The eagerly awaited EOS 1D Mark III digital SLR is now expected to go on sale in the UK around ?mid-May?, Canon UK has confirmed.

The camera, which boasts 10 frames-per-second (fps) shooting, had originally been due for release in April.

Canon UK?s Surrey headquarters have been told it will be available from around the middle of this month.

However, a spokesman for Canon UK said the company is still waiting for final confirmation of an exact arrival date.

The EOS 1D Mark III is a 10.1-million-pixel model mainly aimed at photojournalists and is designed to replace Canon?s EOS 1D Mark II which carries a continuous burst rate of around 8.5fps.

First revealed to the world?s press in February, it is expected carry a body only price of £3,049.

Full UK specification for the EOS 1D Mark III can be seen here:

EOS 1D Mark III specification