Canon 40D

[JayMorr 0]

I just picked up a Canon 40D. I am excited to get out and use it this weekend. I had been leaning towards Nikon D200, D300 and also a Canon 5D. With the type of shooting I do I thought the 40D was the best option. I had headaches about whether I should convert over to the Nikon but after much thought and seeing the price tag I decided it was not in my best interest. I also really enjoy the Canon series and at this point it would cost me a fortune to switch my lens's out to convert to a Nikon body. Although the 40D is not full frame, I think when I am ready (financially as well) I would like to skip the 5D series and move more towards the professional MK or 1D grade in the Canon line up.

 

I am excited about the new body and it will be a nice improvement over my XTi. I am thinking about having the XTi converted over to IR. I will let you know what I end up doing.

 

I cant wait to post some photos shortly!

[CoachBob 0]

Got one and very pleased so far.

Note that shutter lag increases significantly if you are using live view.

Note also that in sports mode the multi shot burst is almost inescapable (not necessarily a bad thing).

My problem is that there are so many options and functions I am still having to refer to the book constantly.

 

Good shooting.

[JayMorr 0]

Thanks Bob. I appreciate the info. I did my homework and read a number of reviews and I am quite pleased with the technical specs. I am excited about several features. The Live Mode doesn't interest me to much. I think it will be nice for landscape shooting or some other things I have in mind, but I do not think it is going to be a big feature for me. Yeah I will be spending the weekend nights reading up on the new manual. I am also anxious to play with Canon's new imaging software.

 

One of the features that really stands out, coming from an XTi user is the ability to shoot in SRAW. The option to capture RAW in a smaller format with the intent of not blowing anything up but still being able to manipulate the RAW data is very pleasing to me. I will no longer have to waste card space. I am also happy with the new processor. The 40D is going to handle low light situations much better and I can't wait to see how it performs with mid tone ranges.

 

It also feels much more solid. The grip is pretty nice.

 

 

[mtbbrian 0]

New cameras are good!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need to go out shooting and take our fly rods along!

Brian

[troutgeek 0]

You made a great choice. Welcome to the wheel!

[Ashby 0]

Jay, I'm very happy with my 40D and after seeing your photos with the XTI, I think you are going to be blown away by what you can do with this camera. Like you, live view is not a big priority for me, but it is there if you want to pre-compose your shots. Very nice decision, and I can't wait to see the photos you get with it.

 

Ashby

[Wulff 0]

Grats Jay.

 

The 40D is a great camera. In my mind while it may not be as good as some others on paper, or by specs, it currently represents the best value for buck.

 

By that I mean. Is it as good as a D300 or 5D?

Not in all ways. But its alot cheaper. Its alot more camera than the Rebel line and yet only a couple hundred more.

 

Its fantastic value.

 

I still haven't decided if I want to buy one again or a 5D to serve as a backup to my 1D. Bob if you think the 40D is sensitive you should try my 1D in high speed My alternative is to keep saving for a MKIII and then ue my MKIIn as a back up to it. The MKIII is 5 grand, the 40d I could get tomorrow.

Love the camera.

 

Oh and guys.

Don't write live view off so fast. For people like us, It offers something thats of extreme value.

 

Jay if you have any questions about some of its functions or settings or even specs shoot me an email or pm.

 

J

[DJZ 0]

I think 40D is a great camera. Very solid titanium body sealed against moisture (weatherproof). Prefect for outdoor shooting. LCD not the greatest (sharpest)...Nikon much better. 6.5 frames per second a good feature and thumb dial next to LCD very handy. A bit heavy but very solid feel. Kit lens (28-135) decent...better at smaller aperture. Some good macro photos with this lens as well. I'm a old canon fan from years gone past, still have my first Canon TLb. Wish DSLRs were as light at that TLb. Happy shooting.

 

DJZ

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi Jay,

 

I think you'll love the camera and it will serve you well. A lot of other photo'g must think so because this last Saturday I participated in a Scott Kelby Photo Walk and 21 of 26 shooters were using Canons, 7 or 8 were 40D. Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

[troutgeek 0]

How many white lenses do you see near the field at NFL games? How many white lenses did you see at the olympics? Most of them.

 

40D is a great camera, and can use some great lenses.

 

BTW -- Apparently there is a 50D on it's way. 40D's should be dropping in price very soon. Looks like the big diff is 15 mp vs 10 mp (not a big deal) and the LCD is suppose to be better. Sounds like a great time to get a 40D.

[Wulff 0]

Your a few hours too early TG.

 

Its out

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/08082605canoneos50d.asp

 

15MP

holy crap.

 

Thats a hell of alot of MP for a 1.6 crop sensor. Wil be interesting to discover what theyve done to improve noise. Adding that many (a 50% increase) would normally mean.....more noise

[Peterjay 0]

With Photokina coming up in a few weeks, there should be a lot of interesting new stuff coming out. Might be a good time to hand your checkbook and credit cards over to your wife for safekeeping, at least until the dust settles and the buying impulses ease off a bit. Personally, I'm hanging onto my 5D until Canon releases the long-awaited 1D 1OT, which is rumored to be so so simple that even stone age types like myself can use it with confidence.

[JayMorr 0]

The 50 looks pretty sweet. the 40 will for sure be dropping. I love my 40 but it is tempting to go with the 50 especially with a 15mp. That helps a lot with blowing stuff up and mounting it on the wall...... good stuff for sure.

[troutgeek 0]

My 30D is officially old. Two models behind and not even two years old. I'm saving for lenses (nice white ones with the red stripe), but I may need to upgrade bodies before the end of the year.

 

...

Ooh. Unfortunately, I read some early reviews for this camera. May have the fastest AF in the market at this time. 12K ISO -- nice. Christmas present perhaps? I wonder how good that new EFS 18-200 IS lens is. Great walk-around range, but I really don't want another EFS lens. Can't believe they released this already. It's only been 12 months since the last upgrade.

[Wulff 0]

TG.

 

Hense the common saying.

Glass last/Bodies don't.

 

Even if you drive what ever body you currently own into the ground and get years out of it and never feel the itch to upgrade. At some point it will fail. At the very least all DSLR shutters have a hard wired life expectancy. Entry level bodies are around 25,000 actuations, mid evels etc may be 50,000..Pro bodies range from 200,000 to 300,000.

 

Is it worth spending $200.00 or $400.00 having the shutter replaced, when technological advancements are such that your body (while not physically) old are "old technology" and a new body while it will cost more will a) last you years and be "new".

 

Anyone who wants to or has a DSLR should accept the fact and plan for upgrading their bodies. If you have something of a plan it wont hurt as much.

 

Impulse buys will.

 

Yesterday IMO the 40D represented absolutely fantastic great value.

Are there better bodies? Absolutely

But they cost more

 

So has the 40D somehow started taking worse pictures today?

 

 

The 50D is tempting.

I'll be tempted by

 

The need for a second body. This si something I want/need no matter which body it is. The 1.6 crop and 15MP, with 2 bodies I can use which ever is best suited to my needs. The ability to crop a 15mp file of some distant animal on top of having the 1.6 crop sensor and still be left with a 10 to 12 mp file is very appealing.

 

If I want a wider frame I'll use the 1D and 24-70 and have the 1.6 crop mounted with a 400. If however I want to get a bird in flight, the 400 goes on the 1D.

 

I'll be tempted by its high ISO potential and Digic 4 IQ. Gapless photons seems to be the thing there. Stil want to see what it can do though. Noise is largely a product of photon size. Even with the new photons will it compare to the larger 1.3 and FF sensors.

 

Im also tempted by the micro adjustments possible with our lenses. Id love that on my 1D

 

The 50D may have fast initial focus but I doubt (although it remains to be seen) that it will focus as fast as a 1DMKIIn or MKIII. Canons not going to piss off thousands of Professional Sports shooters by introducing a $1,300 body that focuses faster than a $5g MKIII. Especially in light of some of their complaints about the MKIII already

 

Either way I think its safe to assume that all the major changes will also be incorporated into the new 5D (rumor is mid sept announcement). Up to now my plan was a FF for my second body. I can only imagine how clean the high iso images will look with this new technology on a FF sensor and wonder how many MP it will have. Probably overkill for me but a 5Dii mounted with a WA and the 1D with a 400mm tickles my fancy to. For example Im going to be doing some hunting stuff (ive already done a Upland game bird dy run). Id love to follow the hunters and dogs with *both* a 24-70 mounted for lanscape/hunter/dog/bird coming up out brush shots....and then grab the 1D with the 400 mounted for bird in flight isolation shots...Same with duck hunting, deer hunting....fly fishing.. etc

 

And so the cycle starts over and the itch gets worse. As someone said, time to hide the credit cards

 

If anyone is looking for value *afterwards* both the 40D and 5D should come down in price as a result and both are still damn good bodies.Nothings changed there. If you want a bargain or dont have the budget for bleeeding edge technology they should be worth strong consideration. I know if I dont feel like shelling out full price for either of the new cameras (I still want to save for a 500 f4 down the road a year or three) it will be one of these *cough* old bodies I look at...Probably the 5D