PLEASE help a rookie

The 40D is my camera of choice--It fits my sweet spot for AF speed and resolution.

Camera #1--first production run--Error99 upon powerup--never shot a single frame.

#2--went about 110k before it was sold on Craigslist.

#3--wifes camera--started throwing Error06 @ about 75k--shut off automatic sensor cleaning and all is well and just over 100k now. I believe this is self inflicted as she turns it on and off multiple times in a session where mine gets turned on once.

# 4--My current camera has about 85k--never a problem.

#5--Picked up a replacement locally with less than 900 actuations.

I've never felt the need to MA--all the lenses in my collection are good across the wide variety of bodies we own--and in my little word I usually shoot medium JPEG so resolution is not a problem.

Best of luck with your decision.

Never had any kind of error message on my 50D - it's been a rock-solid camera and just keeps chugging along. Internet forums can be misleading because most people won't join just to post that they've shot xxx,xxx shots with their camera and had no problems. The few with issues are the most vocal.

MikeFairbanks wrote in post #13399471
I have a t2i and am considering selling it and switching to a 40d.

I had the rebel xs, and the image quality was great. Same sensor as the 40d. But the forty has much more to offer than the xs ever did.

Plus, I'm sick of the high iso fight. I'm about to quit even trying to shoot indoor motion.

I think you will get better high ISO with the T2i than the 40D. But either way you need some fast glass to shoot indoor motion.

I loved my 40D- I upgraded from an XT and shot with the 40D for 3+ years with no error messages at all. I pulled my hair out at the roots for about 2 weeks agonizing over whether to buy another 40 or go to a 60D. I chose the 50D, mainly over a great deal here on POTN, brighter LCD, and the not being much interested in video. And of course, because Grandpa beat it into me that only dead things go downstream, a righteous way to get possessed by the Upgrade Demon and keep your wallet on hydraulics.

The new 50D arrives today- so I'm excited to explore this very issue of 40D/50D compares and contrasts...

Mike

Similar to Dave above, I had a first run 40D and it err99'd a lot the first week or two I had it. I returned it and bought another. Never had the problem on the new one in the 2-3 years I used it. It didn't see as many actuations as Dave's experiences though!

All these comments and the OP hasn't responded!

I own a 40D for several years now. Really like it. However, if I had the choice between the 40 & 50, I would choose the 50D.

Of course, the money situation does enter in. I got my 40D refurbished for $700. I immediately bought an extended warranty, and I am glad I did. The shutter craped out, but the warranty company fixed it just fine, and it has been "happy trails" ever since then.

Now it is my backup camera to a 7D.

Hi one and all,

Many thanks for your thoughts and suggestions, they have all been most helpful indeed.

Roy Mathers, my apologies for not replying earlier but I have had a very busy few days unexpectedly and have not had chance to logon for long enough to read everybodies replies thoroughly and then reply - it just seemed rude not to read them all properly first

Having read what you have all posted and having ready many many review today of the two bodies on various websites, I have decided to go with the 40D. Although the 50D has more MP and also more features, I have read in quite a few places that the images can be soft, especially if you do not have very good glass (which I dont at the moment) and that is the very reason I am looking to upgrade - to get sharper images.

Thank you all for your inputs, they have been very helpful indeed. I have also looked at the 40D and 50D picture threads on here and there is some truly fabulous work so a massive hats off to all of you who have contributed to that.

Thank you once again for your help, hopefully by Christmas or just after I will have a new toy to play with. Will have to start saving again then to update and improve my lenses!!

No problem Blackjack - I'm glad all the comments have been helpful (as we always try to be on POTN!)

Having had a couple more days to think about it, I am still not certain after all. It is this Error 99 thing that is bothering me about the 40D but then I have read a lot that the 50D images can be rather soft unless you can afford to put very good glass on them.

Just wish I had a bigger budget and could just buy a 60D which seems to be really nice, would not have these problems then. Thanks everyone for the support, I am still gathering thoughts and opinions if anyone else has any thoughts on either model.

AARRRGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!​!!!!!!!!!

I think that you should have had enough assurances so far that the 40D is an excellent camera with very little, if any, chance of the Error 99 occurring. I think you are worrying unnecessarily.

Blackjack1 wrote in post #13417099
...but then I have read a lot that the 50D images can be rather soft unless you can afford to put very good glass on them.

Just wish I had a bigger budget and could just buy a 60D which seems to be really nice, would not have these problems then....

If the 50D had problems with soft images (and I stress IF because I've never had such problems and haven't heard of it being a significant/widespread issue), the 60D would be even more susceptible to it due to its higher pixel density.

You're over-thinking things and putting too much stock in scattered internet rumors. There isn't a camera made that hasn't had occasional, isolated issues - quality control isn't perfect and a bad one slips through once in a while. Not saying that nobody has ever had a problem with a 40D or 50D - just saying that they're not an everyday occurrence with every unit (or even a vast majority of them). Go read the threads about focus issues with the 7D - some people are saying it's a problem-ridden camera that can't focus to save its life, while many others are saying it works perfectly and blame the problems on user error. A few bad units out there? Maybe. Probably. Is it as widespread as some think? I doubt it.

Nicely put Mac.

Thank you for your input Mac, it is very valuable and to be honest you are absolutely correct. I have spent hour after hour online looking at this review and that review and just driven myself slightly bonkers with it all. I think it is because I have only got a small amount of money to spend and dont want to regret my decision as I would not be able to afford to go out and buy something else if I was not happy with it. However, I am sure that whatever I end up with I will be happy realistically!!

Thank you though, sometimes it takes someone to give you a good talking to to make you see sense and I genuinly appreciate it.

Cheers guys

Blackjack1 wrote in post #13417099
Having had a couple more days to think about it, I am still not certain after all. It is this Error 99 thing that is bothering me about the 40D but then I have read a lot that the 50D images can be rather soft unless you can afford to put very good glass on them.

That's not correct. With the same lens the image from a 50D will be as sharp as one from a 40D (maybe a tiny bit sharper) when viewed at the same magnification. Misunderstanding this point has led to many reports of softness as a result of bad testing procedures.

The 50D sensor is 4752 X 3168 pixels, the 40D is 3888 X 2592. So the 50D image is 22% larger on the screen. When this image is viewed at 100% on my screen (19" wide) it's 45.4" wide.

A 40D image would be 38.5" wide at 100%. So a closeup view of that smaller image will look a bit sharper than the larger one just because it isn't blown up as much.

If the 50D is downsized to the size of the 40D (or the 40D is upsized) for a same-size comparison the 50D is as sharp as the 40D. Or sharper.

As for lens requirements: the 50D has higher resolution in the sensor than the 40D and may expose lens flaws that a 40D or 30D wouldn't resolve, but that's because the lower resolution of the 30D/40D mushes up the image more than the 50D. But the image on the 50D will always be as sharp (and possibly sharper) than it will be with the 30D/40D with the same lens and at the same magnification.

You don't need a $1000 lens on a 50D - mine takes very sharp images with my 18-55 IS kit lens (although I use the 17-55 f/2.8 most of the time). Frankly, the 18-55 IS is an amazing lens for the price, much better than the original 18-55 that came on your 300D.

The 40D is a very nice camera, but the 50D has some improvements and has no disadvantages compared to the 40D.

-js