The 40D is released according to the standard lifecycle. The 30D was a very minor change from the 20d. I honestly cant see why you are confused.
the 40D has lower noise, more pixels, sensor cleaning, 14 bit images, sRAW, higher frame rate, auto iso, more customization, live view, silent shutter, lower viewfinder blackout time, better viewfinder, better af, bigger lcd, iso always on the lcd, new menu system, digic III, deeper buffer......
and if they didnt feel they had to keep up with the competition, maybe they would have waited. But for me, this is a great upgrade from my 20D (assuming the lower noise and improved AFare real).
Given these specs, should I get on a preorder list now or just get a 5d. I shoot primarily kids, babies and prenatal shots with an xti with a 24-70, 70-200 2.8is. I'm going to get a 35L or 85L depending if I go FF or stay with the crop. I've been giving away my services for awhile to develop my portfolio. I'ts time to move up to a better body. Obviously no one has a crystal ball with regards to upcoming rebates, but I had heard about a double rebate last year for the 5d. How much was that off of the price because shop.com is still doing a 10%off code through adorama which sounds very appealing. Thanks.
I understand it's an upgrade from the 20D, I just don't see the big jump from the 30D.
Lower noise? How do we know that?
sRAW? Is that significant?
Higher frame rate? I must've read a different spec sheet.
Live view? Meh.
Silent shutter? The 30D was loud?
Viewfinder update? Missed that one in the spec sheet too. I really need to get my info. from somewhere else it seems. (NOT sarcasm! I really mean my source seems to suck.)
Bigger LCD? I thought it was the same size? And nobody seemed to care about the bigger LCD on the 30D...
ISO always on? Could do that with a 30D firmware update.
New menu system? LoL, um, okay...
Digic III and 10MP? That's the only real upgrade as far as I can tell.
Deeper buffer? Of course it's bigger -- because of 10MP. Same number of pictures stored.
So what you all seem to be saying is the 30D was a desperate, revenue-generating release -- as was the MkIIN, apparently. But at least they were honest by marking that an "N" instead of giving it a new model number.
So the lesson is to never buy an in-between model from Canon. How does one know which products are tweeners if they don't apply "N" or something?
ALF
Aug 20, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Allen Maestas Offline • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
Eric B. Lee wrote:
Given these specs, should I get on a preorder list now or just get a 5d. I shoot primarily kids, babies and prenatal shots with an xti with a 24-70, 70-200 2.8is. I'm going to get a 35L or 85L depending if I go FF or stay with the crop. I've been giving away my services for awhile to develop my portfolio. I'ts time to move up to a better body. Obviously no one has a crystal ball with regards to upcoming rebates, but I had heard about a double rebate last year for the 5d. How much was that off of the price because shop.com is still doing a 10%off code through adorama which sounds very appealing. Thanks....Show more →
You can get at least 2 40D's for the price of 1 5D even with a double rebate offer. To me having a backup that is the same as your primary would be much more beneficial than just having 1 5D? That's my two cents. I'm sure someone else will have a brilliant explanation as to why you should go with the 5D
We don't, but since DIGIC III has shown lower noise with the 1D III it's not a big leap to make.
sRAW? Is that significant?
Higher frame rate? I must've read a different spec sheet.
sRAW: for some. I can see using it in museums or such, where I won't be printing large, but still want whitebalance control.
The frame rate on the 40D is 6.5 fps vs. 5 fps on the 30D. That's a significan't jump.
Viewfinder update? Missed that one in the spec sheet too. I really need to get my info. from somewhere else it seems. (NOT sarcasm! I really mean my source seems to suck.)
The viewfinder has 0.95x magnification vs. 0.9x magnification on the 30D...it's larger, and it has interchangeable focus screens.
Bigger LCD? I thought it was the same size? And nobody seemed to care about the bigger LCD on the 30D...
3" vs. 2.5" on the 30D.
Deeper buffer? Of course it's bigger -- because of 10MP. Same number of pictures stored.
Huh? You've got LARGER file size, and yet you get 75 frames in a burst on the 40D vs. 30 frames on the 30D. That's a HUGE increase in buffer space.
Plus, the 40D has more sensitive sensors (cross to f/5.6 as opposed to f/2.8 on the 30D). It's a big upgrade.
It's not big enough for me to ditch my 30D, which is and will continue to be a great camera for me, but it's big.
The only truly important upgrade, it seems to me, is in AF. I currently use a 1D2 and a 20D, and the biggest difference between the two is that the 20D's off-center AF points are absolutely useless. If they actually gave the 40D off-center AF points that work, it'd be a big deal.
Alf, maybe seriously read up on the spec sheet before dissing the camera?
Bigger viewfinder - check,
iso in viewfinder (first time in a canon DSLR) - check
far superior AF system than any non 1 series DSLR - check
Interchangeable viewfinders - check
10 Megapixels with no more noise - check
14 bit processing - check
Sensor cleaning - check
Bigger buffer (Can take more pics what the hell did you read?!) - check
Quiter shutter (the 20D/30D was obnoxiously high pitched) - check
More FPS (6.5 vs 5) - check
Partial Weather Sealing - check
ALF, you missed the better AF (assuming it is more reliable than the 1D3 AF) and self-cleaning sensor. Both features are worth having but probably not worth upgrading from your 30D. Maybe worth upgrading your 20D though.
Had I just paid full price for a 30D then I might be upset, but I had expected a 40D and I knew it had to be better than the 400D to stop buyers opting for the cheaper 400D and to convince 20D owners to upgrade.
I did just buy a 1Ds2 but at a substantially reduced price and I wanted it before Canon could convince me that the 1Ds3 AF works better than the1D3 AF that they still have not fixed. So I'm still happy.
If there is "lesson" about purchasing Canon cameras it is to buy a new model as soon as it has been proven reliable by early adopters. That way you minimise the pain of getting a defective model and you maximise the value for money for the period you own the camera. Buying a model at the end of its life cycle without a significant cost savings is a relative waste of money.
It's NOT weather sealed. The flash unit is probably one of the most vulnerable places for sealing. NOBODY that makes a camera with a built-in pop-up flash makes a camera that is water resistant.
Even if it was, you understand that it's water resistant and not water proof, right??
Kind of like bullet resistant vests. No such thing as bullet-proof..
I am ready to upgrade my 20D! Higher frame rate, larger buffer, larger LCD, better autofocus, auto ISO, more Megapixels...etc. I am excited about almost every feature.
Some people are going to learn a very rude lesson with this camera. They are going to get a lot of disinformation ( from salesmen ) about the sealing not the lack thereof and short a bunch of cameras. If makes very little sense to me for Canon to talk about weather sealing and leave the most exposed part of the camera vulnerable. That being the flash, top plate, dial and buttons.
One of the greatest improvements over the 30D in my mind is the switch from 12bit - 14bit processing. That is a huge difference in RAW processing/opening up shadows without banding and blocking up. To me this makes the upgrade worth it alone.
With the 40D you will now get 2401 levels of tone within the 5th f/stop from the highlights compared to the 20D/30D's 128 levels in the same f/stop. Heck, you get 19208 levels in the brightest f/stop now compared to only 2048 from the 20D/30D to protect and get detail from the highlights.
Aug 20, 2007 at 01:14 PM
Allen Maestas Offline • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
The question isn't why a 40D but why not. The technology is there, it doesn't make sense for them to keep manufacturing old technology when they spent so much to develop the new stuff.
It's the same as buying a car. There will be a new model every year with only minor upgrades and then a major redesign every 5 years for example. They're going to be making the cars anyway so why not upgrade them instead of releasing the same product for 5 years and sitting on new features.
