Canon upgrade from 40D

Wonda-Boy

Looking for some advice guys. I currently have a Canon 40D which is less then two years old, I was looking at maybe selling this camera and getting the next model up or possibly the Nikon equiv.

I have 3 lenses (Standard 17-85mm IS and a 70-200 f4L white lens & 50mm f1.8) for my Canon and a 580EX flashgun so it would prolly make sense to stay with Canon.

Would it be worth the outlay to sell my current kit for say the Canon 7D or Nikon camera...I photograph mostly outdoors and some sports with family portraits...nothing too serious but I have a birthday coming up so its now or never as they say.....

What would be the best thing to do?

Ricky91t

Canon 7D would be a good camera, either that of you get a bit more funding and go for a 1D MKII or III, Which would benifit you in two ways(very noticable ways), but have a downside too.

It would be great cause
A) I own an 1D MKII and although it's nearing 90,000 frames it still feels solid and in VGC, The build quaility of these cameras is amazing
The 1.3 crop sensor means you'll be able to get wider shots, that you use to be able to get with the 40D

But
The 1.3 crop also means you telephoto lens isn't as long, Which could be an issue..

Also I'm not sure if the 17-85 would work on the 1D MKII or MKIII

Paulw

The 7D would certainly be worth considering. A very good camera and an upgrade from the 40D.

If you did move to Nikon, you would make a loss though, in financial terms.

jpb1974

I was looking at maybe selling this camera and getting the next model up or possibly the Nikon equiv.

The first question I'd ask is 'Why?'.

Camera upgrades tend to be a bit over-rated if you ask me.

You'll end up spending a lot of money for something that effectively does more or less the same thing as the 40D... which does pretty much everything you really need either way. At 5 or 6 FPS and the 1.6x crop factor the 40D is pretty well suited to sports already.

If you're flush and are into keeping up with the Jones then go for it... otherwise I'd consider investing in one or two lens upgrades... the 17-85mm being a candidate for replacement.

Ricky91t

jpb1974 wrote: »

The first question I'd ask is 'Why?'.

Camera upgrades tend to be a bit over-rated if you ask me.

You'll end up spending a lot of money for something that effectively does more or less the same thing as the 40D... which does pretty much everything you really need either way. At 5 or 6 FPS and the 1.6x crop factor the 40D is pretty well suited to sports already.

If you're flush and are into keeping up with the Jones then go for it... otherwise I'd consider investing in one or two lens upgrades... the 17-85mm being a candidate for replacement.

I'd have to disagree, An Upgrade to a 7D would be a big step, It's basically a 1 series canon(in terms of specs) and far better than a 40D it's got an extra 2fps(which could make a big difference) the AF on it is far superior, and even the extra 8 mp mean you could crop almost 50% of the photo and still have a file of 10mp like the 40D

Your statement would be right if you're upgrading within the group i.e. 30D -> 50D, there would be very few major difference, hence the fact I upgraded from the 20D to the 1D MKII(which the 7D compares very close to, but outdoes it), I couldn't see a point in going from 5 to 6.5fps and live view wasn't great at the time...

OP, a step up to a 50D would make little or no difference, but to a 7D would be quite a big step.

Link to comparison : http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_eos40d%2Ccanon_eos7d&show=all

jpb1974

Just bear in mind that more mega-pixels isn't an excuse to crop the life out of a digital photo... that's too often just bad photography.

Ricky91t

jpb1974 wrote: »

Just bear in mind that more mega-pixels isn't an excuse to crop the life out of a digital photo... that's too often just bad photography.

It was just a point I was making, He has the option if needed, I'd rarely crop an image as it wouldn't look nice on my site :pac:

rubdub

I recently upgraded from a 40D to a 7D and have never looked back, everything about it I love, the speed of the AF, image quality, shutter speed, ISO ranges & also having the capabilities to shoot movies(something I never considered before but now I have it I find myself using it alot more, even if I don't use it for something productive, it's still alot of fun!)

I'd say go for it!

charybdis

As others have said, I don't really think you sound like you need to upgrade your body, at least not to a slightly nicer APS-C body. I think your next purchase should probably be some upgraded/new lenses. Arguably, the 7D's improved autofocus could be useful for your sports photography, but I suspect a faster telephoto would be even more useful for this.

I think you need to assess this decision with regard to what you feel is lacking in your current gear. The 7D is measurably a "better" camera but you may not notice any appreciable difference in the way your work or the images produced when using it.

Ricky91t wrote: »

Canon 7D would be a good camera, either that of you get a bit more funding and go for a 1D MKII or III, Which would benifit you in two ways(very noticable ways), but have a downside too.

It would be great cause
A) I own an 1D MKII and although it's nearing 90,000 frames it still feels solid and in VGC, The build quaility of these cameras is amazing
The 1.3 crop sensor means you'll be able to get wider shots, that you use to be able to get with the 40D

But
The 1.3 crop also means you telephoto lens isn't as long, Which could be an issue..

Also I'm not sure if the 17-85 would work on the 1D MKII or MKIII

I believe the 17-85 is an EF-S mount lens, meaning it will not work on the 1D bodies.

There's also not a huge spatial resolution difference between the 10 megapixel files from the 40D and the 18 megapixel files from the 7D, roughly:



This may be a big difference if you're already cropping your images very heavily, but otherwise I don't really think it's a dramatic difference.

jpfahy

If you are going to upgrade from a 40D, think about going Full Frame. Go into Conns or Berminghams and have a look at a used 5D.

Ricky91t

jpfahy wrote: »

If you are going to upgrade from a 40D, think about going Full Frame. Go into Conns or Berminghams and have a look at a used 5D.

Can I just say, A 5D would not be recommended for sports, and is in view of sports photography a pretty big downgrade.. How ever for family shoots etc, It would be great!

FoxT

Over the last 2 years or so I have had a 40D & have taken maybe 20k photos & kept about a quarter of them.. And if I am to be honest with myself there are only maybe 10-20 of these that I would consider as being good enough to, say, bring to my camera club for critique. The rest I would rate as 'better than average snapshots'
I am a bit of a gearhead, and would love a 7D!! BUT....
having reviewed my photos over the last two years, in almost every case the shortcomings of the photos are down to shortcomings in my own skill vs the capabilities of the camera. Maybe I am thick. If I am, a 7D won't help. Maybe I need to spend more time on photography, or, maybe spend the same amount of time but concentrate more while I am doing it. A 7D wont help there either. While my heart lusts after a 7D, my head tells me that even if I had one for the last 2 years, I'd still have only ended up with 10-20 decent photos...

There is a whole industry out there, employing 000's of people, whose livelihood depends on people like us buying the latest & greatest.... I freely admit I kowtowed to it for a long time & spent more money than I should have. Not suggesting you are in the same boat , but if you think you might be, choose wisely!


-FoxT

PCPhoto

Ricky91t wrote: »

Can I just say, A 5D would not be recommended for sports, and is in view of sports photography a pretty big downgrade.. How ever for family shoots etc, It would be great!

sport isnt about having frames per second .... its about timing !!! (having the extra frames per second helps but for starting out its more important to use a camera which assists you in getting the technique right.)

A 5D is a great camera, I have a 5D, 7D and 40D ..... I mainly use my 1D mk2's for sport....but have recently been using my 1D mk4 (I'm still not impressed by it ...I prefer my mk2's)

Ricky91t

PCPhoto wrote: »

sport isnt about having frames per second .... its about timing !!! (having the extra frames per second helps but for starting out its more important to use a camera which assists you in getting the technique right.)

A 5D is a great camera, I have a 5D, 7D and 40D ..... I mainly use my 1D mk2's for sport....but have recently been using my 1D mk4 (I'm still not impressed by it ...I prefer my mk2's)

But if the 5D is great why wouldn't you sell everything else and just use that?:pac:

I understand what you mean but imo for someone shooting sports you want a decent camera, quick af and good fps to assist the user in getting more shots.

When I used to have a 20D the AF in that was so slow it couldn't even track my dog, I knew exactly the shot I wanted, Manual focus wasn't an option as it's near impossible to predict where a dog is going to be in full stride, but when I got my 1D MKII, Although it took a while I finally captured the shot I wanted, yes the AF wasn't spot on(grass got in the way) but afterwards in the eight frames I took I got the shot.

And that to me proves that although FPS isn't everything, it along with a better camera( same lens) managed to capture the frame I wanted and that's that's reasuring to know forwhen it comes to a sports event.

Wonda-Boy

Thanx for all the replies guys, I really appreciate the effort in replying. I do need one or two new lenses but I think I will upgrade to the 7D.

I might be going to the USA in August I am tempted to wait and get a good deal with the exchange rate etc.

As was posted the best thing to do is go and hold one and get the feel for it, are there any shops that do trade ins. Dont particulary want the hassle of selling it on Adverts.ie etc.

I will let you all know what I do....Thanx again.

PCPhoto

Ricky91t wrote: »

But if the 5D is great why wouldn't you sell everything else and just use that?:pac:

I understand what you mean but imo for someone shooting sports you want a decent camera, quick af and good fps to assist the user in getting more shots.
.

I only recently got my 5D and plan on only using it for underwater stuff, I prefer the feel of the 1D series, I dont use my 7D much, its a decent camera and for the money ...its worth the investment - its definately a step up from a 40D, but the 40D will still do the same job in terms of capturing an image.

Technique is more important than just getting a faster camera,

I can do a football game and take 20pics ...or I can do a football game and take 300pics - the only difference is that when I do 20pics I'm more conscious of my battery level (usually dying and no spare handy) and concentrate more on the exact fraction of a second to press the button, if I do 200-300 pics in a game I just press the button and choose one of the many images which I get each time.

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Thanx for all the replies guys, I really appreciate the effort in replying. I do need one or two new lenses but I think I will upgrade to the 7D.

I might be going to the USA in August I am tempted to wait and get a good deal with the exchange rate etc.

As was posted the best thing to do is go and hold one and get the feel for it, are there any shops that do trade ins. Dont particulary want the hassle of selling it on Adverts.ie etc.

I will let you all know what I do....Thanx again.

Conns will do a trade in - but you will get a better price on adverts/ebay/gumtree/donedeal etc ..... if you are around some time call up to me and you can play with my collection - to see how each of them handle...and how they feel for you, which could influence your decision on which camera.

at the moment on Ebay you can get the 1D mk2 for approx 1K - which to me would be the best option as the build quality is better...but the 7D has HD video which is VERY impressive.

Wonda-Boy

Many thanks for the offer might just take you up on that. I was reading up on the full frame senser 5D and the 7D, I full frame sensor means all my current lenses are out the window. And I dont think I can afford to upgrade to a 5D and get 2 new lenses.

I really like the dual card option of the D300s and I like the look of the camera also. I went into the CAMERA CENTRE in Blanch. today and they had no D300s and no 7D :mad: so I still have to get a feel of them.

5uspect

I upgraded from the 350D to the 7D recently and I absolutely love the 7D.
The viewfinder is amazing after years of the pokey one on the 350D and the transmissive LCD is very cool. Another great feature of the 7D is bulit in wireless flash control and direct flash control from the 7D's menu (just like a 1D).

But I would invest in better glass before upgrading from the 40D as it is a solid camera.
Will you trade in the 40D against the 7D? If you have two will you use them?

You have the 70-200 f4 L which is a great lens.
Consider the 17-55 f2.8 IS. It's as sharp as an L series.
You lose the overlap with your 70-200 tho.

Another great lens is the 24-70 f2.8 L, but a little long on a crop.

Give Ian Kerr a shout for a quote on the 7D.

Calina

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Looking for some advice guys. I currently have a Canon 40D which is less then two years old, I was looking at maybe selling this camera and getting the next model up or possibly the Nikon equiv.

The first thing I would say to that is why? What is it about the 40D that you are finding inadequate to your needs?

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

I have 3 lenses (Standard 17-85mm IS and a 70-200 f4L white lens & 50mm f1.8) for my Canon and a 580EX flashgun so it would prolly make sense to stay with Canon.

Probably although again...you're lacking the detail on why you'd want to ditch the 40D up front.

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Would it be worth the outlay to sell my current kit for say the Canon 7D or Nikon camera...I photograph mostly outdoors and some sports with family portraits...nothing too serious but I have a birthday coming up so its now or never as they say.....

What would be the best thing to do?

The best thing for you to do is sit down and work out why you want a new camera. Let me explain this in simple terms.

I shoot watersports. Have done for quite some time. Did so on a 350D for quite a while. Upgraded to a 40D because I needed the extra fps and the additional few MP would be handy for a few reasons. I also wanted the additional cache for continuous shooting.

You've not come up with any useful information as to why you don't have an adequate return on your 40D. What is wrong with it?

Yes, the 7D is a lovely new shiny camera and a few people I know are using it. Some of the Nikon kit is lovely. But nowhere in this thread have you explained to me what is wrong with the 40D, how it's inadequate. Based on what you've said, the camera is more than adequate to your needs. You might look at getting a faster zoom lens but even that...it's not really all that necessary.

I realise this is going to sound sharp but you don't sound like you know why you'd need a new camera. In that case, I'd advise you not to buy one. Yes, the 7D has been mentioned as nice, and I believe at least one user has pointed at positive factors in the 1D series of cameras. But most people upgrading their cameras should have some reason about why they want to change. You could say to me - for example - that the saturation in RAW images in the 40D is a little lacking in kaboom - which it is - or that you require the additional fps =- but if you knew this - you'd be able to say it.

FWIW, if I were to buy a new camera in the morning - as a sports photographer with a certain budget, I'd look at the 5D Mk II or the 7D. But I would also say that I want it because

1) increased MP and range.
2) HD video.
3) in the case of the 7D - slightly improved (but not financially worth it) in continuous shooting mode assets.

Put simply, if you cannot yourself decide why you should buy a new camera, particularly at the level of camera you are looking at, then I really don't know if you should be considering buying a new camera.

jpb1974

My guess is that the vast majority of hobbyist camera upgrades are due to gadget lust.

It's like people who change their car every year or second year... the new car still only gets you from A to B... but the climate control is great... the lights dip automatically when another car is approaching and you can plug your iPod into the stereo... not to mention that you lost an arm and a leg on the trade in.

I started with a 350D... then I wanted a 400D... then I wanted the 40D... then I wanted the 5D MKII... so I bought and I bought and I bought... and when I got to the top of the mountain I wasn't quite sure what all the fuss was about. I never did manage to convince myself that the 21 megapixels made that much of a difference... I've never recorded a single video... full frame vs. cropped sensor... so what? It was all gadget envy.

Then I went on to buy a few ancient film camera from the late 1950s... and then the penny really dropped... no LCD, no auto-focus, no changing ISO on the fly, no light meter etc... "wow, it's me a lens and a box making photos... this feels right, this feels good".

But gadget envy is fine when you have the somolians hanging from your arse pocket. So if money isn't an issue then I say splurge away.

Blazer

I'm the same..was seriously thinking about upgrading from the 40D to the 7D.
5D is out as I do sports photography so the 7D is the next logical upgrade for me as the 5D is not suitable for sports and the 1D is too expensive
However I barely use my camera so am holding off for the moment and getting a 100-400mm L lenses instead as I plan on attending a few airshows this year.

Wonda-Boy

Again thanx for the replies. If I am honest I was gonna spend €1000 on a new L lens when my other half said she would give me a "FEW QUID" to upgrade the camera if I wanted. As I said I do some sports and night time photograpghy and I do find the autofocus on the 40D not 100% accurate and I am sure the new AF system on the 7D is more accurate, and the bigger viewfinder would be a big plus. And I would like to have the video option and a HDMI port on the cam would be nice. My camera is nearly 2 years old now and I prolly will not have the chance again anytime soon to get a new camera...and the longer I live it the less my 40D is worth.

Maybe not a huge deal to a "Pro" like yourself Calina but enough to think about the change none the less......I am not trying to keep up with the jones's and Photography is not my MAIN hobby. But if the chance to upgrade comes along with minimal outlay I will take it.

Wonda-Boy

5uspect wrote: »

I upgraded from the 350D to the 7D recently and I absolutely love the 7D.
The viewfinder is amazing after years of the pokey one on the 350D and the transmissive LCD is very cool. Another great feature of the 7D is bulit in wireless flash control and direct flash control from the 7D's menu (just like a 1D).

But I would invest in better glass before upgrading from the 40D as it is a solid camera.
Will you trade in the 40D against the 7D? If you have two will you use them?

You have the 70-200 f4 L which is a great lens.
Consider the 17-55 f2.8 IS. It's as sharp as an L series.
You lose the overlap with your 70-200 tho.

Another great lens is the 24-70 f2.8 L, but a little long on a crop.

Give Ian Kerr a shout for a quote on the 7D.

Where did you purchase the 7D from mate? Can I be so bold as to ask how much you paid for it. I think I got my 580EX from Ian, not sure though!

Ricky91t

Ian Kerr's price for a Canon EOS 7D is £1099

Wonda-Boy

Thanx...is that body only?

Ricky91t

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Thanx...is that body only?

I'd assume so..

Most cameras he sell are body only..

This is his full list:

Please check for latest prices even on same day as exchange rates make a difference. All lenses have Canon International warranties. Bodies have USA warranties valid in UK with invoice provided.
I send all items fully insured via Royal Mail. International higher value items via DHL.
Prices away from eBay are:
NOW STOCKING SONY, OLYMPUS AND PENTAX
ALL PRICES IN BOLD (£)

MT24EX---549

MR14EX---349

430EX II---185

580EX II---299

CP-E4---109

Anglefinder C---139

OC-E3 Cord---42

Canon camera bodies on request.

Canon 5D 1575

Canon 7D 1099


OTHER ITEMS

Zoom H4N Audio Recorder---Prices on request

30D/40D/50D Compatible BP 511 Batteries---7

4GB Sandisk III CF 30mb/s card---19

8GB Sandisk III CF 30mb/s card---39

GARY FONG LIGHTSPHERE---25

POCKET WIZARD II---135

Hoya & Kenko UV 58mm---6
67mm---9
72mm---10
77mm---11
Hoya ND 4, ND6 or ND8 filter 58mm---12
67mm---18
72mm---21
77mm---24

Most Popular sellers, can quote for others.

Canon Powershot G11---£339
Canon S90---£295
Canon EF 1.4X II or 2x Extender---229

Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 L IS USM SLR lens----1149

Canon EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM SLR Lens---385

Canon EF 100mm 2.8L IS Macro USM Lens---675

Canon EF 135mm F2.0L USM SLR Lens---749

Canon EF 135mm F2.8 Soft Focus SLR Lens---249

Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra-wide Angle Lens---1549

Canon EF 15mm F2.8 Fisheye SLR Lens---479

Canon 15-85mm 3.5-5.6 IS USM SLR Lens---525

Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L II USM SLR Lens---1049

Canon EF 17-40mm F4.0 L USM SLR Lens---539

Canon 18-200mm---399

Canon EF 180mm F3.5L Macro USM SLR Lens---999

Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM Telephoto Lens---3749

Canon EF 200mm F2.8L II USM SLR Lens---549

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM SLR Lens(white box)---689

Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L USM SLR Lens---895

Canon EF 24mm F1.4L II USM SLR Lens---1249

Canon EF 24mm F2.8 SLR Lens---249

Canon EF 28-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM SLR Lens---209 (white box)

Canon EF 28-200mm F3.5-5.6 USM SLR Lens---265

Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM SLR Lens---1699

Canon EF 2X II Extender---229

Canon EF 300mm F2.8L IS USM SLR Lens---3295

Canon EF 300mm F4.0L IS USM SLR lens---949

Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM SLR Lens---975

Canon EF 400mm F5.6L USM SLR Lens---919

Canon EF 500mm F4.0L IS USM SLR Lens---4590

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Autofocus Lens---1059

Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM SLR Lens---265

Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II SLR Lens---75 posted

Canon EF 65mm F2.8 MPE Macro SLR Lens---675

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM SLR Lens---859

Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM SLR Lens---1299

Canon EF 70-200mm 2.8 IS MK II

---

£1949

Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L USM SLR Lens---929

Canon EF 70-200mm F4.0L USM SLR Lens---459

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM SLR Lens---355

Canon EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 III---139

Canon EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 USM III---179

Canon 85mm 1.8---£285

Canon 85mm 1.2 II---1350

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Digital Lens---549

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM---755

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens---99 (or 89 in White Box)

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens---179

Canon TSE Tilt Shift 24mm F3.5L SLR Lens---899

Canon TSE Tilt Shift 45mm F2.8 SLR Lens---949

Canon TSE Tilt Shift 90mm F2.8 SLR Lens---899

Canon TSE Tilt Shift 24mm F3.5 SLR Lens MK II---1599

Canon TSE Tilt Shift 17mm F4 SLR Lens MK II---1799

Postage at cost.
UK invoice provided.
All lenses and flashguns have 1 year International warranty.

CLEARANCE LIST
CANON
Canon E1 Handstrap---12
Canon Powershot A570 IS---69
Canon RC-1 Remote---14
Tamron 28-300mm for CANON F3.5-6.3 XRDI---195
Tamron 28-80mm for CANON F3.5-5.6---85

NIKON
Nikon D40X body---189 http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40x/
Nikon S200 Coolpix 7.1 MP---45 http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/d...sp?newsID=3091 2 LEFT
Nikon S60---125
Nikon P80---189
Nikon 70-300mm G F4-5.6 AF Lens---95
Nikon 105mm DC F2D - DC AF---629

Sigma 18-50mm NIKON F2.8 EX DC---249
Tokina 12-24mm NIKON F4---289
Metz Flash 58 AF-1 for Nikon---189 http://www.metzflash.co.uk/pages/metz27.htm

OLYMPUS
E510 14-42mm & 40-150mm Twin Lens kit---275
E-520 14-42 & 40-150mm Twin Lens kit---349
E-510 Body---189
RM-1---15

Software
Adobe Photoshop Elements 7---35
Apple Aperture 1.5---45

OTHER
Gary Fong Whaletail Studio---25
Apple Ipod 2GB---25
Apple ipod 4GB---45

Payment options are:

1.Bank transfer to Flash Camera to Clydesdale Bank 70224566 Sort Code 826609

2.Cash over counter to same account.

3.Cheque payable to Heather Gillespie, 33 Vettriano Vale, Leven, Fife, KY8 4GD

4.Paypal to 2kerso@gmail.com with 1.5% charge on sale price -Please be sure to enter the item you bought and price paid in subject line or notes otherwise this could delay your shipment.I can send paypal invoice on request.

5.Cash on pick up (by appointment only)
Let me know which option you choose and remember to send me your full postal address. PLEASE CHECK ON http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm click on 'find a postcode' then 'find address' enter postcode only and make sure your address matches with one of the addresses listed. RM have been refusing to take parcels if the address does not match on their system.
Please advise. Regards Ian.