Digital Camera Review

The EOS 40D is the most expensive and, so far, most impressive of Canon’s consumer-level digital SLRs. The range goes up higher (see the professional 5D), but you’re talking about adding £1,000 to the price.

The 40D is bigger than many digital cameras, but it’s still easy to handle, being superficially very similar to its predecessor, the still-available 30D, with the same solid build quality.

Enhancements include better sensor (10 megapixels) and a slightly bigger screen. Most SLRs can’t compose pictures using the screen – the 40D’s clear and bright viewfinder is handy – but this one can also be operated using the screen.

It’s easy to use – if you like, you can set it to automatic and let it do all the work, or it’s possible to gain full creative control. There are several modes in between, too. Menus are clear and easy to follow, and navigation is good.

We tested the 40D with the £800 17-55mm lens, but it will work with all Canon EF-S lenses (and compatible ones from other makers), and results were almost as good with the 17-85mm kit lens that’s available online for around £900.

Image quality throughout was excellent, although in truth not far above the 30D. Sure, £900 is a lot to spend on a camera, but if you’re looking for something to replace your ageing film camera or entry-level digital SLR, look here.

Announced back in February just before this year’s PMA, the PowerShot TX1 is an unusual offshoot of the hugely popular IXUS / ELPH range that attempts to straddle the divide between digital stills and digital video cameras with its unusual vertical styling and 720p HDTV video capture. Despite its diminutive dimensions (it’s little bigger than a pack of playing cards) the TX1 packs a fairly impressive punch, offering a 10x optically stabilized zoom, 7.1MP CCD, vari-angle LCD and 1080i HDTV component video output. So does the TX1 represent a new direction for compact digital cameras or has Canon set off down a blind alley? Let’s find out, starting as ever with the headline features:

* New vertical design
* New 1/2.5-inch 7.1 million pixel CCD
* Vari-angle LCD monitor (1.8-inch)
* 10x optical (39-390mm equiv.) zoom lens - 12 elements (one UD & one Aspheric element)
* Optical image stabilization
* ISO 80-1600
* DIGIC III and Face Detection
* 720p (1280 x 720) movies at 30 fps with stereo sound
* 1080i component video output
* Flexible movie / still shooting Shoot a full-resolution still image during movie recording, or start movie recording by simply pressing record button
Canon
canon digital camera