Digital SLRs

Canon EOS 1000D

Entry-level camera that's packed full of features to entice D-SLR newcomers

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Last reviewed: August 7th

The 1000D looks similar to the 450D but is built slighter smaller

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Canon appears to be steamrolling its way over every competitor in the D-SLR market.

The recent launch of the 450D - a hybrid version of the entry-level 400D and semi-pro 40D - has been closely followed by the 1000D. And there's nothing like a randomly chosen model name to go and confuse its line up of D-SLRs.

The 1000D appears to be Canon's attempt to dominate the lucrative entry-level D-SLR market. And it may just have a winner on its hands.

1000D or 450D?

As current prices stand, the 1000D is only £40 cheaper than the better-specified 450D. This is sure to leave D-SLR newcomers in a cloud of confusion over which model to pick. At a guess, the 450D, with its bigger 12.2-megapixel sensor will probably take precedence.

Yet the price of the 1000D is pretty much guaranteed to drop in the coming months, as Canon will want to push this as the definitive entry-level D-SLR. If you're a digital compact user and looking for more creative licence, hang on a few months and the 1000D is sure to please.

A notable factor is the incredibly lightweight body. Weighing in at only 450g, it's one of the lightest D-SLRs out there (although not as light as the Olympus E-420, which weighs a mere 375g).

Even with the Image Stabilised kit lens (a worthy feature on such a camera) it's incredibly light and compact. Those with large hands may find the 1000D difficult to hold, and its smooth plastic body, without any real grip, lets its appearance and handling down somewhat

Strong on features

These gripes aside, the 1000D packs in a pretty impressive line-up of features.

Its 10.1-megapixel sensor may seem small compared to other D-SLRs, but it produces impressive results in a variety of lighting conditions. Close-up details, tones and textures appear sharp and crisp.

The 1000D may not have a Highlight Tone Priority mode, but it does well to produce fantastic images that have a great dynamic range, keeping detail in both highlight and shadow areas.

The 1000D shares the same Digic III processor as many of Canon's professional EOS cameras. It can also shoot 3 Jpegs per second continuously until your card is full up. Impressive stuff, but switch to RAW and you're limited to shooting just 1.5 frames per second.

Yet this probably won't be of concern to a first time D-SLR user who will want to just point and shoot.