Speaking of the Menu, kudos to the designer who put all the main categories at the top of the LCD, with easy switching between them via the top-mounted Main dial. You'll soon become adept at making choices by using that dial and the Quick Control dial on the back of the camera. Of note also is the Info button, which makes quick work of switching between screen images, from full screen for review and Live View, settings (now in readable typeface), histogram and highlight control. The Mode dial atop the camera contains all the usual Exposure modes, plus the Scene modes (a tip of the hat to the beginner who might be enticed to use this camera) and three "C" settings, where you register Custom Functions and other settings to customize the camera to the subject and lighting. For example, you can register noise reduction on one "C" mode, monochrome with red filter on another, etc. You can even set one up for exposure simulation when in the Live View setup, which shows the implications of exposure setting changes on the camera.

I was most curious about the "Highlight Tone Priority" Custom Function. This is an attempt to control clipped highlights in contrasty scenes, and while still dependent on your ability to read light correctly it does do a credible job on slightly overexposed highlights. I tested it with exposure compensation settings, going up to +2 and found that it always gave a better highlight rendition than when disabled (although oddly when enabled it sets ISO at 200). As noted by Canon, it does deepen shadows somewhat (and that's expected) but not to what you might get if you read the highlight with spot or spot+1 with the concomitant depending of shadows. In "normal" contrasty scenes it stopped the highlight warning in the finder after exposure, where the disabled shot did not.

Crop & Details

One way to judge sharpness and edge quality is to make a series of crops from a full-frame image. This shot was made with the EF 28-135mm lens with IS on at the 135mm setting. At 16-bit TIFF the full frame is 57MB; the first crop resulted in a 17MB file; and the third a 3.12MB file. Edges retain their contrast and form, there is no pixellation or jaggies and the colors do not fall apart on enlarged prints. Having a 57MB 16-bit file means you never have to apologize about cropping into the frame. Like the EOS 30D before it, the EOS 40D delivers crisp images, now with 14-bit quality.

You know by now that overexposed highlights are the bane of digital exposure settings. That's because the photo site, unlike film, which merely builds density, overflows the brightness value when it peaks at its maximum capability (255). This Custom Function changes the tonal curve so that highlights are less out of control, and is a processing solution to a pixel characteristic problem, and a clever one at that.

The ease with which you can work with this camera is quite satisfying. All the controls are evident and easily accessed, although I would vote for an ISO button that is a bit easier to use, as this is something I change quite often. I would not necessarily use Auto ISO; although the ISO 400 setting results are very good, I still would opt for ISO 100 when possible. The shooting speed and response is remarkable. At 6.5 fps, a speed that is sufficient for all but sports pros, in my opinion, it can help you capture the decisive moment every time. And the focusing speed is also impressive, what with the cross-type AF sensors in the finder. The quality of the results using built-in flash, especially in Program for fill, are the best I have seen. It has dust delete, sensor cleaning, wireless capability, and even interchangeable focusing screens. And image results with 14-bit raw are sure to satisfy the most demanding advanced amateur photographer.

Low Light

Those who enjoy candid low-light shooting will enjoy using an IS lens with the rather clean high ISO images the EOS 40D delivers. Canon notes that noise reduction is applied at all ISO settings, but my recommendation is that you set Custom Function 02/2 (high ISO noise reduction) for your night and low-light shots when working at any ISO above 1000. Canon notes that low speeds can benefit (in terms of shadow noise sometimes noticeable in continuous tone blue sky) from noise reduction as well. While the headlamps are of course burnt up in this shot, the ISO 1600 setting made getting a handheld shot of this fairly dark area on New York's 14th Street easy to grab. (Exposure: IS on, ISO 1600, f/4.5 at 1/30 sec.

The EOS 40D lists for $1299 (body only). For those seeking a responsive, quality D-SLR in the mid-price range it is more than worthy of consideration.

For more information, contact Canon U.S.A., Inc., One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042; (800) 652-2666, (516) 328-5000; www.canonusa.com.