Canon EOS 40D SLR Digital Camera Body Only

Price Range: $1,049.99 - $2,157.15

Product Features:

Canon’s EOS 40D is the company’s latest DSLR designed for enthusiasts and semi-pros. Announced in August 2007, it’s the successor to the EOS 30D, and continues Canon’s 18 month cycle for this product line. While the EOS 30D represented a minor upgrade over its predecessor though, the new 40D features significant improvements – and not a moment too soon considering arch rival Nikon’s leadership in mid-range DSLRs over the past two years.

Canon’s bumped the resolution from 8 to 10.1 Megapixels, added anti-dust features, increased continuous shooting to 6.5fps, and improved the viewfinder, AF system and weatherproofing. The A-D conversion and RAW files now work in 14-bits, the colour monitor is bigger at 3in, and perhaps most notably of all, the EOS 40D now features Live View facilities. Finally, the EOS 40D supports interchangeable focusing screens, an optional wireless transmitter and even shows the ISO in the viewfinder by popular demand.

Canon also launched two new zooms with the EOS 40D: a new version of the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens now with Image Stabilisation (although sadly no USM focusing), and an EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS budget zoom, again with stabilisation but no USM.

So what we have with the EOS 40D is a camera which appears comfortably superior to Nikon’s D80 and better in many respects to the D200. Indeed the EOS 40D is arguably a mini version of the EOS 1D Mark III with a cropped-frame sensor. Canon clearly took Nikon’s success over the last generation very seriously and after resting on its laurels with the EOS 30D, is now back and fighting.