Canon Digital Cameras SLR : Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera

Posted By Agus Mardiana

A little bigger in so many ways, the Canon EOS 40D is nevertheless familiar. Canon made important additions, some to keep up with the market, and others to meet needs expressed by users. The final product is a mostly improved high-end digital SLR camera that, while not a compelling upgrade for most 20D and 30D owners, is a great digital SLR camera.

canon slr camera

Product Features and Technical Details

Product Features

1. 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality poster-size prints
2. Large 3.0-inch LCD display with enhanced Live View and broadened color gamut
3. 6.5 frame-per-second continuous shooting capability (for bursts of up to 75 Large/Fine JPEGs or 17 RAW images)
4. sRAW mode; 35-zone metering system; integrated Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit
5. Powered by BP-511A, BP-511, or BP-512 lithium-ion battery pack; stores images on CF cards

canon slr camera

Technical Details

1. Color: Black
2. Type: Digital AF/AE SLR
3. Recording medium: CF Card Type I and II and external media (USB v2.0 hard drive, via optional wireless file transmitter)
4. Image format: 0.87 x 0.58 inches (APS-C size sensor)
5. Compatible lenses: Canon EF, EF-S, TS-E, and MP-E
6. Lens mount: Canon EF mount
7. Lens focal length conversion factor: 1.6x
8. Image sensor: High-sensitivity, high-resolution, single-plate CMOS
9. Pixels: Approximately 10.10 megapixels
10. Total pixels: Approximately 10.50 megapixels
11. Aspect ratio: 3:2 (horizontal: vertical)
12. Color filter system: RGB primary color filters
13. Low-pass filter: Fixed position in front of CMOS sensor
14. Recording format: DCF 2.0 (Exif 2.21); JPEG, RAW, and RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording possible; multiple options for recording images on memory card
15. Image format: JPEG, RAW (Canon CR2)
16. File size: JPEG/large: approximately 3.5 MB (3,888 x 2,592); JPEG/medium: approximately 2.1 MB (2,816 x 1,880); JPEG/small: approximatley 1.2 MB (1,936 x 1,288); RAW: approximately 12.4 MB (3,888 x 2,592); sRAW: approximately 7.1 MB (1,936 x 1,288)
17. Folders: Automatically created by camera
18. File numbering: Continuous, auto reset, manual reset
19. Color space: Selectable between sRGB and Adobe RGB
20. Interface: USB 2.0 high-speed mini-B port; NTSC/PAL for video output
21. White balance settings: Auto, daylight, shade, cloudy, tungsten, white fluorescent light, flash, custom WB setting, user-set color temperature
22. Auto white balance: Yes, taken from imaging sensor
23. Personal white balance: White balance bracketing: 3 consecutive images written to CF card for each firing of shutter; up to +/- 3 levels in 1-step increments; white balance shift: blue/amber bias and/or magenta/green bias +/- up to 9 levels; manually set by user
24. Viewfinder type: Eye-level SLR with solid glass pentaprism
25. Coverage: Approximately 95 percent
26. Magnification: 0.95x (-1 dpt with 50mm lens at infinity)
27. Eyepoint: Approximately 22mm
28. Dioptric adjustment correction: -3.0 to +1.0 diopter
29. Mirror: Quick-return half mirror (transmission: reflection ratio of 40:60)
30. Viewfinder information: AF (AF points, focus confirmation light), Exposure (shutter speed, aperture, ISO speed, AE lock, exposure level, spot metering circle, exposure warning), Flash (flash ready, flash exposure compensation, high-speed sync, FE lock, red-eye reduction light), Image (monochrome shooting, maximum burst, white balance correction, CF card information)
31. Depth-of-field preview: Enabled with depth-of-field preview button; possible in Live View function
32. Eyepiece shutter: None
33. Autofocus type: TTL-CT-SIR AF-dedicated CMOS sensor
34. AF points: 9 cross-type AF points, including center AF point; fully functional with f/5.6 or faster lenses
35. AF working range: EV -0.5 to 18
36. Focusing modes: Autofocus (One-Shot AF, Predictive AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF), manual
37. AF point selection: Automatic, manual
38. Selected AF point display: Superimposed red illumination in viewfinder; also visible on top or rear LCD panel when AF point select button is pressed
39. AF-assist beam: Intermittent firing of built-in flash
40. Metering modes: 35-zone TTL full-aperture metering: evaluative, partial, spot, center-weighted average
41. Exposure control systems: Program AE (shiftable), shutter-priority AE, aperture-priority AE, auto depth-of-field AE (non-shiftable), full auto (non-shiftable), programmed image control modes, manual exposure, E-TTL II autoflash program AE
42. ISO speed range: Equivalent to ISO 100 to 1,600 (in 1/3-stop or whole increments)
43. Exposure compensation: +/- 3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-half increments
44. AE lock: Auto: applied in One-Shot AF mode with evaluative metering when focus is achieved; manual: by AE lock button in all metering modes
45. Shutter type: Vertical-travel, mechanical, focal-plane shutter with all speeds electronically controlled
46. Shutter speeds: 1/8,000 to 30 seconds (1/3-stop increments); X-sync at 1/250 of a second
47. Shutter release: Soft-touch electromagnetic
48. Self-timer: 10-second and 2-second delay
49. Remote control: Canon N3 type terminal
50. Flash type: Auto pop up, retractable, built-in flash in pentaprism
51. Guide number: 13/43
52. Recycling time: Roughly 3 seconds
53. Flash-ready indicator: In viewfinder
54. Flash coverage: 17mm lens focal length
55. Flash metering system: E-TTL II autoflash
56. LCD monitor: 3-inch TFT color
57. Pixels: Approximately 230,000
58. Coverage: 100 percent
59. Brightness control: 7 levels
60. Image display format: Single image, 4-image index, 9-image index, jump, magnified zoom (approximately 1.5x to 10x), histogram, AF point display, auto rotate, rotate; live view: view image before shooting on LCD monitor; live histogram and live simulation of exposure level possible with C.Fn IV-7-1
61. Highlight alert: In the single image display and info display, over-exposed highlight areas will blink
62. Protection: Single or all images in memory card
63. Erase: Single image, select images, all images in CF card or unprotected images
64. Direct printing from camera: Yes, with Print/Share button
65. Compatible printers: CP and SELPHY compact photo printers, PIXMA photo printers, and PictBridge-compatible printers (via USB cable, included with camera kit)
66. Settings: Print quantity, style (image, paper size, paper type, printing effects, layout), trimming, tilt correction (compatibility varies, depending upon printer in use)
67. Power source: Dedicated battery pack, AC adapter
68. Number of shots: Approximately 1,100 images (normal shooting, no flash); approximately 800 images (50 percent flash use)
69. Battery check: Automatic
70. Item width: 5.7 inches
71. Item height: 4.2 inches
72. Item depth: 2.9 inches
73. Item weight: 26.1 ounces
74. Warranty: 1 year parts and labor

canon slr camera

Review By Shawn Barnett

Look and feel. When it comes to viewing images, composing in Live View, or changing menu settings, the large LCD is great to have.The Canon 40D’s Rear Command dial and the Multi-controller joystick are roughly where they are on other models, including the 30D, EOS-5D, and EOS-1D Mark III.

Prominent on the back of the Canon 40D is one new button heretofore only seen on the 1D Mark III: the AF-ON button. By default when shooting in Creative zone modes (Program, Shutter, etc.), it works much the same as a half-press of the shutter button.

On the right, the major difference is a special area on the Status LCD dedicated to constant display of the current ISO, also optimized for the word “Auto,” another interesting addition to the 40D’s “Creative Mode” abilities (Auto ISO is the default in Full Auto and Scene modes).

Image quality. As is typical of this particular line of Canon digital SLR cameras, images from the Canon 40D are excellent. High ISO images printed at 13×19 inches are usable from ISO 100 to 800, with little noticeable noise, and little evidence of noise suppression. Impressive.

I managed the time to shoot in my basement studio, and the results are quite crisp, made easier by the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens. There were very few out-of-focus shots, which was a surprise after all the other experiences I had, but most cameras I test do well with my simple studio lighting setup.

The troubles I had with the Multi-point AF system disappeared when I switched to my usual single-point shooting mode, and I’m guessing that most photographers considering the 40D will care as much about the Multi-point AF problem as if I said that the Landscape mode underexposed by one stop (it doesn’t; that’s just an example). Most of the 40D’s target audience won’t use either mode.

However, if you do use Multi-point AF on occasion, and especially if you’re already used to a 20D or 30D, be prepared for an occasional mis-focus now and then. The older models weren’t perfect, to be sure, but the 40D’s behavior often caught me by surprise.

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