Canon EOS 40D Black + 18-55mm Lens Kit Compact Digital Camera Reviews

I have always been a Canon fan and have owned several Canons in the past, the 20D being one of them, but when Nikon announced the release of the D300 I was tempted to move to the Nikon Format, simply because of the additional features they've added (at a cost of course). However, after carefully considering the options, especially the extra £500 the Nikon would have cost, I decided to stick with what I know and plumped for the Canon 40D. After getting the camera in my hands I was not disappointed.

The 40D is a superb camera and is a huge improvement over the 20D and 30D (My step dad has a 30D which I have used a lot). First of all the menu setup is a huge improvement, coming away from the linear system of it's predecessors and moving to a more organised layout, grouping like menu's together. This makes setting up the camera faster and easier.
The next favourable feature of this camera is the 3 custom setting options, selected via the main function wheel. Once you have setup the camera how you like it, function wise, and shooting wise (i.e shutter speed etc) you register these settings under one of the custom settings. The next time you select that specific custom mode all of your preferred options are selected. This makes setting up for a shoot fast and simple.

Another noticeable improvement is the increase from 8mp on the 30D to 10.1mp. Ok, this is not a huge increase but certainly helps when cropping.
Image quality is exactly as you'd expect from Canon - outstanding. I do not need to go into too much detail, but in brief sharpness, colour rendition, noise, contrast etc etc are all superb. The CMOS sensor with it's new 14bit A-D system is faster and creates even nicer images than the previous models.

Handling is better too. The grip is slightly larger which gives better purchase on the body. This leads to more stability which leads to better photo's. The body is tough and feels very sturdy and robust. It certainly gives you more confidence when out and about and the extra weather sealing helps protect the camera from the elements.

Using the camera is intuitive and simple to pick up, especially if you are used to the Canon format already. I was out and about with the camera in no time and so far my shots have been fantastic. All in all this camera is a joy to use. I'm glad i didn't cough up the extra £500 for the Nikon as it simply was not necessary.

I'd full recommend this to anyone considering taking up digital photography or anyone looking to upgrade.

A great camera

My son needed a digital SLR so i gave him my EOS 350D and bought the EOS 40D. I have been using Canon cameras for decades and have found them easy to use. Pick any Canon up and the features are very similar even if the layout differs slightly.
This camera feels rugged and very well balanced, though it is slightly bigger and heavier than the 350. I think it will stand up to a lot of use with better rubberised covering, and i particularly like the auto sensor cleaning. The features and layout are excellent and the biggest benefit in day to day use has to be the larger screen on the back. Once your eyesight starts to go a bit, the bigger screen makes life much easier for reveiwing photos.
I wondered whether i should make the move to a full frame sensor, but there is a big difference in price, and the file sizes and quality from these smaller sensor cameras is fantastic, and lens quality also continues to improve.
The only downpoint is the 4 way toggle button at the top right of the screen. I think it is too small but I may be proved wrong if it works better than it looks. Previous Canon's have the same facility but use a bigger button.
All in all i would highly recommend this camera and if you can afford the upgrade you should do it.

DesignThe 400D is a formidable looking DSLR. Its big and chunky and fells like a real camera in your

Great photo quality and excellent continuous-shooting performance are just two of the Canon EOS 40D's many attractions