400D compared to the 350D & nothing else :)

[drama]

Hi guys

Thought that would start this as a seperate thread, as the other one has devolved in to a C Vs N, mud slinging match
I dont want to hear anything more about the Nikon reds or Canon Pallor

Looks & Feel:

It looks identical to the 350D, but the material is different & there is no powdering & white marks, as on the 350D

The power LED on top is kind of useful, not very though ,as it switches off when the camera goes in to standby

Every thing on the rear panel is black but you will right at home with the buttons, if you are already using a 350D

The bigger LCD is pretty useful, definitely brighter & higher resolution with the same magnify buttons, the delete button, is right on the side of the LCD

The display button is also very handy, when you dont want the LCD wasting your batteries

The sensor below the viewfinder is pretty nifty & automatically switches off the LCD, when you look through the viewfinder
I had read some concerns regarding battery wastage raised in reviews due to the LCD, with a grip & a spare battery, who cares
The LCD at midlevel is brighter than the 350D at full power

It is also a bit heavier & feels better in the hand than the 350, with the grip very nice

The view finder is brighter & larger to me, I had difficulty reading the numbers on the 350D even with diopteric correction, no such problems here


Usage :

The AF is one of the main reasons for me to upgrade, the 350D AF is too slow, this is much faster to focus, with the help of the popup flash, focus is very good & much faster even in dark conditions

The AF is by itself a worthwhile upgrade
Givbes you more keepers & increases the usability of just about all your lenses
I tend to use the central focus point, pretty much exclusively
The LCD gives you a better chance to asess the focus too

Metering in the partial mode is pretty much accurate & works well
I use manual mode, creative exposures are very seldom just a right meter exposure

I have felt that the 350 tends to overexpose a bit & always used to compensate for it, here the tendency is towards mild underexposure, easily compensated for

Any doubts or queries are welcome :)
Hope you like the style of presentation

[droopy1592]

Sounds like your mind is already made up. If you can sell the 350 for a reasonable price, and don't feel like you're getting robbed, I'd go for it. I'd been using a friend's 350D for a while, since she was upgrading to the 400D... I was tempted to buy the 350, but after playing with her 400D, it's what I was hurting for.

So I got it. It's worth the extra money, if you ask me.

[jayfixit]

I've only used the 400d, but I agree with your assessments, based on how my use of the camera has changed.

-Focuses fast with my Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 + Canon 85mm f/1.8
-I only use center point AF. With the fast lenses, not much is in focus, and I found I missed a bunch of shots because another point would focus, and my intended subject would be blurry.

I can't compare battery life, but if I go a full charge on my battery, it never runs down after an entire day. I'm sure it will diminish a bit as battery ages.

[michaelb]

Hi guys

The bigger LCD is pretty useful, definitely brighter & higher resolution with the same magnify buttons....
...The LCD at midlevel is brighter than the 350D at full power

....The view finder is brighter & larger to me, I had difficulty reading the numbers on the 350D even with diopteric correction, no such problems here

...The AF is by itself a worthwhile upgrade




Nice comparison, thanks Drama. The above improvements, especially the ones listed above, which I have heard elswhere, are nice to hear confirmed by you.

I'm personally going back and forth between the 400D and the 30D/40D. Decisions, decisions.....;)

[drama]

Thanks michaelb & you are welcome :)
I was also holding out for the 30D but decided on the 400D for the following reasons

The AF was my biggest issue & this was the same
Have a grip for my 350D, which I could use with the 400D
I have a habit of taking pictures holding the camera inverted, especially useful when taking macros
I am quite comfortable with the controls & menu system
The cost difference, a new 400D Vs a second hand 30D

[faisal]

I've had the 400D for a week now...
the sensor below the viewfinder is annoying sometimes as its overly-sensitive to any movement in front of it.
Won't comment on the AF or underexposure as thats due to the kit lens limitations that I face.... :(

[Gintaras]

faisal, i have no problem with sensor you mention, but if you want the lcd always on you have the option in the menu. i like that sensor because when camera hangs on my neck and the back of the camera is close to my chest then lcd powers off automatically.

as concerns AF, i find it quick but not always accurate. i use partial metering most of the time and tried centre point manual select which for some situations works just fine. for landscape this is not always the best though.