The EOS 1300D is Canon's latest entry-level model and replaces the two-year-old EOS 1200D. Audley Jarvis finds out if this is one of the best choices for beginners
Canon EOS 1300D review
Canon EOS 1300D review: Features
The 1300D is built around the same 18-million-pixel APS-C CMOS sensor that was used by its predecessor, and while this allows some room for cropping, it’s not quite as generous as some of the 1300D’s immediate rivals. The Nikon D3300 (£250 body only), for example, comes with a 24MP sensor, while the considerably more expensive Sony Alpha 68 (£550 body only) also gets a 24MP sensor and the Pentax K-S2 (£470 body) benefits from a 20.1MP sensor.
Compared with the DIGIC 4 processor found inside the EOS 1200D, the 1300D’s DIGIC 4+ chip offers a modest performance benefit, primarily in terms of the number of images that can be consecutively recorded when the camera is used in continuous shooting mode. Elsewhere, the 1300D’s core specification is very much what we’d expect from an entry-level DSLR. Shutter speeds range from 30secs to 1/4,000sec, sensitivity ranges from ISO 100-6,400 (with an extended setting of 12,800) and video capture is possible at a maximum quality setting of 1,080p full HD at 30fps.
One area in which the 1300D greatly extends its appeal compared to its predecessor is the addition of built-in Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. This basically allows Apple and Android (but not Windows Phone) users to connect the camera directly to their smartphone or tablet using Canon’s free Camera Connect app. Once connected, Camera Connect can be used to transfer images from the camera directly to the connected mobile device, or to control the camera remotely. Given that most people now own a smartphone, the ability to transfer images from camera to phone and then use the phone’s mobile data (or public Wi-Fi) to email or upload them to social media within minutes of taking them is a useful feature that will broaden the 1300D’s appeal.
The 1300D comes with Canon’s shadow-boosting Auto Lighting Optimizer, along with the usual array of picture styles and a red-eye reduction tool. There are also options to apply in-camera noise reduction to long-exposure images and those shot at higher ISO settings.
The range of exposure modes available extends to the standard PASM quartet of semi and fully manual modes, alongside an automatic scene intelligent mode that attempts to recognise what is in front of the camera and process the image accordingly for the best results. Should you want to select a specific scene mode yourself, then six are available directly from the exposure mode dial: portrait, landscape, close-up, sports, food and night portrait. Rounding things off is a creative auto mode that essentially allows you to set the amount of background blur you want without having to use the more hands-on aperture-priority mode. All in all, the plentiful combination of automated and manual-shooting modes makes the 1300D a great learning tool for novice DSLR users.