Canon EOS 90D vs Canon EOS 40D

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Canon EOS 90D and the Canon EOS 40D, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Canon EOS 90D was introduced in August 2019 and Canon EOS 40D was introduced in October 2007. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Canon EOS 90D Highlights

      • 32.5 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 25,600 Native ISO
      • 45 Focus Points (45 Cross-type)
      • 3.0" 1,040k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 11.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Canon EOS 40D Highlights

      • 10.1 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 6.5 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Canon EOS 90D and Canon EOS 40D.

      PROS

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   45 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Digital Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Long Battery Life - 1300 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.1 Megapixel
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      •   Sensor Resolution - 32.5 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   -3 EV Min AF Detection
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/16000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Weight - 701 g (1.55 lb / 24.73 oz)
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 6.5 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 64
      •   Weight - 822 g (1.81 lb / 29.00 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 800 shots

      Advantage of Canon EOS 90D

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon EOS 90D over Canon EOS 40D.

      Canon EOS 90D vs Canon EOS 40D
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 32.5 Megapixel vs 10.1 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 25,600 vs 1,600
      Higher Boosted ISO 51,200 vs 3,200
      Max Image Resolution 6960 x 4640 vs 3888 x 2592
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 45 vs 9
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Live View Autofocus vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Digital Image Stabilization vs
      Screen Type Fully Articulated vs Fixed
      Touch Screen vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,040k dot vs 230k dot
      Higher Viewfinder Coverage 100% vs 95%
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps vs 6.5 fps
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Partial Metering vs
      HDMI Output Mini vs
      Microphone Input vs
      Headphone Output vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Lighter 701 g (1.55 lb / 24.73 oz) vs 822 g (1.81 lb / 29.00 oz)
      Longer Battery Life 1300 shots vs 800 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon EOS 90D.

      Advantage of Canon EOS 40D

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon EOS 40D over Canon EOS 90D.

      Canon EOS 90D vs Canon EOS 40D
      Lower Min Metering +1 EV vs 0 EV

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon EOS 40D.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Canon EOS 90D Canon EOS 40D
        High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain)1/8000 sec1/8000 sec
        Built-in Flash
        Environmental Sealing
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Canon EOS 90D Canon EOS 40D
        No Image Stabilization
        No Built-in GPS

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Canon EOS 90D and Canon EOS 40D have 3.0" screens with 1,040k dot and 230k dot resolutions respectively. Canon EOS 90D has a Fully Articulated screen which makes it selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting. Canon EOS 40D has a Fixed screen Canon EOS 90D also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

      Image cannot be displayed

      Canon EOS 90D with Fully Articulated screen


      Viewfinder

      Cameras have built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinders. Canon EOS 90D has 100% coverage with 0.95x (0.59x 35mm equivalent) magnification and Canon EOS 40D has 95% coverage with 0.95x (0.59x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

      Sensor

      Canon EOS 90D features a 32.5 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 22.3 x 14.9 mm and a total area of 332.3 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 25,600 and expands to 100 - 51,200 in boosted mode. Canon EOS 40D features a 10.1 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 22.2 x 14.8 mm and a total area of 219 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 1,600 and expands to 100 - 3,200 in boosted mode.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Canon EOS 90D is equipped with DIGIC 8 processor and can take pictures up to 6960 x 4640 resolution. Canon EOS 40D can take pictures up to 3888 x 2592 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 2816 x 1880, 1936 x 1288 with 3:2 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Cameras have Canon EF/EF-S lens mount. Due to their APS-C sensor their crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is equal to 1.6x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.6.


      No Image Stabilization

      The cameras do not have image stabilization. On Canon EOS 90D it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Canon EOS 40D nothing can be done. On Canon EOS 40D it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Canon EOS 90D nothing can be done.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 90D has a built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth on Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 90D has a built-in Bluetooth which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Canon EOS 90D comes with LP-E6N battery pack with battery life of 1300 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Canon EOS 90D has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II) card slot. Canon EOS 40D has a single CompactFlash (Type I/II) card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Canon EOS 90D has Electronic shutter and Mechanical Focal Plane shutter. Canon EOS 40D has Electronically Controlled Vertical-travel Mechanical Focal-plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/16000 sec with electronic shutter and up to 1/8000 sec with mechanical shutter on Canon EOS 90D, and up to 1/8000 sec on Canon EOS 40D. Canon EOS 90D can shoot continuously up to 11.0 fps. Canon EOS 40D can shoot continuously up to 6.5 fps.


      Focusing

      Both cameras have Dual Pixel CMOS AF system with Canon EOS 90D having 45 (45 cross-type) focusing points and from -3 to +18 EV detection range and with Canon EOS 40D having 9 focusing points. and Canon EOS 90D having from -3 to +18 EV detection range.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Canon EOS 90D and Canon EOS 40D range from +1 to +20 EV and 0 to +20 EV respectively and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Canon EOS 90D and ±2 EV range on Canon EOS 40D. You can also do exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Canon EOS 90D and exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Canon EOS 40D.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 12.00 m at ISO 100.. They also accept external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe to Canon EOS 90D. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec on both cameras.

      Physical Parameters

      Canon EOS 90D body has dimensions of 141 x 105 x 77 mm (5.55 x 4.13 x 3.03") and Canon EOS 40D body has dimensions of 146 x 108 x 74 mm (5.75 x 4.25 x 2.91"). Canon EOS 90D weighs 701 g (1.55 lb / 24.73 oz) and Canon EOS 40D weighs 822 g (1.81 lb / 29.00 oz).

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      141 mm

      105 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      146 mm

      108 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      105 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      108 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      77 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      74 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Canon EOS 90D and Canon EOS 40D

      Canon EOS 90D and Canon EOS 40D for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      GOOD
      83
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      79
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      GOOD
      76
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   45 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Long Battery Life - 1300 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      59
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 6.5 fps
      •   Battery Life - 800 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      GOOD
      72
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   45 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Long Battery Life - 1300 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      61
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 6.5 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Battery Life - 800 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      GOOD
      83
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   45 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      73
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   45 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 701 g (1.55 lb / 24.73 oz)
      GOOD
      78
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 822 g (1.81 lb / 29.00 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      GOOD
      84
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 701 g (1.55 lb / 24.73 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 1300 shots
      GOOD
      79
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 822 g (1.81 lb / 29.00 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 800 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Canon EOS 90D and Canon EOS 40D and give them scores of 77 and 58 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      OVERALL
      77
      OVERALL
      58

      Sensor

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      AVERAGE
      63
      •   Sensor Resolution - 32.5 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      AVERAGE
      67
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.1 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 64

      Photo

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      GOOD
      72
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/16000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 6.5 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec

      Video

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      POOR
      48
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization

      Focusing

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      EXCELLENT
      87
      •   -3 EV Min AF Detection
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   45 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      EXCELLENT
      90
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot

      Connectivity

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      EXCELLENT
      94
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      POOR
      41
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Canon EOS 90D

      Canon EOS 40D

      GOOD
      73
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 701 g (1.55 lb / 24.73 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 1300 shots
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 822 g (1.81 lb / 29.00 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 800 shots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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