Canon 5D and 40D Anniversary Kits

[joe_nash1]

My local camera store has 3 kits. They are all Canon Anniversary Kits. The 5D

kit comes with the 25-105L f/4 lens, extra battery, Camera bag for 2999. The

40D comes in two different kits, a 17-85 IS lens in one for 1599, and a 28-105

for 1499. Does anyone have experience with any of these, and are they worth

it?

 

I am currently using the Canon FD cameras and would like to move into digital

in a few months, and I am aware that Canon may have some new camera releases

soon. I have read all I can find on the comparisons, and would love to go full

size sensor, but I think the 40D beats the 5D in all except final prints in the

above 8x10 range.

 

I guess it all boils down to what suits my needs. I just like have a good

camera the first time around and stick with it.

 

Any suggestions and info on those Anniversary kits would be much appreciated.

[joshroot]

<i>"but I think the 40D beats the 5D in all except final prints in the above 8x10 range."</i>

<p>

The 40D doesn't beat anything about the 5D if what you want is a full frame sensor. That's like saying "A Subaru Legacy beats a Ford F250 in every area but the ability to haul stuff in the back". If what you need is a vehicle to haul things, then the Legacy is no help.

<p>

If you don't need full-frame, then it didn't matter.

[joe_nash1]

What I meant was in technology with the Digic 3 vs. Digic 2, the Live view, the dust vibrator, and built in flash just to name a few. I guess I should have clarified myself better.

[aaron_lam]

Image quality is going to be close... take a look around online (Flickr, dpreview etc). Noise will be better on 40D. 5D has full frame and bigger sensor makes all the difference. It is going to take a bit of getting used to going from 35mm film to 1.6 cropped body.

 

Live View only offers MF. Nice for tripod work... not for street photography... what do you do?

 

Dust is going to be a problem with or without dust remover.

 

5D is probably close to being updated (speculation)... probably not worth buying a NEW one but they are dirt cheap on the used market. >$1800.

[aaron_lam]

And all prices at your local shop are more expensive than the kits being sold at BHPhotovideo.com.

[andrew_viny]

Go for the 40D. The new processor is huge. The 40D is a far more versetile camera and the image quality I would say rivals that of the 5D. Build quality is better. The shutter is smoother the grip is bigger everything about it is nicer. True it isn't a full frame camera but is that really a huge deal? Also the 5D is supposed to come out this year and you'd be pissed if you dropped 3K on the 5D and a new one comes out a few months later.

 

~Andrew

[andrew_viny]

Also you can use life view with auto focus but the mirror has to swing down an extra time to focus before you shoot.

[aaron_lam]

3K would be for the 5D AND a 24-105 Lens. So you'd probably would have dropped ~2250 for the camera. Not so bad.

 

How in the world is the 40D more versatile? Please don't say because you get more reach :) And what does shutter is "smoother" mean? I also don't understand what your live view technique is? Are you saying AF, then set the live view and shoot? What exactly is the point of that?

 

Full frame is a huge difference. If you have not used both... you shouldn't make that comment. It is actually a WORLD of difference.

 

The 5D is actually bigger tan than the 5D. And they both have the same finger grip indentions. Again, if you have never held a 5D... you shouldn't make that comment.

 

The OP said he preferred to only by one camera once. And coming off of the FD system, he should really give full frame a worthwhile look a decide if he can live with a crop...

 

If you need a camera tomorrow... I'd get a used 5D. If you can wait, see if the successor is announced. If you can't wait and don't want to buy used... the 40D is a fine camera.

[PuppyDigs]

I use both the 5D an d 40D and, pixel for pixel, noise artifacts are about the same. That is,

both are pretty dad burn good. Of course the 5D has 12.8MP vs 10.1MP for the 40D, so

more interpolation is required for large 40D prints, so noise is a little more apparent at 13

x 19.

 

I can't say I can tell any diff from Digic 3 vs. Digic 2. Both get the job done. Digic 3 is

supposed to have "facial recognition" algorithms but I really can't tell any real diff in AF

performance.

 

Build quality is virtually identical between both cameras, albeit he 5D is slightly larger and

heavier. The built-in grips of both cameras are about the same size and both sport a nice

finger groove and textured rubber. Well, the 5D grip is slightly larger but what's a few

millimeters?

 

The accessory grip/battery-pack, BG-E4, of the 5D is magnesium vs plastic for the 40D's

BG-E2N. The BG-E4 feels better (matches the body feel) and is lighter than the BG-E2N

(plastic is really heavy!).

 

Both have excellent AF but I found the 5D AI servo slightly better. Maybe the 6 extra

"assist AF points" make a diff? Ah dunno. The outer AF points of the 40D are slightly more

surefooted except in low light where they falter a bit more than the 5D.

 

The 40D shutter blackout is slightly less than the 5D--amazingly fast--but feels a bit

rougher in terms of "after" vibration. To my ears the 5D makes a smoother timbre. In any

event, the 40D shutter/mirror whack is way better and softer than the 20D/30D.

 

With all that said, the main reason to choose the 5D is for the huge bright viewfinder and

full frame format. All other differences are tiny unless you need 6.5FPS or live-view. For

the life of me I've not been able to find a practical use for live-view although it was fun to

play with...

[aaron_lam]

Puppy Face... I use Live View for macro shots or other tripod mounted shots. I find zooming in at 10x is usually more accurate than than AFing. Try it tripod mounted... it works really well... I didn't think I would ever use it either :)

[joe_nash1]

I like to shoot anything that catches my eye. So no certain genre.

 

As far as my local store, they give a 10% of item cost in store credit(their other items in the store are not overpriced) snd 200 4x6 prints(they are a pro lab). So that makes the price very reasonable to me. Plus you get local store treatment. The prices are quoted from memory +/-, so what little savings you may or may not get from BHphoto, is not worth it to me for this purchase.

 

Thanks guys for all the responses! Man I love this site!

[joe_nash1]

Again the Anniversary kits offer canon accessories, and are canon boxed kits, not what the dealer threw in a box. So again the 5D kit is 2999, which includes the body, 24-105 l f/4 lens, extra battery, and the canon 200dg bag. I think the 40D anniversary kits inlclude the 17-85 or 28-135 lens and a 200dg bag and extra battery as well.

[andrew_viny]

Look. I have used both cameras and I know a few things.

 

On the above topic what I know is this.

 

The shutter of the 20D 30D and 5D feel and sound like there is a small animal jumping inside the body of the camera. The 40D's shutter is silky smooth and very quiet.

 

The grip of the 40D is much deeper and more comfortible.

 

The camera is far more versetile not because it gives you more reach but because it has way more features that allow you to use it in many different applications.

[aaron_lam]

Joe - I apologize... I just re-read your original post and I think I misunderstood your question... considering you would prefer full frame... I'd wait to see if there is a successor... can you afford a ~$3K camera? If none is announced... get the 5D. It is at least equal to the 40D in all areas that count: IQ, high ISO noise and handling and durability. And it has 1 key component... full frame. You'll find the viewfinder brighter, easier to manual focus and a better selection of wide angle lenses. The only real thing you lose is the dust vibration. Although I am sure it works, I still got dust on my sensor (1DIII)... dust is a fact of life for digital cameras... you'll have to learn or get them cleaned.

 

Andrew - Not trying to be a jerk but what applications are you using your 40D for that all these features lets you get? The only application I know for a camera is to take a picture. And the 5D does that just as well as the 40D and no dust removal system, live preview, bigger LCD or quieter shutter sound is going to help you get a better picture. And I wouldn't trade any of those things for full frame.

 

I did read up on the 40D live view and didn't realize how it worked... I can't comment on how effective the drop mirror AF is. For those who don't know (from dpreview.com): Live View

The EOS 40D provides a Live View mode which gives you a true 'Through The Lens' view, once enabled you activate Live View by pressing the SET button. Optional Auto Focus can be activated using the AF-ON button, this drops the mirror momentarily to achieve focus and then lifts it again to restore the Live View. Other Live View features include magnification (5x or 10x), information display, exposure simulation and Silent Shooting (a quieter but delayed mirror movement is used).

[PuppyDigs]

Andrew, I actually own and use both the 5D and 40D. In fact, I've been on the road with

both for the past week and they make a great combo: 5D for wide landscapes and 40D for

telephoto. They're both great cameras and I wouldn't want to part with either one. They're

also setting side by side on my desk. The 5D grip finger indent/groove is a little deeper

than the 40D finger groove. The 5D grip is also larger and more evenly rounded than the

40D grip. The 40D grip is a little more narrow towards the front. For my hands, I find the

larger more rounded shape and deeper finger groove more comfy and easier to hold. Of

course this is a personal preference and not an absolute truth. Those with smaller hands

may find the more petite grip of the 40D more comfy.

 

Shooting them side by side, the shutter sound is almost identical in timbre and duration.

The main difference, albeit a small one, is the 5D is sightly louder when shot in a quiet

room, i.e., my recording studio. On the street or in the field, both are easily covered by

ambient sounds such as light wind or traffic. I'd call the 40D pianissimo (PP) and the 5D

piano (P). My 20D was forte while my EOS 3 was fortissimo!

 

Actually I have used live-view for marco on a tripod and didn't find it worth the bother.

The LCD is just too dad burn small to be view from 18 inches (my eye's nearest sharp

point). However, using live-view hooked to my Macbook Pro was way cool for product

shoots.

 

The flipdown mirror AF actually works well but is kinda chunky using the AF-On and

shutter together. I tried shooting above my heads at Fremont Street (Vegas) on New Year's

Eve nearly dropped the 40D switching between buttons...

[zigzag]

Those cameras are 'so last year'.

 

On the subject of the lenses in the kit - I have the 17-85mm IS lens and it's a reasonable starter lens but has barrel distortion and being f/5.6 on the long end is a real pain in low light. At least the 24-105mm is constant f/4 L lens with IS and is well rated. I can't really comment on the 28-105 so I will restrain myself.

 

The kits are good but are the lenses what you want? (There are some good f/2.8 options for that extra stop in low light.)

[jt]

If you decide to get a 40D kit, your local store may be able to order-in the anniversary kit I

bought a couple of weeks ago with the 40D and 17-55mm f/2.8 IS - just to add another

option into your equation. It's a better lens than the other two lenses you mention in 40D

kits.

 

Enjoy whatever you get.

[ketil_johansen1]

If you are going from the FD system, like I did last year, you are going to miss the large, bright viewfinder. I went for a 20D. I like the camera a lot, but I hate the small viewfinder. So I'm kicking out the 20D shortly and bying the 5D instead.

 

I find it weird that it's all about megapixles and low noise, high ISO these days, but nothing about the viewfinder.

 

regards,

 

Ketil

[mark u]

Leaving aside issues between the bodies - already well discussed above - it's worth pointing out that the 17-85 and 28-135 kit lenses aren't in the same league as the 24-105. I think you might do better to avoid them and buy a body only with your choice of better lens(es) if you opt for a 40D. Having said that, you might not want a lens as slow as the 24-105 for a 5D either.

 

The key point is that kits only make sense if either you can resell an element you don't want at a price that makes the deal attractive, or if you really want all the bits in the kit.

[tholte]

(5D) "they are dirt cheap on the used market. >$1800." B&H last week had the 5D with a 24-105L for $2800. Another store (Calumet maybe) had the 5D, 24-105L, vertical grip and 4GB card for $2995. I am thinking about making the switch to Canon because I have to upgrade from my D70 and the 5D is now about the same price as the D300, which I was tempted to buy. Full frame and the nice smooth images that I have seen with the 5D make it a super deal for a body under $2000. Plus, from what I have seen here on PN over the years, that Puppy Face guy knows of which he speaks.

[jim_taylor4]

Hi

I was in a similar position to you about a year ago, moving from my T90 into the digial world so I did all thre research and decided the 400D was right for me. The problem was I was never able to get comfortable with the cropped sensor (I suppose that 20 years of 35mm film does that to you). It's very difficult to define exactly what the problem was but I eventually decided on a 5D in November and I have not regretted it. I think the moral of this is don't underestimate the difference between full frame and cropped, in my case there was more to it than just the IQ arguement

[yakim_peled1]

5D + 24-105/4 is a great combo. Only the 40D + 17-55/2.8 can come close (faster but less range). Problem is, it is very likely that the 5D Mk II will be announced before the month is over so personally, I'd wait.

 

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

[gary_anthes]

Puppy Face, I was interested in your comment about using the 5D for wide landscapes and the 40D for telephoto. I have the 40D and am considering buying the 5D successor to do something similar for nature photography. What are your default lenses for each?

[yakim_peled1]

FWIW, I just did the opposite. I chose the 40D for UWA and replaced my 17-40 for the 10-22. I couldn't be happier. In the IQ department they are neck to neck in all areas except for the flare resistance issue, where the 10-22 is significantly better. In the BQ department the 17-40 wins but that's a price I was happy to pay.

 

I do not have a 5D nor do I plan to buy one (I am a 1D guy) but based on my experience with these lenses, when I finally get the 1D Mk III I will keep the 40D for one reason: 10-22. It is not impossible that the 16-35/2.8 II is even better but on a 1.3X body it will be narrower. I don't shoot a lot with wide angles but when I do I want it to be WIDE.

 

HTH.

 

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

[tommyinca]

My 2 cents. Since you hang on to FD system til now, meaning you don't switch bodies nor lens for the latest, I would get a 5D now if you can get a good deal. If not, wait for the new one. The new one is going to be mor expensive. If the 5D takes good pictures 2 years ago, it will take good picture 10 year from now. Just don't expect all the sub-micron sensor electronic will last as long as FD parts. The plus side on the 5D is that you don't have to re-adjust your view with lens focal length. All Canon's prime stay the way that the designer mean it to be (ie. 85mm for portriat).