Customer Reviews
Good camera 
2008-07-19
I've been a Canon camera user since 1955. This one gave me no reason to change that. I upgraded from a 10D. Big difference. I'm going to keep it.
The replacement 2008-07-18
I couldn't be happier with this camera. I took it out for it's first shoot on the Fourth of July and captured images impossible to retrieve with any other digital camera i have ever owned, save for the 30D. I was able to capture a moving train with multiple exposures so fast that it almost seemed as if I were shooting a video. The camera recycles amazingly fast and each exposure was spot on in terms of color, contrast, clarity and focus.
It was purchased as a replacement for the 30D which I had misplaced and couldn't find for several months. As fate would have it, the week after my 40D arrived, my wife found the 30D! I am still glad for the purchase.
SBW
I'm happy with it! 
2008-07-17
I've owned the 40D for about a month now. I've been drooling over the 40D for like 6 months! Now that I have it, I see I was not idealizing it. It's every bit as wonderful as I imagined. Sure the D300 might be a little better in terms of specs and perhaps even with noise (I've never tried one, so I can't verify that), however, if you can catch a 40D during one of Canon's rebate sales (eg: right now), I think the price difference is very substantial. the 300 does for aroun $[...] body only. The 40D, with the rebate is less than $[...] WITH the kit lens, which is decent--it ain't no L--but for a kit lens it's pretty darn good!
More about the 40D specifically:
The live view function is a great boon. I find myself in all sorts of shooting situations where getting my eye to the viewfinder just ain't happening (low to the ground work, for example). Also, the 5x and 10x zoom is SO useful. I do a lot of professional portrait shooting, and this feature has rocked my world. What you see on the screen is simply much bigger than any viewfinder, and combined with the ability to zoom in on any area of the image to check your focus--I don't shoot portraits with a viewfinder anymore! (Note: you should use this technique on a tripod, preferably with a shutter release)
Image quality is what you would expect--absolutely beautiful.
14 bit A/D -- despite what people say--this makes a difference.
The software for controlling the camera via computer is cool--I don't own a laptop so I don't get the most from it, but when I do get one eventually, I think I will use this capability a lot!
Anyway, it's a great unit. Feels good in the hand, well built, well featured.
My only reason for giving it 4 out of 5 stars is because I wish it's pop-up flash had a commander mode like the Nikon DSLRs. Instead, you have to shell out $200+ for a clunky transmitter that you have to stick in your hot shoe. OR you could buy a 580EXII, and use that for your transmitter. A more expensive but better solution because you can use it to create catchlights in your subjects eyes while utilizing your remote flash(es) for background lighting, subject lighting, etc.
Good... but NOT great. 2008-07-17
DISAPPOINTMENTS:
After previously owning a 20D for 3 years it seemed like there should have been some significant improvements (and there has been).
However, the 40D introduced an issue with the viewfinder (glare around the top focus point -- Note this is a known issue but Canon doesn't consider it a problem) and the selected focus point seems to be forgotten after powering down.
Finally, the picture quality (in my opinion) appears to be equal, or in some cases less than the 20D (tends to have significant noise).
IMPROVEMENTS:
The focus seems to be faster/better and the huge LCD is a blessing. ~5% extra in the viewfinder is very nice as well.
CONCLUSION:
I would recommend waiting for the 50D so that Canon will hopefully get some of these things worked out.
40D review 2008-07-16
Canon's 40D is a great camera and J & R provided a great price and excellent service...as usual for them.
Great Upgrade from 30D 2008-07-24
This camera is an excellent upgrade from the EOS 30D. The larger, 3-inch screen gives a better feel of your images in-camera. The new, highlight tone priority feature has saved blown-out highlights by nearly 1/3 stop (2/3 in some cases) which is great in high contrast situations. It can shoot in high-speed continuous twice as long as the 30D. And with a SanDisk Extreme IV, I've gotten 6.5fps for 100 frames (JPEG) and 87 frames (RAW) before the buffer filled ... thats 1D territory.
Live view, silent mode, 6.5fps, finger groove, larger screen, better AF, quieter shutter ...
Overall, Canon listened well on this model and made the minor tweaks and added the new features that Canon's 1D series cameras have. I love it and haven't looked back at my 30D.
Caution: Photoshop CS2 and older will not be able to process the new 14-bit RAW files the 40D produces. You will need CS3 to do it.
BEST SLR FOR YOUR MONEY 2008-07-24
This is the best SLR for your money. I am looking into starting a business with photography and after a lot of research I chose the 40D because of price, quality and the Canon name. You won't find a better camera for starting out - unless you opt for the canon 5D for around twice the price!!! Basically, if you are like me - and may want to make a little money (no getting rich quick here), then buy the 40D (FROM AMAZON) and invest in very good canon lenses -- because they will transfer to your upgrade when you are ready!
The Prosumer SLR Value 2008-07-20
Summary: I'm a very happy owner after 2 months and 3,000 exposures
Pros:
1. Quick, accurate and flexible focus with easy selection of focus points.
2. Very good exposures in difficult light.
3. Rapid and logical access to controls and displays.
4. Flash metering and control, especially with the external 580exII, are superb!
Cons:
1. Custom white balance set-up could be easier.
2. The manual is poor enough that I purchased and aftermarket book on the 40d.
My Rig:
1. 40d body dual battery pack.
2. 17-85 EFS, USM/IS lens
3. 70-200 f2.8L, USM lens
4. 2x Telextender
5. Manfrotto monopod.
6. Lowepro Fastpack 250 backpack w/laptop compartment.
7. 580exII speedlight w/Gary Fong "Whale Tail"
8. 430ex speedlight to use as slave to 580 for fill.
Uses:
1. Girl's fastpitch softball games. These range from bright sun to artificially lit night games.
2. Colorguard and drill team competition. These are often indoors or on field at night.
3. Product photography for high tech semiconductor equipment. This is usually on site vs. in a studio due to equipment size.
Discussion:
I purchased this camera to take over where my Konica-Minolta 5d and Minolta legacy glass left off in my tireless effort to chronicle my kid's lives. The KM5d was not a bad rig, but as the kids got older the action moved too fast for the KM to catch it. The main issues were the focus speed and the shutter speeds allowed by the legacy lenses. Sony Alpha made some of these issues better, but that system only has two fast focus motors - for the 70-200 and one other. It's just very limiting and about 25% more expensive than Canon or Nikon equivalents. So, I decided to change to one of the two big guys. After extensive testing, I settled on the Canon system and the 40d in particular because of the speed of operation (at least in my hands) and the price point for the items I wanted, which ended up being almost $1k less than the Nikon solution based on a D300. Also, the Canon system had lenses that overlapped range where I wanted them to, and this is reflected in the system I carry. Many other reviews split hairs on ISO 3200 performance, and this got me going for a little bit, but the fact is that if you are pushing that hard, the photos are going to be very grainy. Slightly less or more is not the issue, IMHO. Over quite a broad range of conditions, this camera is just great.
So, now I have the equipment performance headroom that my KM was nowhere near providing, and my photography, which did NOT stink previously, has taken a good step up. I get the action shots on a more consistent basis. The slides into second base are spectacular! If you are looking for a step up from the older Canons, or are switching to a system with some breadth like I was, this is a great choice!
Very pleased with my 40D so far 2008-07-20
Background
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New to SLR/dSLR. I've been shooting a variety of digital P&S cameras for about 8 years.
Motivation
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Kept missing potentially great shots of my newborn due to slow P&S performance; indoor/low-light pictures rarely turned out nice; couldn't get a good shot of birds to save my life! dSLR looked like it could address these problems.
Decision Process
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I decided on Canon, in part due to a relative to who has a nice collection of 'L' glass that I hope to borrow. :) I was waffling between the XTi/XSi on value/features, and I became aware of Canon's rebate on the 40D. So I went to a camera shop and tried out the 40D, the XSi, and the XTi. The 40D felt perfect in my hands, while the Rebel bodies felt small and awkward. It was just a matter of time before I convinced myself that the 40D with 28-135mm kit lens was worth the few hundred dollar premium over the XSi or XTi kit packages.
Experience So Far
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I'm very pleased with most aspects of my 40D. Some warned that SLR photography was terribly complicated, and that I should start off on a "simpler" camera. But I've found it's simple enough learn the basic concepts, master them, and then gradually learn more advanced techniques. The 40D is a great tool for learning about photography. I'm spending almost all my time in Manual mode, and most of my pictures are coming out much better than I was getting with my P&S cameras. Plus, I'm having a blast with my new hobby!
What I like
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+ Image quality. If I do my job and get the exposure right, IQ is really great. I'm also learning about how to post-process to recover photos where I blew the exposure a bit.
+ Viewfinder. I was concerned that I'd have trouble using the viewfinder, since I was so accustomed to using the LCD as a "live view" with my P&S cameras. Not so. I adapted to the bright and informative viewfinder immediately.
+ Speed. Startup time, taking a first shot, followup shots...all nearly instantaneous. 6.5 shots/second is astounding compared to my P&S cameras.
+ High-ISO performance. I'm very picky about noise, but ISO800 looks great on the 40D, and ISO1600 isn't bad. This would be unthinkable on my P&S cameras. The good high-ISO noise performance allows me to shoot more confidently in lower-light situations, and not have to use the flash as much.
+ Ergonomics. The 40D feels great in my hands. Heavier and bulkier than the Rebel line, but at just over 1.5 lbs it still feels comfortable to me even when I'm out shooting for a couple hours.
+ Menu/layout. Some complain about redundancy of the dials and joystick, but I don't mind having more choices. Since I'm in Manual mode shooting RAW most of the time, many of the menu settings simply aren't relevant to me. It took me maybe 2 days to get comfortable navigating and finding what I needed.
+ LCD. Nice and big, clear and bright.
+ Battery life. I'm getting around 500 images on a single charge -- very happy with that.
+ Auto Focus. For the most part, AF has been dead-on accurate and fast.
+ 28-135mm IS lens. I've had good luck shooting macros, portraits, landscapes, and everything in between. This lens is probably a bit outdated, but it is capable of taking really nice pictures. I think it's a great lens for a beginner to learn on.
What I don't like
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- Power switch. What's been reported is true: the power switch is in a goofy and annoying location. It's not a deal-breaker, but Canon should change this when they update the 40D.
- Low-light AF. Sometimes in low-light situations the AF "hunts" for something to focus on. I don't know whether to blame the 40D or the 28-135mm lens.
- LCD. While the LCD is bright and easy to see, the 40D is well behind competing brands in the number of pixels in the display. More pixels could help the photographer determine with better accuracy whether a shot is in focus. Along the same lines, the camera uses a small thumbnail JPEG in the LCD display, so it is impossible even to zoom in and determine with certainty whether the shot was in focus.
- Print button. What a waste of a perfectly good button! :)
Bottom Line
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From my experiences so far, I highly recommend the 40D. With Canon's rebate it's a fantastic camera for the price. You can probably take just as good pictures with an XTi or XSi, so if you're interested in a Canon in this price range, be sure to try out all three before making a decision. For me, the ergonomic and speed advantages of the 40D were well worth the price differential.
This is a camera that can be put to good use by amateurs and professionals alike. Technology moves fast, and I'm sure in a year from now some of the features of the 40D will seem dated. But right now, in the summer of 2008, it's a really great value.
Canon 40D 2008-07-19
I'm only an amateur photographer and this is the first SLR I've ever owned. My first camera was a Canon powershot G6. Now that you know my point of reference....
The 40D is a top notch camera. I've owned mine for 5 months now. I've had no problems with any of the functions (everything operates like a well oiled machine)and for this being my first SLR I had no problems getting to know it, in other words it's user friendly.
Picture quality with Canon can't be beat. You'll not be dissatisfied.
