Photos wot I took with my new 40D today.

[Stan_Lite]

I got my new (to me) EOS 40D a couple of days ago and finally got a chance to give it a bit of a workout this morning. I took a walk down to the Quayside in Newcastle and then up into town and took quite a few shots trying to get the hang of it. I'm really liking it; it has a nice weight and feels comfortable (although I will want to get a grip for it as it's a little small for my hands). The controls are easy to work and it's much more responsive than the 300D. I definitely need to get some better quality glass for it as I feel that's holding me back at the moment but that'll have to wait for now.

Anyway, here are a few of the shots I liked from today. They all seemed perfectly fine when I was editing them but when I went to view them afterwards, they all looked a bit dark to me. Are they dark for everybody else, or is my monitor playing silly buggers?

The first four are of the swing bridge over the Tyne. Click on the images for full size versions.

The entrance
http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pzsnKL0Bmg0gjIk7ruSwN9NuSLTsvFifcdV2XLyra6NiTTEW nnBkLg5B_hmPD01bPnLaXuuSgcLwXA5Z2GZSFE2feqTWEfikb/Swing%20Bridge%20entry%202.jpg (http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1p7ktSoqOcEFOrOBb1ErHSWMV4DbjDQMsmEua7vqEh_byxT7N WuVt36FgRSf8aKEjVzVyRkQBd7AzDRWWuU63OJe1L5nGsYAag/Swing%20Bridge%20entry%202.jpg)

The control room & light
http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pI59qo08zMlE3bVz7JzvQxLy9v1DfTi0rVJzL0CXsV0e0OvJ sUHHWQGqLmbG75kKm1unH4Kb9xKR8d4nzIkSbuIU9DT-jkMww/Bridge%20light.jpg (http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1p3FSco4hpUhvVQrqYM4TqOJ8l98oIpl7DCuOiKCLZSl-V9UzIOgyKg-hTliRSZ3FRt_NvwPAPl2BSOIXSnvItNcVMByiT6pgH/Bridge%20light.jpg)

The central pier where the bridge sits when it's swung round with the Millennium Bridge in the distance
http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pR_bwtnFv0RKhjO_nX68jPe2w31xSqLBtxbH_RDFkn06cyRT jl-CCzMfHCX2YCAszLCLUGtFCvsMdOFcGNIUyJcnABfMz-4RL/Centre%20Pier%20-%20Swing%20Bridge.jpg (http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pR_bwtnFv0RKhjO_nX68jPe2w31xSqLBtJ0_U1QcHpnzEkkU P3Qmt2JC6OovvK8PasgbdJUTsOc2XSQ6BjE7_LSrYebcXio9E/Centre%20Pier%20-%20Swing%20Bridge.jpg)

A little jetty beside it
http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1plhJ8gemr3UxM3tUWbrY9fMjU7avwf0SPJ0XqH7tzKZNhgsS aVfNHPGCjzlmla6yC2BHyqxteh172V5TORb27536lQOVdEwU5/Jetty.jpg (http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1plhJ8gemr3UxM3tUWbrY9fMjU7avwf0SPDkWZvitX-KB9IH3G0qCxoegJUwmZhotGYgEt5xWJlYTWXM14Mika3-BQvugPnTKu/Jetty.jpg)

This next one is of the underside of the Tyne Bridge with the gulls nesting in it
http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pulTKG8xbUn7mvccriumh_4aen9i9mPQYDyW28bUvFFZRd4Y Pm8TLBPrhwadMSOMWm_3GtOEfyFX53CfaoyVeDPgEYvdscI7_/Under%20Bridge.jpg (http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pehAyyS0s3IrcrkMeO6aBp0U9E7TxKNX_qDh6UViAVdFqtLR i1ONCOPQcYGBLnT7fJNW2UePPDrJKUn0zGLZWBujTuVgL2j7x/Under%20Bridge.jpg)

The last one is my favourite. It's the God of the River who is stuck on the side of the Civic Centre. I love this guy and will probably be taking many photos of him in the future. I love the water stains and the patina on him.
http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pCY9V2_YDpjHJFtSEhpBcGwkFwaU7QXtTEGRcIfFWESgrkap rNGqMyBmt9vqHHisEaCFFll0-FuDRioTGgIq5dO4ocNBlKen3/River%20God.jpg (http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pCY9V2_YDpjHJFtSEhpBcGwkFwaU7QXtT6gE28UB2B4GX6YT sNYkmFjIDjTGhvOeJaL-XdmUt7duxeKfGXsWCdRS8vo5IkfVs/River%20God.jpg)

Your comments will be most welcome as always :)

[Joe 90]

damn you... wish i had a 40D.

A friend of mine got one about 2 years back, and i've still just got the 300D i bought back in '05!

but yeah, i'd agree that you could do with some better glass (and more to shoot!) the last shot is pretty cool though.

btw... got a couple whilst up in't north east with my ex a few years back with my 300d;
http://bigshowuk.deviantart.com/art/Sunderland-Lighthouse-127579551
http://bigshowuk.deviantart.com/art/Millenium-Bridge-127578875

theres some good stuff to shoot up that way ;D

[Kell_ee001]

The entrance
http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pzsnKL0Bmg0gjIk7ruSwN9NuSLTsvFifcdV2XLyra6NiTTEW nnBkLg5B_hmPD01bPnLaXuuSgcLwXA5Z2GZSFE2feqTWEfikb/Swing%20Bridge%20entry%202.jpg (http://88xuia.bay.livefilestore.com/y1p7ktSoqOcEFOrOBb1ErHSWMV4DbjDQMsmEua7vqEh_byxT7N WuVt36FgRSf8aKEjVzVyRkQBd7AzDRWWuU63OJe1L5nGsYAag/Swing%20Bridge%20entry%202.jpg)

Never seen this up-close sober :o It's quite pretty :)

[Kitten]

Nice pics Stan. Like the jetty & the water guy the best. You'll be able to get some great angle/colour shots of him as your lens/filter collection grows. Also using PS to bring out the brightness :)

Show, there are 40D's to be had fairly cheaply second hand. Couldn't you sell your 300D and use the funds towards one?

[Dunketh]

That last one is fantastic!

[Joe 90]

Show, there are 40D's to be had fairly cheaply second hand. Couldn't you sell your 300D and use the funds towards one?

I'm going to wait until after I've finished uni before I get a new camera. by then there'll be something fancy and new out, and i'll get one brand new - always more satisfying.

[Kitten]

Good idea :D I hate new expensive toys though I'm just terrified I'll break it. I got mine at 2 months old or so for around 3/4 - 1/2 the new selling price. Now THAT is satisfying!

[Stan_Lite]

I got mine with less than 700 shutter actuations for 3/4 of the new price - with a 4GB CF card, an Op/Tech shoulder strap and a spare battery thrown in :cool:

[SCM]

Stan there are settings in the camera that you can tweak to boost colours, contrast etc for an in camera boost before photoshopping them.

The photos look great what white balance setting did you shoot them under? As this can mute the colours if on wrong one which is my usual boneheaded mistake forgetting to adjust the white balance.

[Stan_Lite]

The photos look great what white balance setting did you shoot them under? As this can mute the colours if on wrong one which is my usual boneheaded mistake forgetting to adjust the white balance.

I shot them all in RAW on auto WB allowing me to choose which WB suited in Camera Raw.

[SCM]

I find it sometimes better to manually select the WB on the camera Stan i just feel it sometimes works out better.

[Kitten]

I got mine with less than 700 shutter actuations for 3/4 of the new price - with a 4GB CF card, an Op/Tech shoulder strap and a spare battery thrown in :cool:

I was very lucky - I've actually got the 400D with similar actuations (I think it was 800?) and a Canon 70-200L for £100 more than the new selling price!

[Stan_Lite]

I was very lucky - I've actually got the 400D with similar actuations (I think it was 800?) and a Canon 70-200L for £100 more than the new selling price!

Git :p

[Kitten]

Just to make it a bit worse I meant 40d :p I only got the 400d about £200 cheaper because I bought it brand new in the US before it was out here.

Basically I paid about £700 for the 40d & lens, which is pretty bloody good. Thank god for good friends & TP people!

[Toby]

I shot them all in RAW on auto WB allowing me to choose which WB suited in Camera Raw.

Whilst I shoot in RAW anyway, I find that leaving the camera on AWB gets it right 99% of the time. Most notable failure recently were some pics of the 2008 winning Audi R10 just inside the entrance to the museum at Le Mans. The combination of daylight from outside and tungsten lighting indoors confused the hell out of it and they all came out yellow. Easy to fix in LR though :)

[Stan_Lite]

Whilst I shoot in RAW anyway, I find that leaving the camera on AWB gets it right 99% of the time.

Same here - I leave it on auto and very rarely have to fiddle with it.