Canon 40D vs 70D

The Canon EOS 40D and the Canon EOS 70D are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2007 and July 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 40D has a resolution of 10.1 megapixels, whereas the 70D provides 20 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

	VS
Canon 40D		Canon 70D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
10.1 MP, APS-C Sensor		20 MP, APS-C Sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-1600 (100-3200)		ISO 100-12800 (100-25600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD, 230k dots		3.0" LCD, 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
6.5 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
Not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
750 shots per battery charge		920 shots per battery charge
146 x 108 x 74 mm, 822 g		139 x 104 x 79 mm, 755 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 40D and the Canon EOS 70D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 40D and the Canon 70D are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 70D is notably smaller (8 percent) than the Canon 40D. Moreover, the 70D is markedly lighter (8 percent) than the 40D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 70D is splash and dust-proof, while the 40D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 40D gets 750 shots out of its BP-511A battery, while the 70D can take 920 images on a single charge of its LP-E6 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 40D»	5.7 in	4.3 in	2.9 in	29.0 oz	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299		Canon 40D
	Canon 70D«	5.5 in	4.1 in	3.1 in	26.6 oz	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199		Canon 70D
	Canon 80D« »	5.5 in	4.1 in	3.1 in	25.8 oz	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199		Canon 80D
	Canon G3 X« »	4.8 in	3.0 in	4.1 in	25.9 oz	300	Y	Jun 2015	999		Canon G3 X
	Canon 7D II« »	5.9 in	4.4 in	3.1 in	32.1 oz	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799		Canon 7D II
	Canon T3« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	17.5 oz	700	n	Feb 2011	449		Canon T3
	Canon 60D« »	5.7 in	4.2 in	3.1 in	26.6 oz	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399		Canon 60D
	Canon 50D« »	5.7 in	4.3 in	2.9 in	29.0 oz	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299		Canon 50D
	Canon XS« »	5.0 in	3.9 in	2.6 in	17.7 oz	500	n	Jun 2008	449		Canon XS
	Canon XSi« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	2.4 in	18.5 oz	500	n	Jan 2008	799		Canon XSi
	Canon 30D« »	5.7 in	4.2 in	2.9 in	27.7 oz	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399		Canon 30D
	Canon XTi« »	5.0 in	3.3 in	2.6 in	19.6 oz	370	n	Aug 2006	799		Canon XTi
	Canon 20D« »	5.7 in	4.2 in	2.8 in	27.2 oz	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499		Canon 20D
	Canon 10D« »	5.9 in	4.2 in	3.0 in	30.0 oz	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999		Canon 10D
	Nikon D7100« »	5.4 in	4.2 in	3.0 in	27.0 oz	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199		Nikon D7100
	Nikon D90« »	5.2 in	4.1 in	3.0 in	24.8 oz	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299		Nikon D90
Convert to Metric
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 70D was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the 40D at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 70D is 2 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 70D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5+) than the 40D (DIGIC 3), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 20MP, the 70D offers a higher resolution than the 40D (10.1MP), but the 70D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.11μm versus 5.73μm for the 40D). Yet, the 70D is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 10 months) than the 40D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 70D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 70D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inch or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inch or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inch or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 40D are 19.4 x 13 inch or 49.4 x 32.9 cm for good quality, 15.6 x 10.4 inch or 39.5 x 26.3 cm for very good quality, and 13 x 8.6 inch or 32.9 x 21.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 70D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 40D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 70D are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the 70D has a markedly higher DXO score than the 40D (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.4 bits higher color depth, 0.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.4 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The 70D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 40D does not. The highest resolution format that the 70D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 40D and the 70D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same magnification (0.59x), but the one in the 70D has a wider field of view (98%) than the finder in the 40D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 40D and Canon 70D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 70D has a touchscreen, while the 40D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The 40D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the 70D uses SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 40D and Canon EOS 70D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

It is notable that the 70D offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 40D does not offer wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 40D (unlike the 70D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 40D and the 70D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 40D was replaced by the Canon 50D, while the 70D was followed by the Canon 80D. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 40D and the Canon 70D? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 40D:

• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2007).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 70D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 10.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 41%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.4 stops ISO advantage).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5+ vs DIGIC 3).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (920 versus 750) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 10 months of technical progress since the 40D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 70D is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 2 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 40D and the Canon 70D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 40D or the 70D. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Review Scores

	Camera Model	cam era   labs	dp re   view	e photo   zine	ima ging resource	photo graphy   blog	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 40D	+ +	+ +	4.5/5	o	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299		Canon 40D
	Canon 70D	+ +	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199		Canon 70D
	Canon 80D	+ +	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199		Canon 80D
	Canon G3 X	+	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999		Canon G3 X
	Canon 7D II	+	84/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799		Canon 7D II
	Canon T3	80/100	69/100	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449		Canon T3
	Canon 60D	+	79/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399		Canon 60D
	Canon 50D	+ +	+ +	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299		Canon 50D
	Canon XS	82/100	+ +	3.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	449		Canon XS
	Canon XSi	+ +	+ +	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799		Canon XSi
	Canon 30D	+ +	+ +	o	o	..	Feb 2006	1,399		Canon 30D
	Canon XTi	+ +	+ +	o	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2006	799		Canon XTi
	Canon 20D	..	+ +	..	o	..	Aug 2004	1,499		Canon 20D
	Canon 10D	..	+ +	..	o	..	Feb 2003	1,999		Canon 10D
	Nikon D7100	+ +	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199		Nikon D7100
	Nikon D90	+ +	+ +	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299		Nikon D90
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

Specifications: Canon 40D vs Canon 70D

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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