comparison ( geared towards STF canon guru)

[brassman]

Would there be any benefit in getting the canon 40d over the rebel xti I don't see really any functional difference between them, smae M.P. but huge difference in price. whats your take on the subject. I already have a 100-300 mm M.F. lense (canon) I acquired from my grandmother. I feel I would be better off getting the rebel xti on my college budget.

[Steve Foss]

Brass, the question is: What do you want to photograph?

The 40D and XTi have the same sensor, though the 40D shows an improvement over the XTi in digital noise because of the updated Digic III processor.

Other than that, and a few other minor bells and whistles, what major improvements the 40D offers over the XTi are improved autofocus performance, shorter shutter lag and a much faster burst rate. Also, the XTi is rated to 50,000 shutters, whereas the 40D is rated to 100,000.

Hand size also is an issue. The XTi is the same size as the XT, which is too small to fit my middle-sized hand (with blocky fingers) unless I have the optional battery grip. I use the XT/grip as one of my backups. Even with the grip, it feels barely big enough to fit right in my hands. If you have big hands, it could be an issue.

Where the 40D truly shines over the XTi is in the area of fast action, and that's generally a sports deal. If you aren't shooting sports, you're probably fine with the XTi.

A person could go on and on and on about the differences between the two bodies, but with the same sensor, what really matters is which tool you really need to get the job done. They are just tools with which to express your vision, after all, and if you don't think you need the extra speed and slightly improved noise performance of the 40D, save the jing, get the XTi and save the price difference for the best glass you can afford. In the end, with the top quality of Canon digital sensors these days even in the entry level cameras, it's the glass that REALLY matters for image quality.

That's just IMO. Many other IMOs out there.

[brassman]

Well if I save up the ching and get the 40D I wouldn't be disapointed that I didn't get the higher end camera. just $2000 is a bit much for someone who only makes 5 times what it costs. ( camera with 2 lenses, you can find what I'm talking about in the big blue and yellow stores HSOforum) I wouldn't mind having it for my upcoming Digital photo II class in the spring, but thats only wishing for now.

[mcary]

Brass,

Just wanted to let you know that the guys here (myself included) could point you to a few places that would be significantly cheaper than "big blue and yellow store". Other than that, I think Steve covered it pretty well (as he usually does). I own the XT and upgraded to the 40D (now have both) because of the 40D's improved autofocus and frames per second rate which is handy for action wildlife photography. The other thing that often goes unmentioned is that the 40D's ISO setting is adjustable in 1/3 stop increments which can be really handy in low light situations when you are still looking for the lowest possible amount of potential noise.

[Steve Foss]

brass, I've done all my shopping for camera gear online at Canoga Camera for the last four years. Excellent service, helpful people, among the lowest prices on the net. Can't post the link, but they are easy to find.

[brassman]

yeah I have been there before Steve, and I appreciate the help. mcary I have seen your work and I think it is excellent I would love to see comparison shots with each one in the settings that make it worth the extra grand or so, I may decide to forgo the package deal so I can save up in the next few years to get that 100-400mm is usm lense, Like I said before I already have a 70-300 or 100-300mm lense I would have to check the only problem is that it manual focus but people got by with them for a long time. I wouldn't mind getting together so we could share tips techniques (mostly you teaching me) or areas of photo forays. lots of days off during christmas vacation, gotta love college breaks! Right now I feel limited by the S3 IS I currently own however it does work well for all around picture taking, a 40D would be a bit overkill for certain events let alone lugging 1500 dollars worth of equipment around.

[Dbl]

brassman it is funny how we got by all those years with manual focus!!! The first autofocus lens I shot was when I switched over to digital about 5 years ago! The problem with some of the older manual focus lenses is that the newer cameras may or may not communicate with the older lenses, metering, aperature, etc some of the important things. Something to consider and maybe try before you buy.

[Steve Foss]

brass, there are two HSO/FM photo gatherings planned for the holidays. Both are on the same weekend, so you'd have to choose one or the other, but either would offer nice learning opportunities.

Buzzsaw is organizing an eagle foray from the Twin Cities on Saturday, Dec. 29, and several of us are meeting on Sunday, Dec. 30, to tour the Sax-Zim bog between Virginia and Duluth.

You'll find experienced shooters with a lot of knowledge at either one.

The eagle trip thread can be found here.

The Sax-Zim Bog thread is here.

[brassman]

I would love to go to the Sax-Zim bog since its only an hour or so from my house but the problem it gas, since I put about 400lbs in my bed my gas milage has gone down significantly. At 90$ a fill-up it takes its toll. Remember I have to save up for that 40D too.

[Steve Foss]

brass, tell us where you live. It's possible one of the folks coming to the gathering either lives near you or will be passing through your town.

[brassman]

I live in Duluth but I have to factor in having one of my buddies being in town, he usually has only a few days he can hang out so my schedual is tentative, only time will tell.

[mcary]

Brassman,

If you don't have any other obligations, you can hitch a ride with me to the Sax-Zim shoot. I'm going to hit both the eagle shoot and the Sax-Zim. I'd offer a ride to the eagle shoot as well, but I won't be leaving from Duluth. As far as the tricks and tips is concerned - we can go out and do some shooting together some time. I always like having company when I head out on photo shoots.

With the difference between the XT and the 40D, it's not a matter of image quality. It's a matter of the number of keeper images. Whenever you're taking images of fast moving subjects you inevitably have a large number of images that you have to delete because of either focus issues or subject pose/composition. Having a higher FPS and better autofocus increases your number of keepers, which can in turn increase your sales (if you so choose to pursue this avenue). For me it made sense, I was missing shots due to equipment rather than technique and with my first few times out with my 40D I have noticed a higher percentage of images I'm keeping.

If you want to set up some times to go take some pics, email me at mikecary23 at hotmail. I'm fairly busy now until the end of the month, but things should hopefully slow down a bit in January.