Canon 40D - First Impressions

cedmondson · 11-09-2007, 3:29 PM

My new 40D arrived today

& I'm just back from my first outing with it. I'll post an image or two once I've figured out what I need to do with these 14 bit RAWs

First impressions though - it's light years ahead of the 300D it replaces.
It's solid & chunky. not much wider or deeper than the 300D but a bit taller. The LCD screen is lovely - far more useable than the old dinky 1.8inch one.
Everything is so much faster; it switches on instantaneously, focuses very quickly (esp. with my 24-105L) & the 6.5fps is incredible

Many of the causes of missed shots in the past should be eradicated. Interesting that I can now see a much bigger difference in focusing speed between different lenses than I was previously aware of. My Sigma 70-300APO now seems slower than the others but it doesn't hunt as much as it did with the 300D.
The shutter sounds quieter and somehow smoother (?) - difficult to describe really.

I expected the controls would take a lot of getting used to - there are a couple of things I need to spend more time with but even after an hour it was starting to feel quite natural to control most things.

I had a very quick play with Liveview. I guess this will be really handy for those landscape shots where the camera is on a tripod a few inches from the ground & it's just about impossible to get my eye near the viewfinder. Also quite neat that you can use it to see a histogram then drop back to reguar mode to take the shot.

I'll reserve judgement till I've seen the IQ - but if nothing else it's a pleasure to use.

Tobers · 11-09-2007, 5:02 PM

Good stuff. I was wondering which of us would be the first to get one. Interested in more thoughts as you use it more (though I still want that 1D!!).

SweetGirl · 11-09-2007, 5:18 PM

Lets have some photos please

Radiohead · 11-09-2007, 6:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SweetGirl

Lets have some photos please

What the lady said.

stebbo2 · 11-09-2007, 6:54 PM

Mine will be here tommorow, expect impressions then

technomong · 11-09-2007, 8:29 PM

I've saved for ages, waiting for the 5D to come down in price, to be my first digital SLR. I wanted a full-frame, so I didn't have to get used to different focal lengths on my lenses

Anyway, just as I was about to bite the bullet, the 40D comes out. Still not full-frame, but it's bery hard to justify shelling out the extra for the 5 now

I think I'll be getting a 40D in the next couple of weeks

Liquid101 · 11-09-2007, 8:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by technomong

I've saved for ages, waiting for the 5D to come down in price, to be my first digital SLR. I wanted a full-frame, so I didn't have to get used to different focal lengths on my lenses

Anyway, just as I was about to bite the bullet, the 40D comes out. Still not full-frame, but it's bery hard to justify shelling out the extra for the 5 now

I think I'll be getting a 40D in the next couple of weeks

Seems like a strange decision - if you wanted a full frame camera why be swayed by the 40D? what does it offer you that the 30D didn't that makes you change your mind?

Radiohead · 11-09-2007, 8:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liquid101

Seems like a strange decision - if you wanted a full frame camera why be swayed by the 40D? what does it offer you that the 30D didn't that makes you change your mind?

That's what I was just thinking.

RobDickinson · 11-09-2007, 8:57 PM

Especialy as the 5D isnt all that much more than a 40D now, refurbs are 800odd quid on ebay.

allymac123 · 11-09-2007, 10:00 PM

...and you'll kick yourself for being impatient when the 5D mkII comes out...

Tobers · 12-09-2007, 7:22 AM

Get the 5D. Yummy.

cedmondson · 12-09-2007, 10:04 AM

First few images as requested:

Radiohead may recognise the location of this

...and one for Holowlegs

I seem to have picked up a reddish cast somewhere in PP. I'm unclear what effect the 'Picture Style' is having on these shots. I've left the setting on the camera as standard but assuming that a RAW should in any case be unaffected???
RAW conversion is via Canon DPP as Adobe doesn't yet support 14 bit files. As DPP seems very limited by comparison with Lightroom, I've made minimal adjustment before outputting a 16bit TIFF to Lightroom for further tweaking. More experimentation is needed.

technomong · 12-09-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liquid101

Seems like a strange decision - if you wanted a full frame camera why be swayed by the 40D? what does it offer you that the 30D didn't that makes you change your mind?

I know what you are saying (and subsequent posters - I don't know how to multi-quote on this forum..)

The point is that when the 5D mark II comes out, I'm back to not being able to afford it. And if I get the 5D now (still more expensive than the 40D) I have older technology: no sensor cleaning, lower fps, no liveview, smaller LCD screen. The IQ from the 40D is 'supposedly' comparable to the curent 5D, and I can get a 40D with a 17-85mm IS USM for a good whack less than the 5D, body only. I'll be buying in the US - 1600 dollars for the 40D kit versus 2300 for the 5D

In short the 40D seems such a good camera that ít's finally swayed me in the direction of the 1.6x magnification camera.

The 40D also has 10MP versus 8 in the 30D, so the gap there has narrowed

damn it, I'm still confused though!

JohnG · 12-09-2007, 12:50 PM

Thanks for the mini-review, it's good to hear that the autofocus doesn't hunt so much

I've found on my 350D that it can hunt quite a bit on my Sigma 70-300 lens and even on my Canon IS 70-300 especially on certain kinds of wildlife - rooks, crows for example.
I'm thinking of a 40D for better autofocus and IQ for wildlife photos and flying birds etc, do you think it's worth it ?

cedmondson · 12-09-2007, 1:28 PM

@JohnG: It's my understanding based on what I've read that the 40D is a fair step forward in terms of AF. My brief trial yesterday was mostly about getting to know the new camera & as you'll see from my test shots, I didn't challenge the AF too much.
I'm happy with IQ so far but frustrated with Canon DPP - I'm not convinced I'm getting the best out it yet. I can see a clear improvement over the old 300D but I don't have other models to compare it against.

I'd be surprised if you didn't see very worthwhile improvements over a 350D though including (but not limited to) both AF & IQ.

dave_bass5 · 12-09-2007, 8:17 PM

One of the good things that i haven't read about on the net is that you can set the camera to stop focusing if it cant focus. So for example with a longer lens if the AF fails it wont start going crazy and keep hunting. It just stops trying but it stops at the right end if that makes sense and so will find focus quicker next time you try.

Anyone mind if i post a sample shot. I rally am liking this camera but not really liking DPP. Ive used it before but i much prefer C1. just cant use it at the moment. One thing i have noticed is the jpgs from the 40D seem to be very good. might give up on RAW for a while and see how i go. Did a test earlier and the jpg look better than the un edited RAW in DPP, both with the same pic style.

**senu** · 12-09-2007, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnG

Thanks for the mini-review, it's good to hear that the autofocus doesn't hunt so much

I've found on my 350D that it can hunt quite a bit on my Sigma 70-300 lens and even on my Canon IS 70-300 especially on certain kinds of wildlife - rooks, crows for example.
I'm thinking of a 40D for better autofocus and IQ for wildlife photos and flying birds etc, do you think it's worth it ?

John ,
even the 30D is a big improvement over the 350D in AF speed and accuracy.I cannot imagine the 40D not being more so
However..with the sigma . it hunts now and again..it never does that on any other lens so I would judge a camera by its AF ability with the Sigma 70-300

JohnG · 14-09-2007, 8:18 AM

My plan was to hang on for a while and wait for the price to drop a bit but I don't think I can stop myself from buying this in the next week or so

JohnG · 14-09-2007, 10:13 AM

Anyone know the best place/price to get this from then ?

madgames · 14-09-2007, 10:24 AM

Ive just bought mine literally in the last 10 mins from
Digital-Cameras.com
Paid £1008.99 inc delivery for the 17-85 package

richard plumb · 14-09-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madgames

Ive just bought mine literally in the last 10 mins from
Digital-Cameras.com
Paid £1008.99 inc delivery for the 17-85 package

Think London Camera Exchange were the same price. They were £839 body only. Had a go on one at the Bristol branch.

cedmondson · 14-09-2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnG

Anyone know the best place/price to get this from then ?

I bought mine from RGB-Tech in Middlesbrough for £769 (body only). I managed to get one of the last of their initial shipment. It might be worth a call to see if they have more in yet.
Alternatively, Jessops price of £807 including a 3 year warranty seems pretty good - particularly if you have a store nearby.

Also have a look at www.camerapricebuster.co.uk - it's usually fairly reliable although they say the 40D listing is still incomplete.

JohnG · 14-09-2007, 10:53 AM

I can't see on the 40D listing on Jessops any mention of a 3 year guarantee

dave_bass5 · 14-09-2007, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnG

I can't see on the 40D listing on Jessops any mention of a 3 year guarantee

Looks like they have dropped the offer. The page looks different as well now.

pixelpixel · 14-09-2007, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnG

I can't see on the 40D listing on Jessops any mention of a 3 year guarantee

They call it 'free photo+ cover'

dave_bass5 · 14-09-2007, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelpixel

They call it 'free photo+ cover'

Its not there any more. It was a little light blue box (or something like that).

cedmondson · 14-09-2007, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnG

I can't see on the 40D listing on Jessops any mention of a 3 year guarantee

Hmmm, it was definitely there a couple of days ago & there was some discussion on dpreview as recently as yesterday about it - I gather that some shops aren't aware of the additional warranty & the advice seems to be to get them to phone head office to confirm.

dave_bass5 · 14-09-2007, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cedmondson

Hmmm, it was definitely there a couple of days ago & there was some discussion on dpreview as recently as yesterday about it - I gather that some shops aren't aware of the additional warranty & the advice seems to be to get them to phone head office to confirm.

Well the 40D has been in Jessops for a week now, maybe the offer was just for the first week. Who knows.
when i got mine (day 1) the offer was on the site but the staff were confused as thier system was still saying to offer the customer the same cover plan but for £95. Thats the reason they had to phone head office.In fact the guy said he spoke to the marketing dept to get clarification.