Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS 450D→Canon EOS 40D
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The EOS 40D improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most EOS 450D owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the EOS 40D
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
Burst rate6.5fps vs 3.5fps
-
Battery life~800 shots (CIPA) vs ~500 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (10MP)
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 450D | EOS 40D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.1 | ||
| Street | -0.8 | ||
| Travel | -0.1 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.9 | ||
| Documentary | +0.8 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.2 | ||
| Landscape | +0.5 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.0 | ||
| Casual | -0.6 | ||
| Food | -0.3 | ||
| Macro | -0.3 | ||
| Architecture | -0.2 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.5 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS 450D | EOS 40D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £39 | £51 | |
| Released | 2008 | 2007 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 12.2MP APS-C CMOS | 10.1MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 10MP | ↓ |
| Video | No video | No video | |
| Autofocus | 9-point phase-detect via viewfinder; contrast (Live mode) AF in live view | 9-point all cross-type phase-detect via viewfinder; contrast AF in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 3.5fps | 6.5fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~500 shots (CIPA) | ~800 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 525g (with battery) | 820g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.87x | Optical pentaprism, 95% coverage, 0.95x | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 230k dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 230k dots | |
| Mount | Canon EF / EF-S | Canon EF / EF-S | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single CompactFlash slot |
Compare side-by-side
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