Canon 40d

I recently acquired a Canon 40d and decided to use it in conjunction with with my Canon 550d. I found the 40d having a AF-on button and to my surprise the red lights came on inside the viewfinder when focused and showing which sensors had been used. In review of the photos on the rear screen the lights still showed on my focal points used. The Canon 550d has none of these features even though it is a more recent camera. My question is perhaps I have not activated a specific setting on the 550d? Anyone help on this one? From initial impression my in focus shots are much higher on the 40d when compared with the 550d.

The T2i should have focus indicator lights in the viewfinder. Perhaps they have been turned off through the custom functions menu?

I believe only a dot lights up on the Rebel vs the whole square lighting up on the 40D.

Or maybe due to the AF settings used?

The 550D is a simpler camera than the 40D, albeit of later date. The better models had more functions, like illumnated AF boxes and the AF-ON button.

I have the same camera pairing. The Rebel does not support the same functions. I was equally as surprised after I got my 40D.

Thanks for replies will have to consider these features when I upgrade both cameras. 40d while having AF-on button and focus assist red light, does not seem to handle ISO 1600 or above well the 550d is better ie noise. At 100 ISO no difference having 8 extra megapixels, full picture or minor cropped landscapes. With sports photography Melbourne, Australia winter, 1600 - 3200 ISO cut off point to reach 1000 fps to freeze action of people but not the football. With major cropping ie 50% of original 40d terrible.

The 40D also has awful Auto ISO if that is something that you use. I got used to it with the Rebel, but when I did it with the 40D it was locked at 400. Not ideal, but it's what I've got at the moment. I do prefer the layout of the 40 and plan to stay with that if/when I upgrade.

Found when I tried sports setting auto on 40D would not shift ISO up to meet extra speed requirements. The 550D did this much better I found this setting worked fine for shots on days when you have about 4 natural light settings from sky being white bright clouds, grey clouds, black clouds and then blue skies. Melbournes typical weather both Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. 550D gives you fastest shutter speed available on this setting sometimes 2000 fps keeping aperture fully open but adjusting the ISO up or down automatically. For me produced a far greater number of possible use shots using this auto sports setting.

galelegg wrote in post #18650663
Thanks for replies will have to consider these features when I upgrade both cameras. 40d while having AF-on button and focus assist red light, does not seem to handle ISO 1600 or above well the 550d is better ie noise. At 100 ISO no difference having 8 extra megapixels, full picture or minor cropped landscapes. With sports photography Melbourne, Australia winter, 1600 - 3200 ISO cut off point to reach 1000 fps to freeze action of people but not the football. With major cropping ie 50% of original 40d terrible.

I was able to get decent shots at ISO 1600 when I owned a 40D as long as the exposure was correct. That was about as far as I usually pushed that camera, though.

This ISO 1600 shot was fine, except for the shadow in the background. Since the photo was all about the foreground subject, though, it wasn't an issue.

Attached is a shot from Saturday morning about the worst of my keep shots. Taken at 100mm, 3200 ISO, 1/2000, f5.6 used Av mode. Lens was Canon 75-300mm IS USM, not best Canon lens but also used in the tryout. Used about 3 different editing programs from original RAW edited in TIF. Histogram from RAW file looked like a post with a fat base. Kept the photo as good action shot of the ladies tussle for the ball.

Expanded ISO isn't too good from any camera. It's just that expanded ISO today is like ISO 102400 or so.
Is this image cropped in post?

You probably don't need to shoot at 1/2000sec for girls youth sports. Cut your shutter speed in half and you could have used ISO 1600 for that shot. You could probably even go as slow as 1/500sec and get the ISO to 800.

Modern noise reduction programs are pretty good. This was processed in Noiseware Professional 2. Please note that JPEG artifacts are quite evident but the results would be much better using the original RAW file.

Does look better but ladies have pasty look on skin.

About 70% of image removed in cropping.

So, instead of using 100 mm with a 75-300 mm zoom lens, use a longer focal length to begin with, and get away without cropping. That would improve image quality substantially.
When you have "only" 10 Megapixels, you need to use them all.