The new Canon EOS 40D, announced by Canon on August 19th 2007, is the latest addition to Canon's line of "prosumer" cameras and replaced the Canon EOS 30D. While the EOS 30D was a minor upgrade of the EOS 20D, the new Canon EOS 40D is a whole new camera, with a variety of new hardware and software features including a new sensor, a new mirror/shutter assembly, a new LCD, a new A/D converter system and a new AF system.

I'm updating this EOS 40D review with new information as I continue to use and learn about the camera. Here are the updates so far:

This image of the back of the Canon EOS 40D shows some of the new external features. The large 3" LCD is immediately noticeable, especially to EOS 20D owners (the 20D has a 1.8" LCD). There's a new dedicated AF button at the top right and a dedicated "Picture Styles" button (the rightmost button below the LCD). Otherwise the control layout should be very familiar to users of the EOS 20D/30D.
From the front the Canon EOS 40D closely resembles the EOS 20D/30D. It's shown here with the optional 28-135/3.5-5.6IS USM kit lens. Note that that this lens normally sells for around $380, but is included for only $200 more than the price of the body alone when purchased with the camera as a kit, so it's something of a bargain. If you a then add a Canon EF-S 10-22/3.5-4.5 USM, you have good coverage from wide to short telephoto. That lens combination would give you the equivalent in 35mm terms of 16mm to 216mm, with a small (and pretty insignificant) gap from 37mm to 45mm.