Canon EOS 40D Review

Review Date: September 22nd 2007

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Conclusion

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	5
Ease-of-Use	4
Image Quality	4
Value for Money	5

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 is a member of the DIWA organisation. Our test results for the Canon EOS 40D have been submitted to DIWA for comparison with test results for different samples of the same camera model supplied by other DIWA member sites.

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