Finally Announced - The Canon EOS 40D

By Robert • August 21, 2007

Canon EOS 40D

After months of speculation, rumors, and fake product photos - Canon has finally announced the Canon EOS 40D. It has been 18 months almost to the day since the EOS 30D made it’s appearance.

Was it worth the wait? You bet! The EOS 40D can be called evolution rather than revolution. Still, the new camera is packed with improvements and new features. It seems that every complaint about the EOS 30D, no matter how minor, has been addressed in the EOS 40D.

What’s New?

New 22.2 x 14.8 mm CMOS sensor

10.1 million effective pixels

DIGIC III processor

14-bit A/D conversion

EOS Integrated Cleaning System

9-point TTL autofocus with cross-type sensors

Interchangeable focusing screens

Re-designed viewfinder

Auto ISO in Creative Zone exposure modes

ISO sensitivity in viewfinder

3.0″ TFT LCD with Live View

Improved burst buffer

sRAW file recording format (1936 x 1288 pixels)

6.5 fps high-speed continuous shooting

New Battery Grip BG-E2N (not included)

None of the improvements were a big surprise to me except the Live View function. I never expected to see it anywhere except in the Canon 1D series of camera bodies.

Less obvious is the 14-bit Analog-to-Digital (A/D) conversion process. The EOS 40D is able to recognize 16,384 colors per channel which is four times the number of colors recognized by the EOS 30D’s 12-bit conversion capability.

And, the suggested retail price of EOS 40D (US$1,299) is US$100 less than that of the EOS 30D at the time it was launched. How did Canon do that?

No word yet on when the EOS 40D will arrive in Singapore. However, if you are in the USA or know someone there, you can order the body at Amazon.com. Hover over the link for price and availability.

Check out the Canon EOS 40D press photos in my gear gallery. You’ll even find a photo of the new battery grip!

Test photos, including one ISO 800 shot, have been posted on the Canon Japan Bebit site.

Two new EF-S lenses were also launched in conjunction with the EOS 40D. A new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS replaces the previous version without image stabilization. And, a new EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS, the longest focal range in the EF-S range to date with image stabilization as well.

Check the Canon Street Prices page for up-to-date information about availability in Singapore.

Right-click and download the Canon EOS 40D Brochure.