My run into the 40D

[ALaS]

So, the other night I went out with a few friends to K1, a go-kart racing place. While we were waiting we see this lady with a canon and me and my other photographer friend walk up to her to introduce ourselves. We notice it's a 40D with the blingin' 3" view finder and the 40D emblem.

I immediately ask in excitement, "Is that the 40D!?"

She replies, "I think so, it's top of the line, we bought it about 2 weeks ago, it's the best out there right now."

I go, "Oh, yeah..cool! It's the 40D! Is that the Kit lens?"

She goes, "What? Yeah, we've got like 3 of them, you know the one that goes really far? My husband is really good."

So I reply, "awesome! So, you gettin' any good shots?"

She goes,"Um, well it's kinda dark in here look--"

So, I'm looking at her blurry underexposed images all shot in sports mode.

After talking for a bit I suggest upping the ISO and the shutter in Manual or AV mode.

She goes, " What's that? Here show me."

So I'm excited as hell I get to handle the 40D and take some shots! So I flip it over to M and up the ISO to 1600, shutter to 250 and start firing away.
Note: I have an XTi. This feels like a machine gun compared to my single shot musket.

I'm immediately wetting my pants in joy. My images come out decent, but better than hers so she's excited too. I flip it to Av mode for her to try and told her to mess with it. So she goes off and moves to another spot while me and my friends converse amongst ourselves in the spot we met the lady. A few minutes later her husband comes rushing to us, so I'm now worrying he's angry that his wife let some strangers mess with their brand new 40D. But he comes up to me and asks what I did and I just explain that I bumped up the ISO. He asks what that means and I explain to him about how the ISO is the light sensitivity of the sensor. He explains to me that he doesn't really know what that means and if I could show him. So I show him on his camera and accidentally pushed the "set" button and discover live view!

He goes, "Woah! What's that!?"

I'm like, "That's live view! Woah!"

Then they call his name to race so he says thanks and jets off.

So, when I'm done wetting my pants I recap:
Wow, bigger body feels great. Not only bigger, but feels solid. The shutter sound and speed amazes me. It's so quiet and swift! The huge LCD screen is awesome. The functions and ergonomics makes more sense to me now. I wish I waited! But then again I don't. I learned a lot on the XTi and I still am. I know it's the glass, but this body makes everything seem...I don't quite know how to explain it. It's just awesomeness!

I've got quite a decision to make when it comes time to upgrade, 5D vs 40D.

Thanks for listening to my eventful night. lol

Oh and I totally wanted to clunk them over the head with a metal pipe and take their camera. JK! But I was a little jealous that they barely knew how to use it for what it was. They were pretty much using a very nice, very expensive, and very pretty point and shoot!:lol:

[Pete]

Just be glad you didn't meet someone with a 1D!! :D

Great story there, it's great to see such enthusiasm!

[lakiluno]

I upgraded from a 350D to a 20D - not as big an upgrade, I know, but a lot of the things you say (minus screen) still stand. However, if I'd gone for a 20D when I got my camera, it would of been £250 of lenses that I couldn't have. My 350D taught me a lot. Your story demonstrates one thing though - it isn't just the gear you have. I think photography can be divided into three parts; gear, knowledge and artistic ability. You need all 3 to take truly good photos. Without artistic ability, however much you know or however much gear you have, your photos will always not be very exciting, or have poor framing. Without the gear, certain situations (eg low light) will just be too constricting.

However, the knowledge of how to use the gear you have is, in my view the most important aspect of photography. I see photography as 60% knowledge, 20% gear and 20% artistic ability.

Clearly these guys had the gear, and may of had the artistic ability, but without the knowledge of how to take what they had, bump up the ISO, open the aperture etc, they ended up with bad shots.

Anyway, I want a 40D!

[ALaS]

I upgraded from a 350D to a 20D - not as big an upgrade, I know, but a lot of the things you say (minus screen) still stand. However, if I'd gone for a 20D when I got my camera, it would of been £250 of lenses that I couldn't have. My 350D taught me a lot. Your story demonstrates one thing though - it isn't just the gear you have. I think photography can be divided into three parts; gear, knowledge and artistic ability. You need all 3 to take truly good photos. Without artistic ability, however much you know or however much gear you have, your photos will always not be very exciting, or have poor framing. Without the gear, certain situations (eg low light) will just be too constricting.

However, the knowledge of how to use the gear you have is, in my view the most important aspect of photography. I see photography as 60% knowledge, 20% gear and 20% artistic ability.

Clearly these guys had the gear, and may of had the artistic ability, but without the knowledge of how to take what they had, bump up the ISO, open the aperture etc, they ended up with bad shots.

Anyway, I want a 40D!

I hear you! I don't regret my purchase at all. I'm still learning and I don't plan on upgrading bodies for a while. I still don't have essentials..like..flash, tripod, more glass!

You bring up great points!

[elysium]

Such a great story. Sadly, what you have experienced is normal. I have met plenty of high end DSLR owners (ok well semi-high end) who have spent a fortune on their camera because they know a SLR camera will give you a better picture but they tend to use it in all the wrong modes.

Its a shame these people have all the money but do not care to learn. Sorry, back to the topic, I would take the 40D and then maybe later, up yourself to the 5D.

[SolidxSnake]

Such a great story. Sadly, what you have experienced is normal. I have met plenty of high end DSLR owners (ok well semi-high end) who have spent a fortune on their camera because they know a SLR camera will give you a better picture but they tend to use it in all the wrong modes.

Its a shame these people have all the money but do not care to learn. Sorry, back to the topic, I would take the 40D and then maybe later, up yourself to the 5D.

QFT

[ALaS]

QFT

What does "QFT" mean? "Quit F&$%ing Talking"?

That's all I can get from that. Quiet fool, two?

Qute freaking title!?

Be nice people.This thread could live without comments like that.:rolleyes:


Anyway, Between the 40D and the 5D, I'm not much into sports photography, then again I've never done it with a high FPS body. I shoot people, naturally. I think I'd benefit from either equally.

40D, I know the range (1.6x fvcrop)
5D, superb IQ and detail (can always use that)
5D, Wider sometimes, is better for the type of shots I take. (Full frame!)
40D, live view! Lazy man's DSLR! Or for those hard to look places.
40D, sensor cleaning, 3" LCD (that's luxury right there baby!)
40D, 6.5 FPS..that's a luxury too. But, do I need it?


I think it comes down to which feels nicer in my hands. Maybe I'll screw them both and get a 1D. (Chyeah right!) I = poor college student.
So, I'll stick to shooting with my XTi, practice, save for lenses, and when I've worn this poor little XTi to the ground I'll decide. Maybe the 5D Mk 2 will be out then and the 5D will be way cheaper, which means the 40D will be cheaper too! Cheers!

Oh, and my favorite quote of the couple was, "This thing shoots 8 pictures a second it's real fast, top of the line." --(smirk)
:lol:

[SolidxSnake]

What does "QFT" mean? "Quit F&$%ing Talking"?

That's all I can get from that. Quiet fool, two?

Qute freaking title!?

Be nice people.This thread could live without comments like that.

QFT = Quoted For Truth :rolleyes:

[ALaS]

Oh, thank you! Lol. My bad people. Write it out if it's nice! Other wise keep it abbreviated, I'll assume it's negative.

[elysium]

@ SolidxSnake
You had me bit worried there. Thought you were flaming my post lol. Thanks though :)

[ALaS]

See! We all didn't know!

So, anyone else ever handle a 40D or a 5D?

Side note: elysium, where did you get your BG-E3? I'm looking for one. Also, do you have any work I can look at? :)

[SolidxSnake]

You guys need acronym training :D

And btw ALaS... you think it's bad being a poor college student, try being a poor high-school student with no means to get a job (parents disapprove of me getting a job, gonna have to wait till I'm 16 in about 2 weeks).

[ALaS]

How'd you get that gear with no job!? Can I have your parents? haha jk.

[SolidxSnake]

How'd you get that gear with no job!? Can I have your parents? haha jk.


lol, my dad got the 20D for me (I was going to pay for most of it myself but he paid in full). $500 for the 20D, kit lens, manual, cables, 1GB CF card, battery and charger (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140162523630). Not a bad deal IMO.

[/threadjack]

[ALaS]

That's a really good deal!

So, are you looking to upgrade once you can afford it? haha Maybe 40D?

[SolidxSnake]

That's a really good deal!

So, are you looking to upgrade once you can afford it? haha Maybe 40D?



It's all about lenses. I've got a grand total of... count 'em, TWO lenses (kit lens, and my nifty fifty should be here tomorrow).

[elysium]

See! We all didn't know!

So, anyone else ever handle a 40D or a 5D?

Side note: elysium, where did you get your BG-E3? I'm looking for one. Also, do you have any work I can look at? :)

Check your PM. Saves flooding this thread. ;)