# Counting down my five favorite Canon digital cameras ever. Coming in at #2…..



## Canon Rumors Guy (Apr 15, 2020)

> ….. The Canon EOS 40D
> This was my main camera when I became “serious” about photography. I shot with the EOS Rebel 300D and EOS 30D in relatively quick succession and then landed on the EOS 40D. I hadn’t yet used a camera with professional autofocus capabilities, so that didn’t matter to me at the time. Though my move to the EOS-1D Mark III came about a year after shooting tens of thousands of images with the EOS 40D.
> I ended up doing some professional work with this camera, and shot mainly with the EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM and an EF 24mm f/1.4L USM.
> The EOS 50D and EOS 60D that followed the EOS 40D were less than stellar upgrades in my eyes. Until the EOS 70D was launched, I would tell people to save their money and just grab the 40D unless they could afford to move to the EOS 7D.
> My love for this camera, which I still own is likely one based on nostalgia, but I’m ok with that. I don’t honestly shoot with it anymore...



Continue reading...


----------



## another_mikey (Apr 15, 2020)

I started with the Canon XT (350D I think was the other name) and while I had great fun getting back into photography with it, the 40D was my next camera, and the camera that got me into a more serious commitment to shooting. Super reliable, and an easy camera to use that seemed to strike a great balance between ease of use and allowing creative control. And having live view was a big deal too. I shot both scenic and started out my astrophotography hobby using this camera and had a blast using it. It was my last crop body (migrated to a used 5D MK II eventually) but I have VERY fond memories of this camera! It pretty much locked me into the Canon world and I have not regretted that going forward. Great camera for me.

ML


----------



## picperfect (Apr 15, 2020)

hehe, we overlap quite a bit re. favorite Canon digital cameras - just not in same sequence.

#2 - EOS 5D III
#3 - EOS 7D
#4 - EOS 40D [also used mainly with 17-55, as well as 10-22, 70-200/4 L, 60 Macro]
#5 - EOS 350D


----------



## slclick (Apr 15, 2020)

Interesting. It's usually the 50D I hear people raving about and how the 60D was actually a downgrade in many ways and it wasn't until the 80D that we had something there again.


----------



## picperfect (Apr 15, 2020)

50D was a total disappointment as well as 60D. Nikon D300 totally wiped the floor with both of them. I was extremely tempted, but did not switch because of EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS, my mainly used lens. Nikon had no comparable standard zoom. Their 17-55/2.8 was heavy, old, without stabilizer and almost twice the price. Luckily for Canon, they launched 7D eventually. So I stayed. ;-)


----------



## bbasiaga (Apr 15, 2020)

I am 4 for 4! I have owned all of these so far. But I won't go 5/5 because i don't and haven't had any other cameras.  

We upgraded from the Digital Rebel to the 40D, and used the heck out of it. Its the only camera in which i've ever worn out a shutter and had to have it serviced. We still have it, but don't use it that much with a 5D and 5DIII around. Just this weekend though I charged up the battery, slapped the 40 pancake on there and let my 11 year old start to mess with it. If she takes an interest I'll let it be hers to take care of. 

-Brian


----------



## NorthernNovice (Apr 15, 2020)

I had a 40d, 24-70L 2.8, 70-200L 2.8, and 50mm 1.8 for 11 years until it stopped reading the CF cards on vacation last year. I loved it. A friend sold me a 60d but I am not happy with it coming from the 40d. I am casual hobby shooter.

I am impatiently waiting to see what the upcoming R6 and M cameras bring to the table. I don't think I will be able to afford a R5.


----------



## Chuckmet (Apr 15, 2020)

I still have and use my 40D I find it quite interesting that my 80D is only. One half a frame faster! @ 7 fps.


----------



## Bert63 (Apr 15, 2020)

I still have mine and it was my big 'step-up' from my first camera - a Rebel.


----------



## VORON (Apr 15, 2020)

To me it looks like EOS 6D is going to be the winner. Interestingly, I've never had the xxD camera in my possession, jumping directly to FF, and never regretted that.


----------



## melgross (Apr 15, 2020)

This is the camera I bought my daughter when she started photography in high school.


----------



## C_Raven (Apr 15, 2020)

Wow, I also have a lot of overlap with these body choices. I started with the 300D, then moved to a 40D, which I used for a long time , until I dropped on concrete floor. I still have it and it's still working, though the mirror gets jammed every few shots. I used that body mostly with a 10-22 and the 17-85. After that I got a 1D mark III and the 24-70 2.8 (the one with the large hood and the reverse zoom mechanism). Finally, after that kit was stolen I went back to use the 300D for a while, then a SL1 with the 15-85, until I got a 1Ds mark III with a 24-105 (ver. I) which I'm still using.


----------



## IcyBergs (Apr 15, 2020)

VORON said:


> To me it looks like EOS 6D is going to be the winner. Interestingly, I've never had the xxD camera in my possession, jumping directly to FF, and never regretted that.


I would venture to guess that it'll be the 1D4...APS-H wins!

While the 1D3 introduced a ton of new features (Live view, double digit fps for the first time, improved ergonomics) - the 1D4 didn't suffer from the AF issues and was a more reliable camera.


----------



## IgotGASbadDude (Apr 15, 2020)

1) 1DX Mark II
2) 1DX
3) 5D Mark III
4) 7D
5) AE-1 Program (first camera ever)

Ok, I've only owned 5 Canon cameras haha so that's my list. But if I include other brands my Calumet Monorail 4x5 and Yashica Mat 124G would change the list.


----------



## Jack Jian (Apr 15, 2020)

One of the best Canon's APS-C raw files ever! The color fidelity is as good as FullFrame, unlike other APS-C.


----------



## 58Special (Apr 15, 2020)

One of my fave camera as well.


----------



## Etienne (Apr 15, 2020)

I owned this camera as well, but was never in love with it. I moved to the 5D2 from the 40D, and never looked back.


----------



## GMCPhotographics (Apr 15, 2020)

I started my digital SLR revolution with a 300D too. Then a 20D, followed by a 5D and a 40D. Then I traded for a pair of 5DmkII's. Currently I'm still rocking a pair of 5DmkIII and love them. 
The 40D was revolutionary at the time, not just for it's 10mp sensor and relatively high frame rate...it was the first DSLR to have live view. It was this tech that opened the door to video on DSLR's on the 5DmkII (which was effectively a full frame 40D). Live view was a revolution for landscape work...you could finally see depth of field properly, examine ghosting and flare without the view finder changing it. You could also gauge ND grads and CPL's far more precisely.


----------



## Vegas84 (Apr 15, 2020)

My first DSLR was a refurbished 40D with a kit lens. I absolutely loved that camera. I eventually bought the wonderful 17-55 2.8 (used) to pair with it - what a lens. After that, I went to a refurb 7D which also was great with that 17-55...it was the only lens I ever even used on it.

13 months ago, I traded all of that in at an event at my local camera store for an EOS R Kit, and I have now seen the light of the L lenses...ull boy...and my wallet is not a fan.

Loved that 40d.


----------



## Peter in Boulder (Apr 15, 2020)

My first DSLR!


----------



## markko (Apr 16, 2020)

VORON said:


> To me it looks like EOS 6D is going to be the winner. Interestingly, I've never had the xxD camera in my possession, jumping directly to FF, and never regretted that.



My guess would be any of the 1D-series. Either the 1D III, or the 1DX II


----------



## Cochese (Apr 16, 2020)

This is the first time I have to disagree on a post, though, not because of the photochops of the camera, but because the 60D was the perfect Film DSLR. It was the first in the Canon Lineup to include a flippy screen and the image quality was a bit above the 7D. In fact, the T3i produced better images than the 7D. 
I really loved my 7D for the few years I had it (until it broke). I didn't yet have the money to replace it and about a week later, my aunt contacted me. She had a t3i she purchased, but never used. So I scored a free camera. Despite all of the claims, the t3i had better image quality than most of the APS-C cameras before it. 
And dare I say, better than the 5DMII. And it all comes down to the image sensor and how the camera handles the files. While it lacks the ISO capabilities some other cameras, it made up for it in the fact that there was next to no banding when you pulled the shadows. The 60D was a similar story, though, I only used it a little bit compared to every other camera.


----------



## slclick (Apr 16, 2020)

Cochese said:


> This is the first time I have to disagree on a post, though, not because of the photochops of the camera, but because the 60D was the perfect Film DSLR. It was the first in the Canon Lineup to include a flippy screen and the image quality was a bit above the 7D. In fact, the T3i produced better images than the 7D.
> I really loved my 7D for the few years I had it (until it broke). I didn't yet have the money to replace it and about a week later, my aunt contacted me. She had a t3i she purchased, but never used. So I scored a free camera. Despite all of the claims, the t3i had better image quality than most of the APS-C cameras before it.
> And dare I say, better than the 5DMII. And it all comes down to the image sensor and how the camera handles the files. While it lacks the ISO capabilities some other cameras, it made up for it in the fact that there was next to no banding when you pulled the shadows. The 60D was a similar story, though, I only used it a little bit compared to every other camera.


I know you didn't mean to write 'film dslr'


----------



## GSPLvr (Apr 16, 2020)

I read Canon Rumors regularly but almost never comment. But this add of the 40D is dead on. I loved mine, it was my entry into digital (I was still using a few film cameras including my F-1) -- and I agree with this -- it was a ground breaking camera introducing so many new things -- and my upgrade was to a 70D (as noted), followed by a 5DIV. I still have all three, but rarely shoot with the 40D.


----------



## brad-man (Apr 16, 2020)




----------



## Macoose (Apr 16, 2020)

It was like day and night when I upgraded to the 40D from the Rebel. 6.5fps with 17 shot buffer meant I could get better [more] shots at airshows and the races in Daytona. I still use it every couple of months or so because it's a fun camera.
I learned a lot with with that one.


----------



## pj1974 (Apr 16, 2020)

My *digital *photographic journey is as follows:

 3 Fuji P&S (40i, 6800z, F601), then
 Canon DSLRs (350D, 7D, 80D) and
 Canon mirrorless (M5)
I have bought a number of other Canon cameras in recent years as backups / 2nd angle shots (including the Canon 600D, 700D and M100).
I now own too many lenses to list here. But it all started out with the 18-55mm ii, 28-135mm USM IS and a 50mm f/1.8 ii. Next, I bought a Sigma UWA and a Canon 100-300mm USM. I have upgraded all my lenses since. I also have a bunch of other photographic accessories (flashes, tripods, timers, etc, etc).

My most used gear now is the 80D with 15-85mm, 70-300mm L, 50mm STM and Sigma 8-16mm
I take my Canon M5 with 15-45, 22mm f/2 or 18-150 if I want a smaller travel / holiday kit.

I have used many other cameras extensively (borrowed from friends / photography acquaintances, during events, trade-shows, expos, etc. etc). This includes 5D models, 1D models and the Canon R. No FF DSLR or FF mirrorless has yet met all my needs (in terms of weight, size, features, functionality, price) or in matching the exactly lenses I really wanted to invest in.

That's why I stuck with my APS-C lineup which I have been very happy with. I have taken hundreds of thousands of digital photos for over 20 years.. and I expect I'll take more as the years tick by.

However my having my main camera as an APS-C, is likely to change with the R5. This is likely to be my first FF mirrorless. Those RF lenses are insanely good (albeit somewhat quite expensive). It's likely I'll keep my DSLRs, as it's very much 'horses for courses' - just as I use the various items of my photographic gear now - whatever is 'fit for purpose'.

Looking forward to seeing what the new "#1" camera for CR Guy will be... and also how that will be for the rest of us. Regards

PJ


----------



## Deleted member 378664 (Apr 16, 2020)

Hi, the 40D on position #2 is quite "surprising", but nonetheless I'm very pleased with this "surprise". I also have kept my 40D even after I purchased a 5DMII (which is meanwhile replaced by a 6DMII). I brought the 40D to my workplace where I use it for occasionally portrait shoot of new employees for pictures for the company ID card. I purchased the 40D used from someone who upgraded to the 50D. For me it was the successor to the EOS350D which was my first DSLR. 
kind regards
Frank


----------



## tron (Apr 16, 2020)

40D was my first DSLR. I got it body only because I had many EF L lenses from the analog era. Unfortunately it was stolen in a bag that also contained 24-70 2.8L 70-200 2.8L 50 1.4 85 1.8 and 10-22 
Then I continued by getting the 5DMkII kit with 24-105 L.


----------



## kiwiengr (Apr 16, 2020)

markko said:


> My guess would be any of the 1D-series. Either the 1D III, or the 1DX II



It should be the 1D III, as that is what Craig has mentioned throughout the series of posts. I used a 1D II prior to 5D II. I would still rank the 1 as a better camera.


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 16, 2020)

nice thread! My first digital Canon was a G7. Then I started with DSLRs and changed from Nikon to Canon :

EOS 450D/ Rebel XSi: still used by my sister, still works flawlessly after more than a decade
EOS 50D: I kept an eye on the 40D, but then I decided for the new model; this was the first DSLR that could render colors in a way that convinced me to really go digital, plus simple but fast AF, still used by a friend
EOS 7D: stuck with APS-C cameras because of high res tele photography, this camera survived some severe accidents in the wilderness, salt water spray & sand storms, still works perfectly (an artist friend uses it now)
EOS 5D Mk III: this was the first digital camera with which I really fell in love in a way I normally only do with vintage analogue cameras: stellar AF, beautiful color rendering, but needed spot-on metering, like shooting slide film in the old days. I kept it until this year and then traded it in more than 150.000 actuations for a new MK VI, was not easy for me to let it go.
EOS 7DII: I use it frequently for wildlife/birding tele photography, but I never will really like it, because its phase detection AF is mediocre and not reliable if there isn't a lot of light available (I literally tried every AF setting combo). Another downside is the lack of a touch screen for LV shooting, so I only rarely use its DPAF. If Canon will come up with a really capable APS-C successor (ML or DSLR) I will not hesitate to upgrade it.
EOS 5D Mk IV: got it in February, still explore it in different settings. Overall I already really like it, its responsive touch-screen makes me using more and more LV when I do social shooting. Colors out of the camera are great (important for me, drove me to Canon), and its phase detection AF seems to be even a tad more reliable than the MK III's great one, e.g. for BiF (birds in flight). Great workhorse camera, since I do not miss FF 4k video I definitely will keep it for some years.


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 16, 2020)

tron said:


> 40D was my first DSLR. I got it body only because I had many EF L lenses from the analog era. Unfortunately it was stolen in a bag that also contained 24-70 2.8L 70-200 2.8L 50 1.4 85 1.8 and 10-22


Sorry to read that. This was a nightmare...


----------



## Cochese (Apr 16, 2020)

slclick said:


> I know you didn't mean to write 'film dslr'


Whoa, good catch. I was watching an "Applied science" video as I was typing that. They were working on a lithography project. I think the world film must have been in my head from that. Also, check out the Applied Science on photo lithography on Youtube.


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 16, 2020)

GMCPhotographics said:


> Currently I'm still rocking a pair of 5DmkIII and love them.


You are definitely not Tony Northrop  I am with you, it was really hard for me to decide this year whether I should use Canon's trade-in discount to get me a 5D VI. I did it, but it was really hard for me to hand out my beloved, battered sort of war-horse 5D III. With more than 150.00 actuations it still worked nicely.


----------



## jolyonralph (Apr 16, 2020)

My first Canon "digital" camera wasn't even digital 

Canon ION (aka RC-260)





__





Canon RC-260 - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia







camera-wiki.org


----------



## ajfotofilmagem (Apr 16, 2020)

40D was my consumer dream when it came out, but I didn't have the money to buy it.
My "unforgettable" camera was Rebel T2i, with ISO 1600 finally good enough, excellent LCD and capable of recording 1080P video.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 16, 2020)

I had five 40d's over several years. The feature most used was live view where I could finally tether the camera to my PC and get focus, lighting, and composition of my product photos done in one shot rather than a time consuming shoot and check method. It was what I had expected when I bought my first 300D. I had a 30D that was only 9 months old, but I bought the 40D immediately due to the time savings it gave. All of the cameras had a limited time that they could be tethered in live view mode, perhaps to sensor heating, they would lose synch after 30 or 40 minutes and give a garbled image. Letting them sit for a few minutes and restarting them worked to allow me another similar period.


----------



## Ozarker (Apr 16, 2020)

My first digital DSLR was the XSI. I loved it. Next was the T5i, but I didn't have it long before going to the 70D. From the 70D I moved to the 5D mark III, a fantastic camera. However, I have to say that the R is my favorite of all.


----------



## Billybob (Apr 16, 2020)

Yes, the 40D was the camera I owned when I became serious about photography as a hobby. Not a pro here, and happy to be a hobbyist. So, like so many, my journey included the 300D and 40D. I didn't go back to the XD series of cameras until the 80D, but by then I had moved on to FF, so APS-C was no longer satisfying.


----------



## tron (Apr 16, 2020)

justaCanonuser said:


> Sorry to read that. This was a nightmare...


Thanks, yes it was bad. I still remember it. I switched to 5DMkII 24-105 kit and gave up 2 lenses I didn't want (Sigma 400 APO and Canon 28-70 2.8L) as a part exchange to cut the price of the kit. They saved me 900 euros (2950 -> 2050). Then I got the 70-200 4 L IS.


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 16, 2020)

tron said:


> Thanks, yes it was bad. I still remember it. I switched to 5DMkII 24-105 kit and gave up 2 lenses I didn't want (Sigma 400 APO and Canon 28-70 2.8L) as a part exchange to cut the price of the kit. They saved me 900 euros (2950 -> 2050). Then I got the 70-200 4 L IS.


I have the EF 70-200 4 L IS, too, as a light small travel zoom. It is a pretty nice lens, feels really good in the hand and is much sharper than the old non-IS version. A friend, a pro photographer btw, tested it and sold her non-IS version to get the IS because she was impressed by the leap in optical quality.


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 16, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I had five 40d's over several years. The feature most used was live view where I could finally tether the camera to my PC and get focus, lighting, and composition of my product photos done in one shot rather than a time consuming shoot and check method. ... All of the cameras had a limited time that they could be tethered in live view mode, perhaps to sensor heating, they would lose synch after 30 or 40 minutes and give a garbled image. Letting them sit for a few minutes and restarting them worked to allow me another similar period.


Interesting to read. I sometimes used my PCs and notebooks for shooting, and I always loved Canon's easy to use software. But I never shot so many images this way that the sensor started to heat or so.


----------



## Valvebounce (Apr 16, 2020)

Hi Etienne. 
I also have the 40D, I was also not in love with it until I acquired another 17-85mm lens (got a 20D and faulty lens for £50 and fixed the lens, total cost £99) once I put that lens on the 40D I realised that the problem with the camera had been a soft lens all along, I still use my 40D as my workshop camera, I also use it for timelapse to save hammering the shutter on my other bodies. My nephew uses the 20D.

Cheers, Graham. 



Etienne said:


> I owned this camera as well, but was never in love with it. I moved to the 5D2 from the 40D, and never looked back.


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 16, 2020)

pj1974 said:


> I now own too many lenses to list here.
> 
> PJ


Me too, including some of Canon's rangefinder lenses from the 1950s/60s. But the list of Canon lenses I love mostly is short:

EF 85mm F1/1.2 L USM II
EF 100mm F/2.8 L IS USM Macro
EF 70-200mm F/2.8 L IS USM II: perfect workhorse, if I need a lens that nails focus always and everywhere
EF 500mm F/4.5 L USM: a 25 yrs old battered lens that still works perfectly, it is like a body part for me, I know exactly how it behaves. Maybe it'll live longer than me, like Churchill's famous parrot


----------



## Valvebounce (Apr 16, 2020)

Hi Folks.
My photographic journey:-
300D, still have it, still works, the grip rubber coating went all gooey so I peeled, scraped, picked, rubbed it all off, much nicer to hold now!
40D, still have it, still in regular use for workshop and timelapse.
7D, guess what, yep still have it!
20D, too cheap at £50 to miss for the workshop before the 7DII bumped everything down 1!
7DII, main camera for wildlife.
5D, first foray in to FF, used it for a while and sold it for what I paid when I replaced it with a, 
1DsIII, in the local camera shop for irresistible money. 
Hmm, I may have issues, I don’t seem to want to let these cameras go!  
Actually it got to the point where the monetary value of these older bodies was so low it just made sense to hold on to them. 

Cheers, Graham.


----------



## Etienne (Apr 17, 2020)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Etienne.
> I also have the 40D, I was also not in love with it until I acquired another 17-85mm lens (got a 20D and faulty lens for £50 and fixed the lens, total cost £99) once I put that lens on the 40D I realised that the problem with the camera had been a soft lens all along, I still use my 40D as my workshop camera, I also use it for timelapse to save hammering the shutter on my other bodies. My nephew uses the 20D.
> 
> Cheers, Graham.



I used the 17-55 f/2.8 IS and a Tokina 50-135 f/2.8 on my 40D, both of which did a good job, but the 5D2 with L lenses was so much better, although focus and frame rates were faster on the 40D. But the 5D2 opened a whole new world of filmmaking!
Cheers!


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 17, 2020)

Etienne said:


> I used the 17-55 f/2.8 IS


The EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS was in fact the worst lens I ever had from Canon. A real dust pump and mediocre optical quality (lot of CA).


----------



## Etienne (Apr 17, 2020)

justaCanonuser said:


> The EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS was in fact the worst lens I ever had from Canon. A real dust pump and mediocre optical quality (lot of CA).



It was considered the best standard zoom for Canon crop at the time. A bit of a harsh bokeh but sharp and contrasty.
4/5 stars from Photozone (now called Optical Limits), and they reported that CAs were well-controlled, "lateral CAs are unusually moderate." So, your experience is not typical.


----------



## Valvebounce (Apr 17, 2020)

Hi Etienne.
I guess yours wasn’t a lens issue then, my first inkling that the camera was better than I realised was when I borrowed a 17-55 f/2.8 for a few minutes and shot 3 test shots of limited value for a proper test (cars in a car park), but still they showed me what might be there.
For sure my lenses were the issue for me, especially the Cosina 100-300 f/5.6-6.3 (I think) which had done ok (ish) on film. 

Cheers, Graham. 



Etienne said:


> I used the 17-55 f/2.8 IS and a Tokina 50-135 f/2.8 on my 40D, both of which did a good job, but the 5D2 with L lenses was so much better, although focus and frame rates were faster on the 40D. But the 5D2 opened a whole new world of filmmaking!
> Cheers!


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 17, 2020)

Etienne said:


> It was considered the best standard zoom for Canon crop at the time. A bit of a harsh bokeh but sharp and contrasty.
> 4/5 stars from Photozone (now called Optical Limits), and they reported that CAs were well-controlled, "lateral CAs are unusually moderate." So, your experience is not typical.


Yes but it was true. I had an early copy, and later I learned that Canon had some quality issues with the early production. I guess that some of the lenses weren't well centered. I had contact with Bryan Carnathan from "the digital picture" back then, and he was astonished about the images I sent him showing the weaknesses of my copy. In fact, it was the one and only case I had trouble with a Canon lens.


----------



## TAF (Apr 17, 2020)

I agree completely with the folks who say the 50D was a disappointment. My first real DSLR was a Xt; I loved that camera. My avatar photo was the first photo I ever took with it. I shot many thousands (10K+) of images with it. Then I 'upgraded' to a 50D. That was the worst camera I have ever used, period. The photos were flat, lifeless, and just didn't look good. It almost put an end to my photography; only good old fashioned film kept the dream alive. But I got lucky. I had a small financial windfall, and traded the 50D in on a 5D3. And once again I was in love with digital photography.

I'm anxiously look forward to the R5. But I won't be parting with the 5D3; I won't take that chance again. If the R5 works as well as it should, the 5D3 will go off for a full spectrum conversion. That looks like a fun area to explore.


----------



## slclick (Apr 17, 2020)

TAF said:


> I agree completely with the folks who say the 50D was a disappointment. My first real DSLR was a Xt; I loved that camera. My avatar photo was the first photo I ever took with it. I shot many thousands (10K+) of images with it. Then I 'upgraded' to a 50D. That was the worst camera I have ever used, period. The photos were flat, lifeless, and just didn't look good. It almost put an end to my photography; only good old fashioned film kept the dream alive. But I got lucky. I had a small financial windfall, and traded the 50D in on a 5D3. And once again I was in love with digital photography.
> 
> I'm anxiously look forward to the R5. But I won't be parting with the 5D3; I won't take that chance again. If the R5 works as well as it should, the 5D3 will go off for a full spectrum conversion. That looks like a fun area to explore.


It's funny that folks are saying this about the 50D since historically it was very common to say the 50D was the last of the great xxD bodies and it went backwards with the 60D. Scratching my head here. But like anything, it's always a case of YMMV and/or lens choices.


----------



## FramerMCB (Apr 18, 2020)

Ah... my beloved 40D! Alas it does not work anymore - gets the ERROR 99 message everytime I press the Shutter button to take a picture. The mirror flips up and then nothing - just locks and the ERROR 99 pops on the LCD. You have to turn it off then on to get the mirror back down. 

I just loved the files that camera produced - it was my first Digital Canon. My first Canon was the EOS 630, then an Elan IIe with battery grip. Now I have a 7D and an 80D. Love the .jpegs coming from the 80D. I always shot raw with my 40D and the 7D. But recently started shooting .jpeg with my 80D and am quite pleased. Still wish my 40D worked though...


----------



## picperfect (Apr 18, 2020)

justaCanonuser said:


> The EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS was in fact the worst lens I ever had from Canon. A real dust pump and mediocre optical quality (lot of CA).



interesting. 17-55 was my favorite and by far most-used APS-C lens. had EF 28-135 before, then Tamron 17-50 / 2.8 (non IS) until i got the 17-55 IS - the upgrade was very noticable and never regretted it, especially IS was extremely helpful. no issues with IQ or dust with my copy.

actually the 17-55 kept me in Canonland when i was extremely tempted to go from 40D to Nikon D300. But Nikon 17-55 was an old formula clunker, without IS, twice as expensive as Canon, built like a tank, but weight like a tank too.

so i waited until Canon finally came with 7D and kept using my workhorse 17-55.


----------



## Ozarker (Apr 18, 2020)

Etienne said:


> It was considered the best standard zoom for Canon crop at the time. A bit of a harsh bokeh but sharp and contrasty.
> 4/5 stars from Photozone (now called Optical Limits), and they reported that CAs were well-controlled, "lateral CAs are unusually moderate." So, your experience is not typical.


Or the review from Optical Limits isn't typical.


----------



## Etienne (Apr 18, 2020)

justaCanonuser said:


> Yes but it was true. I had an early copy, and later I learned that Canon had some quality issues with the early production. I guess that some of the lenses weren't well centered. I had contact with Bryan Carnathan from "the digital picture" back then, and he was astonished about the images I sent him showing the weaknesses of my copy. In fact, it was the one and only case I had trouble with a Canon lens.


There's always the chance of getting a dud. 
If the build quality was better, and if it had zoom dampening and better bokeh I probably wouldn't have sold it. I never really enjoyed using it to be honest, partly because of its cheap feel and the nervous bokeh, but then again, I'm not really terribly interested in standard zooms. I made do with the 16-35 f/2.8L mk II, 70-200 f/2.8L IS mk II, and a few primes on my 5DII and III cameras. Those two zooms and the 50 f/1.4 were often all I carried, and they usually did everything I needed. I guess I was never that impressed with the early Canon crop cameras. Canon's new crop sensors are not bad.


----------



## swblackwood (Apr 19, 2020)

Wasn‘t this also the first Canon DSLR to have LV shooting?


----------



## justaCanonuser (Apr 20, 2020)

Etienne said:


> There's always the chance of getting a dud.
> If the build quality was better, and if it had zoom dampening and better bokeh I probably wouldn't have sold it. I never really enjoyed using it to be honest, partly because of its cheap feel and the nervous bokeh...


That's another reason why I never liked it much. In fact, I have/had a LOT of Canon lenses, but this one was the only real failure, at least for me.


----------



## Michael Clark (Apr 21, 2020)

justaCanonuser said:


> You are definitely not Tony Northrop  I am with you, it was really hard for me to decide this year whether I should use Canon's trade-in discount to get me a 5D VI. I did it, but it was really hard for me to hand out my beloved, battered sort of war-horse 5D III. With more than 150.00 actuations it still worked nicely.



Where can I buy this 5D Mark VI you keep mentioning? I'm still stuck two generations back with the 5D Mark IV, which is the best camera I've ever owned.


----------

