It is also interesting that the Canon 40D despite professional orientation has several scene modes,

The "large" (1D, 5D ...) and the "small" (450D, 1000D) Canon cameras actually everyone knows. But in between there since last fall, the Model 40D. Unjustly little known, as we discovered after a first test.
But then the 450D is labeled with "professional", and the 40D is in the consumer cameras. The 1000D is against the "starter model" - which has nothing to do with the cases when the night got into a photo shop ...
But the 40D has Live View. Not quite substantial with real autofocus in Live View mode, but still. And yes, I'm one of those philistines who prefer to photograph relaxed with open views and compose their image while they not only look the model eye, but that too them.
For someone who has previously worked with other brands, Canon a few things are striking. So the autofocus is switched on and off lens, except for Live View, where it actually photograph does not exist at least for the 40D. If it is on, one each focus manually dialed is annulled photograph by the trip, and it can not also be set manually, so something like "AF-S + MF" as Olympus Canon obviously knows not.
Canon DX respectively. APS-C cameras have a crop factor of 1.6. A 135mm lens here behaves photograph therefore as a 216 mm lens. And the super wide angle 17 mm is only a 27-mm wide-angle. The same (with a factor of 1.5) applies photograph to Nikon cameras with DX sensors. The small Olympusse photograph have a crop factor of 2, which can be counted easily. photograph
The lenses photograph there is the normal photograph EF lenses for analog and digital full frame cameras, which of course also work on DX cameras, but then are unnecessarily large and heavy, photograph and the EF-S, which can only be used on DX cameras, but even there fall victim to the conversion factor. A "17-85 mm EF-S" is therefore never really can deliver the image impression einr 17-mm camera lens.
Although Lens previously Avenue only DX models from Canon in the range, has no full-frame DSLR, many of the lenses where EF and not the cheaper and lighter EF-S. The reason: Some people will be there to lend a lens to get it to its existing Canon camera - often with full-frame or even film - to use. And since only fit the larger EF on all cameras, including digital and analog full-format.
The power switch has two positions. When a dial on the back of the camera photograph for all functions usable in the other not. This is probably photograph intended for particularly nervous fingers adjust everything by mistake.
It is also interesting that the Canon 40D despite professional orientation has several scene modes, but especially three freely configurable scene modes. In these therefore, the characteristics of the automatic functions are chosen to own preferences and photo tasks accordingly: with closed aperture possible for technical close-ups, with possible open aperture for portraits.
And although the Canon 40D already tends towards a semi-professional stock, it has to offer several other automatics. For example, a depth-automatic, which attempts the panel to be chosen so that the whole subject is in focus and automatic exposure based on automatic real time adjusts for ISO setting, that it does not fall below the reciprocal of the focal length and instead the sensitivity to ISO 800 lifts. photograph Only ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 (as "H" convoluted) photograph must be selected manually.
This is significantly better than with some other cameras just to take no noise rumkrebsen in "ISO AUTO" setting just between ISO 100 and ISO 200, and if the image is still so shaky.
But even in difficult situations (back light in artificial light, night shots) give AE the Canon 40D as well as the white balance amazingly atmospheric and well ausbelichtete images. Only the starry sky seems incomprehensible reasons not white, photograph but slightly purple.
Live View is at the 40D, as one has to expect from a professional camera, treated somewhat carelessly: The manual says only that then manual focus is set. But with the Canon 40D and autofocus in Live View is possible, you have to change, however, press the focus button manually before recording. An additional step, but avoids that there will be delays in triggering: Since then eliminates the mirror rattle.
Incomprehensible only that one as well as the Live View itself must explicitly enable only one submenu in the Canon 40D that possibility this "manual autofocus". Otherwise, nothing photograph causes photograph anyway manually pressing focus key absolutely. And of course one must refocus for a target shift and after each program change Live View with the "Set" button ne