no need to get an additional battery. EF 28-135 IS USM lens is a great utility lens. Coupled with the Canon 75-300mm lens it took great handheld baseball photos. Even at 300mm. 6.5 frames per second (fps) is amazingly fast for baseball photography. I've found the option to reduce it to 3fps very helpful to keep from filling my memory card.
Now the bad: After less than 2 months -my Canon displayed a Err 99 condition. Canon technical support was very helpful in troubleshooting it over the phone. Unfortunately, the camera needs to go in for service (likely a shutter issue). Canon even requires me to pay shipping and insurance on the return. I should have it back in a little over a week. Disapponting for an overall great camera. Based on my subsequent research on the web others have also had this issue. Hopefully after one repar the camera will have a long uninterupted life taking great pictures.
Great camera . [Steve Garza]
I've owned it for about nine months. I won't go into a detailed writeup since pleanty of other people have already done so. Here is a quick summary of the strong points and weak points of this camera.
Strengths:
* 6 FPS - Fast enough for photojournalism and sports on a budget. * Build qulity and ergonomics much improved from 20d, has a more solid feel, and finger grip makes a big difference * Good color rendition. * Good sharpness and detail * Good high ISO noise. Not the same as the Mark III, but very good at this price. I use 640 and 800 routinely, and the qulity is beyond what's required for the publications I shoot for, even without any noice reduction software either in camera or in post processing. * Live view. Despite the akward procedure for focusing, having any form of live view helps a lot when taking a very high or very low angle. * Highlight tone priority. It helps a little, a good extra.
Weaknesses: * 'Weather sealing'. The foam strip on the card door is a joke, it should have had d200 level protection. Inexcusible, shame on Canon. I would have paid more for a big improvement here. * Screen. It's big, but not very accurate. Often isn't sharp enough for me to tell if I got the shot in focus or not. Color, brighness, contrast can look off too. Sometime shots look like garbage on the scree, but are fine in photoshop. * Plastic battery door hinge. They made the rest of the camera sturdier, yet cheaped out on this part to save $0.10. WTF? * Autofocus at 5.6 can be frustrating. When trying to get a bird through branches, it often misses even when the center dot is right on the bird. * Anit-dust. It makes little to no noticable difference. I change lenses often and the 40d sensor has as much dust stuck to it as my 20d did.
Overall, it takes great images. There's always things they could have done better, but remember, you are only paying $1,100 for it so you can't expect the world. The lack of sealing is my only major beef.
Not Sure I Love This One - But It's Growing On Me [Dom Miliano]
I have been a Canon user for many years with 4 EOS bodies and lots of "L" glass in the camera cabinet. However, I needed an inexpensive digital SLR quickly for a magazine assignment so I bought a Nikon D70S because I had a lot of Nikon lenses and I didn't really like the viewfinder and feel of the Canon 20D. The Nikon has served me well for a couple of years but now, all of my magazines are 100% digital so before I jumped on the Nikon D300 (a killer camera) I decided to take a second look at Canon's offerings.
First impression, with the optional grip, the 40D felt much better in my fat hands than the older models. The viewfinder also seemed improved over the 20D even with my terminal myopia. But what really sold me was the price. The 40D with a grip, spare battery and a flash was still less expensive than the Nikon D300 body alone. If I added their grip and a spare battery, I would be way over the Canon. (But the D300 is a wonderful machine and I wish I had one.)
I have been using the Canon since Memorial Day where I shot 2 days of racing at Lime Rock. The images were sharp, had good color and the files showed no noise up to ISO 800 (as high as I have ever had to go). The motor drive is fast too - you can really fill up a 2 gig card fast with Raw files or even large/fine jpegs.
I like the 1.6X factor for long lenses but, like any non-full-frame digital, it hurts a bit on the wide end.
The screen isn't as clear as I would like but it's big enough - much bigger than the D70S. The menus are simple and I have not had to really crack the manual very often to resolve questions. I especially like the way you can change the file sizes - picking your resolution is easy enough for rank novices.
Battery life is excellent. The viewfinder is quite good - even with glasses I can see edge to edge without mashing my face against the camera back. However, the Nikon D3 with its High EyePoint finder is still the gold standard for eye glasses wearers (Canon please take note).
It's a pretty heavy camera with the grip, 2 batteries and a 70-200 f:2.8 hanging around your neck but no more so than my EOS 1V.
Autofocus is quick and accurate - it follows fast moving race cars delivering lots of sharply focused images provided your long-lens technique is good. The first time I used the 40D with a 100-400 IS lens, racked out to an effective 640 MM, I got a bunch of soft images. These were my own fault - I am still learning how to shoot and pan with a lens that long. a mono-pod helped a bit and I boosted the shutter speed too. After several hundred images, I think I am close to knowing what I need to do.
I think this camera represents an outstanding value, it is, in fact, a bargain when compared to the Nikon D300. The image quality (for what I do - i.e., large/fine jpegs for magazine reproduction) is fantastic. While the Nikon D300 and the D3 would make larger files, their price makes them less appealing and the end results (i.e., the way the pictures look in the magazine) would be identical.
The only problem I am having is psychological! When I shot film, I always used the top pro cameras - Leica M's, Nikon F's and Canon EOS 1's. Now, I am using a semi-pro camera and it bothers me. The problem is, of course, mine and not Canon's.
Buy the 40D with confidence - it is a very good digital camera.
Nice upgrade from 20d/30d [J. Austin]
Purchased my 40D from Amazon to replace my 30D. Very nice upgrade, they have refined many of the features and the body seems to be better made than the 20D and 30D (e.g. the cf/battery doors don't creak). It's a bargain at current prices, both with and without the 28-135 kit lens. My only complaint was with Amazon's shipping. I have Amazon Prime yet it still took 5 days to get to me and it was in a box w/ almost no packing material. To make things worse, the box wasn't sealed very well. I am really surprised it didn't arrive damaged. It seems fine but will be sending it back if I find any problems with it. I've been a customer of Amazon for many years but after getting this poorly packed, as well as my last 2 lenses also poorly packed, I'll be buying my camera gear from another vendor from now on. It wouldn't cost them hardly anything to add more packing material to secure the item, and that would be much cheaper in the long run than dealing w/ unhappy customers and returned damaged goods.
Too early to say [ice cream]
I bought this just over 3 weeks ago. It's been great so far but still too early to say. It arrived well packaged, and as far as I could tell was not a returned item that was recycled. As I use it more, will see how it performs.
taking Photos in PA with the my 40D [Orville H. Fudpucker]
[Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)]] Well, I would had given this camera five stars, but I still think there is too much digital noise at a higher ISO despite what Canons says. The camera is fast in the sports mode. I love this feature. Also, the 3 in. screen is nice. You can navigate through all the different functions easily. The functions are similar to my rebel, so it was not hard to get moving with this model. Canon has still not mastered an easy to follow manual yet. I purchased a book and a DVD off of Amazon to help me better understands the different things you can set this camera up for. I'm still going through that. I'm sure I'll be able to come back later and update this review, once I have more experience with my new toy. I do look forward to many year of picture taking with it.
A Lot Of Bang For Your Buck [M. Neace]
We've had this camera now for 7 full months and it's been a real joy to have. I have not had an SLR camera since the late 70s, and my wife has never had one. Now she can't live without this thing!
This camera just feels good in your hands and it responds well taking portraits, sport or landscape shots all with equal enjoyment. Only negative, in my book, is the 1.6 crop factor. I wish it was a full frame, but then the price would be about another $1,000.
Did have an issue starting in the 5th month. The display was starting to jump around. I would be reviewing a shot and the darned thing would start jumping into INFO on it's own. It got progressively worse so I had to drop it off at the New Jersey repair center. In 3 days I had it back, good as new. They said something about a board coming lose. No matter, they fixed it quickly and it's been fine ever since.
I have bought additional lenses and I recommend only buying the Canon. I had to send a Sigma telephoto back, it was just not useable and for nearly $600 I was not going to tolerate that performance. Save a little longer and use that extra money to buy the Canons. As my wife always says, "The cheap pay twice."
A great upgread [Sailinsteve]
The 40D is a significant improvement over my old 20D. With more dynamic range, a brighter viewfinder ( which is important because in bright light, when my glasses darkened, I could not read the exposure values in the viewfinder. Now they are more visable. I also like the fact that you can replace the focusing screen. The vertical and horizontal lines help you keep the camera lined up with the opjects or horizon. The canon high end lenses are absolutely fantastic. I took a hand held photo of a woodpecker at 20 or 25 feet away and could acually see an insects wings in the woodpecker's mouth.
Nice upgrde over the 30D [Devyn Dugger]
They just keep making this camera better. I love my 30D. It works great and has a nice price. When I got the 40D, I was very happy. They didn't change the things already like. What they did is improve on the annoyances I had with the 30D.
The larger screen is amazing. Its like viewing a big screen TV. Now you can view ISO on the top LCD screen. The rubber cap that covers the flash, remote trigger, and A/V plugs has been greatly improved on. The on-screen menu is much easier to read.
The 40D also has Live view. I don't know if I'll ever use this feature, but its nice to know the camera has it.
rodders review [Lars Sten Dahlo]
The camera takes brilliant photos, but I have had several problems with the camera "locking up". After taking a few pictures (with flash) the camera just dies. Nothing works, even though the battery is full.
Great all around camera [A. higgins]
Even though I haven't taken the time to really read the manual on how to use this camera, just playing around with it, trying different settings, I have gotten some awesome shots. I would highly recommend it for people who want to get great shots of their children.
We did a lot of comparison shopping. This camera is a really good price for the quality of the product.
Very good for the price [Brendan Ross]
This is a camera with a lot of features for the price. Quite ergonmically designed, it holds and handles well, and has a very good set of features, including some very useful customization options. It's probably the best camera at this price level if you are coming to digital SLR photography fresh (i.e., if you do not already have a lens collection, etc.).
Having said that, if you are willing to spend more money, the Nikon D300 beats this one in many areas, such as the Auto ISO functions, the WB functions, and so forth -- but, as I say, it is significantly more expensive than the 40D, and also geared much more toward the more advanced prosumer market (the 40D, for example, has picture styles, which are preset shooting modes for different settings similar to what a point and shoot often has, but the D300 omits this kind of functionality in light of its intended core user of more advanced photographers).
On the lens -- I was very disappointed in the lens. The end of the lens was wobbly, it shook around easily and noisily when I moved the camera around, as did the distance meter. When I extended the zoom, that went away (at least with respect to the lens body, but the old plastic-y feel is still there). Beware that this lens also has a reputation for sucking dust into the camera. It didn't take terrible pictures, but for a camera/lens kit of this price level, I didn't expect a lens that just felt cheaply put together.
In all, if you are a Canon user and/or have a good stock of Canon lenses to use with this, it's a good camera body at the price. If you're a Nikon user, you won't find much of a reason to switch in this model.
Canon EOS 40D [Arthur W. Blue]
This camera is just what I needed, it has more bells and whisle than I can use. It is also so easy to use that I have threatened to allow my partner to use it.
Solid Camera [Daklin]
I purchased the Canon EOS 40D body along with the Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM lens. I am very impressed with how quiet and fast it is. The controls are very natural and easy to adapt to. The camera takes great pictures with jpeg compression, but in many cases they seem to be blurry when shooting in Raw format. I don't know how an uncompressed format can create unsharp results and a compressed mode can create better results, but I am going to research that. Other than that, the LCD resolution for the 3-inch screen is only 230K. A warning to Photoshop lovers. If you like to shoot in RAW, Photoshop CS2 will not support CR2 files and you will have to upgrade to Photoshop CS3. Lightroom is a popular program used by professional photographers and is supposed to have the capability of supporting the CR2 files.
Worthy upgrade from the EOS-30D [FredM]
If you own a Canon 30D, this camera is a worthy upgrade. If you're still working with a Canon 20D, it's a no-brainer. The 40D is more rugged, has a gorgeous 3-inch color LCD, is more customizable than any previous mid-range model from Canon, and has a speedier 6.5 fps continuous shooting rate that's perfect for most sports. And I haven't even mentioned cool features like Live View and the automated internal dust-removal system.
At 10.1 MP the 40D has all the resolution most of us really need, and when bundled with the 28-135mm lens you've got every focal length from normal to mid-telephoto (45mm to 216mm equivalent)covered. Life is too short to be using last year's digital SLR.
The only "defect" I could come up with is the manual for this camera, which is complete in terms of enumerating features and options, but not so illuminating when it comes to explaining how and why you might use these features. The best book available on Canon digital photography right now is Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography. I recommend this camera and this companion book highly.
Good upgrade of the midrange Canon Line [A reviewer from Bham, AL]
Have used Canon products since the 1980's before the EOS line even came out and have shot digitally since I bought a 10D when it first came out 4-5 years ago. It was a great camera and still lives in my bag, but the 40D is a huge improvement in many ways. Autofocus is much faster and startup time is as well. File sizes are much larger, particularly when you shoot raw, which you really should as they are 14 bit files. Adobe can open the raw files, but only the latest version. I use Adobe Lightroom to process photos and it works beautifully. You can adjust for exposure in postprocess and you'll be amazed at the capacity in these 14bit files.
Canon 40D from Rebel [R. H. Miller]
Love the viewer and fast start and quick next shot speed. But it is HEAVY! Like old film camera. But then, you know you are holding a real piece of equipment.
Well done Canon - you've finally persuaded me to buy a DSLR [amazion]
I've been a film camera user for years (olympus OM2 and a few rangefinders) and i've been watching the DSLR market waiting for the right balance of features, usability and price. I think the 40D is the first one (or certainly the first canon) that gets the balance just right.
I was planning to get the 400D, but compared to it the 40D just feels better all round (and the 400D is an excellent camera). In particular, the viewfinder is bright and clear (though as a specs wearer the eye relief isn't quite all it could be), the controls are beautifully positioned and you can tweak stuff quickly and reliably - Canon have really thought things through carefully. And the LiveView, while a bit klunky to use, is a fantastic addition - it's the icing on the cake and I use it a lot (very useful for shooting discreetly).
Three disappointing things so far: Firstly, the resolution on the screen isn't great - a missed opportunity given the competition from nikon, but I can live with it; secondly the Automatic white balance is a bit hit-and-miss indoors, and thirdly it's a very heavy camera, although having said that I've had problems with a (borrowed) eos 300D continually slipping off my shoulder because it wasn't heavy enough to stay put!
But overall - well done Canon - you've finally persuaded me to buy a DSLR.
A good camera for all purposes [NextVision]
Excellent Camera
Remember the crop factor is 1.6 in this camera. Probably the best decision is to buy the body and the EF 17 -> 40 or EF-S 17 -> 85 IS USM (if you need image stabilizer) lens for general purposes.
Fast focusing great colors and camera personalization
40D is a good decision!!!
Great camera [Dr. Richard J. Coulter]
This is a great camera providing a wide range of control. Initially this can make the camera a little complex, and not suited to someone who really wants point and shoot in a fancy package. for the serious amateur it is an excellent selection. Very sturdy, great balance and great Canon optics. Now I just want the 10-22mm wide zoom.
Canon EOS 40D -- Good upgrade [bmhnfa]
I had already read reviews about this camera on several review sites and forums, and I knew that this camera was the proper upgrade path for my Rebel XT.
Pros: Accurate focus. Has rich colors and detailed pics. The live-view is wonderful for tripod-mounted macro photography. I love the three customizable mode switch positions. Camera feels nice in my hands. Takes pictures with the speed of a machine gun.
Con: Auto white-balance never seems to be quite right. I've resorted to shooting an 18% gray card, to set my custom white-balance before shooting.
Good camera. [Y. Lu]
I upgraded from 300D and am quite impressed by the improvements - speed, focusing, build, extra mega-pixels, etc. But it could have been better given the price tag.
Smokin! [K. Strahan]
I had a Canon XTi before purchasing this camera. I understand the hype now. The build, features, hand ability are very nice. It's like a cold day in a cheap jacket. You're cold but not freezing and then someone gives you a nice down jacket.... man what a nice jacket!
so far, so very good [BellaBull]
I've had mine for not quite two weeks. While I've shot film SLR's, and a well used s3 IS (still love it for casual stuff in good light), this is my first DSLR. I find the controls & menus very intuitive once you've spent a little time with the manual and mucking around with things a bit, just getting used to it. I haven't had the chance to print anything yet, which is my final test for IQ, but the images are great. I'm still learning digital & PP, but with so little time (still, almost every free moment) to really delve deeper, I'm very pleased at this stage. I get nearly 300 RAW shots on my 4G card, which I think is swell. Still learning the "personality" of the AF system, I find it very good when MY technique is solid (i.e. most problems are my fault/error) & the high speed shooting is great (didn't think I'd use it much, but it's come in handy already); I also like the slower 3 FPS rate, which I'm more likely to use. All in all, I am super happy. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because I'm not 100% done learning it, so any minor (very minor) gripes at this point may be due to the learning curve, and not any real problems.
Goodbye Rebel XT [Adelheid Fischer]
I've been reading about the specs on this thing for 2 months and had everything memorized. I think I'd bust a gasket in my head if I read one more review.
After such a long wait, finally getting my hands on the thing was quite a shock. It feels so alien to me. But you'll be pleased to know it feels very good. Nice and solid. The sound the shutter makes is much nicer than my old XT. And the there is a noticeably larger view through the viewfinder. Still nothing as grand as my old seventies SLR, but a definite improvement. These are the things that are most important to me. If my experience taking pictures is more pleasurable, then I'll take more pictures. That's the way I am and I guess you probably are too.
The next most important thing for me is having the ISO setting visible all the time. You can easily adjust it without removing your eye from the viewfinder. This is such a luxury, it really is. I have shot at the wrong ISO so many times in the past it's not funny.
I love having the two dials too, which is what I suppose makes this a "semi-professional" camera. It's funny how the more you pay the easier everything is to use. You'd think "pro" equipment would be trickier, but that's not how it works at all. I remember trying to find the exposure settings buried deep in my old point and shoot and feeling like throwing it against the wall. No such issues with this.
The only letdown is the LCD. I had read it wasn't very high-res and that is blatantly clear. If you have bad eyes and look at it from a distance, it is great, but if your eyes are good and you want to see detail, you have to zoom. It just doesn't look very nice. In a way I preferred the smaller LCD. That was like seeing a little negative before seeing a print. This is like seeing a bad print before seeing a print.
I'd give this camera 4 and a half stars if I could. I am very pleased with it and would recommend it to anyone thinking of upgrading from the rebel/xt/xti. For the way it feels and for the pro controls.
Oh yeah and if you are an idiot like me, here's a tip. The on switch has on/off and another setting which is "on with the big dial on." I thought the exposure compensation was broken until I realized this.
Solid look and feel, but LCD... [Andrey Manullang]
i just got my 40d last week and it's great. 6.5 bursting mode, big viewfinder, live view and all. it's great for those who do high burst shooting and use the tripod a lot (live view). definetely recommend it.
when i opened the box, it's not that i was really surprised, the 40d has a really tough body, feels really great to hold. then i started shooting w/ it. Lo and behold, i got kinna dissapointed by the LCD screen.... pictures look kinna blue on it. so i played around w/ the picture style setting and altered the Tone making it warmer, so it looked better on the screen. the actual thing is, the picture on the LCD is actually slightly different than on the computer. so would you rather have a nice picture on ur camera LCD or on your actual image on the computer? =P
so in conclusion, i just don't think i need to make this kinna 'trade-off' and settle w/ the 40d screen considering the amount of money i'm paying. =P my suggestion is like anyone else would say. if you have a decent camera body like the 30d or xti, invest on great opticts then maybe the 5D replacement or the one generation after 40d will have much better to offer.
Great Camera BUT... [Adrian Santoyo Perez]
The new Canon 40D is more than great, good quality pictures, and all those sweet features that you can read in other reviews. I absolutely love my 40D, but I gave it 4 stars because of one thing. DUST! It's amazing how much dust can the camera get! Every time I go out shooting, when I get back home I have to open it an blow some dust out. I believe it is because the EF 28-135mm, the lens doesn't seal the camera well enough. Other than that, this is a fantastic camera, read other reviews... and buy it! If you can find it..
A phenomenal picture taking machine! [JanSobieski]
The 40D is a phenomenal camera with excellent high ISO performance (though not appreciably better than my 20D in my own tests), more megapixels (10MP), rudimentary weather sealing, improved fps rate, automatic dust removal, spot metering, a 3 inch LCD, auto ISO and improved autofocus. Finally, it also has the ISO displayed in the viewfinder which prior iterations of this camera lacked. It is an excellent camera - make no mistake about that, however I'm disappointed that the autofocus wasn't further improved.
