Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS 40D→Canon EOS 70D
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The EOS 70D improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most EOS 40D owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the EOS 70D
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Resolution20MP vs 10MP (+10MP)
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Battery life~920 shots (CIPA) vs ~800 shots (CIPA)
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Generation6 years newer (2013 vs 2007)
Unchanged or similar
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | EOS 40D | EOS 70D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.0 | ||
| Street | +0.8 | ||
| Travel | +0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.2 | ||
| Documentary | +0.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | -0.1 | ||
| Landscape | +0.6 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Casual | +1.1 | ||
| Food | +2.1 | ||
| Macro | +1.4 | ||
| Architecture | +1.6 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.1 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS 40D | EOS 70D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £51 | £68 | |
| Released | 2007 | 2013 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 10.1MP APS-C CMOS | 20.2MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 10MP | 20MP | ↑ |
| Video | No video | Full HD 1080p/30, 720p/60 | |
| Autofocus | 9-point all cross-type phase-detect via viewfinder; contrast AF in live view | 19-point all cross-type phase-detect via viewfinder; first Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face tracking in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 6.5fps | 7fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~800 shots (CIPA) | ~920 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 820g (with battery) | 755g (with battery) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism, 95% coverage, 0.95x | Optical pentaprism, 98% coverage, 0.95x | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 230k dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | |
| Mount | Canon EF / EF-S | Canon EF / EF-S | |
| Memory Cards | Single CompactFlash slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the EOS 70D against your specific genres — not just specs.
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