Canon 40D DSLR Specs Revealed

The Canon EOS 40D DSLR has now been official announced by Canon. As reported yesterday, the camera features a 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, large 3.0-inch LCD display with enhanced Live View, 6.5 frame-per-second continuous shooting capability, sRAW mode with a 35-zone metering system, and an integrated Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit.

Here’s Why
Although used sparingly until recently, I’ve found shooting at 3 frames per second on the 350D rather clunky and slow. It’s okay for portraits when I want to capture a few images to eliminate blinking, etc, but when shooting sports, 3-fps really doesn’t cut it. 6.5 frames per second is a much appreciated improvement over the 3-fps in the 350D, and the 5-fps in the 30D.

When spending a lot of time in the field I find myself reviewing shots on a constant basis to check focus, aperture, and exposure. The enhanced 3-inch LCD screen with LiveView appears perfectly suited to aid in checking shots while (and after) shooting an image.

The Canon 350D performs rather poorly when pumping the ISO speed to 800 and above, I find this very inconvenient when shooting with slower glass in low light situations - grain is very apparent with shots at ISO 800, I don’t even want to get into ISO 1600. With the new Digic III processor, I’m hoping for much cleaner shots when shooting with a raised ISO speed.

The final feature I’m excited for is Auto ISO. When entering this custom function you have the ability to choose a desired shutter speed, and the camera will automatically adjust your ISO speed on the fly to keep your desired shutter speed in tact while keeping exposure even. Very, very handy if you’re shooting an important event and want a constant shutter speed without worrying about the ISO speed.

When & Why
Priced at $1299, it’s expected to ship on September 20th. I will not be placing a pre-order as I have a habit for purchasing technology on impulse. Instead, I’ll be putting a little away each month and picking it up over New Year 08 (I hope). The Canon 40D is everything I want in a DSLR.