Canon EOS 1000D & 18-55mm IS lens review

The EOS 1000D marks the beginning of a new product line, pitched below Canon's previous entry-level model, the 450D (see page 134).

It has a lower resolution, slower continuous speed, fewer autofocus points and a smaller screen than the 450D, and it lacks a spot metering mode. However, these specifications - and its price - place it more in line with the other cameras reviewed here.

One feature we didn't expect to see in this cut-price model is live view; the same system described in the 450D review is included here. The smaller 2in screen makes it slightly less appealing, but the screen's resolution is just as high at 230,000 pixels. The same optically stabilised lens is included, too, and provided reliably sharp photos at 1/8s shutter speeds in our tests - a remarkable achievement. The two cameras' button layouts are identical, with dedicated buttons for all the key photographic controls.

The 1000D's biggest drawback is its continuous performance when shooting in RAW mode. In our tests, it started at 1.4fps and slowed to 1.1fps after six shots. This initial speed compares badly with the others, which range from 2.6fps to 3.4fps, but all of them slow down after a few shots because the large RAW files take more time to write to a memory card. Continuous JPEG capture ran at an impressive 2.9fps until the card was full. We also found the 1000D extremely quick in normal use, with fast autofocus times contributing to gaps of just 0.4 and 0.8 seconds between shots without and with flash. The autofocus system exhibited none of the reliability problems experienced with the 450D.

Our tests revealed the 1000D to have arguably the highest image quality of all the cameras here. Automatic exposures were superbly judged, and although the Auto ISO setting isn't customisable its default behaviour is well conceived to balance the risks of blur and noise. Details were sharper than with the other 10-megapixel cameras and a whisker behind the 12-megapixel 450D, and it exhibited the lowest noise of all the cameras. The High ISO Noise reduction setting is off by default, resulting in a little chroma noise at the ISO 1600 setting, but switching it on largely eliminated it without sacrificing detail. However, doing so also disabled continuous shooting and white-balance bracketing.

This and the slow continuous performance in RAW mode are disappointing, but will probably not affect many users. Its performance in general use, accessible controls, plentiful features and image quality make it hard to resist. In What's New, Shopper 249, we were put off by the price, but with a £30 cashback offer (valid until 12th January 2009) bringing the price below £350, the 1000D is now our Best Buy.