Canon’s Amazing CMOS Sensor
I am forever fasci-
nated by how Nature repeats
herself. Like all living creatures,
flowers have their very
distinct personalities and
similar to making a portrait
of a person, when photo-
graphing flowers I am chal-
lenged to capture something
of their individual personali-
ties, moods and gestures.
”
Massive Files, Better
Detail
Canon’s new 10.1-million
pixel CMOS sensor uses technology straight
from the professional EOS-1D Mark III. It’s
totally re-designed, reaching new levels of light-
gathering efficiency and low-noise performance.
The APS-C size sensor has the same effective
lens conversion factor (1.6x) as the previous
EOS 30D. In conjunction with the new DIGIC III
Image Processor and this new CMOS sensor,
the EOS 40D images break new ground in total
image quality.
14-bit Depth for Greater Color Range
With the EOS 40D, analog to digital signal conver-
sion is executed by a 14-bit processor (16,384
tones), which generates digital data of fine
gradation without tonal skipping. Canon’s pro-
prietary RAW and new small RAW (sRAW) images
take full advantage of this rich 14-bit gradation
and can be processed with Canon’s Digital Photo
Professional software. JPEG images with 8 bits
per color derived from 14-bit data are provided
in four sizes (10.1MP, 8.0MP, 5.3MP or 2.5MP),
which also are available in the EOS 40D’s RAW +
JPEG mode.
Highlights Preserved for Improved
Detail
Highlight Tone Priority feature extends the
EOS 40D’s tonal range of bright areas, minimizing
loss in highlight detail. This vital Custom Function
lets you get even better detail in bright light,
especially in situations with contrasty light.
It’s a perfect feature for working with harsh
studio lights, and invaluable outdoors when
ambient light is in constant flux.
Tremendous
Power for
Low Light
Photography
This camera has
an extensive ISO
range (from 100 to
1600 plus ISO 3200* in extended mode) which
is selectable in 1/3-stop increments. The sensor
features a newly developed set of narrow-
gap microlenses and noise reduction
circuits to improve performance at
high ISOs, and optimized photodiode
configurations for improved perform-
ance at all ISOs. It’s simply more
efficient, and that translates into
better images.
Better White Balance for
Better Exposures
Now with improved white balance,
your colors will be spot-on. Nine
different white bal-
ance modes are
featured for specific
lighting conditions.
Where you used to
have to change
films or attach
expensive filters to compensate for light tem-
perature, the EOS 40D does it all automatically.
Presets for daylight, shade, overcast situations,
indoor tungsten and fluorescent light, plus
flash, custom, color temperature and white
balance bracketing ensure accurate whites
and colors anytime.
Automated Brightness and Contrast
Correction
When shooting in basic automatic modes, the
EOS 40D has a new Auto Brightness/Contrast
Correction feature that adjusts less-than perfect
exposures to ensure both proper dark and
highlight points in the image, as well as optimal
contrast. This feature is perfect for underexposed
scenes, as one might get on the beach or in snow,
in situations where the flash is not powerful
enough and in hazy, overcast situations with
little or no contrast.
10.1 MP
CMOS
14-bit A/D
Conversion
Front-end
processing
circuit
DIGIC III
DDR
SDRAM
CF card
Inspired. By Canon.
Barbara Bordnick
Image-processing Sequence Diagram
EOS 40D’s 10.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS Sensor (Actual size)
Superlative Image Quality
EOS 40D’s Highlight Tone Priority feature minimizes the loss of highlight
detail. Along with Canon’s CMOS sensor, exclusive DIGIC III Image Processor
and 14-bit A/D converter, images will have the greatest of detail with the
widest possible tonal range.
ISO Speed Selection Screen
White Balance Selection Screen
* Standard output sensitivity. Recommended exposure index.
©Barbara Bordnick
9
Photography by
Canon Explorers of Light
(clockwise
from top left): ©Barbara Bordnick, ©Rick Sammon,
©Bruce Dorn, ©Douglas Kirkland, ©Adam Jones,
©William Neill
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