Archive for the 'Canon EOS 40D' category

The Canon Japanese web site did it again. Now we get a neary full description of the new Canon EOS 50D. With all nice photos of the replacement for the Canon EOS 40D.

Canon EOS 50D

Seeing that this also presents a 15MP camera, I start to wonder whether Canon has really a replacement ready for the EOS 5D Full Frame SLR camera. Several of the features attributed (by the rumour) to the EOS 5D MkII seem to be appearing on the Canon EOS 50D. It could mean that the leaks were actually coming from the EOS 50D and not the EOS 7D (or whatever name it will have).

Of course, we will have to wait a little more to know if Canon is really ready to announce two major cameras at the Photokina fair (one Canon EOS 50D in mid-range and one Canon EOS 7D at the high-end). But it looks more and more like Nikon and Sony will have an empty field to compete with the aging Canon EOS 5D.

Amateurs of sports photography and wildlife photography are generally well aware that the Holy Grail of lenses seems to be a (relatively) light tele-zoom lens of 100-400mm range and an aperture under f/5.6. This set of features allows a lot of versatility (tele range with the ability to quickly and easily change the frame) and a good behaviour in terms of AF (most modern AF behave correctly up to f/5.6 but no further than this).

This is the reason why the Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS UM and Nikon AF 80-400mm VR f/4.5-5.6 D ED has been so successful despite their obviously high prices (around $2000). When I’m on photo safari, I’d say that about half the people around me have one of the Canons as their main lens (somtimes, it’s even their only lens).

Some time ago, Sigma added its own version of this lens (see this high-end zoom lens comparison). And it was a winner in terms of price-performance.

Now, we can expect several significant news in this range of products coming from different manufacturers.

• Sony presented about a year ago a mockup of a zoom lens corresponding well to this range. The word is out that it will be a 70-400mm f/5.6 zoom presented to the European press on August 14th (for an official launch in the beginning of September, probably at the same time Sony launches the Sony Alpha 800 and/or Sony Alpha 900 Full Frame camera(s)).
• According to some rumors (mainly originating from an unsubstantiated initial post at NikonRumours), there will soon be a Nikon AF80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR update. And this should be explaining the reduced availability of the original version.

I would even be tempted to read between the lines of a recent test article of Chasseur d’Image and say that Canon will also be hard pressed to provide an update to its aging 100-400mm. After all, it’s a real cash cow and a sure sale for owners of top- and mid-range cameras like the Canon EOS 40D (and possibly its successor EOS 50D - next year?).

The current rumour is that top hats from Canon Japan are currently travelling to China to support the imminent launch of one or two new SLR cameras for the brand. It would be the replacement for the Canon EOS 5D (the most repeated name is now Canon EOS 7D, but who knows) and the successor to the Canon EOS 40D (obviously named EOS 50D).

Since the EOS 5D MkII is expected around this time and no later than September PMA fair, this is quite a possibility and having a handful of these cameras in the hands of pro photographers for all to see would be a very nice promotional opportunity for Canon. This is much needed after the thunderous launch of the Nikon D700 and just before the arrival of the Sony Alpha 800/900 (direct competitors in the Full Frame SLR camera market).

I’m still sceptical about an EOS 50D that would be arriving a little too early according to Canon habits in terms of launches, except if it was a low-cost version of the previous Full Frame camera. And, there, it would be a great event. Think about it! Simultaneous launch of two war machines hitting right into the center of the preoccupations of the most enthusiast photographers.

Some people expect the announcement to happen on Monday.

After going to version 1.0.4, we hear that the firmware for the Canon EOS 40D camera is now in version 1.0.5.

I balance between the admiration for a company (Canon) that do not hesitate to quickly correct the bugs of its software and the impatience o seeing the device was obviously not ready for the market when it has been made available.

Latest news about the Canon EOS 40D.

Think Camera has a new review of the EOS 40D. Nothing fancy, but the reliable analysis expected from TC. They love the camera, and I can understand from what I could peek at a couple of models recently.

Interestingly, the review of the Canon 40D at The-Digital-Picture.com shows that they are currently shipping a frimware revision 1.0.4. They seems to think that there is something weird with Adobe CameraRaw when using this firmware. I could not test it by myself. But, be warned.

Additonally, you can find the latest Canon EOS 40D sales guide on the same The-Digital-Picture.com web site. It’s big 11MB PDF, but well worth reading if you don’t have the sales pitch from your Internet e-commerce web site.

Last but not least, Tom’s Guide publishes a review of the Canon EOS 40D in French, more for the consumer than the photogrpaher, but interesting nevertheless.

After rumour time, here is reality for the Canon EOS 40D. There are more and more tests (starting with previews) of this nice digital camera.

• Imaging resource (English)
• DC resource (English)
• Steve’s Digicam (English)
• DPreview, review, Phil Askey, October 2007 (English)
• DPreview, preview (English)
• Chasseur d’Image (présentation) (Français)
• The Digital Picture (English)
• Outback Handbook: Canon EOS 40D Review Diary
• PhotographyBlog (English)
• CNET review (English)
• QuestionsPhoto (Français)

After months of intense speculation and many rumours, Canon is finally ready to disclose all the details about its long-expected Canon EOS 40D (the sequel to the successful 20D/30D Digital Single Lens Reflex - SLR).

But it’s Amazon which has shown all the details by starting a page to take pre-orders: Canon EOS 40D on Amazon. It will be a great camera to cover all needs of the most enthusiastic consumers.

Note: The delivery will only happen after 20th of Spetember 2007.

Most of the admirers of Canon will say that it was worth waiting. The others will notice that -once again- Canon did not create a revolution in this technical segment, but ensures that the pace of evolution is very steady: This is a nearly pro camera with its impressive connectivity, and its consumer-like price.

Nikon and their D200 (soon a D300?), Pentax and their K10D (much cheaper and possibly more interesting) or Sony (and their future high-end camera) should take notice and prepare to fight for the customers that the EOS 40D may quickly attract.

After the recent information (or rumour) that Sony is actually preparing a 14-million-pixel digital SLR camera under the name of either Alpha 200 or Alpha 300, and taking into acount that Nikon is in tight partnership with Sony since the Nikon D200, it is time to ask what resolution will come out of the next replacement of the D200.

I would bet on Nikon using the same 14MP+ for the Nikon D300 (as the D200 used a speedier version of the Alpha 100 10MP sensor). If this happens and the Canon 40D still has a 10MP or even a 12MP CMOS sensor, it could mean that the both Nikon and sony will have a nice time beating the Canon 40D just out of launch. Even if you repeat that resolution is not the solution to all problems, Canon would have to fight for image quality (and we know they are at the highest level of the competition) without having any resolution advantage, while users are still driven by mega-pixel figures.

At least, the end of life of the ageing Canon EOS 30D should be announced on Monday 21st in Canada (along with a similar fate for the G7). There is a very high expectation that this will also mean launch of the Canon EOS 40D.

Complementary note: In the UK, LCE would have started taking pre-orders for the EOS 40D and some of their sales managers would have a launch meeting with Canon on Tuesday the 22nd.

This time, we are nearing the full confirmation that the Canon EOS 40D will be present in the photo stores on September 2nd. Some US Internet users tried to collect direct data and learned that the camera is expected in stock at Best Buy (pre-orders would be accepted from some brick-and-mortar stores) at this date and with a $1599 price sticker (seeing the buzz around it while there is still no official announcement and no camera has been seen out of very closed circles, I have to understand the position of Canon willing to take advantage of the public rush and keeping relatively high prices compared to the $1500 normally requested for a Canon 30D).

Meanwhile some Canon web sites (including China) started experimenting with the removal of the 30D from very visible lists (for example, removal of the 30D from a graphical list of products). All is well in accordance with the preparation of an imminent launch for the EOS 30D.

The AF (auto-focus) system of the 40D would come from the Canon 1D Mk III but in a slightly simplified version. Since we already knew that it would only have 9 AF zones (instead of 19 crosses). “1D Mk III-lite” merely seems to mean that they will use a common algorithm and a simplified AF-sensor set. Hard to say if this will have a performance as impressive as the 1D Mk III.

Nobody is expecting weather-sealing anymore (the 40D will have about the same build as a 30D) and everybody seems to be convinced that the sensor will be a 10MP CMOS sensor with a crop factor of 1,6 (but I keep wondering whether they would bring an even more attractive 12MP in a market already full of 10MP sensors) along with 14-bit Digic-III for the best possible RAW image quality. The ISO-sensitivity should be a major pro of this camera with ISO 100-3200 + 6400h (image quality would be significantly improved from the 30D, leading to one of the best images of the market). All this is protected by active dust cleaning of the sensor (but we are still hoping that they did not copy the relatively poor 400D and went for the excellent DC technology of the 1D Mk III).

The Canon EOS 40D would be able to go as fast as 6,5 frames/second to beat the direct competition of the Nikon D200 (let’s wait for the Nikon D300) with a big buffer (60 JPEG images, 12-15 RAW images). But this enormous speed could be limited by the user from the menus (normal photographers would certainly be in a hot spot trying to avoid double photos with this feather-light-trigger machine; So, Canon decided to offer a confortable saddle to the cow boy who would be afraid to ride bareback this hot-blooded stallion).

If you add the superb 3″ LCD screen, you get a magnificent photo machine that should excite most expert amateur photographers, even more if she has a set of good Canon lenses already available.

Posts about EOS 40D: EOS 40D initial scoop All of them

According to Fred Miranda’s forums, there should be a major electronics company ready to include the Canon EOS 40D into its catalog from September 2nd. Things are getting more and more precise. They should be accelerating now…

This time, it seems that Canon let go a few images to start just-not-officially teasing the public. The first shots are not giving too much information, but it’s a good confirmation that it’s probably arriving very very soon.

No violent changes visible when we compare with the old Canon EOS 20D or 30D.

• I think that the viewfinder will not change since the exterior seems really unchanged.
• The LCD back display sees its size increase notably.
• The use of the button at the lower right of the LCD screen (the one with the little grey flower mini-logo) is not clear to me… Or is it the Picture style button of the 400D/Xti?
• On the rotary button of the left side, we can see the arrival of 3 new exposure modes (I can’t make their marking). Maybe they are user-programmable configurations.

Don’t you like it?

PS: The images are already gone from the original web site (SLRclub).

Update: Northlight-Images just got enough time to catch some more elements before they were removed from a German web site. They add precise information about the functions of the camera. Here are these images:

It gives a fair confirmation of the 3 programmable users modes (C1, C2, C3) and I let you count the number of AF zones or other interesting details.