Pros: Great build quality, good feel in your hand, self-cleaning sensor, and live preview.
Cons: Important functions buried within menus, Ergonomics, slightly less mega-pixels than competition.
The Bottom Line: While the body doesn't surpass other offerings, when paired with Canon's legendary lenses, this body all of a sudden gives the competition a run for their money.
ncphototrekker's Full Review: Canon EOS 40D Body Only Digital Camera
I don’t always do things in the right order, and don’t always follow the typical pattern. My entry into the DSLR market is an example of just that. I purchased the Canon 40D after several years of using a point and shoot Sony F828. While the Sony was similar in layout to a SLR type camera, it was still very much a point and shoot. The normal evolution of things should have been the purchase of an entry level body such as the Rebel series of cameras to familiarize myself with the workings of the more advanced camera body. However, I felt confident enough in my understanding of photography to make the larger investment into the more pro-level 40D to start with.
The 40D was purchased as a “body only” in December 2007, shortly after it was released. My purchase decision was made because the body/kit lens combinations were all out of stock. Purchasing a camera body with a kit lens is usually a way to get a decent lens at a reduced price. That would have been my first choice, but it worked out better for me as I was able to get a 17-40mm f/4L lens for just a little more money.
Making the decision…
My decision to purchase the Canon was made simple by the catalog of lenses that Canon has available for its bodies. Overall, Canon has some of the sharpest and best performing glass out there. It was this reason, and this reason alone I chose not to wait for the Nikon D300 body which was to be released in a couple of months. Why mention the D300 in a review of the 40D? Well, they are poised as direct competitors in the market, though in typical Nikon fashion, they have introduced a slightly better feature set, more mega pixels, and a slightly better built body. Yes, you read this right…the Canon owner admits that Nikon has a superior platform in the D300. Sure it costs a bit more at about $400 over the cost of the Canon, but when you get into cameras at this level, $400.00 is really insignificant. So, why did I choose the Canon? As I mentioned before, the Canon Lenses…particularly the “L” glass repeatedly scores higher in tests and reviews than the comparable Nikon offerings.
What I have determined in my time of shooting with the Sony camera is that technology is constantly being changed, and a camera only has a shelf life of a couple of years (at best) before even better technology makes the current equipment obsolete. However, look at just about any photographer’s camera bag, and you will likely see lenses that are older than the bodies that are being used with them. I have seen many digital SLR shooters that still use the same glass that they did when they were shooting film. Why is that? Simple, quality glass will remain a quality product over a much longer period of time. It is that logic that prompted me to look to Canon for my camera system.
I was entering into the DSLR world for the first time, and that would normally call for an entry level body, such as the Rebel. That would be a good choice for most that are unfamiliar with some of the more advanced skills and techniques. However, that Sony F-828 was laid out very similar to a DSLR and shared many functions with it. I took the leap of faith that I would be able to move right into the larger, more advanced 40D. The gamble worked out very well, as I was able to learn this camera in short order, and it won’t be long before it becomes second nature to my fingers as to where everything is.
First Impressions…
To hold this camera is to be inspired with its build quality. It is heavy, without being cumbersome. It is solid to the touch with nice surfaces all over. The grip is textured and of a material that makes it easy to hold this camera with one hand. New for the 40D is the weather sealing. There are now gaskets, and barriers to keep out the elements. It is not quite as protected as the Nikon, but it is sufficient for shooting in the rain, or in dusty conditions. All of the buttons and levers feel solid and there is no excessive movement in any of them. Everything seems to be laid out well with the most used function buttons on the top near the LCD window. Each button performs two different functions which are adjusted by individual wheels on the body. Other buttons dealing with exposure and focus are located on the back of the body near where the right thumb resides. After a little familiarity with these buttons, it becomes instinctive where they are at.
Other buttons, such as the menu and info buttons that used to reside along the left side of the previous “D” cameras, have been moved below the large 3” LCD display. This was necessary to provide enough real estate on the back of the camera for the increased screen size. There have been several reviews that say this move was a poor decision by Canon and will make the buttons easier to press accidentally. While I don’t have much in the way to compare the bodies to, I can say this arrangement has caused no problems for me. In fact, I actually find it a bit difficult to press while the quick release plate for the tripod is attached.
Another button that has come under fire is the depth of field preview button which is located to the lower right of the lens when looking at the front of the body. For me, this is perfect because I access this feature with my left thumb while my left hand cups the lens itself. Other reviewers would like this button on the left side, but I believe that would put too many things on that side of the camera…you have two hands, might as well make use of them, right?
My only gripe in the placement of controls is the on/off switch, which is actually a three position switch. The first position is “off”, which is self explanatory. The second position is “on” but will not turn on the lower control wheel, which accesses aperture, and menu items. It is the last position with a line that allows for complete functionality of the camera controls. I’m not sure of the reason for this, but I would have like it to be either on or off, without other options. The placement of this switch is also a bit cumbersome. It is recessed, surely to prevent accidental activation, and when used with a tripod quick release plate, quite difficult to get to. I much prefer the on/off switch to be placed at or near the shutter button.
As I have mentioned, there are many seals and gaskets on this camera. All doors are sealed; even the Compact Flash (type I and II) door has a gasket on it. Another interesting seal that I would not have thought about is the seal that goes around the flash hotshoe. When a Canon accessory flash such as the 580EX II is used, the seals match up and provide protection from the elements for this critical junction. There is no cover or seal to go over the hotshoe when not in use however, so you will have to wipe it down if it is wet or dusty before fixing the flash to it.
In the field…
There are several things that you will want to know about this camera and how it works in the field. The first and probably the most important is the LCD display. In bright sunlight, it is very difficult to read even when adjusting the brightness. There is a real handy contrast scale that appears next to an image to help you get the brightness set right. I have only had one instance where I just couldn’t get it set for easy viewing. I found myself cupping my hands around it, to block the light, which seemed to work, but was quite cumbersome. The LCD itself is a lower resolution than the offerings from both Sony and Nikon even though they are the same size. For me, the resolution is sufficient for reviewing your photos and checking focus. The menus are very easy to read (with the exception of bright light), and you maneuver around the menus by using the two adjuster wheels, or the joystick.
Speaking of the adjustment wheels, I feel like it is worth mentioning some things about the placement. The shutter control wheel is positioned on the top of the body behind the shutter button. I have found this to be a great location and is very intuitive for your right index finger to find. The aperture controller, however, is a different story. It is a disk on the back of the body to the right of the LCD screen. There is a “Set” button in the middle of it for use with the menu. Originally, I considered this controller to be a deal breaker for me, as I really liked the Nikon arrangement (better body remember) of having the aperture controller positioned at the top right of the rear of the body. It would be very easy to manipulate this wheel with your thumb in a normal shooting position. I am however, pleased to say that the Canon design is not near as bad as what I thought originally. I have gotten used to its location and have not had any problems with the design. It works out quite well for a tripod shooter actually since I don’t have to have everything indexed to where my hand would be. I have realized a potential problem with the Nikon design though. The way I handle the camera, I could see accidentally brushing past the rear controller and changing the aperture without intending to do so. Overall, I like the Canon design, and it is no longer a major concern for me.
Another feature that I had to have on a DSLR camera is the mirror lock-up. While this facility is present on the Canon, it is buried within the menu under “Custom Functions”. Fortunately, as I do most of my shooting from a tripod, I have decided to leave this feature active. For those that only want this function occasionally, you can register the settings in one of the Saved Custom Settings accessible from the mode dial. This is handy if you have some preferred setting for different types of photography such as landscape, portrait, low light, and so on. Each custom combination can be saved and registered to the mode dial. When you find yourself in a particular situation, all you have to do is switch over to that custom setting and all custom user functions are then changed to your preferred settings…pretty cool!
The optical viewfinder is nice and bright and well detailed. It covers about 97% of the field of view so be careful with your frame edges as you will get a little bit more of the scene in your shot that what you are seeing through the view finder. It is easy enough to check your framing in the LCD upon review of the image. After a while, you get to where you know how much beyond the field of view you will be capturing and you can make pretty accurate adjustments on the fly. Just for comparison, the Nikon D300’s viewfinder is 100% accurate.
Startup time is almost instantaneous once the camera is turned on. It will go through a sensor cleaning at startup and shutdown though. This can be bypassed by pressing the shutter button for that split second picture. However, under normal circumstances, the self cleaning sensor is a great feature to this body. It can also be accessed through the menu at any time if you want to shake something off. Canon goes one step further and includes dust mapping as a menu option. This is a great idea in case you get any dust on the sensor that won’t shake off. You set it up by taking a picture of a blank featureless surface. The camera will register any dust particles and save them to a small file that is attached to each picture that is taken. It is a good idea to do this at the beginning of each shoot for insurance. If there is any dust found on the final exposure, the supplied Canon software can automatically go in and delete the specs. This works for those that you see and those that you don’t.
One last observation about this camera is the live preview function. This is new for the 40D and is a real help to macro and landscape photographers. Operation is simple; you turn on the option in the custom function menu, and activate it by the “Set” button in the middle of the aperture adjustment wheel. You will then get a real time view on your 3” LCD that has a grid on it. The grid is perfect for composition as it shows you the rule of thirds as it applies to your picture. You can see simulated exposure adjustments as you make them. You can even select a histogram in live view to make sure that your exposure is exactly the way you want it before you press the shutter button. One thing to keep in mind though, is that auto focus is not easily accessible in live view. It can be accessed through a custom function and allows for a contrast sensing autofocus to be used. I'm not too keen on this function, however, you can zoom in either 5x or 10x to a point on the image that you choose and then manually focus the lens to that spot. It works quite well, and might be a bit more accurate in some circumstances than the auto focus would be. The live preview will eat up your batteries so be sure and have enough on hand for the time you expect to shoot. Roughly half of the life of your batteries can be expected when you are using the live preview.
Final Thoughts…
For those looking seriously at this camera, you have undoubtedly done some amount of research on the image quality. The image quality is great, with good control of highlights and shadows. The sensor has been said to produce nearly comparable shadow detail to the full framed 5D. Noise is well controlled up to ISO 800, but after that, you will start to see progressively larger amounts of noise. If you are shooting in low light situations where you need higher ISO’s this would be the biggest argument for choosing the D300 over the 40, and the only one where I would have changed my purchase. Nikon is really doing a great job at noise control in the higher ISO’s across their entire line. That is not to say that Canon isn’t doing their part to address the concern of noise. There are two different noise reductions that Canon offers in the processor. The first is for high ISO exposures, and the second is for long exposures which are also prone to noise at any ISO. As with other noise reduction software, there is an amount of softening of the image that takes place to clear the noise. I have been shooting without any noise reduction applied and have seen no noise at all…even on shots exposed for 13 seconds at ISO 100. This is a remarkably clean camera at low ISO which is what I shoot.
I have done a lot of comparing to the Nikon D300, even though it is pricier as well as a step above the Canon in terms of feature sets. For the most part, the Nikon comes out on top when it comes to ergonomics, features, and noise control. Is the Nikon worth the extra money over the Canon…I don’t think so when you look at the entire picture. The Canon lenses are better quality across the board which might actually account as an equalizer when it comes to megapixels. With a high quality lens, the sensor is able to resolve much more detail, so a 10MP camera can actually resolve at close to the 12MP competition. I am not set up to conduct tests, but I have been able to print images at poster size with incredible detail without uprezzing the image.
When it comes right down to it, any of the major players in the DLSR market produce wonderful products at this price point. It really all comes down to what you are asking out of the camera, and whether or not the particular camera has the feature set you desire. Most importantly however, is the glass. If you are an existing Canon user with existing glass, this is a great choice for you as a step up from the Rebel series, or if you have been using a 10/20/30D as this is more of a rebuild than a freshening of an existing product. If you have a collection of Nikon, Pentax, or Sony/Konica/Minolta lenses should you consider switching to the Canon….probably not. However, if you plan on getting new glass the Canon line is really worth your consideration.
I really like my Canon 40D, but the fact is there are other bodies that are better for about the same money. For that reason, I can’t give this camera a five star review. As a body only, it is only worth a four star rating, but keep in mind that when a Canon “L” lens is attached to the lens mount all bets are off, and this is a five star performer that is worthy to go head to head with all competitors.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1299.95 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Solid Enough for a Professional
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