Canon EOS 350D

When Canon launched the EOS 300D 18 months ago there was a huge wave of interest from amateur photographers. Winning the race to release the first sub- £1,000 camera was a huge bonus for Canon who won over an army of new customers all keen to upgrade their point-and-shoot digital cameras, as well as giving film shooters a reason to migrate to digital.

And they weren’t disappointed – the six-megapixel 300D set the benchmark and withstood challenges from the likes of the Nikon D70 and the Pentax *istD. Image quality was incredible, the range of control was effective enough for seasoned pros and first time snappers, and interchangeable lenses banged the final nail into the compact format coffin.

So why, after such a short period of time, does Canon feel the need to upgrade? A quick glance through the improvements reveals how fast the technology is evolving. The new model now boasts an effective eightmegapixel sensor, which almost matches the image size of the semiprofessional EOS 20D. Start-up time is no longer an issue because the previous two-second wait is now reduced to 0.2 seconds. There’s also a slight increase in the continuous shooting rate, which rises up from 2.5fps to 3fps. But with the speed now maintained for up to 14 JPEGs, compared with four on the 300D, you’ll soon be filling up your card.

There’s also the option to record images in both JPEG and RAW formats simultaneously. This means you can choose to access snapshots quickly or spend time getting the most from your negatives using either the updated DPP RAW image processing software included or the Photoshop RAW camera plug-in.

But the most immediate difference with the 350D is its size. It has been reduced in proportion, making it a much lighter and more solid piece of kit, though whether this reduction is to be seen as a benefit or not is down to individual preference. The button positioning on the back is identical, and you’ll still be prodding yourself in the nose when changing the aperture, but such annoyances can be easily compensated for when you consider the quality of the image it produces.

The DIGIC processor provides significant speed gains and improved colour reproduction, and you’ll also find white balance is much truer. Plus, noise is virtually silenced even at higher ISO speeds.

For those upgrading, the body kit provides incredible value for money when you compare the costs and specifications of the 350D against the 20D. However, we think first-time buyers should try an alternative lens to the standard 18-55mm EF-S kit lens – the EF-S 17-85mm IS USM, for example. The extended range coupled with image stabilising and an ultrasonic motor will give you a far greater range with some valuable additional stops.

An essential buy, but the 20D is due for an upgrade soon…

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