Although rumors began to circulate about this model as much as a year ago--for example, here's a Crunchgear post from September, 2006--the Canon EOS 40D will finally hit stores within the next two weeks. Unsurprisingly, the much-speculated upon replacement for the
| 30D | 40D | |
| Sensor | 8.2-megapixel CMOS | 10.1-megapixel CMOS |
| A/D conversion | 12-bit | 14-bit |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 3200 | ISO 100 - ISO 3200 |
| Focal-length multiplier | 1.6X | 1.6X |
| Continuous shooting | 5 fps 30 JPEG/11 raw | 6.5fps 75 JPEG/17 raw |
| Viewfinder | 95% coverage 0.90X magnification 20mm eye point fixed matte focusing screen | 95% coverage 0.95X magnification 22mm eye point interchangeable matte focusing screen. 2 optional focusing screens $45 each: grid, Super-Precision Matte |
| Autofocus | 9-point AF single cross-type in center | 9-point AF all cross-type to f/5.6 |
| Live View | No | Yes |
| LCD size | 2.5 inches | 3 inches |
| Shutter durability | 100,000 cycles | 100,000 cycles |
There's a lot here that strengthens the 40D's credibility as a semipro workhorse. Canon added dust- and weatherproofing on the CF slot, buttons and all connection points, and implemented the same integrated cleaning system that's in the Mark III series. The control layout and menus are similar to that of the Mark III series as well, for a better experience using the 40D as a supplement to those models. Unlike the Mark III, Live View with the 40D supports autofocus; pressing the AF button briefly locks up the mirror, and Canon claims it has a silent electronic first curtain shutter, making it quieter and faster.
Continuous shooting performance gets a boost from the Digic III image processor, and the increase to nine cross-type AF sensors (up to f/5.6) from one should significantly speed up autofocus performance. Canon claims AF calculation speed is 30 percent faster in the 40D than the 30D. Furthermore, supporting interchangeable focusing screens allows for the option of more precise manual focus.
On the wait-and-see-if-it-matters front, Canon says the larger 3-inch LCD renders a broader color gamut, but shrinks the viewing angle from 170 degrees to 140 degrees. And, although Canon says it's unchanged, the specs indicated that spot size for spot metering has increased slightly, from 3.5 percent to 3.8 percent of the viewfinder--that's relatively large. And it would have been nice to eke out ISO 6,400 in this model.
Nevertheless, we're all eagerly waiting to see what this baby can do. Stay tuned.
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