It is really late here in the UK.......and I want something to keep me awake.

So....the title says it all really...but....please remember the equation is to balance technical proficiency against the current price.

Obviously (hopefully) people will comment based on experience...mine is limited (my better cameras are film bodies)...but my 40D does anything I want from it.... up to gorgeous A3 prints...and barely used copies are available here for little over £200...that has to be a value for money quality product?


If we stretch it to film bodies...I would say the EOS 3. I have the 1V HS as well but at twice the price it is not twice the camera. And now ...s/h...the 3 is a third the price of the 1V.

IMO the 40d. The 50d when it came out looked seriously overpriced and didnt add much.


2nd place has to go to the 5d, stunning image quality at a price that made it a real breakthrough.

RobDickinson wrote:
IMO the 40d. The 50d when it came out looked seriously overpriced and didnt add much.


2nd place has to go to the 5d, stunning image quality at a price that made it a real breakthrough.

I recently bought a 5D with grip.....it is nice...but as a package I will rate the 40D higher even if the 5D has a slight edge on IQ...and I mean really slight...at A3 print size.

1st place...the 40D

Of the old MF flm era the A-1, AF film era EOS3...but for digital the absolute most fun I've had am still having is with the 40D.

And I'll echo Rob, the 50D didn't add much other than the better LCD; it will head to the B&S forum to help fund a 6D...we'll see how it rates next yr for me!

For value delivered at the time it was introduced in relation to the rest of the market place and other Canon bodies, the original 5D with its reasonable resolution, good image quality, and the full frame sensor that gave lenses their real field of view, gets my vote for sure. Remember that at the time Nikon was still saying that they would never build a full frame DSLR because you just could not get reasonable image quality from a full frame sensor. The 1D4 would be my runner up.

It would be interesting to add a little chart.......anyone contributing can upgrade it and copy / paste it to their comment.....e.g...currently...

40D..... 3 votes
5D........1 vote

Film SLR

EOS 3.....2 votes

So the next person will add a vote to what is already shown...or add a new camera!

The 5D III is currently the second-best or third-best camera in the world for practically every photographic task: sports, photojournalism, events, weddings, architecture, landscape, wildlife, family photography, etc. The cameras that excel the 5D III in particular categories (such as 1Dx and D800(s)), give ground to it in many of the others, or are more expensive, or both. I don't think anything like that has ever been seen before. At its current price of $3,000 the 5D III is already an imposing contender for most cost effective. A great many people who buy it will never need another camera. If (when?) that price drops a bit more...

splathrop wrote:
The 5D III is currently the second-best or third-best camera in the world for practically every photographic task: sports, photojournalism, events, weddings, architecture, landscape, wildlife, family photography, etc. The cameras that excel the 5D III in particular categories (such as 1Dx and D800(s)), give ground to it in many of the others, or are more expensive, or both. I don't think anything like that has ever been seen before. At its current price of $3,000 the 5D III is already an imposing contender for most cost effective. A great many people who buy it will never need another camera. If (when?) that price drops a bit more...

SO...


5D3.......1
40D..... 3 votes
5D........1 vote

Film SLR

EOS 3.....2 votes

I would only care for the best camera to do best pictures and I own 8 slr bodies for 6 last years incluing all 3 versions of 5d and 1d3/1d4. So far 5d3 is the best, but I wish I have 6d size and wifi

5D3.......2
40D..... 3 votes
5D........1 vote

Film SLR

EOS 3.....2 votes

Why am I doing this simple copy and paste??

40D is the best bang-for-your-buck right now if you don't care about video. I sold a like-new 40D with a low shutter count a few months ago and I couldn't believe how little it was worth.

40D

40D, I still have it and my kids use it all the time taking great pictures.

Either $400-600 1D2(N) or $1200 1Ds2 should be the one. Pro grade at rebel value

As a former owner of a 40D whose shutter crapped out just past the warranty period, I am not inclined to speak well of the 40D from a price or longevity standpoint.

It did produce decent files, though.

I'd say the 5DII offered the most value for the price. Lackluster AF and noisy shadows aside, it was (is) a highly capable camera body.

D30. At the time there was nothing that could come close to competing with it

We loved our 40D. It really was a great camera. I forgot how much I liked it until I was repairing one for a friend a few months ago. While we've outgrown that camera years ago holding it still brings back a feeling familiarity. It just feels perfect in my hands.
It's well balanced, has a large solid feel, and everything is right where it should be. All in all, one of the best designs ever.

Peacekpr wrote:

40D just feels perfect in my hands ... one of the best designs ever

+1

Noticeably better in this regard than 5D Classic.

The 40D feels the best in the hand of any DSLR I've ever held.

My choice is not based on used prices, but on what the camera does and how much income it generates:
Till now it is 5D II. Even it was twice expensive than my 30D and 50D, it helped me to generate 3.5 years of highest and still growing income that tops its price many, many times. No other camera I purchased before did it in this scale.

But I am pretty sure, I will purchase a 6D next and I guess it will top 5D II as soon it is purchased.

Ralph

If value for money is the real criteria and not just 40D love it's the 550D/T2i by a mile.

The same sensor as the 600D, 650D, 60D and 7D in a camera with an excellent LCD, video and all the modern features all for a tiny amount of money now.