September 7, 2009 9:15 PM

As mentioned a couple of blog posts ago, I’ve decided to do reviews of gadgets I’ve had for 1 year or more, mostly due to my not purchasing any new items recently. The first gadget I’ll do a long term review on is my Canon EOS 40D, along with the lenses I’ve purchased for it.

Wow, I love this camera. I was torn between getting a Nikon or the Canon, and went with the Canon since I already had a couple of lenses from my old SLR. I’ve been using this camera for the last year mostly for taking pictures of the kids. I have 2 lenses I primarily use with this camera. My most favorite lens is the Canon EF 50mm. The other lens I use is the Canon EF-S 18-55mm. Compared to my camera, I got the cheaper lenses. The recommendation is to buy a cheaper camera and better lenses, but I’ve done the opposite, hoping to grow into my 40D.

The camera feel is perfect for my hands. I can hold it all day and my hands don’t get tired due to how the camera is molded. It was easy to start taking pictures without having to read the manual, but there are a lot of features that are available so reading the manual is recommended. I also purchased Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography so that I can get the maximum value from the camera. Some examples of the customization available on the 40D are the 3 custom settings. You can custom configure 3 different settings and save them. Recalling them is as easy as twisting the selection dial to C1, C2, and C3. I currently use all 3 settings. C1 is set for portraits, mostly for my 50mm lens. I have C1 set mostly stock, except that I also capture the full 10.1 megapixel RAW format. C2 is set for constant auto-focus (servo) as well as a faster frame speed, mostly for taking moving pictures of the kids. C3 is set for exposure bracketing. This is where I take 3 pictures, the first is at the normal exposure, the second is under-exposed, and the third is over-exposed. I use C3 for the times I’m not sure about the right exposure.

Other things I like about the camera is that the battery lasts a very long time. I’ve taken over 1,500 photos, downloaded them, and still had plenty of battery left. The camera is capable of taking 6 shots a second. I don’t use the feature often, but it’s fun to play with.

The main reason I purchased a SLR was mostly due to my frustration of flash bleaching (I don’t know the correct term, but this is where the direct flash dulls out color). So with my SLR, I also purchased a Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash. This flash allows me to point the light at a wall or ceiling. This bounces the light off the surface and provides a balanced flash that does not bleach out color.

Most of the pictures you see on this website have been taken with that camera. I’m no professional photographer by any means. But, I think this camera and the accessories have allowed me to take some amazing pictures.

~rb