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Review of the Canon EOS 450D

Canon EOS 450D

Canon EOS 450D
Even before its announcement, it was clear that Canon’s follow-up to the EOS 400D would have its work cut out. Not only does it have the success of its predecessors to follow, but its arrival comes at a time when the DSLR market is abundant with entry-level offerings, from both established SLR manufacturers and those relatively new to the market.

Feature-wise, Canon seems to have cherry-picked the best elements of its recent 40D and 1D series models and packed them into the 450D. A jump in resolution, a larger LCD screen dominating the rear and the now almost obligatory live-view functionality all tick this year’s shopping list of features, resulting in a model with much of the functionality of its enthusiast siblings combined with the portability and ease of use of the 400D. It certainly promises a lot, but in the face of strong competition can the 450D pull off enough tricks to help Canon maintain its market lead?


Specification

Sensor CMOS, 22.2 x 14.8mm, APS-C type, 12.4MP total / 12.2MP eff
Output size 4272 x 2848 pixels
Focal length mag 1.6x
Lens mount EF / EF-S
File format Raw, JPEG, Raw + JPEG
Compression 6 stage JPEG
Colour space Adobe RGB, sRGB
Shutter type Electronically controlled, vertical plane shutter
Shutter speeds 1/4000-30sec + bulb
Flash sync speed 1/200sec
Built-in image stabilisation No
Dust reduction Yes
ISO Range 100-1600
Exposure modes Auto, PASM, A-Dep, 6 scene
Metering system 35 zone evaluative, partial, centre-weighted average, spot
Exposure comp +/-2EV in ½ or 1/3 increments
White balance Auto, 6 presets, custom
White balance bracket +/- 3 stops in full-stop increments
Colour temp control Yes
Drive mode Single, continuous, self timer, remote self timer, self timer cont
Live View Yes
LCD 3in TFT LCD, 230,000 pixels
Viewfinder type Eye-level pentamiror
Field of view 95%
Dioptre adjustment Yes
Focusing modes One Shot AF, AI Servo, AI Focus
AF points Nine
DoF preview Yes
PC socket No
Built-in flash Yes, GN13 @ ISO 100
Cable release Optional
Memory card SD/SDHC
Power LP-E5 Lithium Ion battery
Connectivity USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
Weight 475g (without battery, card or accessories)
Dimensions 128.8 x 97.5 x 61.9mm