11. Up To 6.5 Fps Shooting Speed

The super fast DIGIC III processor supports shooting speeds up to 6.5 fps for bursts of up to 75 Large/Fine JPEGs or 17 RAW images. That’s quite a feat for a camera in the 40D’s price range and will make it popular with sports, child and animal photographers.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System

The 40D has a sensor self cleaning system similar to the 1Ds Mark III. The only thing missing seems to be the dust removal system for the shutter. See the section of the 1Ds Mark III’s cleaning system for details.

The 40D’s self cleaning sensor

Like the 1Ds Mark III the 40D includes post processing PC software for dust removal.

AF System With 9 Cross-type Sensors

The EOS 40D uses the nine-point AF coverage introduced on the EOS 20D. However, with the 40D, Canon claims to have made significant improvements to "AF speed, precision and functionality, minimizing subject recognition problems in the process." 40D’s redesigned nine-point AF sensor "provides cross-type AF measurement at all nine focusing points for maximum apertures up to f/5.6, and for the first time in any EOS camera, the central AF point offers enhanced precision for both vertical and horizontal subject contrast when using EF or EF-S lenses featuring maximum apertures of f/2.8 or faster. AF calculation speed with the EOS 40D camera is 30 percent faster than the EOS 30D model."

The 40D’s 9 point cross as seen from the viewfinder.

This illustration shows how the 40D’s 9 point cross focusing system works.