5D vs 40D...which one to pick?

[Melinda]

Well nearly 3 years after buying my 20D, I figure it's about time to do an upgrade on my camera body. I've been doing a little research on my own and asking a few photo friends what they think, and I've narrowed it down to two bodies, the 40D and the 5D.

Both have their selling points for me. On the 40D I love how much faster it is, how quick (and better) the focus is, the live mode (great for those annoying artistic low shots that make me generally lie flat on the ground and get completely filthy) even the self clean mode that they've developed is pretty awesome to have in between manual cleanings. And the function to help avoid highlights being blown out in the sun is completely invaluable to me when I do weddings. I suppose the extra 2mp is nice, but having not really ever needed anything beyond my current 8.3, it isn't a giant selling point.

The 5D is all around a kick ass camera, there's no arguing that at all. But for me, it's main (and only) selling point is the full frame sensor vs. the crop sensor on the 40D. I also don't really love that there's no on board flash on the 5D. I know why there isn't, and I rarely use it, maybe for an outdoor filler once in a while or a "oh I'm taking a quick snap shot, don't really feel like dragging out the big flash" kind of photo. Doesn't happen overly often, but man is it handy as hell sometimes. And since I use my wide angle a LOT in my shooting, I'm worried a full frame would give me some more noticeable distortion around the edges of my photo than a crop sensor, in the area that the crop sensor would have cropped off. Anyone have some insight on that?

So the question is this...is the full frame sensor enough to warrent a 5D upgrade? I think both bodies would do me just fine and I've never had a client complain about the size or quality of my images, so I don't know, I just know life would be easier in the land of photo printing if I had the full frame so I didn't have to crop off pieces of my photo. Haha I've been stewing on this for a week now and I dont know what to do, so I'm seeking advice and opinions. Thanks guys!

[BerserkerCatSplat]

From your description, I would say that the Zorki-10 is definitely the camera for you. It's the best value in full-frame cameras on the market!




...yeah, I'm not giving advice on Canon stuff. I've never used either!

[bigboom]

when i bought my 30d i debated on getting these 2 cameras as well. i would have had to wait a monh or so for the 40d but i ended up saving a few hundred bucks. anywho i didnt get the 5d for the things you mentioned no on board flash, and the fact that i didnt want to have to buy L series glass for the full frame sensor becuase like you mentioned the cheaper glass would probably have some distortion around the edges which the crop sensor would leave out.

but the thing for me was the fact that i wasnt doing anything professional and didnt need to spend that kind of money. the thing with full frame is you get what you see which to me is a huge deal with slr's.

personally id go with the 40d for the features you already mentioned the self cleaning and faster AF system.

[Melinda]

Originally posted by bigboom
when i bought my 30d i debated on getting these 2 cameras as well. i would have had to wait a monh or so for the 40d but i ended up saving a few hundred bucks. anywho i didnt get the 5d for the things you mentioned no on board flash, and the fact that i didnt want to have to buy L series glass for the full frame sensor becuase like you mentioned the cheaper glass would probably have some distortion around the edges which the crop sensor would leave out.

but the thing for me was the fact that i wasnt doing anything professional and didnt need to spend that kind of money. the thing with full frame is you get what you see which to me is a huge deal with slr's.

personally id go with the 40d for the features you already mentioned the self cleaning and faster AF system.

Thanks for your suggestion! I suppose I should chime in once again and give a few more details. I am a professional photographer and shoot portraits, weddings and events and have just recently started a new division of my company selling my landscape stuff as artwork. The only lenses I have are L series, but I still get distortion on my 16-35 mm lens with the crop sensor in my current 20D, particularly at wide open apertures. I'm worried a FF sensor would make this worse and I'd just end up cropping down the photo anyways.

The 40D does have a lot of what I'm looking for, so I will probably go with that, I'd just like to hear some more opinions before I do. I'm glad to hear you like the 30D, the 40D is just a smaller step up from that, so it's encouraging to hear that!

[sputnik]

My sister just upgraded from a 30D to a 5D.

She shoots 30+ weddings per year and loves her new 5D and wished she would have upgraded earlier.

[Melinda]

Originally posted by sputnik
My sister just upgraded from a 30D to a 5D.

She shoots 30+ weddings per year and loves her new 5D and wished she would have upgraded earlier.

Any particular reason? I know it's a great camera, but other than the full frame sensor, what did she love about it so much?

[RC-Cola]

My suggestion for your case would be the 40D. You have been shooting professional for a while and you have always been using a 0.6x crop sensor, I think that it would be a big change in how you're used to framing shots. I sure you have "standard" photos that you use in most of the shoots you do and you don't want to be re-thinking during the shoot that you're too far away with your current lens.

I'm sure you can adjust after half a dozen weddings or so, it's just an opinon.

I don't really place a lot of value in the full frame sensor vs. the crop sensor. I believe it makes a bigger difference for those who have been shooting for 15+ years and are used full frame (thus my first point). If full frame is a big deal then I would spend the extra dollars and go the full boat with the 1Ds Mark III.

Overall I don't see that much of a benefit of the 5D over the 40D other than overall a sturdier platform that might be more rubust.

[blam]

both cameras are fantastic.

the biggest thing about the 5D, imho is the ultra low noise capabilities.

if you're doing lots of weddings low light performance is a great thing to have.

and having to buy L glass, well...I'd love any excuse to buy L glass. it's just simply amazing.

16-35 F2.8L
24-70 F2.8L
70-200 2.8L IS

covers a HUGE range and F2.8 throughout. you wont get that on a crop body because no one makes a fast wide lens for digital.

no flash on teh 5D? you'll still have your 20D kicking around as a backup body


the 40D is also pretty decent upgrade with all the new gadgets and the super fast AF and VERY attractive price ($1250 at FS this weekend)


if you're in no rush, why not wait until spring when wedding season kicks up again and maybe canon will pop out a 5D MK II to even the playing field with noink.

or even a price drop? and fixed AF on the MK III

[Melinda]

Originally posted by blam
and having to buy L glass, well...I'd love any excuse to buy L glass. it's just simply amazing.

16-35 F2.8L
24-70 F2.8L
70-200 2.8L IS

covers a HUGE range and F2.8 throughout. you wont get that on a crop body because no one makes a fast wide lens for digital.

I'm not sure what you mean by that. I have the 16-35 F2.8L and the 70-200 2.8L IS and I currently run both on my digital crop body with zero problems. The 16-35 is a fast wide angle suitable for both a crop body and a FF body.

Originally posted by blam
if you're in no rush, why not wait until spring when wedding season kicks up again and maybe canon will pop out a 5D MK II to even the playing field with noink.

or even a price drop? and fixed AF on the MK III

Unfortuneately, we are looking to do this upgrade fairly soon. We're looking to make some big changes in our lives in the very near future and that kind of money may not be availiable for a suitable upgrade. The number of weddings I've taken on next year have also decreased for the same reason.

Thanks for the suggestion though! I'd love to wait it out and see what's coming down the pipes, I just dont think I can!

[blam]

the 16-35 on a full frame is equal to a 10-22 on a crop. and 16mm isn't really "ultra" wide on a crop imho.

the 10-22 does not come in a F2.8 flavor.

that's all I mean.

[Mitsu3000gt]

The 5D is due for an upgrade is it not? One option would be to go 40D until the 5D upgrade comes out. It should be next in line, but of course there is no telling when that will be. That said, if you are doing weddings and landscapes for a living perhaps the 5D would be the best choice for the low noise and wide angle capabilities. Everything I've seen (and read on the Canon forums) suggests the 40D is a step down from the 30D in the noise control department, however I do not have any personal experience. There seems to be a lot of very mixed opinions about the 40D on the camera forums. Henry's Canada is still selling 30D's for $999.

Disclaimer: I am not a Canon shooter so I can only tell you what I read

[blam]

the noise difference in between the 30D and 40D is very little from what I've seen.

the sRAW capabilities is a definite plus.

at the moment, the 40D is the best bang for your buck, as a 30D isn't as big of an upgrade from your 20D.

maybe head to vistek or the camerastore with a CF card and take them both for a spin. maybe you'll fall in love with one of them.

[canadianx]

Originally posted by Melinda


Unfortuneately, we are looking to do this upgrade fairly soon. We're looking to make some big changes in our lives in the very near future and that kind of money may not be availiable for a suitable upgrade.

Hmm, starting a family maybe?

[Gibson]

I've used the 40D a few times, and it's really quite amazing.
I had to work around the button placement because I'm used to Nikon, but it's essentially the same.

The 6fps shooting is godly. Not to mention it sounds badass. 1/8000 shutter speed, 17-85 IS lens, for only 1700ish dollars is pretty good. If you drop the lens, you save 400, and you probably dont need it because it sounds like you have a tonne of canon glass anyway.

All I know about the 5D is that it's mad pricey.

Good luck

edit: my bad, i meant the 40D.

[Melinda]

Originally posted by canadianx


Hmm, starting a family maybe?

Trying to! Haha we'll see how it goes, but we're getting a few of our bigger items bought before we need to direct the spending elsewhere, thus the need to figure out which camera I'm going to upgrade to

Thanks so much for the comments everyone! Keep them coming I think I might stop by vistek tomorrow and do some playing around. My grandfather has a 5D (even though I had to explain to him 4 times why the camera was so good) so I might take it for a longer spin on thanksgiving when I'll be out at his ranch for the weekend.

[Mitsu3000gt]

^^^^ 30D is less than $1000.

EDIT: did not reply fast enough haha.

[Melinda]

^^Thanks, but I am looking at the 40D or the 5D not the 30D

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Melinda

Any particular reason? I know it's a great camera, but other than the full frame sensor, what did she love about it so much?

- full frame sensor

- ability to shoot at 1600/3200 ISO without noisy images... better image quality in general

- quiet shutter for shooting ceremonies without being a distraction

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Gibson
All I know about the 5D is that it's mad pricey.

Its not that bad.

$3500 isn't too shabby when you are able to charge $2500+ for a wedding. It pays itself off quickly if you do more than just amateur hobby photography.

[Melinda]

Originally posted by sputnik


Its not that bad.

$3500 isn't too shabby when you are able to charge $2500+ for a wedding. It pays itself off quickly if you do more than just amateur hobby photography.

With the availiable rebates, the 5D is only $2300