The differences between Canon 20D and Canon 30D were relatively minor, and in most cases, not significant enough to warrant an upgrade. Canon 40D, on the other hand, is a much more substantial upgrade.
Even at the first glance, it's apparent that the Canon 40D is more than just a slightly tweaked Canon 30D. There's a lot more to this camera than just a slightly larger screen.
First impressions
The previous two cameras, Canon 20D and Canon 30D, weren't exactly ergonomic marvels. Well, things change, and the Canon 40D is very impressive in this regard. Despite having almost the same size as the Canon 30D (144 x 104 x 74 mm), the new Canon 40D (146 x 108 x 74 mm) has markedly improved ergonomics. This doesn't only apply to the handling, but also to the materials and the build quality. The grip is slightly larger than the one on Canon 30D, with slightly shallower recess, making the grip more stable. On the whole, the 40D seems even better, ergonomically speaking, than the Canon 5D.
All of this is moot, however, if the camera isn't supplied with lovely juicy electrons.
The battery is still the one that was used in the Canon D30 (not 30D), which was introduced way back in the stone age. In other words, in May 2000. The only thing that's changed is the higher capacity of the new BP-511A battery. With a capacity of 1390 mAh, combined with the very frugal Canon 40D, the battery lasted for over 800 shots, despite using IS lenses, which draw a lot of current, the built-in flash and the Live View function, which was used for about 100 shots.
The AF-ON button is a recent addition.
Camera operation
The viewfinder still shows nine focus points. However, they're all cross-type, making focusing faster and more precise - and that's not just marketing fluff, either, it's obvious in practical use, too. As usual, the central point is still the fastest.
For less demanding photogrpahers, there's also the option of selecting all points and letting the camera decide where to focus. This little piece of automagic works astonishingly well, but then again, it's been used in film cameras such as the Canon EOS 3 and the Canon EOS 1V, so it's a proven technology.I would still like to see two additional focus points between the centre point and the extreme right/left point.Nevertheless, the Canon 40D focuses much faster than the Canon 30D. This is apparent even in well lit conditions, while in low light with an external flash for focus point illumination, this camera really shines. I'd even go as far as to say that in low light and with an external flash, the Canon 40D is on par with Canon 1-series.
The picture can be displayed with all data
The shutter release is very precise. There's also no problem with shutter lag. The shutter goes up to 1/8000 seconds with a sync speed of up to 1/250 seconds. Although the mirror has to flip up faster, it's noticeably quieter than the mirror in the Canon 30D. When I was taking pictures in churches and art galleries in Rome, it was difficult to take a picture with the 30D without being noticed. There's a noticeable improvement in this regard, as the mirror is quieter, and in addition, the camera can be used in Live View mode, where the mirror doesn't move at all, making it all very quiet.
The normal view on the 3 inch screen, with only the basic data displayed.
The images can be enlarged up to 10 times in playback mode.
The camera only uses CompactFlash cards. The camera is definitely very fast, so using a fast card has its advantages. Apparently, it's all because of the new DiGIC III processor, which enables the Canon EOS 40D to rev up to 6.5 fps for up to 75 JPEG or 17 RAW shots, courtesy of the bigger, faster buffer. I doubt there will be many people using this frame rate, except for those who can't afford an EOS 1D Mk III, but on the other hand, it's a very attractive number from a marketing point of view.
Manual white balance can be set in a way very similar to that used in 1-series cameras - display a shot in playback mode, use the Set button to (erm, well, it's bleedin obvious, isn't it?) set the white balance. There's also the possibility of adjusting the white balance in Kelvins directly.
As said before, the rapid fire mode won't be used that often by the camera's target public. Sure, it's fun to play with it and show off in front of your mates, but how often do you really need it? You might go all Tim Page (this translator's favourite war photographer ever) and leave the camera on 6.5 fps all the time, just in case Elvis pops up from somewhere. On the other hand, this means that you'll probably take two shots instead of one, which isn't all that good for the shutter. But then again, the shutter has a life expectancy of about 100,000 shots, so it's not too much of a worry. And in any case, you still have the option of using the sane speed, 3 fps.
For full size images, go here.
