| | Satisfaction | Experience | |
|---|
| Name | Date | Helpfulness | Review | Overall satisfaction | Ease of use | Quality of Manufacture | Durability | Meets Expectations | more... |
|
|---|
| Amazon.com customer | 2008-10-09 | | novice photographer | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-09-20 | | Fantastic camera. Buy it! | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-08-30 | | The 40D - a review from the point of a Rebel XTi owner | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-08-19 | | FIRST DAY OWNER . . . I'M STUNNED! | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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.
| Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-08-13 | | Amazing camera, best DSLR yet | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-07-20 | | Very pleased with my 40D so far | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-07-20 | | The Prosumer SLR Value | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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! | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-07-15 | | Canon EOS 40D - wish the camera was as flawless as the images it takes. | 8 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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). | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 8 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-06-26 | | Not Sure I Love This One - But It's Growing On Me | 8 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 8 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-06-18 | | Wonderfully refined upgrade from the perspective of a 30D user. | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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.
| Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-06-16 | | Quality issues, solved for now | 4 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I really wanted to like this item. I had a Canon point and shoot from 2005, and got the Rebel XTi (5 stars after 10,000+ snaps of flawless performance) in December 2006. Over the next year and a half, I got several Canon lenses including 2 L lenses. When the 40D came out, it got on my radar, since I wanted something more professional, I was worried about my XTi shutter giving out, and frankly my lenses were supposedly better than my camera. I finally made the plunge and ordered the 40D body in May. The first one was DOA and would not power up. I returned it to Amazon and got a replacement body which functioned fine for 3 weeks. Now it has developed a "stuck pixel" (a red dot in the same place on the frame...see various forums). One solution is to clone it out, but since I occasionally do a shoot of several hundred pics and have sold some prints this is not really practical on a large scale. And it does show up on enlargements if it is in the shadows. It looks like someone is using one of those laser pointers on your pic. I have a message in to Canon support on this. I suspect they will want me to ship the body to Irvine and have them deal with it. I suppose I can live without it for a couple of weeks since my XTi is, as I said, working flawlessly, but I really hate shipping precision equipment like this. It is expensive (my shipment back to Amazon on the first one was over $50 with insurance) and the camera takes needless knocks. I hope Canon reads this. My XTi and the Canon lenses have been flawless, and every picture I took that was less than great was my error. But the 40D is now down two strikes. June 21 update: Canon recommended shipping to their service center (and they would provide prepaid shipping labels). Searching on the net I found a procedure for a do it yourself remap. Basically, you run the manual sensor clean procedure for 30 sec or so with a lens on and a cap on the lens. It seems to have worked. So the symptom is a stuck pixel from images about 600 to 900, then it went away, possibly as a result of this procedure. I will not send it back to Canon unless the problem reappears. When it is working, the camera is 4+ stars, not ready to give it 5 yet. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 4 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-06-10 | | My thoughts after upgrading from Rebel XT | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-06-03 | | 40D Fantastic | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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!
| Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-05-14 | | from a rookie | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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 | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-04-23 | | Canon EOS40D--Great Camera. | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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.
| Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-04-19 | | Nice upgrde over the 30D | 8 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 8 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-03-25 | | Great Camera | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-03-10 | | Upgrading from the Canon Rebel XTi to the Canon 40D | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-03-05 | | GREAT CAMERA | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-02-15 | | General review on the Canon 40D | 10 | NR | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | 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. | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
|
| | | | | | |
| |