better IQ and better shadow noise plus higher resolution

Better all around feel than my 30D, nice viewfinder with more usable features, new menu system is great and easy to get used to, the "my menu" feature is fantastic. Takes great photos when used with good glass and you shoot in RAW, it does give much better out of camera jpg's than the 30D when you set the picture styles.
see some samples here. http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=728248

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

30d, 20D

EOS 40D has a sturdy solid chassis.

The camera has all the creative modes I am familiar to on my film camera so the learning curve was pretty minimal. With a bit of computer knowledge you should be up and running in an hour or so. If you are an imaging geek your image previews on the EOS 40D panel can also be viewed alongside histograms.

I had a good play with the exposure modes, the shutter speeds and apertures and was pretty convinced I had not taken the wrong decision.

Overall I am very impressed with the performance of the 40D. The image clarity is crisp and the colors are vivid and punchy. It reacts well with all my legacy lenses and accessories. I can hardly tell the difference between my film and digital cameras when it comes to data acquisition speeds. The advantage here being, I can see my results instantaneously rather than wait days for the processing lab to come up with the bad news.

Some features I have still not tried are the bulb mode and low light photography but I don’t think I will be in for any disappointments.

It is heavier and slightly larger in size than my EOS 30. Unless you have good muscles a tripod will prove handy especially when you have heavy lens and a Speedlite flash attached to it.

EOS 40D comes with a host of Canon imaging software’s and essential utilities to drive the camera from your computer. The imaging software has some basic image manipulation features sufficient enough for a person (like me), who prefers doing photography tricks on my camera rather than using an imaging tool. However I would recommend either downloading a decent freeware imaging tool like Gimp or purchase something like Adobe Photoshop.

I was surprised that the EOS 40D does not have the ‘eye control’ feature I have been so used to on my EOS 30. I wonder why this was left out. Please explain!!!

I have been using Canon film cameras for a while now. My last best SLR film camera was the marvelous EOS 30.

My first experience with digital photography was in 2000 using 12-bit CCD cameras for a medical imaging project. I kept myself at arms length from CMOS technology due to the scary stories I heard on time lags and poor image quality from industry experts.

I took a sigh of relief when EOS 30D came into market a couple of years ago. By this time I had gathered enough cash (and confidence) to buy one. I became a proud owner of a new sparkling 40D the week it was announced in Australia.

This review is based on my experiences with EOS 30 against my newly acquired EOS 40D.

Couple of myths and facts for people moving from good old film technology to digital SLRs –

1. The lenses you had purchased for your EOS film cameras will work with the new technology too.
2. Sandisk has introduced a new Extreme IV compact flash card. Stick to new technology despite salespeople coaxing you to go for the Extreme III’s. Remember salespeople are instructed by management to clear old stock. But at least a 2GB card if you have a tight budget.
3. It’s good to buy a spare battery. Canon or Inca, doesn’t matter as long as you have bought it from a reputed store. You will also save a couple of hundred dollars on a battery pack.
4. Buy a CF USB flash adapter, its handy especially if you want to conserve your camera battery and use the CF card directly through your computer.
5. Look for the best price on the internet and talk to your local camera store for a price match. I have found this trick works in your favor as you have the security of talking to a physical entity rather than dealing with a website.
6. For a piece of mind its worth taking an extended warranty even though I have found Canon products are pretty reliable.
7. Some reputed stores have promotional giveaways like 50 first free prints when you purchase from them.

Similar Products Used:

EOS 30
EOS 30D

Great aufocus
Great image quality
Easy to use
Great 3 inch LCD screen
Takes great pictures in low light
Good results for me taking pictures of moving subjects
Fast burst speed and hugh buffer
great low noise High iso shots
some auto iso capability
iso displayed in viewfinder
more custom functions and ability to setup specific settigns for mirror lockkup or tripod work and other setting you use most often

Some software like Photoshop CS 3 and Adobe Lightroom don't support 40 D raw images yet

Excellent image quality
Great 3 inch LCD screen
Easy to use with My Menu, 3 Custom Setting on main dial, and Picture styles with software to create new picture styles

I shoot sports, kids, landscapes. one passion I have is flying a paraglider. I love to shoot pictures while paragliding at speeds of 25-50 km per hour at altitudes from 100 to 4000 plus feet over the ground. I also shoot pictures of other paragliders as they fly towards me at similar speeds. I was frustrated with Canon 400 XTi 's abilty to focus while I am flying. I have 50 mm 1.8 lens and 70-300 IS and 17-85 IS lenses. The 40d has so much capability that I am upgrading to 24-105 F4 L IS zoom and 70-200 F IS zoom and extender 1.4 L II and later to 10-22 or 16-35 wide zoom lens.

you can see some photos at http://www.ParaglideTandem.com or

http://paraglide.smugmug.com

or search paraglide tandem Seattle washington on Flickr or Google PIcassa web sites.


I am curious to see how this camera compres to more expensive Nikon d 300. Canon 40d seems like a great upgrade adn will help you get infected with the Canon L lens obsession once you see the great shots you can take. I look forwrd to future trips to Yosemite and Canadian Rockies to explore the possibilities of my new camera and lens. By more flash cards you will need them.

Customer Service

excellent

Similar Products Used:

Canon 20d canonDigital Rebel XTi