Is the 40D good enough for sports photography?

We all know how good the 1DIIN is in getting the shot!

Does the new 40D reach the standards of the venerable 1DII series in getting and tracking focus?

Is so, could it replace your 1DII and give you extra reach as well?

Asher

It remains to be seen, but my abstract view of the answer would be a fairly emphatic yes. The AF should be fine, and having recently been shooting sports with the 4fps 1Ds2, I think the frame rate will be fine also. Heck I've had excellent results shooting sports with the 400D — its main drawback is its very shallow buffer room.

The "extra reach" is not an unqualified benefit of course, but it's a real one in some respects and will often mean being able to shoot at f/2.8 without an extender instead of at f/4 with one.

I think you'll be seeing a lot of 40D's on sidelines in the near future.

Nill
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www.toulme.net

I'm not so sure. . .

Nill Toulme said:

It remains to be seen, but my abstract view of the answer would be a fairly emphatic yes. The AF should be fine, and having recently been shooting sports with the 4fps 1Ds2, I think the frame rate will be fine also. Heck I've had excellent results shooting sports with the 400D — its main drawback is its very shallow buffer room.

The "extra reach" is not an unqualified benefit of course, but it's a real one in some respects and will often mean being able to shoot at f/2.8 without an extender instead of at f/4 with one.

I think you'll be seeing a lot of 40D's on sidelines in the near future.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

Click to expand...

After using a family member's 40D and finding it an excellent camera I'm up in the air over its use for sports. I shot football last saturday night, and will be shooting volleyball tonight, with my 5D. The N is at Irvine for some repairs.

Using the 5D my shots are about 50% throw aways due to focus even though the IQ is way better than the N. The 40D looks to be far better but there is a problem. The 5D, and as I recall 40D, has a non-lit focus point. It is impossible for me to see it against a running subject and moving background. Fortunately I think that the 40D focus points are bigger in the view finder.

Trying to keep the active focus point over a number or on a face might be as hard with the 40D as it is with the 5D inspite of the fact that the newer camera has a better chance of actually focusing on the subject.

Jack Joseph Jr said:

...but there is a problem. The 5D, and as I recall 40D, has a non-lit focus point. It is impossible for me to see it against a running subject and moving background. ...

Click to expand...

This is one of my major peeves against the non-1-series cameras for sports shooting. Every time I try one it first baffles, then angers me that the selected focus point doesn't stay lit while you're shooting.

Nill
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www.toulme.net