Struggling with a 40D

[gibsonk]

Hi All,

I have recently come back to the world of Canon from Nikon, I have traded in my Nikon D80 for a 40D with 28-135 lens. Since doing so i have been having a lot of issues.

• Poor Focus
• Very soft edges
• Strange vibration in grip when shooting
• A lot of blown highlights

My questions are is this a poor lens and should i be seeing poor edges, terrible sharpness at 110mm plus, even when stepped down.

Has anyone else had experience with this odd vibration, it is noticeable as the shutter returns, it isn't mirror slap i seem to have found some reports online about it, some people say it's normal and others have had it repaired. The shop i got it from checked it against a 50d and 60d they said there is a difference and can feel the vibration but it is normal !? to me that seems totaly wrong and would indicate a problem.

Many thanks in advance

[Edd1e]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Don`t know about the vibration, but the lens you are using is not one of Canon`s best!

[gibsonk]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Thanks for the quick reply, i had hoped to hear that it is a poor lens rather than an issue with the camera .

[Trevoreast]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Hi there, Have you tried it with another lens ?

Trev

[gibsonk]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Unfortunately not i don't have another at the moment, i am considering picking up a Tamron 17-55 f2.8 (non VC if i can find one) VC if not, i believe for the money its a cracking little lens !

[briansquibb]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Try putting the camera on a tripod and manually focussing on something with sharp edges and see if that improves things

The Canon 50 1.8 is a really good lens at a really low price. If you cant get a good picture with this then it is the camera.

[gibsonk]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Here is a sample image , the edges are extremely soft, should i be seeing images this soft and only good in the center with this lens (28-135) ?


_MG_0669 by GIBSONK1980, on Flickr

[SamFisher]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

I had a look at the EXIF in Flickr and see that it was shot at 28mm @ f8 which is the sweet spot for many lenses.
I also viewed it large but don't think that its as bad as you think.
As has been said, your lens certainly won't take any prizes in the Canon range but the 40D was and still is a great camera.
When you try a different lens and your still not happy, perhaps you should get the camera body looked at.

Mike

[Edd1e]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

I agree with Mike, it's not terrible considering you have taken it at 28mm. ( Not according to my eyes anyway) :-)

[MX5]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

The 40D is a very capable camera ... did you say you bought it as 'previously enjoyed' ? If so I would be inclined to do a hard reset.

This lot might not work ... but as with any computer device you need to be sure everything is configured correctly. It cost's a bit of time and the price of a button battery (£2). So you've nowt to lose.

In the menu system do:
Clear All Camera Settings (See manual p44)
Clear All Custom Func. (C.Fn) (See manual p152)

If it has a grip remove that and the button battery
If it doesn't have a grip remove the main and button batteries.

Leave for 24 hours (in the meantime buy a new button battery they cost a few quid ... it's a CR2016 ... see manual p171)

Put batteries back in. Caution - your image numbering will start again at 1 so take this into account (to prevent overwritting) when copying images from camera to hard disk.

It may ask you for the time and date ... so set this.

Format the CF card in camera. Making sure you've copied anything you want from it

Now take some test shots using the P setting. Don't for now adjust anything else!

Ideally borrow another lens and repeat the above.

I can't recall what the default image quality is ... but set to Large/Fine (Manual p56) and repeat with both lenses.

Now you can set your camera to how you like it.

[KEITH H]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Looking at the 'original' size on Flickr, there is a definite left-right alignment or focus issue, almost like camera shake but it is not camera shake. Did the lens have a UV or sky light filter fitted, sometimes even a 'high quality' filter can give odd artifacts with high contrast edges, I might be clutching at straws but it would be good to see shots taken in good light, using a reasonable shutter speed say 1/250th sec. and not using any filters.

That said it was never Canon's best lens but I do not remember it having such a bad reputation.

[briansquibb]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Focus point seems to be over 1/3 through photo - making left and right OOF

[KEITH H]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Focus point seems to be over 1/3 through photo - making left and right OOF

Hum............... I see that too Brian, almost like the lens has a bit of 'swing front' in view camera speak.

I mention filters as my s/h 50mm f/1.4 came with a B&W slim digital multi coated filter through which the camera could never accurately focus and would produce the strangest double image at any high contrast edge. I am convinced that is why the absolutely mint lens, was sold, taking off the filter transformed it, still not the best 50mm in the world though just the best compromise for me.

[gibsonk]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Hi all,

Thank you for your quick reply, i have shot around 600 photos yesterday with only around 250 that were worth keeping, granted a number of them were just collateral from shooting moving action, however i do feel that the lens is also letting me down.

I am also noticing that close items focus ok and are acceptable while not spectacular, as expected with this lens. However once i get past 20-30 meters the focus is terribly out and i get very poor resolution, it could just be me not used too Canon from Nikon, but i never got poor results from the Nikon like this, i was using a 18-70 lens with some wonderfull results.

I can get hold of a 70-200 L F4 this week and will run some images off on that and see what i get, i will also replace the internal bettery, i have already done a hard reset once but only had the battery out for 10 mins.

As asked i have added some other images shot in the day light, to see if this sheds any light on the issues i am experiencing

These have now been processed

These have now been processed

[gibsonk]

Re: Struggling with a 40D

Hum............... I see that too Brian, almost like the lens has a bit of 'swing front' in view camera speak.

I mention filters as my s/h 50mm f/1.4 came with a B&W slim digital multi coated filter through which the camera could never accurately focus and would produce the strangest double image at any high contrast edge. I am convinced that is why the absolutely mint lens, was sold, taking off the filter transformed it, still not the best 50mm in the world though just the best compromise for me.

I am not using any filters on the lens, i always believe unless i am spending a lot of money on them they pose very little if any advantage other than protecting the front element