A beautifully engineered upgrade that’s a no-brainer for Canon fans. There probably aren’t enough new selling points here to convert die-hard Nikon fans, but for committed Canon users who want a camera they won’t grow out of quickly, the 40D is a no-brainer.

The Canon 40D bridges entry-level SLRs with expensive, pro options. We can easily overlook its few shortcomings and focus on its excellent image quality and wide array of useful features.

As I’ve said in the past about other cameras in the line, the Canon EOS 40D is an excellent photographic tool, slightly evolved to take advantage of recent technological advances. This time there are more bells and whistles, but they don’t take away from the Canon 40D’s ability to make great pictures.

It’s a very good camera and I can recommend it. I didn’t just review the 40D, I bought one myself, so that should tell you something!

This is a fine camera with worthwhile advances on its predecessor.

But perhaps the most striking thing about the Canon EOS 40D is its value. It’s true that it costs more than other 10-megapixel cameras, but it’s also much more professionally-orientated. The Canon EOS 40D’s strength doesn’t lie in any great technological breakthrough but in its professional appeal and its sheer value for money.

In short the EOS 40D handles like a dream, feeling tough, very responsive, and confident to handle just about any situation.

For at least a little while it appears the Canon 40D is king of the hill. While the Nikon D80 and D200 both provide reasonable alternatives for enthusiasts, and the Nikon D40x and Canon EOS 400D are both more suitable options for amateurs, the 40D’s blend of great pictures, rugged construction and speedy operation make it a great purchase.

In terms of image quality, the 40D’s photos look great, but not significantly better than the 30D’s. The 40D’s noise levels are very low, though not any lower than the 30D. The 40D’s dynamic range is excellent, and slightly improves on the 30D. Color accuracy is almost identical, but the 40D’s resolution is less than impressive, even with the extra megapixels.

Superb build quality and performance make this a worthwhile upgrade for serious amateurs.

In a nutshell, this is a cracking camera and one marred only by the odd metering performance, otherwise it is quite simply excellent and worth a close inspection for anyone either trading up or for those pros’ that need a back up body that is not a compromise to far.