DEFENDER 21005 Ultra Resolution Outdoor Security Cameras

I have a SVAT video surveillance system. The cameras that came with the system worked good but it was hard to identify someone unless they were standing on a pre-marked spot with their name in a string around their neck.

I looked on the internet for a better camera that would not put me in the poor house, and I settled on this one.

After it came, I put it on a portable mount and played with it for several days. I must say that I was impressed.

The color is a good as any portable video camera that I have ever owned. The night vision is great. It might not illuminate someone in dark clothing at 100 feet but it does show movement in lighter clothing well beyond 75 feet.

It is now permanently installed watching one of my entry doors. It hasn't caught any suspicious activity as of this writing, but I am sure if it does, we will be able to identify who it is.

I purchased a $700 8-camera system from Defender 2 years ago and installed it myself during new home construction. It has worked fine, but I never thought the 420TVL cameras looked as good in real life as they looked on the Defender website. I just ordered 2 of the 21005 cameras to upgrade to 600TVL. The problem is the new cameras use a totally different connection than the old ones, which is not clear at all here or on the Defender website. Worse, there is no way to contact anyone there for assistance or to see if an adapter is available. I found a telephone number, but it is never answered. When I filled out the online customer service form and submitted it, I received a "page not found" error. I got the same result when I clicked on the "Live Chat" button.

I cannot recommend any company that works so hard to avoid customer contact. I am returning these 2 cameras and when the original system needs replacement I will not consider Defender again.

Amazon is a great company to deal with, so I know there won't be any problem with a return, but Amazon should consider dropping Defender products until they do a much better job with their non-existent customer support.

Buy DEFENDER 21005 Ultra Resolution Outdoor Security Cameras Now

I purchased this camera for two reasons, Amazon's price was way below the manufactures price and because I wanted a middle of the road unit. I would not consider this a high end unit but it is a LOT better than their bottom of the line units. Works well at night. Well it's just my luck; the camera quit sending a color image after a week of use. S**h happens and I do not want to give this manufacture a bad review because of one camera not working. I have 4 more of the same cameras and they are working fine. Good resolution and night time viewing.

Read Best Reviews of DEFENDER 21005 Ultra Resolution Outdoor Security Cameras Here

(Copied from http://www.amazon.com/DEFENDER-21006-Resolution-Outdoor-Security/product-reviews/B007ULV8I0/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1, my review of the 4-pack)

Installed a set in the front yard (the hard part is determining best location) connected to a video server (http://www.amazon.com/IP-Network-Server-Broadcast-without/dp/B000HBVTCA) and running 'motion' on my Linux server and liked the results so much that I bought another set (and another video server) for the back/side yards. The daylight color looks quite good, the nighttime black/white IR is also sharp (for about 25') and then fuzzy but recognizable shapes (cat v human) until about 50'. I liked the idea of no moving parts (i.e., less chance of breakage) so choose the Defender brand. I'm glad I did, they are metal (no plastic) and fill solid, hide the cord and perform well for my needs.

Want DEFENDER 21005 Ultra Resolution Outdoor Security Cameras Discount?

I ordered this camera to replace an older and much smaller bullet camera that doesn't have IR lighting. The Defender camera has excellent video quality and appears to be built to last. Excellent weather resistant design. For my particular application, I had two problems with it. First, it's big, much bigger than my old bullet camera. Second, it only adjusts left/right and up/down. You can't rotate the camera (and the image) independently if you need to mount it upside down. If these two things don't affect you, you will probably like this camera.

Update 16 Nov 2012 -See photos under the "View and share related images" link near top of page.

Save 14% Off

Canon Elura 100 MiniDV Camcorder

There's a lot to be said for compact cameras and digicams most people will be happy with the results, and they get used a LOT more than bulkier, heavier, more complicated versions. 2.2 x 3.0 x 4.3 inches is pretty small!

But there are some inevitable compromises the main one being, the size of the lens and sensor has a lot of impact on the quality of the images, especially in low light. Personally, that's fine for me there are so many shots I'd otherwise miss, that I get with a compact camera. So if that's your approach, you'll want to consider this entryto mid-level budget Canon.

The Elura 100 is the replacement for all of last year's Elura models the only 2006 Elura. (Amazon has it wrong, this camera was announced January, 2006 and just became available.) It's a step up from the ZR line, but below the Optura line.

There's a lot of info above already, so some key points that might not jump out:

Video is headed toward widescreen; this camera is actually designed for it, not just in the video capture but also the LCD and the viewfinder. It may take some getting used to shooting with it, though.

At 1/5th inch, the sensor is larger than some low-end models; though it claims 1.33 million pixels; that's reduced in practice, but still more than many at this price: using 16:9 widescreen mode, it's 750,000 (with image stabilization) or 880,000 (without); and using 4:3 traditional form, it's 690,000.

It has a semi-usable snapshot mode; you can actually make an OK print from a 1 megapixel (1152 x 864) image. You need a memory card, though.

The lens accepts accessories, like a wide angle converter.

The external microphone connection is a plus for some, the kind of thing you might realize later that you want; though there isn't a place to physically attach the mic.

The built in lens cover is handy.

Like many (but not all) camcorders, it has an analog input; so you can convert your old tapes to digital by using this as a recorder, or even just passing the signal through the camera.

Some caveats:

Compact cameras can't perform as well in low light as some might like. Experiment a little before you really need it, to learn how to make the most of what it can do.

Controls may be small and awkwardly placed for some.

If you want to transfer the video to a computer, you still need a Firewire cable and port. The USB port is only for stills, and analog to digital conversions.

The viewfinder is fixed, not moveable.

The movie mode that records onto the memory card is too low-resolution to be any real use (320x240 15 fps), but that's not what you're buying this for.

The feature menu is a little complex.

I'll leave it to others, for now, to comment on how they like the joystick; the lights; and the low light performance.

Stuff you might need to buy: get an SD memory card for images they're cheap enough that it's worth having just in case, and standard speed will do, given that there's only low res video modes; and a Firewire cable to transfer digital video.

Filter diameter is 27mm.

The Canon site has more info, and the Support Download Library has a PDF of the manual. Google for reviews, though few are out yet.

And as always ... never pay list price!

Regarding the Canon Elura 100, this is my third camcorder. Having had a Sony analog and JVC Digital in the past, I spent considerable time researching what my next camcorder would be. Ideally, I wanted a Panasonic PV-GS250, but that's just to high an investment for my personal use and abuse.

The earlier purchaser reviews do a great job at detailing technical pros and cons of the Elura 100. Personally, I have not experienced a problem with motor noise in my recordings.

I have a large hand but I enjoy the compact size of this camera -I can easily slip it into a coat pocket.

Recording in true widescreen is new to me and takes a bit of thinking to adjust old habits of framing the person I'm recording. But the results look great.

Video transfer to my Mac (OS 10.4) and iMovie HD works fine with firewire. I haven't been able to get iMovie to recognize the Elura when hooked up via USB cable provided.

The Elura's on screen menu is fairly intuitive. Navigation by the new joystick isn't hard to get used to.

I love the built in lens cover. No more hassle with stupid lens caps dangling in front.

The instruction manual provided has enough details to answer the few questions I had.

I'd rate the battery as the worst feature of this camera. My complaints:

1. Battery life is horrible. I don't understand why it is nearly drained every time I pick up this camcorder.

2. The battery is mounted internally. You open the view screen and remove a plastic cover to access the battery. Not easy to do on the fly. Nor can you buy a bigger size with greater capacity like externally mounted batteries.

Keep in mind a few things when considering a new camcorder:

1. How much are you willing to invest? That includes buying SD card, spare battery, or any accessories you don't already have like a new tripod or case.

If you say your max budget is $500, then you can get decent video quality for a $400 camera and spend another $100 on the accessories.

2. Who will use it? In my household it is mainly me. But if you have to share with wife/kids, think about how the camera might get abused.

3. Where will you use it. Many early reviews on other sites said the Elura 100 doesn't perform well in low light conditions. They are right. But if you are smart about where and when you use the camera, low light probably wont be an issue. Take advantage of natural light. Turn all the lights on in a room indoors, even during daytime. Pick well lit part of the room and try to steer your subjects there.

4. Do you want to digitize your old analog 8mm or VHS tapes? Those old memories are deteriorating and Do It Yourself digitization has never been easier. The Elura 100 is one of the few cameras I could find that had A/V input along with decent performance features.

5. Even though this takes still pictures, you should invest in a separate good quality digital camera. I carry both when I'm out with the family. The camcorder still camera feature wont provide as high a quality as you can get from a dedicated digital camera.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Buy Canon Elura 100 MiniDV Camcorder Now

So far so good. I like my new Elura 100 MiniDV camcorder. It has a lot of options and is within a good price range. Most of the reviews below covered the important aspects of the camera. I bought this to replace my old RCA, analog camera. In general the quality of the picture is much better on the Elura. This was something I was worried about in switching to the digital format, but the pictures from the Elura have been incredibly crisp and show up well on a large (standard resolution) TV set. The only exception is low light recording, where the RCA seemed to do a little better. I'll break it down to pros and cons:

PROS:

1. Small size--a true palm sized camcorder. By the way, there were some reviews that were critical of the 'small controls.' I have at least average sized hands and the controls, including the joystick, were easy to operate. They do take some getting used to, but they are very straight forward.

2. WIDE SCREEN FORMAT: 16:9 and 4:3 formats are available. One caveat, is you will need capture software for your computer that can handle the 16:9 format to make DVDs from this. The software supplied with the camcorder is barely adequate and very clunky. But it is usable.

3. ZOOM: 20x Optical Zoom--some have larger zooms but stabilization becomes a real problem after 15x or so. This camcorder has electronic stabilization which seems to work well. I've turned off the digital zoom option. Digital zoom just makes for a grainy and unstable picture. Theoretically, the camera can go up to 800x. This is, of course, completely at the expense of the picture. 20x is a fine Zoom range. The highest zoom range in this class appears to be 30x. As I said before, above 15x it can be a chore to keep the image stable and probably requires a tripod.

4. LOTS OF MANUAL CONTROL if you want it. You can either control Nevertheless there's an automatic mode which most of us will use 99% of the time. Exposure can be totally automatic, you can use pre-determined 9 scene modes, or manually control the exposure. Very nice. Focusing can be done automatically (two different algorhythms to choose from)or manually using the joystick. I'm not a fan of the the effects but you have 9 different fading effects and 9 different digital effects to choose from. (This is fine if you like it, but most of this is better done post production on your computer.) Interestingly, the manual makes all of these features appear incredibly complex. In practice I have found the camera to be quite intuitive, and it is far easier to use out of the box than it would appear to be if you look at the manual.

5. ANALOG VIDEO TRANSFER: You can transfer video tapes or old analog video to digital through the camera. You can even record right off your TV. This has been a nice feature to transfer my old Hi8 videos to digital video.

6. LONG BATTERY LIFE: I'm getting about two hours from a battery so far. This depends on usage, but is generally good. Others have stated that battery life is poor, but I think about 2 hours is great. I wonder if there is variability in the quality of the batteries supplied.

7. INTEGRATES WELL WITH WINDOWS XP: no problems with firewire capture of the mini-DV. The ease of capture may depend on your software. Mine is pretty straightforward. Windows recognized the camera instantly. (I have a fairly neanderthal set up--right now I am using a 900 mhz Athlon powered laptop. So if my computer can find the camera, I imagine yours can too...)

8. COMES WITH A REMOTE CONTROL: not necessary, but a nice feature.

CONS:

1. NO TRUE USB CONNECTIVITY: One of the reasons I bought this camera was because the hype stated that it has USB connectivity. Well it does. But then again, it doesn't. Being a MiniDV/digital video virgin, I didn't realize that the USB connectivity only works only for images on the SD card. It DOES NOT work for standard MiniDV capture to a computer. For this you need a firewire connection. Once you have the firewire, there's no problem with connectivity.

Some reviews thought there was something wrong with their computer connectivity. Nope. YOU NEED FIREWIRE TO GET VIDEO TO YOUR COMPUTER. So you will have to invest in a firewire cable if you don't have one and make sure you have a firewire port on your computer (or buy a card).

The funny people at Cannon only supply you with a USB cable as if that is all you need. This only suffices to transfer the 1 megapixel and the 320 x 240 (76,800 pixels) video on the SD card. Even if the thing took great still pictures, they would only be 1 megapixel. This is less than most cell phone/cameras nowadays. The video recorded on the card is a joke. It might be 'fun' for a website, but it looks small and grainy even on the flip-out screen on the camera itself. It will look more ridiculous on your computer. Skip the SD Card. Use the MiniDV tape and record at 690,000 pixels or greater depending on the mode. This may not seem like a lot compared to a standard still camera, but this represents far more pixels than can be displayed on a conventional TV and translates into a great picture.

2. "MEGA VIDEO LIGHT": These twin LEDs are supposed to help with illumination indoors. You turn them on using a separeate switch. If you do not manually correct the light balance, however, you will find that all your subjects have an eerie bluish cast. Additionally, these small LEDs don't provide the 'mega' illumination needed for subjects that are beyond a few feet away from you. They're better than nothing and a nice try, but not very effective and so they really don't enhance the low light perfromance in a real, palpable way.

3. LOW LIGHT PERFORMANCE IS NOT SO GOOD: One area that my old RCA analog recorder did better than this one is in low light performance department. This probably was due to the lens being three times larger in diameter. It was less compact, but captured more light. Still, in this price range, low light performance appears to be universally poor. At times, you have to manually override the automatic exposure as the shutter speed is set so slow that moving objects have small tails like comets flashing through the night. Also subjects become more mono-chromatic and grainy. Once again, this kind of poor low light performance seems to be a 'class' feature. Reading the reviews, the Elura 100 may be one of the better cameras in its class.

4. STILL PICTURES ARE SMALL: Not great still picture capability. This is standard for these kinds of camaras. I guess it would do in pinch, but is absolutely no substitute for a digital still camera. There are a number of features you can use for the pictures, including a 'burst' mode, but given the size of the image, none of this is worth the worry. Given the lack of megapixels, I'm not sure why Canon spent a lot of time on a wide feature set here. I played with stills initially, but given the low megapixel count, I don't really use it any more.

5. NOISE: Canon may not be the only camera to have this problem, but the camera generates a soft but significant hum while operating. This IS picked up by the microphone. You can set the camera to eliminate wind noise, and this effectively blocks out the hum. I have my camera set to this and never touch the setting. This is a significant problem with this camcorder (and looking at the reviews) other Canon camcorders. One would think Canon would have thought this through better and made the thing more silent.

CONCLUSION:

All in all, you get a lot of bang for the buck. If you have an extra $200-$300 to spend you might want to try a 3 CCD type camera. But in the under $350 budget range, MiniDV category this one is well worth it. This camera may not be for the amateur cinematographer, but is a great, easy to use, and portable family camera. The picture quality is excellent for a camera in this range and it has a broad feature set as well.

Read Best Reviews of Canon Elura 100 MiniDV Camcorder Here

I purchased this camera to start a videography business. I know I know you need to have the $1000+ Canon GL's and XL's for that! But, I just could not afford so I started hunting.

The #1 thing that drew me to this camera was the single LARGER ccd. It seemed that most other cameras in this price range/category were smaller and had some poorer reviews.

The second item that drew me was the price point. I needed something within my budget that would offer what I needed.

Third, I use this to film in foreign countries. There are times that having a small descreate camera allows for capture of other wise uncaptured footage. It's size tucks away nicely in almost any shoulder bag and well...there is not much weight.

I have used this camera for two weddings and two documentaries. In my most recent wedding I borrowed a pv-gs150 and shot from the wedding from two different angles. Ready for the cool part...When editing and viewing the video there is NO difference to the average person which video came from which camera.

Sure the Canon does not shoot AS WELL in lower lighting. But how often are you going to shoot in the dark?

Some of the features I have grown to love on my Elura is the effects button and still photos.

First the effects button allows you to on the fly change from your pre-determined effect, my case b/w, without shutting the camera off.

Second, I like to incorporate some still photos into my videos to change things up. This camera will rapid shoot to a sd card and I have gotten some CRAZY good pictures. Here again I like the ability to use the effects button. I have also found out it is not to painfully bad to switch from video to still and back w/o much effort.

Ok...so I do like my Elura. BUT, two main issues leave me on the hunt for another camera. There is NO shoe whatso ever on this camera. I very much want to add a shotgun mike, in an effort to reduce background noise. (I did not mention, but the built-in mikes don't do a horrible job. They just pick up to much like most other mikes.) To work in conjunction with that, the controls for the shotgun mike volume would be better accessible. (Actually I guess to say the input.)

I did add an inexpensive wide angle and filter. (Even though it has a good wide angle w/o) and have plans for a shotgun mike.

Want Canon Elura 100 MiniDV Camcorder Discount?

I spent a bit of time researching MiniDV recorders and felt that the Canon Elura was best suited for our needs. We wanted a recorder that would convert VHS to DV and one that would work easily with a Mac and a PC. We have not been disappointed.

Our first run was a recording of each of us reading a children's book to our grandchild who lives in Germany. The recording was done indoors and the results were excellent. The raw footage was transferred to a Mac, edited and made into a DVD.

The second trial was a recording of golfing buddies on the golf course in action. This recording took several weeks and was filmed on sunny days, cloudy days and foggy days. The recording was great. It was transfered to a Mac edited and converted to a DVD.

If I have one complaint about the Canon it would be that the zoom button is located in a spot that is difficult to operate easily with one hand.

If you are looking for a recorder that is priced right and easy to use, you can't go wrong with the Canon Elura 100.

Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens

I have divided this review into two sections. The first is a brief summary of how I feel about the camera. The second is a detailed comparison of the 30D and 40D based on my experiences with both cameras. After reading this section you will see why I gave this camera a 5 star rating. I loved my 30D but the 40D simply blows it away.

Update: 1/6/2008

I have added a third section to discuss general guidelines for determining if this is the right camera for you.

Update: 2/2/2008

In this section I discuss my thoughts about how the new Canon Rebel XSi might impact your buy/upgrade decision.

SUMMARY:

In less than a couple of months I have gone from a S3 to a S5 to a 30D and I just got my 40D earlier on today. Wow! What a fantastic camera! The pictures that this camera takes are just amazing. I thought it could not get any better than the 30D but Canon has really taken it a notch or two up with the 40D. I want anyone considering buying this camera to know to get it right away. Trust me. It is worth every penny.

DETAILED REVIEW OF THE CANON EOS 40D:

-The Outside

The first thing that stood out is the larger, 3 inch, LCD screen. This makes reading the menus and changing settings a lot easier. Canon did not stop there. When I used the 30D I really wished reading the LCD screen was a lot easier when I was shooting outdoors in bright sunlight. When I did a shot I would sometimes have to quickly find a shaded area to view the screen. I am happy to say that Canon did address this issue as well. It is now a lot easier to read the screen in bright sunlight.

There are 2 new buttons on the outside that you can use to quickly access settings rather than wasting time going through the menu.

Info

This allows you to quickly review your shooting information for an image ISO speed, Picture Style and Metering Mode etc. There are two things that I really like here:

1. Highlight Alerts

When this feature is enabled, if there any overexposed areas in the image they will blink when the shooting information is displayed.

2. AF Point Display

When this feature is enabled, you will see the AF point(s) that achieved focus displayed in red.

There is another use of the Info button that I really like. It can be used to set the shooting information right there on the LCD screen. I prefer this option of setting shooting information as the names of the various icons are also displayed along with the icons. I remember when I just started using my 30D that I would sometimes forget which icon was for Tungsten Light vs. White Fluorescent Light when I was setting the White Balance using the control panel. Now the name of each icon is clearly displayed as I scroll through them on the LCD screen.

Picture Style

I really love this feature. There are times when I make a standard shot and then need to make a landscape shot. Then I would need to switch back to a standard shot. I can now do this really quickly without having to wade through the menu.

There is a new Auto Focus (AF-ON) button. Assuming that you hold the camera in a conventional way, this new button will be just below your thumb. It allows you to auto focus independently of pressing the shutter button. I found this feature really useful when making continuous shots of a trainer riding on the belly of Lolita the killer whale at Miami Seaquarium. I was able to maintain continuous focus right throughout the shots.

There are 3 new positions on the mode dial C1, C2 and C3. You can register most of the current camera settings under them. Believe it or not but this includes not just the current shooting mode but even the menus and custom function settings. I cannot express enough what a time saver these new positions are to me. I find that I have to do different types of shots frequently so with my 30D I had to really change settings frequently. I can now save 3 of the settings that I use most often and have instant access to them. I also like the fact that I still have the option of making changes even after selecting one of these positions. For example, if my C1 was saved with an ISO speed of 400 I am not restricted to that ISO when I select C1. If I find that I only need an ISO speed of 320 I can make that change just as normal.

One feature that has been removed is the ability to use the Delete button to delete all images. I really liked this feature as there were times I wanted to delete all the images and it was more convenient to use the Delete button rather than having to go through the menu. However, I think it might have been removed because it was rather easy for someone to inadvertently erase all the images when they really wanted to erase the currently selected image.

Start Up and Power Off

When you turn the camera on or off you can't help noticing the "Sensor Cleaning" message. This was one feature that I really eagerly anticipated. Buying a camera at this price plus quality lens represents a substantial investment. It is really reassuring to know that the camera has dust reduction built into it. What I like further is the fact that if I need to do a quick shot at start up, as soon as I press the shutter button half way to focus, the self cleaning operation is suspended. I also have the ability to turn this option off for start up and power off and run it manually whenever I feel like. I also have the added comfort of knowing that if the self cleaning sensor unit does not get rid of all the dust, I can always append the Dust Delete Data to images and then use Digital Photo Professional (one of the provided software) to remove the dust spots. At first I was a little concerned about the impact on file sizes as a result of appending the dust delete data. It is important to understand that once the dust delete data is obtained it is attached to every image that is captured after that so I was really concerned about the impact of increased file sizes. However, it turns out that this data is so small that its impact on file sizes is really negligible.

Shooting

When I first put my eye to the optical viewfinder I could immediately see the benefit of Canon increasing the magnification from 0.90x to 0.95x images are much clearer and brighter and of course, it is also easier to read the various settings. Another welcome change is the displaying of ISO right there in the viewfinder. I really love this. I never liked having to move from the viewfinder to the control panel just to see what the ISO was. Another small change in the viewfinder is the displaying of a warning (B/W icon) when you are shooting in black and white.

This camera focuses really fast and accurately. At the Miami Seaquarium I had to do several quick shots of dolphins doing jumps. The problem here is that you never quite know from which direction they will be starting. Despite this I never missed a shot. The 40D has the same nine focus points as the 30D. The increase in speed and accuracy is as a result of the points on the 40D being cross-type. This means that they are sensitive to both horizontal and vertical detail when shooting with lenses of F5.6 or faster. In addition, if you are using a lens of F2.8 or faster the center point is twice as sensitive as any other point.

If you want to increase the focusing speed and accuracy even more you can take advantage of the two optional interchangeable focusing screens for the 40D the Precision Matte with Grid (Ef-D) and Super Precision Matte (Ef-S). The first optional screen is pretty much the standard included screen, with a grid that makes it easier to align vertical or horizontal lines when you are composing the image. The second screen is optimized for f/2.8 and faster lenses and makes it easier to focus manually with these lenses. However, if you are using a lens that is not f/2.8 or faster the viewfinder will look darker than with the standard screen.

Something that really stood out with the very first shot from this camera was the shorter blackout time and the quieter, more professional, shutter release sound. The 30D used a spring to lift the mirror while the 40D uses a motor in both directions which means that the mirror mechanism is both quicker and quieter.

At first I did not think much of the increase from 5 to 6.5fps for continuous shooting. However, when you couple this with the fact that the buffer can now hold twice the images that the 30D did you get some amazing results when doing continuous shooting. I have several action shots from the Miami Seaquarium with trainers riding dolphins and the killer whale and with the dolphins and whale pushing up trainers in the air. Trust me they are awesome. It is fantastic that a non-professional can find a reasonable priced camera that takes such awesome action shots.

I am really happy that Canon decided to add Live View Mode shooting. I really liked that mode on the S5 point-and-shoot camera. I never used the optical viewfinder on that camera. I definitely will use the viewfinder most of the times on my 40D but I know there will be situations where it is more convenient to use Live View. Also, sometimes I just don't feel like putting my eye to the viewfinder. Well, I thoroughly tested Live View Mode shooting and, no surprise here, it works just as well as it did on my S5. You can even use auto focus while in Live View Mode. The new AF-ON button can be used for this. You can set just about every shooting function, such as ISO speed and drive mode, while in live view mode. The only thing you cannot change is the metering mode. There are two silent (quiet) modes to go along with Live View. Pay attention to the high temperature warning when shooting in this mode.

I have to mention sRaw here. I stayed away from shooting RAW with my 30D because of the file sizes. However, I am now using the new sRAW (small RAW) format and I really like it. A sRAW file is about a quarter the size of a regular RAW file. After applying all the usual post-processing RAW adjustments the resulting image is smaller in size than a regular image. However, this is not a problem for me for the images that I do decide to shoot in sRAW.

There are times when I want to take a shot in dim household light and I don't want to use the flash because I want to capture the moment just the way it was. Of course, there are other situations where you are not allowed to use a flash so this issue is also applicable there. The first thing to do is increase the ISO speed. However, in addition you also need to manually set the color temperature for the white balance. The problem with the 30D, however, was that it only allowed a range starting at 2,800K. With this minimum setting you could capture the moment without using the flash but the image would have an annoying orange look. The 40D allows you to set a minimum color temperature of 2,500K. With this new minimum the orange look is gone completely.

One of the things that I really disliked about my 30D was that it would instantly power down if I somehow opened the card door while it was still recording images. I am happy to report that Canon has now fixed this problem. Rather than powering down, the 40D displays a warning message that the CF door is opened on the LCD screen. More importantly, it continues to write the images to the CF card without any interruption.

Ergonomics

This camera feels just right. All the buttons are in the right place. It is not too heavy. It is amazing that despite all the new features Canon has added, the overall dimensions and weight of the camera have not changed significantly.

Transferring Images to a PC

I must say that this seems to be a lot quicker than with the 30D. With the 30D it took a while for the transfer utility to launch after I had connected the camera to my PC. However, this part of the process is a lot quicker with the 40D and the actual transfer process itself seems to be somewhat quicker as well.

Custom Functions

The new custom function, Highlight Tone Priority, can provide better highlights. However, depending on the ISO speed you are using you might notice more noise than usual in the shadow areas. There is definitely a trade-off involved and Canon has correctly chosen to disable this function by default. So far I have only done shots up to ISO speeds of 800. I did not notice any noise in the shots that I took with this option enabled but I suspect that it will show up at very high ISO speeds.

I absolutely love the new My Menu tab. It allows for the registering of up to 6 menus and custom functions that you find that you have to change often. This is another huge time saver even though you have to use the menu. Some of the items that I have to change frequently are the Image Quality, Review Time, White Balance, Auto Play and Live View Function Settings. I now store all of these under the My Menu tab. In addition I have also set this tab to be my default tab so it is shown first whenever the menu is displayed. Something else that I did to save even more time was to sort the items registered under this tab so I can quickly locate them.

Tabbed Menu System

The 30D had one long scrolling menu system. The menu was divided into categories with a different color for each category. You could jump from one category to the next. In contrast, the 40D has a tabbed menu system so it is much easier to get to an item when you do need to use the menu. The tabs and their colors generally correspond to the existing categories from the 30D. The shooting and image playback categories each has two tabs. The set-up category actually has three tabs. The custom function category has one tab. The My Menu tab, discussed earlier on, does not have a corresponding category from the 30D. Having multiple tabs for most categories further allow you to save time when searching for an item in a category.

Weatherproof Battery and Storage Compartment Doors

Once the battery and storage compartment doors are closed, dust and water won't be able to get into the respective compartments. This is a welcome improvement. I wish the entire body was weatherproof but I understand that that would have bumped the price up further.

Direct Printing

I do direct printing using a Canon Selphy Photo Printer. One of the less talked about new feature of the Canon 40D is the ability to trim (crop) an image right there in play back mode when doing direct printing. This is a really convenient feature but it does not end there. When you set the crop rectangle you can also tilt it by +10 or -10 degrees in 0.5 degrees increments. This allows you to correct a slightly tilted image before direct print.

External Flash Management

The built-in flash on both the 30D and 40D are good walk-around performers just like the 28-135mm kit lens. However, there are situations where I definitely need a high performance flash so I bought the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash to go with my 30D. I could not have been happier with this flash. The only small disappointment that I had was the fact that I could not configure the flash from my 30D. Canon has resolved this issue on the 40D so now I can configure my external flash right there from my camera. Please note that this in-camera configuration of the external flash currently only works with the 580EX II Flash.

Metering

The metering mode is the way in which the camera determines the correct exposure. The four metering modes from the 30D were carried over to the 40D with one significant change. The modes are as follows:

-Evaluative

The camera measures the light intensity in several points in the scene. The results are then combined to find the settings for the best exposure. This is the default mode on both the 30D and 40D.

-Partial

In this case the light intensity is taken from an area that represents about 9% of the viewfinder area at the center. I use this when backlighting causes the background to be much brighter than the subject. If evaluative mode was used in this scenario the camera would be fooled by the intensity of the light in the background and the subject would be underexposed. This is remains unchanged from the 30D.

-Spot

The light intensity is taken from an area that represents about 3.8% of the viewfinder area at the center. This has increased from 3.5% on the 30D. I use this when I want the metering to be based on a specific part of a subject or scene such as a face, the eyes or a smile.

-Center-weighted Average

With this metering mode, the light intensity is weighted at the center and then sort of "feathered" out towards the edges. I use this when there are many subjects in the central part of the viewfinder but there are small areas that vary greatly in brightness at the edges of the viewfinder. This is the same on both the 30D and 40D.

Image Quality

At the end of the day I am really interested in the quality of the images that my camera produces. The people viewing my images are really not concerned about the fact that my camera has dust reduction and all the other high tech features. What they are interested in is the final result that they see.

I know some people equate more mega pixels with better quality images. However, simply adding more pixels without modifying the sensor to handle the increase properly only degrades noise performance. This time around Canon not only increased the megapixel but also improved the sensor design. These changes, along with the DIGIC III image processor and a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter instead of the 12-bit in the 30D have definitely improved image quality. This was obvious from the very first shot I took with the 40D. However, that was in a well lit area. At the Miami Seaquarium I had to shoot at various ISO levels due to the unstable weather at this time of year. I did shots up to ISO 800 and there was absolutely no noise. Canon must be commended for this. Other companies got caught up in the megapixel war and lost sight of the goal of producing quality images. Something else relating to ISO that I really love is the fact that I can now use auto ISO in the creative modes. I considered it a waste of time having to set this on my 30D.

UPDATE: IS THIS THE RIGHT CAMERA FOR YOU? (1/6/2008)

This section is really for first time buyers. If you already own a DSLR I am assuming that you know enough to use the specifications of the 40D along with reviews here on Amazon to make your decision.

After reading my glowing review of the 40D you might think that I would recommend this camera for everyone absolutely not. The right camera for you depends on three main factors:

Your Functional Requirements for the Camera

You need to identify the main requirements for the camera. For example, if you will be primarily shooting sports then obviously a camera that only shoots 3fps will generally not be a very good candidate unless you are shooting something like child soccer games. If you intend to shoot more fast paced sports then you will probably want at least 5 fps. If you are more into wildlife photography and will be shooting very fast moving animals in low light then ideally you will need a camera with very good high ISO performance and probably something like 10 fps.

Another important consideration is the maximum print size that you expect for your photos. Here is a summary of the maximum print sizes for different megapixels (resolution):

6 megapixels 8" * 10"

8 megapixels 11" * 14"

10 megapixels 13" * 19"

As you can see if your maximum print size is 8" * 10" then you are covered with even a 6 megapixels camera.

Once you have identified the primary use of the camera you can go look at the specifications of the main cameras on the market. Don't get caught up in the Canon vs. Nikon debate. Both companies produce great camera and lenses. Make sure you take the time to first read the specs and then the reviews about each camera. If you come across terms that you don't understand don't be afraid to ask your question right here on Amazon.

Lets apply what we have learn here so far. Assume that you are just interested in shooting pictures of your family and you have decided that 8" * 10" prints are the maximum that you are concerned about. Based on just functional requirements I would NOT recommend the 40D for you. I would recommend something like the Nikon D40 with 6.1 megapixels for a cost of just $470 which even includes the 18-55mm kit lens. You can even shoot 2.5 fps so you could use it to shoot the kids soccer games. The next two cameras on your list would be the Nikon D40x and the Canon Rebel XTi. Both cameras are 10 megapixels and allow you to shoot 3 fps.

Your Budget

After you have identified the ideal camera(s) based on functional requirements you have to take your budget into consideration. For example, based on functional requirements you might decide that the ideal camera would be a ID Mark III. However, if you don't have the $4K+ to buy it you might have to settle for the 40D which is its smaller sibling. You might even decide to go for the Nikon D300 instead. On the other hand, you might have a very generous budget and can afford to buy a more advance camera than just what is needed based on your functional requirements. Based on function requirements you might only need a Nikon D40 but can afford to spend $2000. In that case I would definitely recommend the Canon 40D or the Nikon D300.

Your Personal Preferences

You have to live with your camera. When you pick it up it should feel comfortable and inspire confidence. Before you buy any camera make sure you go to a store and actually try the camera so you see how it feels. This is totally up to you. What is comfortable and inspiring for one person might not work for another person.

As you can see the right camera for you really depend on things that only you can really decide. One of the main questions people ask me is about the Nikon D300. I do not own one so I cannot offer a review here but I have read the reviews here on Amazon and they are all very good. You can use the guidelines above to decide if that is a better camera for you. It offers a lot more features but is also more expensive. Do you need these additional features and can you afford the difference in price? Don't forget that you will need quality lens to get the most out of these expensive cameras. How do you feel about the difference in image quality and high ISO performance between Canon and Nikon? Is this even a concern for you as there are people on both sides that swear that the other one is better? Once again, only you can really answer these questions.

Here is my personal account of how I ended up going with Canon and the 40D. I wanted a camera that could shoot fast paced action, portraits and weddings. The wedding requirement meant that I needed a camera that had very good high ISO performance since I would need to make many low light romantic shots without using the flash. There is nothing to spoil a romantic picture like using the flash. I started out looking at the Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi. I hated the small size of the Rebel XTi. It just never felt good in my hands. I really preferred the Nikon D80. It even had more features such as spot metering that is important in wedding photography. However, when I tested the ISO performance of both cameras it was clear to me that the Canon definitely had superior performance when it came to high ISO. This does not mean that the Nikon was bad just that the Canon was noticeably better. The official reviews by a prominent testing site had the same conclusions. I also felt that the Rebel XTi had better image quality than the D80, something else that was also confirmed on the testing site.

At this point I decided to look at the Canon 30D and the Nikon D200. The D200 cost more but it also offered more features. Both cameras were large enough where I would be comfortable with either one. I went to the closest camera store and tried out the 30D. They did not carry the D200 so I was not able to test it. I was really impressed with 30D but it had a problem since it was only 8 megapixels and I might need to blow up wedding pictures to 13" * 19". I went to a prominent site to see the official tests on both cameras. I was really surprised to find that when it came to image quality and high ISO performance the Canon once again received better scores even though the Nikon had more features. However, since I needed the 10 megapixels I decided to go with the D200. Hey, life is always about some trade-off and I have no problem with a Nikon or a Canon. I almost ordered the D200 when I found out that Canon would be releasing the 40D in a few months so I instead decided to go with the 30D and then upgrade to the 40D when it came out.

After four months of using the 40D I have no regrets. I believe it represents the best combination of features and price. However, this is based on my personal functional requirements, budget and preferences. You need to identify your requirements, see which camera fits into your budget and then make sure that you are comfortable with the camera. That is the best camera for you. What is best for me might not be the best for you. Just don't let the fanatics mislead you both Canon and Nikon produce great camera and lenses. Pick one and stick with it. Once you have invested heavily in equipment for one there is no reason to be switching to the other. These two companies will always be trying to outdo each other which mean better products for us.

3/6/2008: If you are new to DSLRs and would like to get up to speed quickly with the most important concepts you can check out my Website at tajdigistudios for some notes. You will see a menu item titled Photographic Notes. They were added in response to several questions from Jennie. You can also see some of the photos I have taken with the 40D under the Portfolio menu item. The galleries display photos I purchased from iStockPhoto. Over time I will expand the notes to include photos to better demonstrate the concepts. The site is a DotNetNuke application so it is a bit slow when you first launch the application but it should be okay after that. 8/7/2008: I have started putting the photography notes into a free course at this website, tajdslrcourse.

UPDATE: THE IMPACT OF THE NEW CANON REBEL XSi (2/2/2008)

The replacement for the current Rebel XTi, the Rebel XSi, is scheduled for release on 4/15/2008. If you are in the market for a serious entry level DSLR I strongly recommend that you take a look at this camera. Here is a list of the key new features:

Larger Viewfinder

12.2 Megapixel CMOS Sensor up from 10 Megapixel

3.0" LCD Monitor

Live view Mode including Contrast-detect AF

Spot Metering

Improved 9-point AF System

Redesigned Menu System (including My Menu as seen in the 40D)

Highlight Tone Priority (as seen in the 40D)

Continuous Shooting at 3.5fps up from 3.0fps

14 bit A/D converter and processing

ISO setting displays in viewfinder and ISO button

Multi-shot Self-timer Mode

Auto Lighting Optimiser (boosts shadows after shooting)

Kit lens: Image stabilized version of Canon's 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens

It is slightly larger than the camera it replaces. At just $800 for the body and $900 for the kit this is definitely worth serious consideration depending on your requirements, budget and preferences. To be honest with you I think current 40D owners might be a little jealous of the features on this "baby" Canon DSLR. In my opinion the competition from Nikon has forced Canon to add more features than it would normally have done. Competition is certainly great for consumers in a free-market. I cannot wait to see what the 5D replacement will be like. I have been waiting on that camera since I plan to use it as my main camera and my 40D as a backup.

PURPOSE OF REVIEWS:

My understanding was that the purpose of these reviews was for owners to share their experience with the product being reviewed. At the time of updating my review it is really disappointing to see that of 13 reviews, there are actually 5 which are from people who have not purchased the product and are simply rehashing the specs and/or engaging in useless debates about Nikon vs. Canon. This makes it difficult for potential buyers to quickly determine if existing owners are happy with the product and if not, why. I purchased a lot of items from Amazon, mostly books, and I find that I cannot simply rely on the overall ratings anymore. I have to wade through numerous negative reviews from people who do not even own the items. Another problem is the people who buy something that clearly could not satisfy their requirements in the first place. For example, I once saw a review of a book where the reviewer criticized the book for being a beginner's book. The problem, however, is that the book clearly stated that it was for beginners. The title of the book "Teach Yourself ... in 24 hours" should have been enough for anyone to know that this book was intended for beginners. Why would someone buy it then and then criticize for being such?

I think Amazon need to come up with a way of restricting reviews to people who have actually purchased the item in question from them. This would truly make the reviews more meaningful. In the meantime potential buyers need to carefully evaluate negative reviews. I am not suggesting that all reviews must be 5 stars like the one I gave the 40D. However, I really would like to see the reviews based on the experiences of actual owners. For example, has image quality increased or decreased with the increase in mega pixels and what is the impact when using higher ISO?

I was a long time owner of the Canon 10D which I quickly outgrew. Then, I upgraded to the 20D and have been using it for the past few years. I didn't think the 30D was a big enough step forward to warrant the upgrade. Going from the 20D to the 40D is a big leap forward.

Unboxing the 40D is about the same as the other two DSLRs I've owned. Manuals in both spanish and english, plus software for MAC and PC. I got the "body only" package as I already own the 28-135mm lens. That lens is just **ok.** and I really didn't want a 2nd copy. The battery is the bp511A so I can use the already charged one from my 20D. The strap is the same as the 20D. The compact flash memory is the same as well, so I didn't need to buy any new accessories to upgrade.

The first thing you will notice is the big display on the back. It's very nice compared to the one on the 20D. Although, I'm constantly afraid that my titanium rimmed glasses will scratch the screen. The screen is so much closer to the viewfinder compared to the little one on my 20D. I think I'll look for a clear film cover that will shield it.

The controls are very similar to the 20D/30D. However, they are moved around a bit. The menu structure is very different and it will take some getting used to. The first thing I thought of was my old 10D... and how simple it was just due to the sheer lack of features. The 40D has so many that it would be tough for a beginner to get used to them all. It might be good for beginners who are a bit techno challenged to buy a cheaper, used DSLR to get used to using a simple model... then sell it and upgrade.

The camera feels so much more solid than my 20D. The little motor that pops up the flash sounds really solid compared to the old 20D. Even the shutter sounds terrific. Very quick and quiet. The old 10D had a nice shutter sound as well. the 20D always sounded like thrashing metal to me. To contrast, the Nikon DSLRs have a slow sounding swish to them... this one is tight and quick. The camera feels about the same in my hand. Although the lines are smoothed out a bit compared to the 20D.

I tried out the live preview feature and found it annoying since I'm used to looking through the viewfinder. I think I would like it much more if this was my first DSLR as a conversion from a point and shoot where you typically only use a "live view." The LCD is viewable at a strong angle so the live view may be usable for when the camera must be held at odd angles away from the body... like over a stream or something. This camera is heavier than a point-and-shoot and you need your face to help you hold it steady. I found myself a bit wobbly when I was holding it out using the live-view feature. You'll need a high shutter speed to keep from getting shaky looking pictures.

So, what about picture quality?? It's a 10mp camera so the pictures are big. I have a workhorse MacPro tower and it has no problem working on the 10-12MB pictures that this camera produces (.jpg processing for now). I'm happy to say that the focus is spot on in all of my sample pictures from 4 different lenses (17-40 f/4L, 28-135 IS zoom, 50mm f/1.4, 100mm macro). The DPP software can be used to edit raw files if you choose to use it. It works pretty well and it was very speedy on my MacPro. You also get direct access to picture styles from within the computer software so you don't have to worry about setting it in camera. The pictures look very nice. The colors are very accurate. at iso100 the pictures are so nice and smooth. My 50 and 100mm lenses make the most buttery out of focus areas on this camera.

******ALERT******

as of this writing(9-2-2007), Aperture, Finder, Preview, Photoshop CS3 (ACR4.1), and iPhoto do not support raw image files from the 40D. This was the case with the 10D when I first purchased it and it took a few months for APPLE and Adobe to deliver updates. I'm sure Canon are working hard with vendors to get their updates in the works. The good news is that there are settings for RAW+.jpg so you can have both files when the software updates come through. If you don't like being on the "bleeding" edge of technology, then wait a few months before you plunk down the cash for the 40D.

***** ALERT UPDATE *****

As of 9-13-07, Adobe has released Camera Raw updated 4.2 which now supports the Canon 40D.

As of 10-26-07, Apple's Aperture and Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) support Canon 40D raw files.

Picture styles are easily accessed from a dedicated button on the camera. They allow you to make quick sets for defining different picture taking scenarios. It basically does some basic post-processing work in-camera to save time later. It worked really well. I found that pictures even up at 1600iso looked usable for every day stuff (e.g. not blown up too big.). ISO can be set in 1/3 stop increments which is new for me. having iso250 just seems weird but it's actually very handy. Gives you the ability to really tweak the settings to capture as much detail as possible in a high dynamic range image (like a sunset, or a backlit portrait without fill flash). I haven't taken side-by-side shots yet but it seems like the images are more detailed with a wider dynamic range than the 20D. Maybe this is the 14bit image processing from DigicIII at work?

The camera seems more responsive than the 20D. The menu scrolling seems faster, file writing seems about as fast (probably a faster rate but bigger file).

One of the neatest features is the custom C1, C2, and C3 dial positions. You can set these up to "remember" camera settings for quick access later on. They act like the memory buttons on luxury car seats! Very handy if you take really different kinds of shots. I go back and forth from Macro to Landscape all the time so I can quickly dial in my base set and go from there.

The vibration dust remover might be a cool feature. I can't feel the camera vibrate or hear it working, which is nice. Apparently it vibrates for 1 second whenever the camera is turned on or off. I changed this setting so that it's only triggered manually by me. I figured I could just use it when I need it rather than have it going all the time. .

Another of my favorite features is the spot meter. The 10D and 20D never had this feature. Apparently the 30D does, but this one is slightly higher weight at the center point. I tried it out and it works really well in combination with the AF point selectors.

So what do I hate about the 40D? I really hate the Auto White Balance setting for indoor shots. You want to be sure to set the camera manually when you are taking the 50millionth picture of your dog. Otherwise it'll be all yellow looking. Canon, can you fix that please?? If you set it manually it looks great.

SInce I like to do available light photography I like to use mirror lock-up. I wish there was a button for that as do many other people.

Canon finally has the iso setting in the viewfinder so we'll give Canon props for that.

My last gripe is that the display screen could have a bit higher resolution. It's nice and big but could have a denser pixel set for really checking out your work.

Overall I'm sure anyone would be happy with this camera if you are willing to spend the time to learn how to use it. If you are a beginner, don't expect to take magazine quality shots on day 1. Wait at least till day 2 :-)

I must say that Nikon did come out swinging this time. The newly announced D300 is quite the camera. It will be interesting to compare the Sony CMOS pics to those produced by Canon. Had I not had a bunch of Canon gear already I might have given up the extra dough for the Nikon. Nikon (Sony) blues and reds always seem too punchy to me but that's just my personal taste. My good friend has a Nikon D200 and his pictures are just beautiful out of that camera. The Nikon D300 has some wiz-bang features but I'm not sure I would take advantage of them... nor do I think they will directly result in better pictures. Spend the $500 bucks you'll save on a photography class and you'll have more fun, meet more people, and be taking better pictures at 3 months than if you start with a really fancy camera that you can't figure out how to use.

I'm hoping Canon has been spending some time re-inventing as Nikon have over the last couple of years. The good news is that all of these cameras take good pictures; however, you have to know how to use them. When I pick up my friends Nikon is seems all foreign to me and I feel out of my element. He makes the same comments when he uses my Canon.

Buy Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens Now

The Canon 40D is the most camera for the money that Canon has ever provided. The highlights:

The new improvded Autofocus: Yes, it's still 9 point, and I was skeptical about how improved it would actually be, but having used in the field on several photo shoots, I was able to compare it directly to my Canon 5D, and the AF on the 40D was noticeably more accurate & sensitive to subtle differences within the Depth of Field. The new system performs especially well with my 135mm 2.0L, and my 70-200mm 2.8L IS. But this is what is advertised about it (i.e. better performance with lens w/ Maximum apertures of 2.8 and greater).

The 3.0" LCD: Once again, comparing this to my 5D, which has a 2.5" display, the color reproduction is noticeably more accurate. Initially I thought that the colors were being captured differently by the camera, but when I realized they were very similar once I looked at them on the computer, it became apparent the difference was in the display on the camera. Also, the display on the 40D is brighter. I have not yet noticed as dramatic a difference as Canon has made it seem in their product detail when viewed in sunlight, but especially in darker settings, it is noticeable that there's a difference.

The frame rate & buffer size: The increased buffer is very apparent, in particular at the low speed continuous setting (3 fps), where the speed at 3fps seems faster than the 3fps on the 5D simply because it can continue shooting (seemingly endlessly). In the high speed continuous mode (6.5fps), the speed is mind-boggling. I have not had a chance to fully test this out yet (look for a future edit to this).

The viewfinder: The size and brightness are noticeably & dramatically better. The look through the viewfinder is so improved over my old 20D, they almost can't be compared. It's not quite as big as the 5D, but not far off either. And it's just about as bright as the 5D, if not as bright.

The AF button on the back: Although I still use the regular half push on the shutter button the majority of the time, I have found the rear AF button to be very handy at times. At certain times, the way in which I hold the camera makes using the traditional half push much easier. However, as a tip, I have found that in focus-recompose situations, the rear AF button is invaluable, as it is MUCH easier to continue holding down the rear AF Button while recomposing and then snap the shot, whereas with the traditional system, it is more difficult to recompose without accidentally releasing pressure slightly on the shutter and having to try again (or accidentally taking the shot after it refocuses to an area you didn't want).

The menu system: The new tab based menu system is much more intuitive & much better than scrolling through one big list. If you've ever seen the menus on some of the more recent Powershot mini point and shoots, it's like that (similar specifically to my knowledge to the SD630, as that is the one I own).

Battery management: I used this camera at the Redskins/Dolphins home game last week, and I have a routine of where and how much I take pictures, and how often the camera is on. My camera came in the day I had a photo shoot with a model later, so I put in a battery I had already charged to use with my 5D, and left the brand new battery to charge at home. So, I was using one of my old batteries, in other words. This was not a long photo shoot with this model, I shot maybe 50 pictures of the shoot with the 40D. I never changed the battery before the game & what was noticeable was that the indicator did not drop off of "full" until the end of the fourth quarter, right before they went into OT. Since I was shooting with a new 40D as opposed to my old 20D I was shooting more, also probably 33% more than normal. And with the 20D, if the battery had just been charged and no other use, it would have been down from "full" by halftime, slightly beforehand. The camera is clearly managing the power consumption better. (NOTE: The one improvement that did not make the 40D, disappointingly, is a better battery indicator it's still the same annoying little 3 bars, of which 2 always go away when it drops from full, so really a two bar indicator).

The speed of scrolling through pictures: I know this has to be a result of the DIGIC III processor. It's absurdly better than the 20D or the 5D. If you scroll the knob real quick to zip through a bunch of pcitures, it's there in a second or less. The best way I can describe it is the difference in a computer that you'd been running 256MB RAM on & you just upped it to 1GB. It makes the "Jump" button seem almost unneccesary, however, I'm glad that it's still there!

Picture Style Button: This is very convenient. I hated looking for that through the long menu.

Flash management: I don't have the new 580EX II yet, but with the 580EX, it's still noticeable that when using the E-TTL automatic mode, it does a better job of managing the output, using a lower output at times when I know it would have overfired or drawn more power on the 20D, and the end result is you can get more good shots quicker. NOTE: I was using the external power pack also. But I'm making my assessment based on use of the power pack with the flash when using the old camera as well.

Visible ISO on the display on top. And better, although still familiar, layout on the top display.

Assessment: In terms of specs, this camera is amazingly close to it's new big brother the 1D Mark III, more than past models have been. This is a big plus to those of us who don't have a fortune to spend on the top of the line Canon cameras. The image quality of this camera is not noticeably different than that in the 5D, although there is a slight difference when you look carefully. And of course it isn't full frame, which is a minus in certain applications, and a plus in others. The improvements between the 20D and the 30D were negligible, to say the least it was clear Canon was just extending the lifecycle of the 20D, and the 30D should have been called the 20D Mark II. However, the 40D has many dramatic improvements over both of these previous models, and scrapes at the heels of the 5D in all of the areas where the 5D once had a clear advantage let's hope for a 5D Mark II (or 7D, or whatever it will be called) soon. I've been reading rumors that it will be the 1st quarter of next year. I will admit that when this camera was first announced, and the Nikon D300 announcement came a few days later, Nikon caught my attention big time. But obviously, with all my investment in so much Canon equipment, it was a no-brainer to continue with Canon. Even to own both brands would be a considerable additional investment for that one body, as I have no Nikon lenses. At this point I will preach the gospel of "L." To truly appreciate how good Canon photography can be, you need to own at least one "L" lens (although it will become more than one once you do, LOL). I own the highest rated (and still somewhat "affordable") L lenses, the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer USM AF Telephoto Lens & Filters & 5 Year Warranty & Accessory Kit(both previously mentioned here), the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, which I haven't used on the 40D yet, as I prefer the idea of using it on the full frame 5D for the wider angles it provides. I haven't used the 100-400 on it yet just because I haven't had a chance or the right opportunity. They're all worth every penny, and I would note that the 135mm 2.0L might be the best lens, period. It's defintely my best one, although the 70-200 2.8L IS comes close.

Once again, the 40D is the best body for the money that Canon makes.

Read Best Reviews of Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens Here

First off, I'm no camera pro very amateur. I moved from my P&S to a DSLR this summer. My first DSLR was a Canon Rebel XT. While I was happy with the XT, it was too small for my hands. So I plunked down $$$ for this Canon EOS 40D with the 28-135mm IS lens. My review will compare the XT to the 40D (as that's all the DSLR experience I've had).

I did not purchase this Canon EOS 40D from Amazon that is why I've had this Camera since late August.

First off, the 40D is the perfect size for my hands. The Rebel XT would leave my pinky hanging cramping my hands after a few shots. The Canon EOS 40D is perfect in terms of hand comfort. All my fingers fit on the grip making the camera feel very solid. The 40D's build quality feels a lot better than the XT.

I noticed that my Rebel XT's autofocus would search a lot over and over. This was extremely annoying especially while trying to take moving pictures. I can tell that the 40D's autofocus is a bit faster and quite a bit more accurate in those situations.

Be aware that the 40D weighs quite a bit more than the Rebel XT. I am still getting used to the weight. However, I am noticing that the heavier 40D is a lot easier to hold resulting in a clear shot than the Rebel XT (at least for me).

The viewfinder is quite a bit bigger than the Rebel XT. I also noticed that it has a "tint" look and takes some getting used to. The viewfinder is a bit brighter than the XT as well.

As far as the lens goes: I had a 28-105mm (nonIS) on my Rebel XT. The 28-135mm is awesome. It zooms further than I've ever needed it to. What I like the most is that it has a nice macro range (better than my 28-105mm lens). The autofocus is extremely fast. I'm sure the Image Stabilizer has saved many of my pictures...

At Large Fine picture sizes average around 4.5MB per shot. So be ready to have a large storage device handy nearby (I use my 500GB external drive).

All in all I will and have recommended the Canon EOS 40D as a good DSLR for the photography enthusiasts such as myself. I will be keeping this camera for many years. After all, the camera doesn't produce pro shots the photographer does.

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I'll start off by saying that yes, this really *is* a great camera. I bought it as body only, then added a Canon EF 100 f2.8 Macro USM lens. If you're not familiar with that lens, it is fairly heavy, and so the camera has felt heavy to me since day one. But it is the lens creating that impression.

The 40D starts up, shoots, and shuts down quickly; With the right lenses, it creates clear and consistent photographs; it is hugely flexible, pretty much to any degree you want to flex. Some of the things that have made themselves known to me by how well they work are, in no particular order, the great battery life... I use the LCD a lot, shoot a lot, and generally fuss continuously with the camera, and it just "keeps on going" which is enormously pleasing (this is with the stock battery and a BP-511A spare pack to swap in.) The feel of the camera just a nice handful of goodness, it really suits my hands, which are large. The clarity of the viewfinder. I wear glasses, and after a little playing with the adjustment, it was *perfect*, first time ever with any camera. This thing is *fast*; it really can do 6 or so frames a second (depends on the shutter speed, of course) and the AF is also fast which makes for more images, and more good images. I love all the preset modes, and I've already had some fun in manual and a *lot* of fun in aperture priority, which pretty much suits the way I think. I particularly like the AF display and the way you can control it; I prefer a single central AF point so I can control focus at the half-press point, and the camera was perfectly agreeable to that. More points did some interesting things with depth of field, and I look forward to experimenting with that, too.

I would buy this camera body again in a heartbeat if something horrible happened to mine, like I dropped it down a well or larval (and soon to be deceased) human beings got hold of it and used it as a kickball. It also offers some optional features like wifi that sound like great fun, though I confess I can't speak to them as I've not tried them.

There are some things I think could have been done better, though, and since you're probably looking at the camera wondering what the downsides are, rather than looking for what made everyone happy, that's what I'm going to focus on.

o The worst problem, by far: The images that the camera uses to let you review your shots are FAR softer than the actual photos, to the point where you can't really tell if you got the focus nailed, or not. This is not a nitpick this causes me to take extra shots because I literally can't tell if I've hit the mark, or not. I am hoping this can be fixed with a firmware update to the camera.

o That fabulous LCD, huge and bright and crisp, looks awful every time I look at it after shooting through the TTL viewfinder. This is because it has a huge NOSEPRINT on it. Has anyone at Canon ever taken a look at a human face? Placement of the monitor should be offsides and inset so that it isn't a grease magnet. Or do they expect me to wash my nose every time I snap a picture out in the field?

o While I'm harping on the camera's ergonomics, the power switch isn't very easy to manage. I have very short nails (I'm a guitarist and a martial artist, neither of which encourage nail growth) and getting that switch to swing on and off sometimes takes more than one try; that may, someday, lose me a photo I really wanted, especially considering how fast the camera starts up otherwise. I really wish it had a deeper pit for my finger and a more positive tractive surface to drag it on. It's too short and too smooth.

o When in Live View mode, meaning, you're presumably shooting using the LCD instead of the viewfinder (after cleaning your latest noseprints off of it, of course), autofocus doesn't work. But wait, it does. *If* you press a different button. Apparently the power budget of the camera is pushed a little too close to the edge if you use live view *and* autofocus because the mirror is locked in the up position. So they... moved AF to another button? Look, either let me do it, or don't let me do it, but quit changing what the controls do underneath my fingers. That's just poor interface design. Maybe you should have turned it off by default, then let us blatant power-spenders turn it back on, kind of like how ISO 3200 works on this camera (it's a menu option, not initially enabled. Requires RTFM or at least someone telling you what to do.) Anyway, I don't like how this works. At all. But it's a nitpick.

o When you're not in live view mode, the camera will display your shot in the LCD for 2 seconds, then blank (this time is adjustable, somewhat, in the menus. But 2 seconds is the shortest time for it to work at all.) You have to wait for the preview to go away (2 seconds) to enter play mode so you can really take a look at it. I think it should directly enter play when it is in that 2-second "grace" period after the shot; the fact that it doesn't costs me time, at least in some situations. And time, in photography, can mean lost shots.

o Print button come on. I can think of a hundred things that would be more important to put on a button than "print." That's just... silly.

o I would have liked to have infrared remote firing of the camera. This is MUCH more flexible than the 2s or 10s delayed firing option it has now. You can go out and sit with a group and putter around indefinitely with infrared; even 10 seconds isn't a lot of time to get out there, regulate your breathing, meld into the group photo, and stop staring down your 3rd cousin Hotisha's bodice. Uh, not that I would do such a thing. No. Not me. Cough.

o It isn't easy (meaning, you have to use a deep menu) to clean out all the images on the CF card. Should have been, really. it *is* easy to delete images one at a time.

o The weather flap on the USB connection (and external fire, strobe, and video connectors) are a little difficult to grasp (I have essentially no nails, remember), and they really are just rubber flaps I fully expect them to wear out, as they don't have proper hinges or otherwise use reasonable bearing surfaces. I *really* don't like having to struggle with the flap every time I want to grab pictures from the camera, which is several times a day on days when I'm *not* seriously shooting. I might *have* to buy that wifi accessory...

These are, in the end, mostly problems I would characterize as "nitpicks", and with the exception of the soft review images, certainly nothing to get in a frenzy over (well, maybe the placement of the LCD screen too... but that certainly isn't a problem only found in Canon products.) This is a fabulous camera; I can't imagine anyone actually regretting buying one unless they've been working with far, far more expensive gear than this. I gave it five stars, and that's just how I feel about it.

About me: I've been into photography since about 1965, my last camera was an Olympus E20, a 5 MP camera with an *excellent* all-occasion lens, macro to telephoto, and an insatiable appetite for batteries. Moving up to a 40D was a great experience for me. I'm not a pro, maybe semi-pro is fair, my experience with cameras includes both BW and color developing, all manner of large format boxes, several 35 mm cameras, and ten or eleven digital cameras from the 320x240 dawn of digital cameras to today. I am also an engineer (EE) and the author of a very extensive image processing software suite and several RAW processing plugins; consequently I am intimately familiar with how digital cameras actually work.

Optoma HD20, HD (1080p), 1700 ANSI Lumens, Home Theater Projector

• True High Def 1080p Resolution, 1.2x Manual Zoom and Focus
• 1700 Lumens Brightness, Lamp life: 4000/3000 Hours (STD/Bright), 4X speed (RGBRGB) color-wheel
• 4000:1 Contrast Ratio (On/Off), 500:1 ANSI Contrast
• 37.6" to 301.1" Screen size,Offset: 116%,16:9 Native, 4:3 and LBX Compatible
• Two HDMI, VGA-In, Component Video, Composite Video and +12V Trigger

I first wrote this review on another site, and now that I've had more time with this projector I have added and changed a few things and am reposting the review on Amazon. I think more people will look to Amazon when purchasing this projector, especially since the other site is not stocking it anymore. Hopefully this review helps those of you who are on the edge about purchasing this projector.

Pros: Good looking, gloss-white finish. Low-noise fan on normal-bulb mode. 4000 hours lamp life on econo is greater then most projectors! Good enough to use in bright mode to use with lights turned on in the room. In the dark, it looks simply amazing!

1080p content looks very good. Blu-rays played from a PS3 (or other blu-ray player) look awesome. I watched Kung-Fu Panda and was "wowed" by what you can notice on a much larger screen. I just watched Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen on it last night and I was amazed at the details and I noticed things I didn't even notice when I saw it in IMAX. This might have been because in IMAX you have such an insanely huge screen that you miss some things you might not have noticed before since you have to actually turn your head to look at the entire screen. Still, blu-ray content is amazing to see with this projector. I find it very hard to believe you can buy this for under $1000.

Video games look awesome. It works well with PS3 and 360 consoles. You get a huge advantage over other players when you can see them off in the distance before they could actually see you on a normal HDTV. This of course all depends on the size of the screen you use. I'm using a 92" diagonal white screen by EliteScreens. Not the greatest of screens but will get me by for a year or two until I get the funds for a good, fixed screen.

When using my PS3 with my tv I set the RGB color-spectrum to limited range in the display options on the PS3. On the tv, with the setting on full it would be far too dark and black out way too much shadow detail. On this projector you can turn on full-range and make use of the entire spectrum and it will give you better blacks and whites this way. If you put this projector on the bright pre-set setting (not high lamp mode) then you can blind yourself by the whites this thing is capable of in the dark. Bright setting should really only be used when you have a lot of ambient light to fight with. Otherwise the Cinema, Reference, or your own custom settings with the help of a calibration disc is probably best.

There are lot's of options for adjusting brightness, contrast, sharpness, etc. Everything you find on current HDTV's seems to be a setting you can change here. I personally find cinema mode is about perfect for use in dark environments where you can shut off all the light and enjoy a movie. Sharpness is used differently on this projector then it is on many HDTV's. With my tv I took the sharpness down to zero, because all it was doing was adding pixels to make the picture appear sharper and it would actually take away from the realism of the picture. On this projector the default value is 7 and if you lower it you are actually softening the picture and going negative with the sharpness effect. I found the sweet spot to be 10. At the value of 10 I get extremely sharp, crisp looking text in all my games and the picture looks better at that setting then at the default of 7. Anything below 7 would turn too soft and look blurred... like looking through a water covered windshield.

The Optoma features automatic shut-off which you can adjust. By default I believe it is turned off. I set mine for 15 minutes. This feature will automatically turn off the projector after no signal is detected for "xx" amount of minutes. Very useful if you are not the only one using the projector and have fears of friends/family leaving it turned on.

Cons: I have been used to using a Samsung 46" LN46A650 model tv, and then going to this, there is a very noticeable difference in black level. You will not get the deep blacks with this projector that you can on a good HDTV, but thankfully it doesn't ruin the experience. Black level detail is there, which is good, it just does not produce an inky-black. It's more of a very dark shade of gray. I messed around with the Digital Video Essentials blu-ray for the contrast/brightness adjustments for a while. I was not able to get the entire line-chart to display. Either the whites would get too washed out and too bright, or the darks would get too dark and force the white sections to get dark. The projector seemed about correct with out-of-the-box settings on cinema.

I did not mess around with deeper menu's such as the gamma, and film modes, or try changing the colors yet. I'm not experienced at self-calibrating, so don't take my word for it, but I could not get the contrast portion much better then it already is out-of-the-box.

Auto-focus would have been a nice option. It's not a big deal if you get this projector mounted and won't have to keep moving it. You can just find the right spot and leave it there, and it should be fine. On that note, if you are planning to leave this on a coffee table it will probably work alright. At first, I tried to shelf-mount this projector to save having to buy a ceiling mount. I had it about 5 feet above ground-level and I could not get a picture I was happy with. I had to angle it way down by rotating the back legs so they were fully extended and then adding a couple slim-cd cases to raise the back even further. I adjusted keystone all the way and it was still off and looked like a trapezoid. Unless you plan on using this within 3 feet of the floor, I would expect to be ceiling mounting this baby! There's your warning to anyone wondering about this.

None of my cons knock a star off my rating on this wonderful product though. You can't really say too many negative things about a 1080p projector for

Datacolor Spyder4Express S4X100 Display Calibration Device

Device itself does what it says very nicely colors become accurate, shadows now are visible and everything is way better than it was before, but, there's one serious drawback: As a general customer, when I bought this thing, I'd like to calibrate ALL monitors I have around. Software won't allow. Once installed and activated on one computer, when you'll activate it on another one, it will stop functioning on the 1st one. And color calibration is done in such way, that without bundled software it does not works. Imagine, you bought a vacuum cleaner, that can be only used in one room. Here we have the same situation!

UPDATE: The device software also has problems with intel hd graphics drivers. If you have any settings modified in 3d or whatsoever, via the built in intel hd graphics manager, spyder color calibration resets, so you can't have calibrated display. To fix this, you have to remove igfxpers.exe from startup. So, you getting your color calibration working, but lose access to your video card setting! (This is widely known problem, wonder why nobody else complained about it before here).

If you want to know what calibrating your monitor will do for you, consider this: When you go into a store like Best Buy and compare the same image on dozens of television sets, you see that they all look different some are too red, some too green, some brighter, some darker. Which one is correctly displaying the original TV signal? The same problem occurs for photographic images on a computer monitor. If you display the same image on different monitors, they will all look different. Which monitor is displaying the image correctly? With a calibrated monitor, you know that your image is being displayed correctly because the calibration process neutralizes any color cast that the monitor might have and adjusts for correct brightness.

I am a commercial photographer and have been using the professional versions of the Spyder for years in my office. My wife has been struggling to get predictable color prints on our home printer as well as when ordering books and prints online. I bought the Spyder4Express with the hope that it would be easy enough for a complete novice to use. It is! The software installed quickly, and the calibration process is completely menu-driven so that it's simple to recalibrate when needed. We have our Windows desktop set to a neutral gray, and when turning the calibration on and off, it's immediately clear how well the Spyder calibration neutralizes the color of the monitor. With the calibrated monitor, we can now see in advance how our images will look when printed or in books we order online. No longer do we need say to ourselves, "make the image on the screen a little more red than we like, and a little darker than we like because then it will print correctly." Instead, it's now "what you see is what you get." Our prints and online books match what we see on the computer screen.

This is a great little product at a great price.

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Don't buy this if you have more than 1 machine you want to use it on. You can't for instance calibrate your laptop and your desktop with this because the license only works with 1 computer.

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Great product and more accurate then the Spyder3. Very important to use the latest driver for Windows v4.5.4 on Colorvision website or a pink color hue shift will be noticed at the end of the calibration. The calibration process will not proceed with all the menu choices needed to make a good profile if you use the default, older version software on the Spyder boxed CD. Otherwise, a good device that just got better.

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My friend convinced me to buy this Datacolor Spyder 4 Express after talking about his experience with their products. All I wanted was a way to calibrate my monitor without having to go through a long process with changing settings and all that. This thing does all the adjustments and changes automatically no user settings to fool with or modify. I just installed the software and registered the product. Then with just a few clicks the calibration started! It's so simple and easy. Then at the end of the process, it provides you with a graph that shows how accurate your monitor is compared to RGB color standards.

It's easy to use and a great value for $119. Highly recommended!

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Tera Grand - DisplayPort Male to HDMI Male Cable with Audio support, 15 Ft.

I've been looking for a DisplayPort 15 foot cable for a long time and this one was perfect and it was a great price. It arrived quickly and works perfectly. I would recommend.

Looking through the reviews of all the Displayport to HDMI cables, they all instances of defective cables except for this one (only 2 other reviews at that time). I purchased this cable hoping that I could keep the streak going. Unfortunately I got the dud. I tried connecting it to two different set ups neither would work. I am in the process of returning it.

It looks like the luck of the draw. Based on the reviews all of the manufacturers have QA issues and send out varying numbers of faulty products.

I would recommend looking at the number of 1 star and 2 star reviews compared to the total number to get an idea of what your changes of receiving a bad cable are.

Good luck.

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Everything works great. Shipped within a week. Cable is exact length as quoted. Super easy to use. Haven't had any issues.

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I didn't do my research, and bought this thinking I could just throw it in my video card, then into my television, with my two monitors on DVI cables, and have a three monitor Eyefinity setup. When that started behaving strangely, only allowing me to use two displays at a time, I learned a very important word: "Active." That's not the cable's fault though. Seems to be decent construction, but it's relegated to the discarded cable pile.

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Canon DR-E5 DC Coupler for Canon Rebel XS and XSi Digital SLR Cameras

I ordered this because I thought it came with my original purchase of the wire used to plug into the wall socket. This order was something I received in a timely manner and it was in the new condition that I ordered. No surprises with the coupler. It does what it was designed to do.

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GTMax 6FT Micro-HDMI to HDMI Cable (Black/Red) + Bluetooth Wireless Mini Keyboard for Acer ICONIA W

This product is nice but it has trouble connecting to the device at all times. I have to keep syncing it.

sow shipping but over all a good product to buy for your android or iphone or black berry or winbows/symbian phone

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