Canon 40D - about to be launched?

With just two days to go before Canon officially revealed their Spring line-up of cameras, speculation on the arrival of a EOS 40D, as replacement for the 8Mp 30D, is rife. As was revealed on the EPZ forums, one Belgium photographic retailer was advertising the 40D with the following detail and specification. Until Thursday when all will be made clear, this is what may be the details of an exciting release from Canon.

Realise your photographic vision with the EOS 40D. Speed and precision in a tough magnesium alloy body, with access to over 60 EF lenses and the range of EOS accessories for unlimited creativity.

Specifications

• 10.1 MP CMOS sensor
• 5fps, 30 JPEG image burst
• Integrated Cleaning System
• 2.5in LCD with 230K pixels and 160º viewing angle
• Picture Style image processing
• Spot metering & 9-point AF
• DIGIC II processor with 0.2 sec start up
• Digital Photo Professional software
• Magnesium alloy body
• Compatible with all EF/EF-S lenses and EX Speedlite flashes
• Including powerpack and accessories

Designed to inspire. Built to last.

CMOS sensor
An 10.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor provides the sensitivity needed for clean, detailed images with fine colour gradation. Large sensor pixels allow for wide dynamic range and reduced noise at higher ISO speeds. The 22.5 x 15mm sensor size adds an effective 1.6x increase to the focal length of EF lenses, extending reach at the telephoto end.

5 fps shooting
The camera delivers fast 5 fps shooting for continuous bursts of up to 30 large JPEG images (11 in RAW). A new 3 fps shooting mode provides greater control for variable-speed sequences.

Large LCD
Illuminated by 6 LEDs, the bright 2.5 Inch 230K pixel LCD is viewable from 85° in almost all directions.

Picture Style
Picture Style pre-sets provide easy control over image processing parameters. Each style offers a different colour response - similar to the way film types are changed to achieve different effects. Sharpness, contrast, colour tone and saturation are adjustable within each pre-set.

Spot metering
Spot metering allows you to base the optimal exposure value on a concentrated spot (3.5%) in the scene - useful in high-contrast scenes where precise metering control is required.

High precision 9-point wide-area AF
Select from one of nine fixed focusing points across the scene for fast, accurate focusing even with off-centre subjects and 'rule-of-thirds' compositions.

DIGIC II
DIGIC II renders colours with precision and accuracy. Fast and efficient, DIGIC II prolongs battery life* and delivers instant 0.15 second start up time.

Digital Photo Professional software
The Digital Photo Professional software permits high-speed processing of lossless RAW images.

Magnesium alloy body
A compact magnesium alloy body provides durability while keeping the camera's weight down to 700 grams.

EF lenses and accessories
The EOS 40D is compatible with over 60 EF lenses (including the EF-S Series) and all EX Series Speedlite flash units. The E-TTL II flash algorithm passes key shooting data from compatible EF lenses - such as focal length, point of focus and distance information - to the Speedlites for consistently accurate flash exposures. Untethered shooting is possible with the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1.

Connectivity
Video Out allows reviewing on a TV screen. Connect with USB 2.0 Hi-speed for fast data transfers.

*750 shots per battery charge, according to CIPA standard testing.