Canon EOS 40D Review: Digital Photography Review

Camera Menus

With the introduction of the EOS 40D Canon has moved away from the 'one long scrolling page' layout seen on previous EOS x0D series, isntead we now have a tabbed multi-page layout which is consistent with their EOS-1D professional cameras. You navigate pages using the multi-selector or main dial and use the quick control dial or multi-selector to move up and down options, press SET to change. Colors (red for shooting, blue for play etc.) are used to distinguish the different categories of options. In Auto and scene modes the options available in the menus are limited.

Full menu (P, Tv, Av, M, A-DEP, C1-3)	Limited menu (Auto, scene modes)

Shooting section (red)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Quality [clip]	• Large / Fine • Large / Normal • Medium / Fine • Medium / Normal • Small / Fine • Small / Normal • RAW + Large / Fine • RAW + Large / Normal • RAW + Medium / Fine • RAW + Medium / Normal • RAW + Small / Fine • RAW + Small / Normal • sRAW + Large / Fine • sRAW + Large / Normal • sRAW + Medium / Fine • sRAW + Medium / Normal • sRAW + Small / Fine • sRAW + Small / Normal • RAW • sRAW	- 3888 x 2592 JPEG Fine - 3888 x 2592 JPEG Normal - 2816 x 1880 JPEG Fine - 2816 x 1880 JPEG Normal - 1936 x 1288 JPEG Fine - 1936 x 1288 JPEG Normal - 3888 RAW + 3888 JPEG Fine - 3888 RAW + 3888 JPEG Normal - 3888 RAW + 2816 JPEG Fine - 3888 RAW + 2816 JPEG Normal - 3888 RAW + 1936 JPEG Fine - 3888 RAW + 1936 JPEG Normal - 1936 RAW + 3888 JPEG Fine - 1936 RAW + 3888 JPEG Normal - 1936 RAW + 2816 JPEG Fine - 1936 RAW + 2816 JPEG Normal - 1936 RAW + 1936 JPEG Fine - 1936 RAW + 1936 JPEG Normal - 3888 x 2592 RAW - 1936 x 1288 RAW
Red-eye on/off	• Off • On	Enables the use of the AF / red-eye lamp just before a flash shot.
Beep	• On • Off	Enables auto focus confirmation beep. Also used for self timer.
Shoot w/o card	• On • Off	Allow shot to be taken without CF card inserted.
Review time	• Off • 2 sec • 4 sec • 8 sec • Hold

AEB	• +/-2 EV • 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps (C.Fn I-1)	Configures auto exposure bracketing.
White balance [clip]	• Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Tungsten light • White fluorescent light • Flash • Custom • Color temp. (Kelvin)
Custom WB	• Set custom WB	Select image for custom WB.
WB Shift / BKT [clip]	• Shift: B9-A9, M9-G9 • Bracket: BA+/-3, MG+/-3	Configures WB shift and WB bracketing.
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Picture Style	• Standard • Portrait • Landscape • Neutral • Faithful • Monochrome • User Def. 1 • User Def. 2 • USer Def. 3

Picture Style

Now standard across Canon's DSLR range the Picture Styles are a range of pre-programmed image parameter sets intended to deliver the best results in different situations. Each Picture Style has its own preset mapping for tone and color response as well as providing the ability to tune sharpness, contrast, saturation and color tone for each. For instance the default sharpening for the Standard Picture Style is level 3, if you prefer less strong you can just adjust it downwards. Sharpness has 8 levels, contrast, saturation and color tone all have have 9 levels.

Playback Section (Blue)


Option	Notes
Protect images [clip]	Protect mode, allows you to browse images either in a single image or thumbnail view and mark each image as protected (or un-protect). This simply sets the read-only flag on the CF card file system.
Rotate [clip]	Rotate mode, again, this can be performed in either single image or thumbnail index view. This option allows you to rotate an image on-screen by 90 or 270 degrees. Doesn't actually rotate the JPEG file, but marks its orientation.
Erase images [clip]	• Select and erase images • All images on card
Print order	Allows you to create a DPOF print order file, for use with compatible printers or photo finishers. • Select images • All images • Set up Print type Standard Index Both Date On Off File no. On Off
Transfer order	Allows you to create a transfer order file, for use with automatic image transfer software. • Select images • All images Mark all on card Clear all on card

Highlight alert	• Disable • Enable
AF point disp.	• Disable • Enable
Histogram	• Brightness • RGB
Auto Play	Start an automated slideshow of images on the CF card, delay between each image is preset at four seconds.

Setup Section (Yellow)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Auto power off	• 1 min • 2 min • 4 min • 8 min • 15 min • 30 min • Off	Sets camera power off time, this is the amount of "idle time" before the camera powers itself off. In the power off state the camera can be woken by half or fully depressing the shutter release (or turning the power switch to Off and back to On).
File numbering	• Continuous • Auto reset • Manual reset	Controls the numbering method used for filenames.
Auto rotate	• On (play mode and EXIF) • On (EXIF) • Off	Chooses whether orientation information is recorded and if the camera should rotate in play mode.
INFO button [clip]	• Normal display • Camera setting • Shooting function	Selects the function of the INFO button in shooting mode
Format	• Cancel • OK	Format the CF card

LCD Brightness	• 1 to 7
Date/Time	• Set Date & Time • Set Date format
Language	• English • German • French • Dutch • Danish • Portuguese • Finnish • Italian • Norwegian • Swedish • Spanish • Greek • Russian • Polish • Simplified Chinese • Traditional Chinese • Korean • Japanese	Select menu language.
Video system	• NTSC • PAL	Select video system for video out connector.
Sensor cleaning [clip]	• Auto cleaning Enable Disable • Clean now Cancel OK • Clean manually Cancel OK	Defines the settings for the built-in cleaning system, by default the system is enabled and cleans at startup and shutdown (although can be interrupted). The 'clean manually' option locks the mirror and shutter up.
Live View function settings [clip]	• Live View shooting Enable Disable • Grid display Off On • Silent shooting Mode 1 Mode 2 Disable • Metering timer 4 sec 16 sec 30 sec 1 min 10 min 30 min	Defines parameters for Live View.
Flash control [clip]	• Flash firing Enable Disable • Built-in flash function setting Flash mode: E-TTL II Shutter sync 1st curtain 2nd curtain Flash exp. comp -2 to +2 EV E-TTL II Evaluative Average • External flash function setting • External flash C.Fn setting • Clear external flash C.Fn setting

Camera user setting	• Register Mode dial: C1 Mode dial: C2 Mode dial: C3 • Clear settings Mode dial: C1 Mode dial: C2 Mode dial: C3	- Records current camera settings to a mode dial 'C' user setting for easy recall.
Clear all camera settings	• Cancel • OK
Firmware	Select to load new firmware from CF card	Also shows current version, on our n camera; 1.0.3