Canon EOS 450D Review

Product Details We clicked with: Crisp, vibrant images Fast, nine-point AF system Low noise at all ISO Good entry point to Canon's huge system Shots in the dark: Live View not lively enough Auto WB inconsistencies No in-camera image stabilisation Stiff competition at lower prices

The Canon EOS 450D reviewed here is the top model of the company's trio of entry-level DSLRs. Launched at the beginning of the year, the Canon EOS 450D builds upon the strengths of the Canon EOS 400D. More recently, along came the Canon EOS 1000D, which replaces the Canon EOS 400D. Only it doesn't; the Canon EOS 400D is still around. This currently makes for a potentially confusing array of similar models priced very close to one another. You'll find the prices of all three to be closely matched, too - all three cameras, with the same Canon EF-S 18-55IS kit lens, can be had for between £400-£500. All of which makes the Canon EOS 450D potentially the best of the bunch.

Camera and controls
The Canon EOS 450D is a 12.4 megapixel design (12.2 effective megapixels) using Canon's own CMOS sensor. Your photos are then fed through Canon's DIGIC III processor and 14-bit A/D converter, allowing you to deal with 14-bit RAW files, as opposed to 12-bit files found in its peers. What this means is smoother looking colour gradations, although in the real world the benefits of a 14-bit file are negligible. It includes Live View LCD previewing with contrast-detection autofocus, an ultrasonic sensor cleaner, a three-inch LCD, nine-point autofocus, a two-step dynamic range enhancer, allows for automatic ISO compensation and can support 'My Menu' custom settings and files its pictures on a SD or SDHC card. Phew!

We could compare all the specifications of the three Canon cameras in microscopic detail, but there's little point; except for the Canon EOS 1000D being fractionally smaller and lighter, the Canon EOS 450D has all the best parts of the other two Canon DSLRs in its class, and adds a few great touches of its own. 'nuff said.

There's a lot of, well, cobblers said about the ergonomics of cameras by those of us who aren't trained in the sport. Most of this comes down to familiarity with one camera system and hand size. The small form factor of the Canon EOS 450D might make operation tricky if you have shovels for fingers, but no more than any of its rivals. It is lightweight and that makes it 'plasticky' to the touch, but don't mistake it's lack of bulk for lack of ruggedness; this is a deceptively tough DSLR that can take the knocks as well as the next camera. The AF system is robust, too; that nine-point system is just about as good as it gets for the money.

Picture Quality
Canon cameras make great pictures and nothing about the Canon EOS 450D tarnishes that reputation. Images produced here are bright, colourful and crisp, even taken unprocessed straight from the camera. This last point is an important one; out-of-camera JPEGs from the Nikon D40 and D60 seem softer than those from this model. That said, there's a counter-argument to say the Canon images seem more 'processed' than the Nikon ones. Unfortunately, we didn't have the chance to test the two side by side.

Faced with a scene with a large dynamic range, the Canon EOS 450D metering will go for a brighter image were possible, which can burn out highlight information. Once again though, this makes for a more instantly accessible out-of-camera JPEG without requiring post-production surgery - the logic goes like this; people prefer their subject matter to be less 'moody' looking, even at the expense of blown highlights. Shooting in RAW, playing round with settings and storing them in one of your 'My Menu' spaces and in-camera dynamic range enhancement all help make this almost a non-issue.

Canon's reputation for low noise pictures across a range of ISO sensitivities is richly deserved. In the case of the Canon EOS 450D, any chance of noise is effectively hammered down; although there's not much noise at any ISO, Canon has included high ISO noise reduction to wipe out the small amount of chroma noise present. It's still not a noiseless camera, but unless you go looking for it, noise will not trouble most users.

ISO: 100	200
400	800
1600

Conclusion
There are one or two minor hiccups; live view arguably being the biggest. The LV system uses contrast-detection autofocus, which is from the 'accurate, but glacial' school. It's perfect for tripod-based still life or macro shots of non-moving things, but it falls way behind the more useful systems found in current Olympus and especially Sony DSLRs. White balance is also a generation behind some of the best in show; 'Auto' does well in daylight, but can get troubled under artificial light. In particular, it won't sit still, and can be inconsistent from frame to frame. Putting the camera in the appropriate fixed WB setting, or taking a custom reading, is a better option here. But, as we said… hiccups, not dirty great hacking coughs.

The Canon EOS 450D has big shoes to fill. The original EOS 300D was the first camera to bring the DSLR to a wide audience, by being extremely aggressively priced and being extremely simple to use. It broke new ground. By contrast, the Canon EOS 450D is not the cheapest (or arguably easiest to use) DSLR on the market and will always be judged harshly - and sometimes unfairly - for that. Although it may not be the cheapest around and it faces stiff competition from cheaper rivals, it still has much to offer especially for those wanting to gain access to Canon's huge array of lenses.

Our Verdict

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Sensor	12.2 megapixel CMOS sensor (22.2 x 14.8mm)
LCD monitor	230,000 dot 3-inch TFT LCD monitor with 160-degree viewing angle
Sensitivity	ISO 100-1,600 (auto ISO 100-400)
Auto Focus Points	9-point AF system, single cross type (f/2.8) at centre
White balance	Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash and Custom
On board flash	Built in pop up, GN13 (ISO 100), E-TTL II compatible
Shutter speed and flash sync	30sec-1/4000th second (plus Bulb) Flash sync to 1/200th second
Continuous shooting	3.5fps
Storage	SD/SDHC
Battery	Lithium-Ion LP-E5 rechargeable battery
Lens type / fitting	Canon EF mount (EF-S lenses supported)
Other / Key features	Live View with contrast-detection autofocus Integrated sensor cleaner Picture Style image processing 11 shooting modes (including P/A/S/M) 'My Menu' user preset settings Optional battery grip