Canon EOS 40D Digital Camera

After initially using a Canon EOS400d, we moved to the Canon EOS40d. In comparison to its smaller brother, the 40d feels a lot more substantial. It's a magnesium alloy body - which gives the camera some substance.

We run a small photographic company, and attend a number of special occasion events, primarily Civil Partnerships. We need a reliable, solid camera that can deliver great results time after time.

So far the 40d hasn't let us down. We purchased our first couple of units within 2 weeks of their initial launch in 2007, and have been happily clicking ever since. We have now taken literally 'thousands' of shots using these bodies, and we've got some seriously happy customers.

If you're looking for a good quality, rugged and practical camera - this is the one for you. There are a huge number of additional accessories available - however if you're going to buy a 40d with a 'stock' lens - choose the 17mm-85mm rather than the 18mm-55mm. It's a much better piece of kit!

If you want to know more about the 40d - don't hesitate to ask us, we're happy to help (even though we don't sell cameras!!)

If, like me, you have been wanting just that little bit more from your photography beyond the reasonably expensive £200 point-and-shoot digital cameras, then this is it.

My Camera;
Canon 40D (Obviously)
Tamron 17/50 Lens (these are Japanese made and very high quality)
Canon 75/300 Lens (Again, Japanese and very high quality)

From a basic users' point of view, you'd still want something you can "point-and-shoot" which, wonderously, this camera retains effortlessly. The Body comes with lightening-fast access to your photos, far better than any domestic flavor, giving a quick two-button sequence to delete. The flash pops up automatically when it see's fit and even uses it to light up a room when it cannot see enough to focus. It simply WANTS to give you the best photo at all times and invariably does with ease but the results are photo's you want to hang on a wall, not flick through an album - they are stunning.
Battery life gives you a cool 500-700 photos with or without flash. The weight is so easy to handle and the viewfinder gives you exactly what your about to shoot whether your zoomed in or out.
In addition, the viewfinder gives you loads of information including showing you the 9 points in the frame it will use for focusing on objects - they are tiny little squares softly overlayed which flicker red when you press the button half-way down during its focusing moment.
You get the soft reassuring beeps when its ready to take the photo - all of which happens in a fraction of a second - far faster again, than any domestic camera I have used.
The whole thing is so well layed out that using it is a doddle. I was contemplating the higher model (5D) but this does not have its own flash and requires expert use most of the time. The 40D is unstoppable for quality, clarity (seeing each fine strand of hair on the head of your daughter for example) and durability.
Its 10 MegaPixel sensor gives stunning results. I was lucky enought to get this camera with a Tamron 17/50 lens (good for close-up shots, portraits and very good zoom photos or landscape shots. Its an excellent and affordable lens which I HIGHLY recommend you grab immediately and start off with. My second lens, the 75/300 (these numbers basically give an indication of its zoom distance - 75 is generally too powerful for portrait shots but excellent for general outdoor use, then gently sliding it through all the way up to 300 would give you a full close-up shot of a numberplate across the street from you) is smooth and has a Canon motor inside it which is whisper quiet.
Why is there a motor inside the lens? Well, when you attach a lens to these cameras, small metal contacts also click into place allowing the main camera body control of a motor inside the lens which controls the focus.
Some lenses have really quick focusing so you're able to get a very quick picture without having to wait for the camera to sort itself out - some others (like the Canon USM lenses) have motors that are extremely quiet and ultra-fast at focusing. That sort of situation is great in discreet places like childrens plays where you need to be quiet!

Understand this review is not for the experts, you'd already know what these things do, this is more for the person (like me) who is moving up a notch to something that can take a photo easily good enough to have framed on a wall.
If you want something like that - get this camera. You won't be dissapointed

Bought this camera after almost half year of research on forums, site reviews. This is my first DSLR and I wanted if not the best, at least close to that. Biggest problem for me, and I think for most of us is how much you can afford to spend on your camera. No one can deny that you can buy a better camera Ithan Cannon 40D but is worth the money?
Anyway to the point, first impression when you take the Cannon 40D in your hand is that you have a serious piece of kit. It does not feel in any way like a toy.
Controls are very handy and after just a couple of weeks it feels natural in your hands, I can already change some advanced picture settings even without taking the eye from viewfinder.
About IQ... I don't have another camera to compare, but for me it looks amazing. I'm still trying to get better in taking pictures but so far, I have nothing to blame on camera.
To sum up, at this time is one of the best choices in DSLR market. If you can and you want to spend more obviously you can make a different choice but for me it was the best camera I could get.