5D or 40D?????

Brocks

Brocks

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I've been toying with the idea of replacing the 400D with one of the above. I like the higher frame rate of the 40D and the fall back of the pre programmed settings. However I understand the 5d picture quiality is that much better and since I seam to do alot of Candids, Portraits and Landscapes, as well as the occasional motor sport shot, I am thinking of the 5D but still liked the 40D. Any one with experience of both able to give me the pros and cons?

I popped into a couple of camera shops today and asked about prices, Looks like acound £800 for the 40D and £1300 for the 5D with £160 part ex for the 400D. I can probably better that on the net.
 
Brocks said:
I've been toying with the idea of replacing the 400D with one of the above. I like the higher frame rate of the 40D and the fall back of the pre programmed settings. However I understand the 5d picture quiality is that much better and since I seam to do alot of Candids, Portraits and Landscapes, as well as the occasional motor sport shot, I am thinking of the 5D but still liked the 40D. Any one with experience of both able to give me the pros and cons?

I popped into a couple of camera shops today and asked about prices, Looks like acound £800 for the 40D and £1300 for the 5D with £160 part ex for the 400D. I can probably better that on the net.
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Hi!

You can certainly better £800 for a 40D, I would never pay that much for one, have a good look about using camera price buster, then have a butchers on ebay too.

The 5D is a full frame camera, the image quality is simply superb but it's very fussy with lenses, L series lenses IMO are a must to get the best out of it, being as you have two in your inventory, I would personally go for a 5D.
T.
 
I made a very similar thread just a few weeks back - I'm now the proud owner of a 5D :D

Generally I agree with the above but I would add, don't part-ex the current camera. You'll get far more selling yourself and buying second hand could also save you a fortune. You might just find that doing both with mean you can pick up a 5D for the price you are currently looking at for a 40D.
 
why not get a second hand 1D mk2???

you'll get one for about a grand or so. built in grip, bullet prood construction, weather sealed, lighting AF etc. etc. maybe on 8MP but there are plenty of pros out there still using them....
 
nowler said:
why not get a second hand 1D mk2???

you'll get one for about a grand or so. built in grip, bullet prood construction, weather sealed, lighting AF etc. etc. maybe on 8MP but there are plenty of pros out there still using them....
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Now there's an even better idea! Especially if your not fussed about a full frame.
 
I Don't know much about the 1D series I must confess. I have heard of problems with recent models needing a fix of some sort.

I bought the EF lenses as I thought that at some point I'd be switching to Full frame. L simply cause I don't have enough sense!

I'm still a self confess novice....Is the 5D a little too advanced for me now?
Staff in three shops also said the 5D is getting on and a new model may be round the corner?
 
I sold my 400D with the 18-55mm kit lens for £300, and bought my 40D this morning for £609 from a place called Pennine Cameras in Rochdale. Unfortunaly, the one I bought was the last he had in stock, due to the price being atleast £20 cheaper than places like Jessops etc, but i'm sure he'll get some more in.

The website is www.pennineonline.com incase you're interested.
 
Brocks said:
I Don't know much about the 1D series I must confess. I have heard of problems with recent models needing a fix of some sort.

I bought the EF lenses as I thought that at some point I'd be switching to Full frame. L simply cause I don't have enough sense!

I'm still a self confess novice....Is the 5D a little too advanced for me now?
Staff in three shops also said the 5D is getting on and a new model may be round the corner?
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the problems were with the first bunch of 1d and 1ds mk3's. its all sorted now. these problems never applied to the 1d mk2's so you've got nothing to worry about.

to me, the difference in build quality and weather proofing that comes with the 1 series canons is tremendous and i like to think i'd never have anything else. the only small problem is that they are pretty conspicuous at times and can be a bit heavy into the bargain.

i seriously suggest that you at least go handle one and see for yourself before making your mind up.
 
Is it too advanced for me?

NO. It is the same as any other camera - you press the tit and the mirror goes up. What you have then is a lightproof box with a piece of glass on one side and a means of burning the image on the other - just a big black box with a hole right through the middle!

It may have more features, but they are only in use BEFORE the picture is taken - at the actualmoment of capturing the scene, you only have a big hole in a box. The one thing that really matters then, is your lens.

learning to use a fiddledy diddledy camera is only a matter of learning those bits which actually matter to you, now. When you can use those bits without looking at the book - read a bit more and learn another new trick. The system is the same whatever camera you use:
take a light meter reading.
select a suitable shutter speed and aperture combination that will achieve the kind of result you are looking for.
Hit the tit.

That is all there is to it. The hard work comes before you shoot - it is the thinking and the seeing that really matters.
 
OOOps, sorry i didn't really answer your question did I?

The real answer is to scrap your canon and go and get a NIkon!
 
maybe your looking at a 1Ds mk2, the full frame version.

i've seen 1Dmk2's (the 1.3x crop versions) range from 800 to 1500 or so depending on shutter count. shutters are supposedly good for 200k or so apparently......
 
You can't really compare the 5D and 40D, it's like comparing a 1D and 1Ds...two different cameras built for different purposes.

The pricing structure is kinda similar between the 40D and 5D as it is between the 1D and 1Ds (i.e. the 5D is double the price of the 40D in the same way that the 1Ds is double the price of the 1D).

So really it depends on what you are shooting. The 40D is faster, with a cropped sensor so will be better than the 5D for things like sports and wildlife. The 5D will excell on portrait, landscape and low-light. The thing that makes the 5D such a good camera is it's sensor. The 40D beats the 5D on pretty much everything else since the 5D is so old.
 
read an article in amateur photographer last month canon 40d vs nikond300 vs canon5d nikon rules but cannon 5d won:bang:
 
The 5D has been rumoured to be due for replacement for about the last six months. OK, so it does not have the latest twin digic processors and the write speed and fram rate are not the fastest. If those are important to you, buy a 1d.

The 5D excels at people pics (inc weddings) and landscapes. In all it's full frame georgeousness. The difference between a crop and a full frame for that kind of work it amazing. I did a seminar with Mark Cleghorn where he was shooting with a 5D and, at the time, I had a 20D. Same studio, same lighting, same model, same shot. Different result. His were richer, had so much more detail, skin tones were perfect. I bought a 5D the next day. I've had mine for over a year now and I still love it so much that I could not part with it, even when I bought a 1ds MKII.

Basically work out what you want to shoot, which features you need to get the shots you want and that will tell you which to buy.

5D for portraits, landscapes, things that don't move too fast.
40D wildlife, sports (but will also take decent people and landscapes, just not as good as the 5D)
 
I've been shooting a 5D since they came out, its easy to handle and produces great images.
 
From the above posts I'm gonna have to buy both!!!

I mainly do people and places but I am still striving for that holy grail motor sport/aviation shot....The one I can put on the lounge wall.

I was in Jacobs in Liverpool today and they had a second hand 1D mk2(?) for £999 and a 1Ds Mk2 for £1200. I had a look at the 1Ds and couldn't get used to it. At least I got a sense of understanding for the 5D and 40D, but the 1D...:thinking: The sales man told me to get a 5D too!
 
I was asked by a friend about this and I recommended a 40D. I reckon the image quality is as good as a 5D when coupled with decent glass and the high ISO performance is as good as well. With the 5D coming to the end of its life (surely!) I would be tempted to get a 40D and spend the extra (if you want) on decent lens(es).

I don't have a 40D but I have been blown away by its quality. I reckon the image quality is better than my 1DII and the noise performance at higher ISO is better than both that and my 1DsII.

A 1-series camera is a big investment and they are big and heavy. I don't think the case for them is as strong as it used to be with cameras like the 40D raising the bar in the mid range.

Paul
 
why not get price quote from kerso on here ,seem to be the cheapist out there canon stuff
 
If you shoot mostly sport/wildlife, then the 40D because of its crop factor. For everything else, the 5D - get it with the 24-105mm lens, the quality is superb. Despite the rumoured Mark 11 in September, the 5D is apparently still selling well.
 
grumpybadger said:
I was asked by a friend about this and I recommended a 40D. I reckon the image quality is as good as a 5D when coupled with decent glass and the high ISO performance is as good as well. With the 5D coming to the end of its life (surely!) I would be tempted to get a 40D and spend the extra (if you want) on decent lens(es).

I don't have a 40D but I have been blown away by its quality. I reckon the image quality is better than my 1DII and the noise performance at higher ISO is better than both that and my 1DsII.

A 1-series camera is a big investment and they are big and heavy. I don't think the case for them is as strong as it used to be with cameras like the 40D raising the bar in the mid range.

Paul
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I totally agree with everything Paul is saying here. Just to make matters worse, I recently saw a Robin image captured with a 450D, and the fine feather detail resolved was very impressive indeed. The 450D has the same sized sensor as the 40D, 2 million more pixels. and outputs a larger 1:1 file, making it (on paper at least), the Canon body with the longest reach for wildlife photography. Obviously it remains to be seen how it performs at high ISOs with the greater pixel count, and how well the AF system performs, but we now have a curious situation where the entry level and mid range cameras are significantly out-performing 1 Series bodies in some areas.

This must surely impact on the sales of 1 Series bodies to wildlife photographers? It seems to me there's a need for Canon to think about a 1.6X crop sensor body with 1 Series qualities, i.e., weather sealing, more AF points, faster AF system, and more rugged build quality.
 
Cedric - sounds like my dream camera, an EOS 3D! I love the EOS-3 film camera and I think a 40D sensor with top end AF would be brilliant. Interestingly, it is kind of what Nikon have done with the D300
 
grumpybadger said:
Cedric - sounds like my dream camera, an EOS 3D! I love the EOS-3 film camera and I think a 40D sensor with top end AF would be brilliant. Interestingly, it is kind of what Nikon have done with the D300
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Let's hope Canon are listening. :thumbs:
 
HHmmm looking back through my rouges gallery, I would say i'm 60/40 split on portraits and landscapes vs sports and transport. So A 5D appears the wiser choice. However with the rumours of a successor to the 5D I guess I'd better wait and see what comes over the horizon.

The most annoying aspect is that the grip, batterys and so on will all have to go too.
 
Brocks said:
The most annoying aspect is that the grip, batterys and so on will all have to go too.
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Well I wouldn't do anything rash. I read that Canon had adopted a policy of continuation of accessories with new models where possible- quite right too! The 20D and 40D battery grips will still be OK on the 50D, as will the cable releases.

It remains to be seen how big a change the 5D replacement is, but you may be OK.
 
CT said:
Well I wouldn't do anything rash. I read that Canon had adopted a policy of continuation of accessories with new models where possible- quite right too! The 20D and 40D battery grips will still be OK on the 50D, as will the cable releases.

It remains to be seen how big a change the 5D replacement is, but you may be OK.
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I think you missunderstood. If I'm going from a 400D to a 5D or a 40D I've got to replace the lot.
 
Lensflare said:
NO. It is the same as any other camera - you and the mirror goes up.
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Thats not what happens to me, I normally get a big slap if i do something like that :nuts:

Sorry, bad joke :razz:
 
Hey Brocks - have you seen the mint 5D for sale in this thread :D
 
I suggest you take a look at the images you have taken with the 100-400mm lens - if you are using it under 250mm focal length then you have enough range left in that lens to compensate for the difference in crop senosr vs full frame (generally speaking) for motorsport etc. For the rest of your togging then the 5d with its better colour rendition is the obvious choice.

I switched from 30d to 5d - the 5d might be an old design but its very nicely balanced and a good size, no real need for an extra battery grip that the smaller bodied models need so badly IMO. It takes impressive pics, but can show up limitations in lenses if you know where and how to look.

1d MkII - yep, its a big lump and initially daunting to look at in terms of dials, bells n whistles. Its a great bit of kit, even now.

Don't get caught out by the megapixel race - there are absolutely stunning images from all eras of digital, whether they be 4Mp or 24Mp. ITs about glass quality, pixels quality (not necessarily quantity) and the eye of the photographer !
 
percymon said:
I suggest you take a look at the images you have taken with the 100-400mm lens - if you are using it under 250mm focal length then you have enough range left in that lens to compensate for the difference in crop senosr vs full frame (generally speaking) for motorsport etc. For the rest of your togging then the 5d with its better colour rendition is the obvious choice.
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The Motor sports I have tried have been in the 350 range but the quality wasn't there. I've heard the 400d is inherently soft.

percymon said:
1d MkII - yep, its a big lump and initially daunting to look at in terms of dials, bells n whistles. Its a great bit of kit, even now.
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I tried A 1d AND 1Ds.....Yep they terrified

percymon said:
Don't get caught out by the megapixel race - there are absolutely stunning images from all eras of digital, whether they be 4Mp or 24Mp. ITs about glass quality, pixels quality (not necessarily quantity) and the eye of the photographer !
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Been there and learnt that lesson. most of my the glass is L class now...Just need a body to do it justice.
 
If you get a 5D I would suggest you keep the 400D as well if you feel you may need extrra length (photographically speaking of course).

Many 5D owners also have a crop sensor body as a second camera!
 
I am not sure about prices in the U.K. but, here in the states, the 5D is almost 2.5 times the price of the 40D (B&H prices, New York City).

I will admit that the 5D is a wonderful camera which will produce excellent images but, the 40D (as well as the earlier 30D and the present 50D) is no slouch in the image quality area either when combined with excellent quality glass.

I shoot with at least two cameras with two lenses mounted. My standard setup is a 30D and a 40D with 17-55mm f/2.8 IS and 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses mounted. This is a terrific combination since I have a focal range of 17-200mm (27.2mm to 320mm equivalent) at my finger tips with top-notch image quality and an f/2.8 aperture in my mid-range zoom and IS throughout the range. There is no one lens which will provide anyway near this versatility. By-the-way; I don't miss the 55mm to 70mm gap. i also have the 6.5 fps burst speed on the 40D.

Additionally, a pair of bodies is a great insurance policy and one that paid dividends on my recent 10-day trip to Alaska. I fell on a slippery slope and broke my 40D during the first day of the trip. If it were not for my second 30D body, I would have no photo record of that very interesting trip.

I demand high quality imagery and feel that I get it from the lenses and bodies that I use. However, if I were shooting professionally again; I would likely use full-frame cameras, probably a pair of Canon 1Dmk3 or similar.
 
I think I've posted in this thread before, but I made a similar choice between 5D and 40D primarily using it for sport, but also landscapes and stock shots.

I will admit, the 5D isn't ideal for motorsport, but with a little practise and working to its strengths, I'm dead impressed with it - particularly the vibrancy of colours and superb image quality from the full-frame sensor. I don't use the high frame rate at all, very rarely do I take more than one frame per second so don't feel I'm loosing out over the 40D.

For all other types of photography, I've found the resulting images simply stunning - as sharp as a really sharp thing with beautiful colours. I love it to pieces and find it painful going back to my 400D (which is my barely used back-up).

I also have the battery grip with it which means I can take approx 1200 frames per charge and makes portrait MUCH more comfortable.

Well, all that and the fact that it was a bit of a bargain :)
 
I love my 5D :love: It's got to be the most "film-like" DSLR out there, perhaps with some competition with the D700 and D3 ;) Lovely rich colours and film-like grain on higher ISOs (800+ is easily usable)

I like using mine with a nifty fifty f/1.4 in available light. I've got some great candid shots, which I often convert to B&W.

The fact it's been around for nearly 3 years says a lot about the quality of the design. Even with the 5D mk II just around the corner, I'd seriously consider one. You won't get better quality for just over £1K.

A.
 
Lensflare said:
OOOps, sorry i didn't really answer your question did I?

The real answer is to scrap your canon and go and get a NIkon!
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Nah, not when he's already got L glass.

Anyway, Canon and Nikon are of equally outstanding quality - both every bit as good as Olympus!

My advice FWIW is, if landscapes figure high in your priorities, get a 5D. It may be getting long in the tooth and due for replacement but it is still an excellent camera and will be by any standard for many years to come. In fact, if you can wait untill after Photokina you may find the 5D an even better bargain! ;)
 
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