Just got a 40D. Hints and tips needed

Erm, it's just like any other Canon DSLR really. It's just much easier to use than the consumer grade bodies, and the image quality and high ISO noise performance is in another world. The thumb wheel on the back, bigger ISO range and much easier ability to change settings on the fly are all awesome.

All I'd say is go out and practice changing various settings on the fly, and get used to how the body feels in your hands. The ISO button is the nearest to the shutter button, and works off the click wheel at the top of the body. ISO is displayed in the viewfinder, which helps enormously.
 
The best thing I can recommend is to set the custom function to enable back button focus Back button focus.

Make sure the high ISO noise reduction is turned off otherwise your RAW burst rate will be seriously reduced.

Make sure you shoot some RAW files and have a look at Canons Digital Photo Professional software to process them. There are some useful tutorials on the Canon DPN websiteDPN DPP tutorials Latest version is 3.6.0.

One other thing. This camera seems to have a massive aversion to blown highlights. No matter how small the brightest area of the image is the camera will always set the exposure so that nothing ever goes 255,255,255. This can often make the images appear underexposed. But you will have lots of detail to pull back in DPP if you so desire.

And lastly have a look at this thread about RAW files and sharpening, still very relevant to a 40D as well

Most of all go out and use it, I've had mine almost 18 months now and it still makes me go "wow" when I see the images - like These - sometimes :D

HTH

David
 
Willid1 said:
One other thing. This camera seems to have a massive aversion to blown highlights. No matter how small the brightest area of the image is the camera will always set the exposure so that nothing ever goes 255,255,255. This can often make the images appear underexposed. But you will have lots of detail to pull back in DPP if you so desire.


David
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Long time lurker, virgin poster (be gentle).

I have just bought a 40D as well, after bouncing my 300D a bit too hard on top of Pillar in the Lakes.

With the 300D I had exposure comp permanently set 2/3 of a stop under to avoid blown highlights. Then I sort it out PP using Capture One and PS CS2. A trick that has saved many a contrasty shot.

Am I wasting my time, and potentially massively under exposing, using the same setting with the 40D?
 
Alianther said:
Am I wasting my time, and potentially massively under exposing, using the same setting with the 40D?
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I would definitely say yes, I could quite easily shot most of my stuff (if low contrast subject) at + 1/2 or +1 EV compensation.

Main problem I have is it's very difficult to see the right hand edge of the histogram on the camera display in daylight, makes assessing the histogram at the highlight end very difficult.

Have not tried the highlight priority feature though.

HTH

David
 
I use the C3 custom function on the mode dial quite a bit. I have it set for action photography, so no matter what I'm doing I can quickly flick the dial round to the end and have usable settings: Av, ISO400, f/5.6, hi-speed drive, AI Servo, centre focus point.
 
The other thing I would recommend you do make use of the "My Menu" feature which allows you to put the most commonly used menu items on a single screen so you don't have to go delving for things like "format" and "Auto bracketing" every time you want to use them.

David
 
Willid1 said:
The other thing I would recommend you do make use of the "My Menu" feature which allows you to put the most commonly used menu items on a single screen so you don't have to go delving for things like "format" and "Auto bracketing" every time you want to use them.

David
Click to expand...
Also added to those two I have 'Mirror lockup' and 'Sensor cleaning'
 
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