Review Canon 40D. First Encounter.

  • Thread starter Thread starter CT
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Couple of shots just larking about earlier tonight, both taken with the 50mm 1.4 wide open using just artificial room light, the first at 1600 ISO, 1/80 sec, the second at 3200 ISO, 1/160 sec.

2290183318_1b89a16d6a_o.jpg


2290183486_449ab084f2_o.jpg


No noise reduction used at all.
 
Wow that is less noise than I seem to get at 3200 on my 40D :(

Noticed something interesting yesterday when playing on the Canon stand at focus, the 1DmkIII and the 5D showed more noise at 1600ISO than my 40D :D which pleased me no end!
 
I suspect the 40D in jpg mode is doing some NR even when high-iso reduction is turned off. I've noticed more noise in raw than jpg in the past. I really should do some tests...
 
pxl8 said:
I suspect the 40D in jpg mode is doing some NR even when high-iso reduction is turned off. I've noticed more noise in raw than jpg in the past. I really should do some tests...
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Good point actually - that could be the case. Mind you it's producing such nice jpegs I could get really lazy.
 
I took these last two shots using a custom white balance shot of a piece of white A4 paper. With the 20D, when you selected your CWB shot you got a reminder that you also had to set Custom White Balance on the top right LCD screen. That's no longer the case, as selecting the shot makes both settings. A small improvement but a lot less of a faff.
 
As good as this review is CT (and it is very good) it's not really helping me in my struggle not to by a 40D to pair up with my 30D is it:bat: You can pack it in about now if you like:thumbs:
 
Eric... Why struggle?

Richard... You know it makes sense!

:wave:
 
Eric when I got the 40D I really didn't think it would be that much different from the 30D, I was very very wrong... if you buy one you'll have a hard time using the 30D again ;)
 
Yipee! I'm in doors was listening after all! Got my 40D at the show yesterday - £599 INCLUDING an EF-S 17-85 ISM lens. First impressions fantastic, although no shots to show for it yet. Anyone want a 350D????
 
I've been meaning to do this comparison and finally got round to it. The results are pretty surprising I reckon!

The first shot is taken this morning using the 500mm lens and 2X TC (1000mm) on the 1DMK2n body (1.3 crop sensor)

1DMK2n_and_2X_TC.jpg


The second shot is taken using the 500mm and 1.4X TC (700mm) on the 40D body (1.6 crop sensor)

40Dfull_rame_and_2XTC.jpg



Both were taken from exactly the same position on a tripod. Clearly there's nothing to choose in 1:1 reproduction size of the two images, but even this doesn't tell the complete story. The 40D outputs a significantly larger 1:1 file, but both images have just been resized to 800 pixels wide. If it came to cropping the two images to show the bird at 1:1 file size, the 40D bird would actually be somewhat larger still.

In addition, the 40D and 1.4X TC combination is a whole stop faster than the 2XTC on the 1DMK2n, without the inevitable drop in image quality which using the 2XTC means.

So - do I flog my 1DMK2n or not? :shrug:
 
pxl8 said:
Eric when I got the 40D I really didn't think it would be that much different from the 30D, I was very very wrong... if you buy one you'll have a hard time using the 30D again ;)
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Your not helping are you:bat:

:thinking: Though "cashback" is only a few days away:naughty:
 
Venomator said:
And I suppose the 'pecker was an accident too Cedric ... :suspect:



:lol:




:p
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I'm not claiming him as an accident Rog! :lol:

The male and female were there briefly this morning.
 
CT said:
So - do I flog my 1DMK2n or not? :shrug:
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Yep and the 40D buy an instamatic and give the rest of us half a chance :D
 
Thanks for those words of wisdom. Hmmm. Instamatic! :naughty:
 
Quick question... Does the 40D have the sensor that turns off the back display when you're looking through the viewfinder?
 
groovyf said:
Quick question... Does the 40D have the sensor that turns off the back display when you're looking through the viewfinder?
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No too sure what you mean there? The short answer anyway is there's no sensor.

If you mean using the screen in Live View mode, then you'd just press the SET button in the centre of the command dial to exit Live View- then use the viewfinder as normal.
 
I think you mean the same as the 400D where the info screen is "closed" when raising the camera to your eye?
If so, then no I don't think it has, unless its a custom setting that I have'nt found :thinking:
 
CT, there's a function on the 400 that turns off live view when you raise the camera when you raise it to your eye, and no the 40D doesn't have that. The way the 40D live view works is that you have to specifically select it.
 
Cobra said:
I think you mean the same as the 400D where the info screen is "closed" when raising the camera to your eye?
If so, then no I don't think it has, unless its a custom setting that I have'nt found :thinking:
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Yeah, sorry. forgot to mention like the 400D has. No real issue for me, it's not a deal-breaker. Still trying to seel a 40D to myself as an upgrade :D
 
groovyf said:
Yeah, sorry. forgot to mention like the 400D has. No real issue for me, it's not a deal-breaker. Still trying to seel a 40D to myself as an upgrade :D
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You'll be impressed I was. :thumbs:
You can turn the "info screen" on and off as well as the "menu" screen. it "works" slightly different to the 400D but its not an issue as far as I am concerned
 
Well I am now several hundreds of pounds lighter....and it's not due to the TP diet!!!:lol:;) It's all CT's fault!! ;)

I too, could not resist the offer at Focus and bought a 40D and a spare battery. I opted for the "B body".....perfect condition, sealed packaging etc, but £200 cheaper than the normal Focus offer price. (B Bodies are usually returns and have been through the Canon QA department before being released back to the market). I have had B bodies before with no problem, so was quite happy to do this.

I love it! Thanks hugely to Janice.....her excellent advice means I now have the live view working properly...AF works a treat!

Not had much opportunity to use it yet but am off to SW France soon, so will use it in earnest then.

xx
 
:thumbs: Enjoy your new toy
 
photostar_1 said:
I love it! Thanks hugely to Janice.....her excellent advice means I now have the live view working properly...AF works a treat!
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You're gonna love that 40d this summer :thumbs:
 
I think Father Christmas might be bringing me an early present too :D
 
i got mine at the end of Jan and am well happy with it. still working out all the functions as its my first canon but what a camera it is...
 
Gone and bought myself one now! Now to offload the 400D :D
 
Just an added observation...

I bought two new batteries with the 40D - the one that came with the camera and an additional one for the new battery grip. I still haven't used either of the new batteries.

When I first got the camera, I put the two old batteries fully charged into the new battery grip, and they're still going strong! Possibly down to the new Digic 3 processor handling battery power better?
 
I noticed that too CT, nearly 500 shots into it, and only just used half power. Overall im really impressed with it, dont go much on the grips feel though, the whole set up dosent feel as good as the 10D but will get used to it.
Dean:)
 
This has been a great review, & Easter Bunny has just left me a 40D, off to try it out ...
 
i wish my easter bunny was so generous. just 2 chocolate eggs foe me
 
CT Thanks to your review, and my constant whining at the wife, she bought me a 40D, only after me selling the 400D, but wow, what a difference, a lot to learn, but loving it so far, superb camera. Just hoping the weather improves down here!
 
CT said:
Best of both worlds really Cameron -given you like the landscape work. :thumbs:
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That's what I'm thinking, CT.
I'd prefer FF for landscape but the replacement for the 5D doesn't seem to be making an appearance and I'm fed up waiting.
The 40D will give me that boost in high ISO quality for wildlife and the 1D MKII will give me that wider FOV for landscape.
 
I hesitate to make such a rash suggestion Cameron but how about for FF shots using film? :eek:
 
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