Hello Mike

[charlie]

Hey Mike, what are your thoughts on this?

Canon | EOS 40D SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body) | 1901B004

[Poseidon]

That is a significant upgrade for you Charlie. The price is certainly right too! The 40D offers Live View which will help with Macro focusing, and the body a little larger, but a lot tougher as it is all Mg and stainless construction instead of Polycarbonate. If you have it in the budget, I say go for it!

[charlie]

The reason I ask is because a friend of mine came over yesterday and we were discussing shooting images in the RAW mode. I got to looking in my menu, and I will be darned, but I cannot find RAW in my menu!!!!!! It just isn't there, am I missing something? The menu has 2-L formats, 2-M formats, and 2S formats, no RAW. I wonder if Gene might chime in here too, as I got this camera from him.

[Poseidon]

Your camera does have a RAW mode, according to DPreview. Here is a link:
Canon EOS 300D / Digital Rebel Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

But how you get to it... That I would need the book for.

[charlie]

It is funny, my book says I have it too, but when I go to the menu, and under quality, there is no RAW choice!!!!!!
Can you give me a comparison on the 40D, the Xs, and the Xti cameras? You have the time????

[Poseidon]

The biggest difference is build quality Charlie. Any of the XXD (10D, 20D etc..) cameras are going to be heavier, (a good thing if you ask me) and more SOLID. Also the AF is going to be a little better, the viewfinder a little brighter, etc... It is one of those things where the sum of the parts is GREATER then what you think it will be. Just like my 1D, being a little better then the XXD cameras.

The 40D is being replaced by the 50D, but I am sure you knew that, and the Xs, XSi, etc... are all poly bodies, made just a little cheaper. Go to a Best Buy and feel the difference of the body in your hand, the store by me actually has the Rebels, the 40, 50D and even a 5D, but the people have no clue about them....

For me, I wouldn't even consider a Rebel, due to the environment I shoot in, but for the average person they are just fine.

Here is a quick chart of the 4 cameras Charlie:
Digital Cameras Side-by-Side, 4 cameras: Digital Photography Review

In my opinion, for what you do, I would say the 40D. The added MP of the 50D don't really mean "better" pictures.

[charlie]

I had a hunch alot of the difference was in the body itself!!!! i was looking at that over at B&H. I don't know, I just have an itch, and since we were shooting in the RAW mode yesterday, I also found out that you can do alot more with CS2 and RAW images.
I still can't believe that I don't have the RAW mode I spent 1/2 hour looking for it in the menu. At least I know the menu now.

On a different note, what is the diff. between the 430EX flash and the 580EX II???

[Poseidon]

Power. The 580 is bigger, faster, and more expensive. ;)

My daughter broke my 420ex flash the other day, so I have to replace it now.... I am thinking that I will get the 580EX and Stacey will get the 550 that I have now. It really depends on the tax return dollar amount.

[Poseidon]

Oh, and you should be able to get to RAW mode from the body buttons, have you tried that?

[charlie]

Power. The 580 is bigger, faster, and more expensive. ;)

My daughter broke my 420ex flash the other day, so I have to replace it now.... I am thinking that I will get the 580EX and Stacey will get the 550 that I have now. It really depends on the tax return dollar amount.

That is what I am doing also.
For what I am using this for, would the 430 work??? Would you get a diffuser also?

Oh, and you should be able to get to RAW mode from the body buttons, have you tried that?

No, but I am gonna look into that as of now!!!!

[Poseidon]

Yes, the 430 would be fine, and YES get a Omni bounce, they are about $12 and make a huge difference when used properly. (Not for fish, but people.)

I am sure it is there, just don't be surprised when the amount of pictures you can put on the card decreases. In RAW mode at high ISO, it gets CRAZY how large the files get.

[charlie]

I see where it should be on the LCD panel, right under the image quality icon, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out how to get to it. I wonder if I can access it when I download to my computer?

It doesn't matter as far as the size goes, I will just buy stock in CD's and burn everything to them as soon as I download. I do it monthly now, but CD's are relatively cheap and easy.

[Poseidon]

NO!!!!! CD's are Very BAD option for back up. They DO lose integrity over time and the disc can become coasters over only 2-3 years. I have several CD's that have gone bad on me, no scratches, stored in a closet away from bright light.... Now I load all my images up to an online server, OR leave them on a RAID 0 disk. (2 hard drives that are duplicates.) I am also thinking of getting a HUGE drive in an external case, and adding images there, then removing it from the computer.

Don't count on CD's/DVD's for long term storage.

[charlie]

What about those flash drives Mike?
I have an external hard drive that I store pics on now, and to be honest, I could certainly grab another one!!! They are making them pretty cheap for alot of storage!!!! I still can't get to the RAW mode Mike, I may PM Gene and see what he has to say, I think he used to shoot in the RAW mode with this thing, maybe not?????????????

[Poseidon]

Those flash drives are certainly better then CD's. I'll do some digging and see if I can find the how to get to RAW.....

[charlie]

I am sure I can shoot in that mode, but the book isn't helping me out at all, unless I am blind!!!!!

I actually think that an external hard drive is the way to go Mike. I haven't disconnected mine in a year, but it is still external.
I am kind of kicking back watching the football game and entering stuff in my personal log here at home, so I will be around here all day. All I really gotta remember is to let the dogs out!!!!!

[Poseidon]

Try this:

Setting the Image-recording Quality (RAW+Large/Fine)
RAW+Large/Fine () records both a RAW() and Large/Fine() image with a single shot. The two images are saved to the card. Since the Large/Fine () image is recorded as a processed image, you can view it as is on a personal computer without the bundled software or print it as is.
With RAW+Large/Fine (), the two images are saved with the same file number in the same folder. You can distinguish between them with the image type or extension. The RAW () image's extension is "CR2", and the Large/Fine () image's extension is "JPG".

[Poseidon]

Wait... that didn't work...

[Poseidon]

Can you open this Charlie?

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/09000002...R300DIM-EN.PDF

Then on page 48, is the direction to set RAW.

[charlie]

So, I take it, that means when I download them to my computer, via the USB or the card itself, that the RAW image is there already???? would I then have to right click to distinguish between the 2????