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Canon EOS 40D reviews
You can find here the most interesting reviews / ratings from the well-known expert sites about the Canon EOS 40D Camera. Here are the reviewers:
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- 21 December 2007 - |
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- 0 |
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- 25 October 2007 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 25 October 2007 - |
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- 0 |
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- 25 October 2007 - |
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- 0 |
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- 25 October 2007 - |
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- 0 |
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- 22 September 2007 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 20 September 2007 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 12 September 2007 - |
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- 4.5 |
DigitalCameraInfo 's conclusion / rating - 21 December 2007 |
“ The EOS 40D stands as a solid successor to Canon’s popular EOS 30D. It offers increased resolution, 30 percent faster continuous shooting, and enhanced computing power. A number of innovations, such as sRAW files, Live Preview, automatic dust reduction, and additional weather seals, also make their first appearance in the series, collectively creating a more dynamic and contemporized feature set.
In terms of image quality, the 40D’s photos look great, but not significantly better than the 30D’s. The 40D's noise levels are very low, though not any lower than the 30D. The 40D's dynamic range is excellent, and slightly improves on the 30D. Color accuracy is almost identical, but the 40D’s resolution is less than impressive, even with the extra megapixels.
There's a lot of competition in this price range. Some of the 40D's competitors offer very attractive features that Canon has not included. Features such as body-based image stabilization (Sony A700), a commander flash mode (Nikon), and rotating Live View LCDs with better resolution (Panasonic L10) may capture some of its target market.
Current 30D owners who use multiple bodies, such as wedding photographers, may be put off by the reassignment and repositioning of the buttons on the top and back of the camera. But for first time DSLR owners or single body shooters, the 40D provides Canon's characteristically excellent image quality, solid build, and convenience. ... ”
DigitalCameraInfo's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DPReview 's conclusion / rating - 25 October 2007 |
“ Seven years since the EOS D30, the sixth incarnation of that camera displays all of the advantages of a progressive evolution in both features and quality. With each step up the evolutionary ladder to the EOS 40D Canon has demonstrated improvements in image quality, performance, usability and features. They also demonstrated that as well as meeting the 'requirements of the market' they also listened to owners and reviewers by implementing the most commonly requested feature changes. With the EOS 40D these include permanent display of ISO sensitivity on both the top LCD and viewfinder status bar, the warning message with the CF compartment is opened during a write process and the addition of the AF-ON button.
From an image quality point of view the combination of the Canon CMOS sensor and DIGIC III processor means equally detailed images at all sensitivities (except maybe ISO 3200), low noise and a complete lack of unnatural artifacts. The new high ISO speed noise reduction option has no effect on luminance detail but removes any lingering chroma noise , giving high ISO images a more film-like grain; something Nikon has been doing for some time. We would be interested to see Canon using a less strong anti-alias filter which would mean that JPEG images would require less sharpening and would be naturally 'crisper' straight off the sensor, but it's a minor point and would really only be seen by 'pixel peepers'.
One surprise came from our testing of the cameras dynamic range, it delivered a consistently higher range than both the competition and its predecessor. The majority of this improvement, however, was in the shadow range, a function we presume of the new 14-bit processing pipeline.
Negatives? We're always more critical of cameras such as the EOS 40D, which come with such a strong heritage, but even with that in mind it's truly difficult to find any serious issues. Automatic white balance in artificial light is still pretty poor, there's no indication of the tone curve applied by different Picture Styles and continuous shooting speed wasn't quite as fast as specified, but really, we’re splitting hairs here.
When I first started using the EOS 40D a simple description came to mind: that this is a 'well sorted camera'. It feels well rounded - the result of years of evolutionary improvement, it delivers in almost every area, and it inspires confidence. From a usability point of view the viewfinder feels larger, ergonomics are good, the user interface is clear and easy to learn, there are no in-use performance issues, metering and auto-focus show good consistency and the results speak for themselves; colorful (yet accurate) detailed images with low noise even at high sensitivities.... ”
Complete review here
Imaging Resource 's conclusion / rating - 25 October 2007 |
“ The new Canon 40D offers a very mature set of features in a camera that's priced lower than its predecessors. It also offers as much value and image quality as competing designs that are hundreds of dollars more. Canon's pro SLR designs have always been conservative, and they didn't try to leap-frog the market with a higher resolution sensor; instead they stuck to a 10-megapixel sensor size that would deliver the quality that Canon fans are used to.
Live View is the most significant advancement in technological terms in the Canon 40D, offering a true 100% view of the image, as well as the ability to zoom in either five or ten times to focus manually, or verify focus. You do have to enable the AF-ON button with a Custom Function, but once you do, you can autofocus in Live View mode with just a brief interruption of the LCD display. The 40D's new quiet shooting modes should make nature photography a little easier, thanks to the innovative electronic first curtain. The Canon 40D's faster frame rate of 6.5 frames per second is a nice speed improvement, and the larger image buffer means you can capture more images than before. Canon's inclusion of Highlight Tone Priority has made the EOS 40D even more suitable for portrait and wedding photography,
The Canon 40D's larger LCD is a welcome improvement as well, offering more space for image review, and a very clear look at menu items and the new Status display. The new menu system is easy to use once mastered, and the addition of ISO to both the monochrome Status display and viewfinder makes adjusting and monitoring the Canon 40D easy.
As I've said in the past about other cameras in the line, the Canon EOS 40D is an excellent photographic tool, slightly evolved to take advantage of recent technological advances. This time there are more bells and whistles, but they don't take away from the Canon 40D's ability to make great pictures.... ”
Imaging Resource's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DCResource 's conclusion / rating - 25 October 2007 |
“ With the EOS-40D, Canon has created a very capable midrange digital SLR that offers excellent photo quality, snappy performance, live view, and a well-designed body. Since I'm yet to test the equivalent cameras from Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, and Sony, it's hard to say how the 40D compares. Standing on its own, however, the 40D is a camera that easily earns my recommendation.
The 40D is a midsize D-SLR that's built like a tank. It's frame is a mix of stainless steel and a magnesium alloy, and the outer shell is made of high grade plastic and rubber. Add in a large right hand grip and you have a camera that feels safe and secure in your hands. The camera does have its share of buttons, though most of them are easy to figure out without having to pop open the manual. Like the 30D before it, the EOS-40D supports both EF and EF-S lenses, with a 1.6X focal length conversion. New to the camera is Canon's three-pronged dust reduction system, which combines a dust-repelling coating on the sensor, ultrasonic dust "shaking", and a digital "dust map", so you can get rid of this annoyance in software.
On the back of the camera is an enormous 3-inch LCD display. While it's bright and sharp, it pales in comparison to the amazing screens on the Nikon D300 and Sony DSLR-A700. One of the big new features on the 40D is live view, which allows you to compose your photos on the LCD in real time. While it's really designed for use with manual focus (with a handy frame enlargement feature), you can activate autofocus by pressing the AF-On button on the back of the camera. The view on the LCD is bright and fluid, and low light visibility is pretty good (though Canon's compact cameras are brighter in those situations), and you can superimpose both a histogram and a composition grid on the screen. The shutter release sound is quieter in live view mode, as the camera's using an electronic shutter instead of a mechanical one. You don't have to be seated behind the camera to enjoy the live view feature, either, as it's available on your PC as well, via USB or the optional Wireless File Transmitter.... ”
Complete review here
Steves Digicams 's conclusion / rating - 25 October 2007 |
“ There's a lot to like about the 40D. If you're looking for a 10-megapixel camera that can fire long bursts, is compatible with a mature system of professional accessories, and creates superb images in almost any light, look no further. This lightweight (26.1oz) camera, with it's comfortable molded grip, is small and tough enough to travel easily with active users. Certainly, the 40D is the best performance-cost value that Canon has ever offered, with a street price of just US$1299 or less (Body only). While the 40D is perfect for advanced amateurs, it will appeal to entry-level professional photographers too. The large LCD and improved menu structure make this camera a breeze to use. Canon fans will find the EOS 40D to be a wonderful camera and an excellent choice compared to most of the dSLRs in its price class. ... ”
Steves Digicams's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
PhotographyBLOG 's conclusion / rating - 22 September 2007 |
“ Many people imagine that a better camera will help you take better pictures. That’s not quite true. In fact, a better camera simply helps you take pictures better… In other words, the picture quality is decided by the photographer, not the camera. But if the camera suits you better, your pictures will get better too. The fact is that the picture quality you get from the Canon EOS 40D is not significantly better than that you get from the EOS 400D or indeed any of the other 10-megapixel SLRs on the market right now. What you’re getting is a camera with more scope, more sophisticated controls and a better design and layout for those who already know one end of a camera from the other. For experienced photographers, many cheaper SLRs are awkward to use because the manual controls take second place to all the beginner-friendly auto modes. The EOS 40D, then, is for photographers who’ve outgrown their first SLR – or, indeed, for professional Canon SLR users who are looking for a low-cost ‘second’ body to pack in their kit-bags.
The high points are the tough, durable body, the control layout and that amazing 6.5fps shooting mode. Yes, it does soundly like a badly-muffled machine-gun, but it lets you grab action sequences that lesser cameras would miss. The speed of the AF system keeps moving subjects sharp, too. But perhaps the most striking thing about the Canon EOS 40D is its value. It’s true that it costs more than other 10-megapixel cameras, but it’s also much more professionally-orientated. Its nearest rival in the semi-pro market would be the newly-announced Nikon D300, but the list price is £1300 for the body only, and for that money you could get an EOS 40D and Canon’s 17-85mm image-stabilised lens and have change to spare. The Canon EOS 40D’s strength doesn’t lie in any great technological breakthrough but in its professional appeal and its sheer value for money.... ”
PhotographyBLOG's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
PhotoReview 's conclusion / rating - 20 September 2007 |
“ A replacement for Canon's EOS 30D has been due for some time so the unveiling of the 10.1-megapixel EOS 40D at the end of August was no surprise. Nor was the inclusion of Canon's EOS Integrated Cleaning System, which was pioneered on the EOS 400D and is becoming a key technology for Canon's DSLR cameras. However, the Live View function that lets users compose shots with the LCD monitor as they can with a digicam, was a real surprise - and the 3.0-inch display was a genuine bonus. ... ”
PhotoReview's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
Camera Labs 's conclusion / rating - 12 September 2007 |
“ Canon’s EOS 40D features many improvements over its predecessor and finally shows the pesky Nikon D80 who’s boss – albeit one which costs almost half as much again. Canon’s delivered a superb DSLR which handles beautifully, is packed with useful features and delivers great-looking images.
The Live View facility works well, especially when remote-controlled using a PC, and the silent-shooting modes prove it doesn’t have to make a racket either. The anti-dust system whether through luck or design also proved quite effective in our tests, with foreign particles rarely being an issue. And while our studio resolution tests proved some 10 Megapixel DSLRs resolved slightly more, it didn’t make a big difference in real-life. Ultimately the 40D most-impresses out in the field where it’s simply an extremely quick and capable camera which confidently handles almost any situation. Sure, the default settings could do with a slight boost in sharpening to unveil the finest details, but this is easily adjusted if desired.
Beyond Canon's habit of burying many features in custom menus though there’s actually very little to complain about unless you look at the feature-sets of what are likely to become its two biggest rivals, the Nikon D300 and Sony A700. Both feature slightly higher 12 Megapixel resolutions which may not make a huge difference in real-life, but will undoubtedly help in marketing terms. Both also boast 3in screens with VGA resolution, which may do nothing to improve final image quality, but look absolutely fantastic in use. Both cameras additionally sport HDMI ports, which again while far from necessary, all adds up to the 40D looking a bit old-fashioned at times. And while the Sony A700 doesn’t have Live View, it does feature built-in stabilisation which works on any lens you attach.... ”
Camera Labs's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
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