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Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) |
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Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) |
| ReviewsI have been using Canon 40D for two years. It is my second camera (my first camera is Pentax k100). It is big, solid and tough. I thought Pentax K100d is quite big, but it is nothing compare to this 40D. The grip is very ergonomic. I feel confidence handling it.
Body and control
The built quality of Canon 40D is excellent. It is made from magnesium alloy body. It is weather seal as well. It is made to withstand plenty of abuse. I dropped the camera once to the ground, and it still performs like new. I think entry level camera such as Rebel XSi would not able to withstand it.
Canon 40D has many buttons and two main dials. The first dial is thumb dial, located near shutter button. The second one is the big round dial located at the back of the camera. I especially like the round dial. I usually change aperture, view photo, choose menu using this dial. To access live view mode, I simply push the button in the center of the dial.
ISO and Auto ISO
The ISO range starts from 100 to 3200. The auto ISO range is from 100 to 800. I hope it is 100 to 1600. 40D handles noise very well up to 800. You will see more noise creeping in at 1600. At ISO 3200, the image quality is unacceptable. The Auto ISO is the biggest disappointment for me. It tends to stick at ISO 400 most of the time.
LCD Screens
Canon 40D has two LCD screens, the main / back screen and top LCD screen. The top LCD screen is clear in the dim light condition such as indoor or evening, but not clear in the bright daylight. To solve this problem, you can use accessory called Hoodman. The top LCD screens is helpful to check out camera settings at any time and any circumstances. It has green light lcd that could be turned on if necessary.
Auto Focus System
Canon 40D has 11 AF points, distributed in diamond formation. The speed of AF will depends on the lens. Lens that have USM (Ultra Sonic Motor) is generally perform faster than non-USM, but some lenses like Canon 85mm f/1.2 USM AF are quite slow because of the complicated lens elements. Some lenses are also better in tracking subject than other.
Favorite features
There is a feature called Highlight tone priority. I think it is a great feature because it protects the highlight from over exposure. It is great to use for portraits, wedding, landscape and so on.
The shutter has a distinctive noise. It sounds very professional. This camera can also shoot up to 6.5 fps which is great features to capture fast moving object.
Competition
Because this camera is more than two years old now, it has many cameras that match or surpass this camera in term of its specifications. For example Canon 50D which has high-res LCD screen, higher image resolution and better Auto ISO. Nikon D300 is superior regarding AF system. It has 51 points and better tracking system.
There is also Nikon D90 which has hi-res 3 inch lcd screen, cleaner image in high ISO speed but slower continuous speed and worse built quality. Read controversy regarding Nikon D90 vs Canon 40D.
Conclusion
This is a very good camera suitable for either professional or amateur photographer. The size might be a bit too big for casual shooters, but after a while you might use to it. The image quality with the kit lens is good, but I recommend to get a higher quality lens to get maximum quality. Even it is more than two years old now, this camera is still capable and robust for you if you can live with its limitation (hint: Auto ISO and LCD screen. Please check out more reviews at my blog radiantlite dot com.
The camera body is great and I enjoy it. But the EF28-135 IS USM zoom died after only six weeks. The diaphragm somehow became dislodged while I was manually focusing the lens, and now it rattles around inside and the lens is unusable. I'll need to return it under warranty, but fortunately already had other lenses that fit the camera so I haven't been in a hurry.
I ordered a 40D for my Alaska vacation; didn't want to take my 5D, wanted faster frames-per-second for shooting wildlife and the 1.6 sensor factor for added telephoto reach.
The camera worked great. I really liked the sensor cleaning feature, which cut down a ton on spots in the blue Alaskan sky. The 6.5 fps helped capture eagles in flight and running bears, too.
And the low light capability was put to the test on a couple of dark, overcast days. The camera excelled.
I'm very happy with the 40D, as it will serve alongside my other 40D and my 5D for my professional work.
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.
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.
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