40D owners who upgraded from XTi??

kristin07 · Jul 9, 2008

Hi there,

I was wondering why you chose to upgrade if you don't mind sharing. I'm THIS.CLOSE to pulling the trigger on a 40D and want validation I guess

I have taken sooo many shots with my XTi, I have bought great glass and I still feel I can get more out of my photos, and the price is unbeatable right now... thoughts? I'd love pros and cons thank you!!!!

Kristin

grammieb14 · Jul 9, 2008

The 40D is in a different class. The Af is faster, the camera is much more solidly built, and I feel it is a camera that will have a lot to offer me now & for a long time into the future. The overall quality is just better. The Rebel line can take great pictures, but the 30D-40D type camera suites me to the ground.
--
One day I'll learn how to post photos. I am 61 & technically challenged.

grammieb14 · Jul 9, 2008

BTW, I had the Xti with the Xt for a back-up. I now have the 40D with the 30D back-up. I am much happier with this set up.
--
One day I'll learn how to post photos. I am 61 & technically challenged.

Esquire · Jul 9, 2008

I upgraded. Haven't looked back.

It won't necessarily take "better" photos, but it will take more consistent photos. The AF is significantly better, the FPS is amazing, the top LCD is necessary, and the ergonomics are right on.

You will not regret your choice.

Jovo · Jul 9, 2008

Since upgrading to the 40D I haven't looked back. The AF is so much more reliable and around 90% of my shots are sharp at 100% viewing. With the 400D that figure was about 50%. I only have L lenses and the combination is fabulous. You won't regret getting the 40D - it makes the 400D feel like a toy.

eccotom · Jul 9, 2008

The 40D fits so snuggly in my hand and just feels so much better to use. The wheel on the back is fantastic which used together with the dial on the front. And I love how sturdy it is. These were the main selling points which made me upgrade. I thoroughly enjoy using the 40D and I feel it provides a better counter weight to some of the heavier lenses, whereas the 400D was a bit light for my liking.

Do it!

blksnday · Jul 9, 2008

Picture quality is better with ISO above 400. But it's hard to tell if printed size is 4x6
Faster for sports.
Build quality is better.

I only used the live view feature once, but don't like it. My wife does like that feature, but it's not easy to use like P&S's live view.

I bought the kits $1075 and sold the lens $310, minus the (hopefully) rebate $50 for upgrade. My cost for the 40D body came to $715.
Sold the XTi with the grip & extra battery for $500, sold within 2 days post.
I don't need the grip for 40D.
So my overall cost for upgrade is $215 + $12 for extra battery.

If it costs more than $500 for upgrade, then I would not upgrade.

jeff kay · Jul 10, 2008

I went from the XT to the 40d and now the XT feels like a toy!

The FPS, focus, speed to download to computer - everything is better.

Jack Johnson · Jul 10, 2008

In addition to the features mentioned by the other posters, the viewfinder on the 40D is MUCH better than that on the Digital Rebels - once I looked through it in the camera store, I knew I was upgrading.

Prof101 · Jul 10, 2008

Went from Xti to 40D, keeping the Xti as backup. I much prefer to use the 40D now. Here were the essential selling points:
1. 6.5 fps and accurate AI Servo. Finally, I get sharp bird and wildlife shots.

2. Live View. I use this to focus manually for macros and also for moon shots. Even the best lens can be tweaked a bit for stunning clarity.

3. Better high ISO performance. ISO 800 is much superior to the XTi. I use it frequently for wildlife.

Yes, the 40D is easier to use in terms of quick settings changes. The C1, C2, C3 programmable settings are tremendously helpful. I have one set for birds in flight, another for larger, moving animals in dim light, and the third for waterfalls.

The XTi is now my landscape camera, the 40D for macros and wildlife. Fewer lens changes.

Carole
Seeking the True, the Beautiful, the Good.

dboreham · Jul 10, 2008

I didn't upgrade, but I have both cameras. I use the XTi when I want
a smaller less obtrusive camera.

Anyway, based on my tests the 40D has superior image quality at higher
ISO (1600 certainly). This isn't easy to see without pixel peeping however.

The most obvious benefit the 40D brings is its speed. Shutter lag is much
shorter and frame rate higher. Also the buffer is bigger I believe, although
I've never overrun the buffer in the XTi, probably due to the lower frame
rate.

The 40D user interface is a little easier, although it's probably more an issue
of being used to the 20D beforehand. The larger screen on the 40D I haven't
found to be terribly useful (Canon waste so much screen space in the

combined image/histogram display that the resulting bitmap is very small anyway).

JerryG1 · Jul 10, 2008

blksnday said:
...
I bought the kits $1075 and sold the lens $310, ...
Sold the XTi with the grip & extra battery for $500, sold within 2
days post.
...

I too am interested in an upgrade from XTi. If you don't mind telling, I'd like to know where/how you sold your old equipment?

Stores offer very little, ebay seems like a gamble that won't work unless you have an ebay history, and Craig's list is mainly for city dwellers, not suburbanites. So where do you sell a used XTi? Thanks in advance.

--
JerryG

See my galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/jerryg1

mdennis · Jul 10, 2008

I upgraded 2 weeks ago. Main reasons - better AF, higher fps. After 20,000 clicks with XTi over 18 months mostly HS sports (track&field, softball) dance recitals etc. the XTi definitely struggled in low light with AF servo. So far definiite improvement. Out of 500 shots at my daughters dance recital nearly all were in focus, XTi probably would have tossed half. Also pleasantly surprised with high iso noise. Took a number of shots at iso 3200 with 70-200f4l and noise levels at least to my eye look like my XTi at iso 800. Will keep the XTi for travel when size weight is important.

max2k · Jul 10, 2008

blksnday said:
I bought the kits $1075 and sold the lens $310, minus the (hopefully)
rebate $50 for upgrade. My cost for the 40D body came to $715.
Sold the XTi with the grip & extra battery for $500, sold within 2
days post.
I don't need the grip for 40D.
So my overall cost for upgrade is $215 + $12 for extra battery.

@blksnday:

Where/how did you get such a good price on the 40D kit ?
Let me know when you get some time (you can email me at max2k1 -at- gmail
com)

thanks!

kristin07 · Jul 10, 2008

Thank you so much everyone!! I truly appreciate all the input, and I'm definitely pulling the trigger on the upgrade!!

4u2c · Jul 10, 2008

blksnday said:
Picture quality is better with ISO above 400. But it's hard to tell
if printed size is 4x6
Faster for sports.
Build quality is better.
I only used the live view feature once, but don't like it. My wife
does like that feature, but it's not easy to use like P&S's live view.

I bought the kits $1075 and sold the lens $310, minus the (hopefully)
rebate $50 for upgrade. My cost for the 40D body came to $715.
Sold the XTi with the grip & extra battery for $500, sold within 2
days post.
I don't need the grip for 40D.
So my overall cost for upgrade is $215 + $12 for extra battery.

If it costs more than $500 for upgrade, then I would not upgrade.

Where did you buy your kits? I'm planning to upgrade to 40D this week. That's why i'm browsing this forum.

Thanks in advance.
Rod

Brian Lund · Jul 10, 2008

I've recently upgraded from the 350D (XT?) to the 40D! - Image quality is the same, NO difference! ISO noise is just as "bad" on the 40D as it was on my 350D!

However i bought the 40D for its 6.5 fps and better AF and i really do feel the AF works a lot better, especially with my long tele lenses.

--

Brian
http://www.pbase.com/thelund

hulkster · Jul 10, 2008

Lots of good reasons to upgrade here - http://www.komar.org/faq/camera/canon-40d-versus-rebel-xti-400d/

apiza · Jul 10, 2008

I will wait for the announcement of the next camera. Two weeks? A month? Dont know.

Yes the 40D is better in every aspect, but it is heavy, bigger not in a bad way but bulkier to to travel with.

Someone said that it has "better high ISO performance. ISO 800 is much superior to the XTi." Well, I found that my 40D is noisier than my XT, not too much but yes (8 vs 10 MP).

Having said that, I like my 40D. Its not perfect but its a good camera.

--
http://www.apiza.com

Jovo · Jul 10, 2008

apiza said:
I will wait for the announcement of the next camera. Two weeks? A
month? Dont know.

Doubt if it will be before Feb 2009.

apiza said:
Yes the 40D is better in every aspect, but it is heavy, bigger not in
a bad way but bulkier to to travel with.
Someone said that it has "better high ISO performance. ISO 800 is
much superior to the XTi." Well, I found that my 40D is noisier than
my XT, not too much but yes (8 vs 10 MP).

One of the main reasons I upgraded to the 40D is that the 400D (XTi) lost detail, even at ISO 400, particularly when viewing bird feathers at 100%. At the same time, comparing 400D shots taken of human skin viewed at 100%, the difference is barely noticeable between the 2 cameras.

apiza said:
Having said that, I like my 40D. Its not perfect but its a good camera.

What camera is perfect? And being perfect would it make you a better photographer? The capability of the 40D (and cameras of similar ilk) is well beyond the ability of a lot of photographers.

apiza said:
--

40D owners who upgraded from XTi??

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Senior Member

New member

Member

Forum Enthusiast

New member

Forum Enthusiast

dboreham

Guest

Senior Member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Member

Senior Member

Leading Member

Well-known member

Forum Enthusiast

Senior Member

Similar threads

Keyboard shortcuts