Keep Canon 5D or switch to 40D?

[Grimace]

I love my 5D, no doubt. I also crave a new lens which I could shell out "new" money for but I'd rather redistribute camera assets that I already own, if possible.

I thought I might sell my 5D for a 40D + the new lens. Anyone have any opinions? I know that I lose the wide end of things (my 24-70mm becomes 38-112mm FOV) but I'm not too bothered by that.

I've heard that the image quality is almost identical between the two so I'm not sure what to do. Thoughts?

 

[furious]

If you have to ask the question you already know the answer.

 

[Abstract]

For me, it's not about the noise. Forget it. The problem isn't so big.

If you love wide-angle and shoot lots of landscapes and such, then stick with your full frame setup because it's great for that. If you don't care about capturing wide angles, and only care about reach, then get the 40D. I think I'd be better off with a full-frame camera, but in many ways, I don't mind having a bit of reach using only my 105 mm VR lens, and without a proper telephoto lens in my bag.

 

[OreoCookie]

Ditto about the noise, even in the original (dp)review, it was said that the noise wasn't appreciably different from a 20D (!) or a D2X.

The 40D has IMHO a much better value than the 5D and many features the latter doesn't (6.5 fps, some weather sealing, etc.); however, you will have to add the price for a 12-24 mm zoom (e. g. Tokina's 12-24 or Canon's 10-22). I doubt that the successor to the 5D will change that.

 

[jaduffy108]

I've heard that the image quality is almost identical between the two so I'm not sure what to do. Thoughts?

*** To my eyes, the IQ of the 5D is still better than the 40D....but if you don't do much wide angle...40D is a solid value.

 

[epicwelshman]

If I was in your position I think I may keep the 5D, but I'm not sure whether that's just because I'd feel like I was "downgrading" to a 40D.

Saying that, lenses are far more important than bodies. If you're willing to sacrifice the wide end for a tele, then go for it.

The lens you'd get with the 40D... is it EF-S or EF? I.e., will it work on a full frame camera when that becomes the norm?

 

[timnosenzo]

It ultimately depends on what you shoot, but I don't think I could make that switch. Mostly because I really like the lenses I have and they serve my style well, but if I was to go back to a crop camera its like having a different set of lenses. Even if the 40D is close in image quality, its not quite up to where the 5D is. Also, with Canon likely to update the 5D in the next few months, companies like B&H selling the 5D for $2299 now and rebate season upon us, the used 5D market value has taken quite a plunge recently.

 

[Mantat]

Also full frame sensor give you better bokeh, if you can have the subject take the same amount of frame.

I own a 5D and never played with the 40D so I cant talk much about it, but still a FF viewfinder is soooo much better and brighter than a cropped one! This is critical if you do a lot of manual focusing.

 

[Butthead]

It ultimately depends on what you shoot, but I don't think I could make that switch. Mostly because I really like the lenses I have and they serve my style well, but if I was to go back to a crop camera its like having a different set of lenses. Even if the 40D is close in image quality, its not quite up to where the 5D is. Also, with Canon likely to update the 5D in the next few months, companies like B&H selling the 5D for $2299 now and rebate season upon us, the used 5D market value has taken quite a plunge recently.

Really? Not my research on e-bay, seems like you'd be lucky to get one for anything less than about $1800-1900. I wish I could get a used body for less, I want a FF dSLR, and the 5D is currently the least expensive option (maybe when the 5D replacement comes out the used market will drop, but I don't expect any 'plunge').

B&H currently as of Oct 10, 2007 lists the new 5D body @$2,349.95. Used 2,199.00...not exactly the 'bargain' I am looking for.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/397314-REG/Canon_0296B002_EOS_5D_Digital_Camera.html

Also full frame sensor give you better bokeh, if you can have the subject take the same amount of frame.

I own a 5D and never played with the 40D so I cant talk much about it, but still a FF viewfinder is soooo much better and brighter than a cropped one! This is critical if you do a lot of manual focusing.

Good points, but the 40D is newer, therefore more 'add-on' features not available at the time of the intro of the 5D...tis always the case. And in another few months Canon is due to update the 5D with something better in features than the 40D. The 40D has 10x magnification w/Live View, which could be used for better manual focusing?

 

[timnosenzo]

Really? Not my research on e-bay, seems like you'd be lucky to get one for anything less than about $1800-1900.

A little bit. A month or two ago you could probably fetch $2100 - $2200 for a nice used 5D, at least on some photo forums (not sure about eBay), now you're probably around $1800 - $1700. If Canon does release some rebates this month as they have in the past Octobers (I got a $600 rebate for my 5D last October!), that will bring the new price down even more, which will have further impact on used prices.

 

[milozauckerman]

Also full frame sensor give you better bokeh, if you can have the subject take the same amount of frame.

Not exactly true. There is no difference in 'bokeh' between a full-frame and an APS-C sensor.

There is a difference in depth of field (the amount of the frame that will be out of focus) - but it's not that severe with fast lenses.

If you shoot something with a 50/1.4, at 1.4 on a 40D, you are essentially shooting with (roughly) an 80mm f/1.8 in terms of depth of field. You multiply the aperture by 1.6 as you do the focal length - so you're generally adding a half-stop of DOF.

(why? Because you have the field of view of an 80mm lens, but the optical DOF of a 50mm from the same distance)

I can see it being more of an issue with f/4 and up zooms, but with primes and f/2.8 zooms the crop sensor provides plenty of 'creative room' in DOF.

(this is dealing with close and intermediate distances where you're generally working with shallow DOF. for longer distances, the APS-C camera increases depth of field more than the full-frame)

 

[Grimace]

thanks so much for all your feedback. I think I am leaning toward keeping the 5D. Maybe there will be rumors of a 5D mkII in January

 

[timnosenzo]

Out of curiosity, which lens are you lusting after?

 

[Grimace]

The 180mm Canon macro!!

 

[timnosenzo]

Ohhh, yes it does seem like a fine lens. I have the 100mm Macro, and that lens is really nice with the 5D (its no 180, but still nice). Might be worth checking out of you're looking into getting into macro a bit but can't fork out the cash for the L.

 

[ScubaDuc]

I am a Nikon user and I usully don't post comments on Canon's but I would like to point out that we Nikonians waited years for a full frame solution...and we are likely to wait even more before it'll be in the shops

If I was in the OP mocassins, I would look for older 35 mm manual lenses if they are compatible with the Canon 5D like in the Nikon D3 to complement the reach. I mean, if you are shooting wild life, it most likely be at "infinite" focus and with my 500 mm the diaph. is fixed at 8 so there isn't that much of a necessity for automation. Good ol A mode and some focusing skills will get some decent shots. Also, fixed lenses are much, much better then zooms
My humble opinion

 

[ScubaDuc]

The 180mm Canon macro!!

I have the 200 mm Micro-Nikkor IF AI. It's manual but it works GREAT

 

[slimon]

I have not had any experience with the 70-300, but I do own the 55-200 and I LOVE IT!

Serioulsy, its a great bargain.

If you will be doing sport shots, you may need that extra 100mms but I find that 200 is plenty zoom for me.

 

[Forced Perfect]

6.5 fps, some weather sealing, etc.

Trust me. The "some" is nothing of use. Sealing the CF slot and battery (partially at that) won't help in the rain or anything. So what's the point of even doing it?

I was hoping for real sealing, but alas, useless. I love my 40D either way and it is truly an awesome deal and amazing camera.

 

[JFreak]

Trust me. The "some" is nothing of use. Sealing the CF slot and battery (partially at that) won't help in the rain or anything. So what's the point of even doing it?

Just three months ago I witnessed a camera body dying because of *no* weather sealing at all. Once salt water reaches the battery, the system dies instantly. Had that compartment been weather sealed, the body would most probably not died.

Luckily the CF card wasn't destroyed...

Non-salty water (rain) and humidity is not that harmful for electronic devices. Salt conducts, so things get rusty if the device is powered on while being "salted". Lesson learnt

 

[OreoCookie]

Trust me. The "some" is nothing of use. Sealing the CF slot and battery (partially at that) won't help in the rain or anything. So what's the point of even doing it?

In my book, some is better than none, especially when none costs twice as much.

But I agree, it's not really weather sealed.

 

[Mantat]

If you make no use of the FF body, get rid of it. Seriously, the improved quality of the 5D is only palpable in low light and for wide shots. For all other points, the 40D is about the same.

Still, I am keeping my 5D until the next version comes out (with weather sealing plz, thanks) or get a MarkIII. No weather sealing is very annoying when you plan to visit a jungle...

 

[compuwar]

If you make no use of the FF body, get rid of it. Seriously, the improved quality of the 5D is only palpable in low light and for wide shots. For all other points, the 40D is about the same.

Still, I am keeping my 5D until the next version comes out (with weather sealing plz, thanks) or get a MarkIII. No weather sealing is very annoying when you plan to visit a jungle...

Rain covers are cheap and effective protection even if you do have a sealed body. Fotosharp's work for me.

FWIW, the only time I'd get rid of a working body was if it wasn't doing what I needed or if a new body did what I needed better- an even trade just doesn't make much sense.