Customer Reviews

Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The Canon EOS 40 D Guide by David Busch is a very readable book, but it fails to reveal the secrets to shooting the Canon 40 D at the highest and most efficient levels. Four months ago I took a big leap and went from a Kodak point and shoot camera to a Canon 40 D with four very good (and expensive) lenses. I was initially very disappointed with my images compared to ones I had shot with my Kodak camera; they weren't very sharp and the colors seemed washed out. So what did I do: I bought three books on the 40D, a DVD guide to the 40D, and took an on-line course with a professional instructor on the 40D. The Busch's book was the first one I purchased ,and after reading it in detail, my picture taking did not improve.

Half-way through my on-line course, I bought my third book, the Digital Field Guide by Charlotte Lowrie, and only then did I really learn the secrets of the 40D.Here is what the Digital Field Guide revealed to me: 1. The importance of Picture Styles and how/why each owner of a 40 D should explore modifying the default style settings. 2. A detailed review of the 40 D's Custom Functions with suggestions from an experienced 40 D user. 3. How to set up Camera User Settings (C1, C2, and C3 on the Mode dial). 4. Some real practical insights to using the 40 D in the field and some further insights to the 40 D and Canon lenses by listing the lenses and settings for the photos contained in the book.

Busch's book is much easier read than Lowrie's, but it does not get into customized Picture Styles in enough detail and failed to discuss entering Camera User Settings at all. Maybe if I had been an experienced user of the Canon 30D moving up to the 40D the Busch book might have worked for me, but I needed the more specific guidance on set-up and use in the field that I got from the Lowrie book. If you are buying just one book on the 40 D get Lowrie's, but I am glad that I have both.

The book is about 300 pages dedicated to the 40D. The book is extremely detailed. Basically, everything you will need to know including the included software that came with the 40D. It's written in a very personal way from David Busch and its kinda like having him actually there. Highly recommended.

If you have a Canon 40D you need this book. It has great pictures and illustrations and explains each setting on the Canon 40D and why you care. It's the equivalent of a "missing manual". Do yourself a favor, read this book and skip the unreadable manual.

This book covers, in plain English, all the features, options and functions, of the 40D. You won't be disappointed. Before I bought this book, I read the manual that comes with the camera. Even thought the manual is great for getting you the "how-to" do something, this book, gives you more of the "why you should do it" and "what happens" if you do something a certain way. I suppose you could just trial-and-error everything instead, some people are like that, but if you're not that kind of person and want to be able to master your new camera, this book will certainly help you do that more quickly.

This book covers the Canon EOS 40D from the standpoint of a user, not a software engineer. I especially like how well the 40D's many menus are described throughout the book. The LCD screen description is also very well labeled. The photos taken by the author throughout the book also help to illustrate a number of the functions. I have used the camera extensively, and this book should help photographers of any level get up to speed faster.

The explanation of the Live View feature was also very helpful and worth mentioning because it can be tricky to locate it and make it work properly.

There are many books on digital photography and books specific to particular cameras. Not infrequently there is a disconnect between the two. David Busch has pretty well succeeded in bridging that gap by combining instruction in digital photography as it pertains to the Canon 40D. Recommended.

I highly recommend this book as a companion to the CANON 40D.

I just bought the CANON 40D, and was intimidated by all the settings, being a novice to SLR cameras ! I was wondering if I needed just one book or several books to get going. Being a novice, I was wondering whether the book would be too much for me. But my fears were put to rest ! This book is the perfect guide for not only camera-related information, but also for photography in general ( such as JPEG and RAW formats ). It gives you the HOW and WHY of everything about the camera.

I am new to a photography, and Canon 40D is my first dslr. I had a Lantern series book on this camera, but that book went back to the store in less than a week. But David Busch's book is great for a beginner - very personal, written easy and understandable. Manual is worthless compared to this book. Highly recommended, especially if you are new to dslr. Great help in my learning journey!

It's definitely refreshing to find a book for 40D owners that doesn't assume they have tons of experience with SLRs prior to owning this new Canon iteration. For that, I thank the author greatly.

I was quite surprised when I received this book because it's a really, really nicely laid out read, and is very EASY to read. Lots of really useful pictures in full COLOR, which, in a photography book, is quite helpful! I knew I was in for a quality book when I came across the picture of f/stops and how it affects the aperture. Most books just tell you what that means in writing, but a picture tells a thousand words. There's a nice little cluster of color illustrations showing you the aperture and how f/stops affect how open it is. Incredibly useful for the new SLR owner.

Will this book make you a super photographer? No. Will it give you enough information so you can go out and take pictures? (as you should do! It's the only way to learn!) Definitely.

The must-have 40D guide.

This book covers a lot of what's in the owners manual but presents it in a personal manner that makes for much better interpretation then the owners manual.

It's easy to read and even entertaining something you can't say for the Canon owners manual and rightfully so of course since the owners manual has to be as concise as possible to fit into your pocket.

In additional this book provided solutions to problems the author had while using his 40D both hardware and software that really came in handy.

I heartily recommend "Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography!