Canon EOS 40D vs Nikon D600: The Mid-Size DSLR Showdown Through My Lens

Choosing a camera - even a seasoned pro’s next shooter - can sometimes feel like wandering through a dense jungle of specs, marketing spin, and anecdotal praise. Today, I'm putting two very different but respected DSLRs head-to-head: the venerable Canon EOS 40D, a beloved workhorse first announced in late 2007, and Nikon’s impressive full-frame debutante, the D600, released in 2012. Both aimed squarely at advanced enthusiasts, but they come from distinct eras and philosophies. What separates them? Which suits your vision - and more importantly, your wallet and photographic style? Let’s dissect their virtues, shortcomings, and real-world chops with some hands-on experience that goes beyond the spec sheets.

Getting a Feel for the Bodies: Size, Ergonomics, and Controls

First impressions matter. The physical feel of a camera often shapes your creativity and comfort, especially when you spend hours in the field.

Canon’s 40D has that classic mid-2000s dSLR heft - the body measures approximately 146 x 108 x 74 mm, weighing in at 822g with battery. Nikon’s D600, somewhat surprisingly (given its full-frame sensor), isn’t much bigger - at 141 x 113 x 82 mm and 850g, it maintains a balanced heft without feeling bulky.

I’ve spent plenty of time shooting with both, and here’s the takeaway: The 40D’s grip is slightly more contoured for smaller hands, lending it a snug, reassuring hold. The Nikon’s grip feels chunkier and more rounded, accommodating larger hands better but can feel a bit less nimble when shooting street or travel.

The control layouts reveal their design eras. Comparing their top plates:

Here the Nikon edges ahead with additional dials and a clean, modern control cluster that anticipates faster workflow, while the 40D preserves a simpler interface with dedicated buttons carrying legacy though lacking customization. The 40D’s shutter speed dial runs up to 1/8000s - faster than the D600’s 1/4000s maximum - handy if you shoot bright outdoor sports and want that extra shutter speed ceiling.

Bottom line? For photographers who prize a lightweight rig without sacrificing control, the 40D holds its own despite its age. Nikon gives you a more contemporary feel, especially if you’re used to pro-style bodies.

The Heart of the Machine: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Now, the meaty part: what makes your photos sing (or not) - the sensor.

Canon’s 40D sticks with a 10MP APS-C CMOS sensor, measuring 22.2x14.8 mm, with a notable crop factor of 1.6x. By contrast, Nikon rolls out a 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor at 35.9x24 mm size, doubling the sensor area.

What does that mean practically? More pixels on a larger sensor translate to greater resolution, finer tonal gradations, and improved low-light capability. And the DxO Mark scores bear it out: an Overall score of 64 for the Canon 40D vs 94 for the Nikon D600 - a significant gap.

The Canon’s color depth clocks in at 22.1 bits; Nikon boasts 25.1 - subtle but telling for skin tones and richer color reproduction. Dynamic range? The 40D offers about 11.3 EV stops, solid for its era, but the D600’s 14.2 EV range captures incredible detail in shadows and highlights, essential for landscape and high-contrast scenes.

Speaking from personal experience, test-shooting a sun-dappled forest with the 40D, I noticed the shadows tended to crush more quickly - recoverability was limited unless you underexposed slightly. The D600’s sensor excelled in retaining subtle shadow gradations, making it my go-to for nature photography.

ISO performance swings are likewise telling. The 40D peaks around ISO 1600 natively, with extended 3200 but noisy at best. The Nikon D600, however, truly shines at high ISOs - shooting up to ISO 6400 naturally with usable images and boosts to ISO 25600 for emergency low light work. Shooting at a dark concert with the 40D felt frustratingly limited; with the D600, it was manageable and surprisingly clean.

Pushing Focus: Autofocus Systems in Action

What good is sharp image quality if you can’t nail focus? Focusing prowess can make or break portraits, wildlife, or action shots.

Canon’s 40D employs a traditional phase-detection autofocus system with 9 focus points - a modest array even for 2007 standards. It supports AF single and continuous modes but lacks face or eye detection. Notably, it doesn’t have live view autofocus, limiting some shooting modes.

In contrast, the Nikon D600 beefs up autofocus with 39 points, including 9 cross-type sensors and center-sensor brightness-sensitive AF. It offers face detection in live view, continuous AF tracking, and even supports live view contrast detection - plus improvements in speed and accuracy.

This difference is palpable out in the field. Using the 40D under sunlight, the 9-points were adequate for portraits and general use, but in wildlife or sports scenarios, hunting or focus misses rose, especially when subjects moved unpredictably.

The Nikon’s autofocus consistently locks quicker and sustains tracking on birds in flight or erratic athletes, thanks to the richer point distribution and predictive tracking algorithms. Its face detect in live view helps portrait shooters nail eyes with minimal fuss - a godsend for weddings or family shoots.

LCD Screens and Viewfinders: Your Window to the World

Both cameras employ fixed 3-inch (40D) and 3.2-inch (D600) LCDs, but the Nikon’s higher resolution 921k-dot TFT LCD beats the Canon’s 230k-dot screen easily in sharpness and color fidelity.

When reviewing images in the field, the Canon 40D screen felt grainy and tougher to judge focus critically. Nikon’s display allowed much better previewing, especially under bright sunlight or tricky lighting.

The optical viewfinders also differ notably. The 40D covers 95% of the frame at 0.6x magnification, while the D600 offers full 100% coverage and a 0.7x magnification - markers of a more professional instrument. That extra coverage means what you see through the Nikon is exactly what you get in your final shot, valuable when composing meticulously.

In the Field: Real-World Photography Scenarios

Now for the jam - the cameras in their natural habitats, spanning genres and styles. I’ve rounded up balanced tests in each major photography category, framing my impressions with a seasoned evaluator’s eye and personal anecdotes.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones, Eye Detection, and Bokeh

A classic domain where color depth and autofocus shine.

Canon’s 40D rendering of skin tones is warm and often flattering, but dynamic range limitations require lighting control or fill flash in high-contrast situations. Its modest 9-point AF means you must manually adjust focus points or rely on central focus, which can slow workflow with moving subjects.

Nikon’s D600 elevates portraits with richer color nuance, smoother gradations, and that full-frame shallow depth of field advantage. Coupled with its face and eye detection, focusing is effortless and accurate - even when shooting unposed candids.

Lens options also come into play here - the Nikon’s F mount accommodates some of the best portrait primes, and with the full-frame sensor providing that natural bokeh swirl, the D600 is a clear favorite for portraitists seeking creamy backgrounds.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range and Weather Sealing

Landscape shooters demand wide dynamic range and durability outdoors.

Despite the 40D offering environmental sealing, it’s not truly weatherproof. The Nikon also offers environmental sealing but leans toward a more rugged design with two SD card slots offering backup - a real plus for critical shoots.

The D600’s full-frame sensor allows higher resolution (24 MP vs. 10 MP), enabling stunning large prints and crops without quality loss. The dynamic range difference means recovering lost shadows or highlights is more feasible with Nikon.

In practice, shooting dawn light on a misty mountain vista with the 40D required tight exposure control, and sometimes a graduated ND filter. The D600’s sensor gently preserved a rounder tonal range, granting more creative latitude in post-processing.

Wildlife and Sports: Autofocus Speed, Telephoto Use, and Burst Rates

Fast action snaps need rapid autofocus and decent frame rates.

The 40D pushes 6.5 fps, impressive in its era, better than the D600’s 5.5 fps, but that’s where Canon’s advantage dims.

The Nikon’s superior autofocus system (more points and tracking) compensates for its slower burst, reliably locking on fast or unpredictable subjects. Plus, its full-frame sensor provides better telephoto reach when paired with lenses, especially at longer focal lengths, thanks to greater resolution and image quality.

In high-speed soccer match shoots, the 40D occasionally missed focus in tough lighting; the D600 made more consistent contact, thanks to face detection and predictive focus.

Street Photography: Discreetness, Portability, and Low Light

Discretion and portability matter on the street.

Both cameras are on the chunky side for street shooters, but the 40D’s slightly smaller profile and simpler design made it less conspicuous in city environments. That said, the D600’s superior high ISO prowess enabled shooting under street lamp glow with less noise and greater detail.

Neither camera is a Leica M in stealth, but the 40D felt just a little more nimble in crowded markets.

Macro Photography: Focusing Precision and Stabilization

Neither body includes in-body image stabilization, so macro shooters rely heavily on lenses and technique.

The 40D, with its 9 AF points, can struggle locking focus on tiny subjects unless manually assisted. The D600’s 39-point system and live view autofocus make nail-sharp macro compositions easier, though both depend on quality macro lenses.

Night and Astrophotography: High ISO Performance and Exposure Modes

Here the Nikon’s ISO performance really shines.

The 40D tops at ISO 1600 natively, which can produce noisy, grainy images with pronounced color shifts in low light. The Nikon’s ISO 6400 native with usable images, plus extended modes, allows astrophotographers to push exposure boundaries with clarity.

Both cameras offer timelapse functions, but only the D600 supports live view autofocus and cleaner processing pipelines for night landscapes and star fields.

Video Capabilities: Recording Specs and Stabilization

An obvious edge to the Nikon - the 40D predates video.

Canon’s 40D offers no video. Nikon’s D600 shoots full HD 1080p at up to 30fps, supports external microphones and headphones (critical for sound monitoring), and includes HDMI output for external monitors.

For hybrid shooters diving into video, the D600 is by far the better choice, albeit not a dedicated cinema beast.

Travel Photography: Versatility, Battery Life, and Weight

Both cameras weigh about 820-850 grams, roughly the same ballpark.

The D600 has better battery life (approx. 900 shots vs. 800 for 40D) and dual card slots offering redundancy - golden on the road.

The Canon’s simpler interface and smaller size make it somewhat more travel-friendly for those who prioritize nimbleness. But Nikon’s image quality advantage and weather sealing give peace of mind in diverse conditions.

Professional Use: Reliability, File Formats, and Workflow Integration

The 40D shoots in RAW and JPEG with decent workflow options; the Nikon, benefitting from newer processor tech (Expeed 3), handles larger 24MP RAW files efficiently and supports lossless compressed RAW for smaller file sizes without quality loss.

Both support external flash and bracketing; however, Nikon’s broader lens ecosystem and better viewfinder coverage make it more suitable for professional workflows demanding precision and flexibility.

Connectivity, Storage, and Power: Practical Considerations

Canon 40D uses Compact Flash cards with a single slot; Nikon D600 uses SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with two slots for increased storage and backup security - a meaningful advantage in professional and extensive shooting sessions.

Neither offers built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but Nikon supports optional wireless modules - something Canon 40D users only dream of, given the era.

Battery types differ; the Nikon uses the EN-EL15, a widely available and efficient battery with longer life, while the 40D’s pack offers solid but slightly shorter endurance.

Price-to-Performance: What You Get for Your Dollars

At launch, Canon 40D was priced around $1100, while Nikon D600 came in near $1900.

Given the D600’s full-frame sensor, updated processor, more advanced autofocus, higher resolution, video capability, and modern connectivity, its premium is justified - but only if you need those features.

If budget is tight, or you primarily shoot well-lit subjects and value faster burst speeds, the 40D represents a solid used camera bargain - even now.

Summary and Who Should Buy Which?

Final Thoughts - My Two Cents

Having double-harnessed these cameras across genres, the Canon EOS 40D is a stalwart that still punches above its weight for enthusiasts on a budget who shoot mostly portraits, landscapes, or sports in decent light. Its super-fast burst speed and robust build remain appealing, but be prepared to wrestle with older tech and a more modest sensor.

The Nikon D600, meanwhile, modernizes mid-budget DSLRs with full-frame goodness, superior autofocus, and video capabilities that broaden creative horizons. It’s a powerhouse for those who want a versatile, future-proof camera with serious image quality - particularly if you pursue portraits, landscapes, or low-light shooting.

Whichever you choose, remember: lenses, technique, and your personal style outweigh specs on a sheet. But if you ask me which I’d pick to live with daily - the Nikon D600 edges ahead in every meaningful way, especially for demanding professional and creative workflows. The 40D, however, is an unsung hero still worthy of respect, especially for those who appreciate its classic, tactile shooting experience.

A Side-by-Side Visual Recap

Sample Images from Both Cameras

Canon 40D front Canon 40D screen back Nikon D600 front Nikon D600 screen back

Overall Performance Ratings

Genre-Specific Performance Analysis

Whether you prioritize classic DSLR speed or modern sensor finesse, this Canon vs. Nikon face-off offers a fascinating glimpse into how far digital has come - and how much your choice depends on your photographic journey. If you have any questions or want real-world use cases discussed, just ask - I’m here with 15 years of experience and an eye for the truly useful.

Happy shooting!