Compared to...

Having pretty much invented the 'entry-level' DSLR with the 300D/Digital Rebel, Canon has continued to launch replacement cameras with ever higher specifications. However, the introduction of the Nikon D40 in late 2006 heralded a new level of low-priced DSLRs with slightly reduced feature-sets but a lot of buyer appeal. Although only Sony has been willing to compete with the D40 on price, most of the major manufacturers have introduced increasingly inexpensive models with reduced specifications. In that respect, the 1000D is a bit of a late arrival at the party and will find itself jostling to get to the punch.

EOS 1000D stand-out features/omissions

Although the 1000D has been stripped of some of the features of the more expensive 450D, it still stands up fairly well to the competition in its price bracket. The simplified AF sensor is still reasonably well specified and it's only really the lack of spot metering and the small (RAW) continuous shooting buffer that leave it lagging behind. At the time of writing, it is more expensive than any of its peers but it is also much newer, so we'd expect the price to correct itself pretty swiftly.

	Canon EOS 1000D	Nikon D60	Sony DSLR-A200	Olympus E-420
Price (US/UK) (body only)	£400 [check price]	$660/£345 [check price]	$465/£260 [check price]	$470/£340 [check price]
Price kit (US/UK)	$699/£450 (IS lens)	$615/£390 (VR lens)	$460/£300	$520/£390
Sensor	• 22.2 x 14.8 mm CMOS • 10.1 million pixels	• 23.7 x 15.6 mm CCD (DX) • 10 million pixels	• 23.7 x 15.6 mm CCD • 10 million pixels	• 17.3 x 13.0 mm LiveMOS • 10 million pixels
Dust reduction	• Anti-dust materials • Low pass filter vibration • Dust reference image	• Low pass filter vibration • Airflow Control System • Dust reference image	• Anti-dust materials • Low pass filter vibration	• Supersonic Wave Filter
Native image size	3888 x 2592 (3:2 ratio)	3872 x 2592 (3:2 ratio)	3872 x 2592 (3:2 ratio)	3648 x 2736 (4:3 ratio)
Pixel density	3.1 MP/cm²	2.7 MP/cm²	2.7 MP/cm²	4.0 MP/cm²
Lens support	• Canon EF mount • Including EF-S lenses	• Nikon F-mount • Includes DX lenses • AF only AF-S or AF-I lenses	• Sony Alpha • Minolta A-type	• Olympus and third party 4/3 • 4/3 standard lens mount
FOV crop	1.6x	1.5x	1.5x	2.0x
Body shake reduction	No	No	Yes	No
Live view	Yes, Contrast detect or Phase detect AF	No	No	Yes, Contrast detect or Phase detect AF
File formats	• RAW (comp. lossless) • JPEG (2 levels)	• RAW (compressed) • JPEG (3 levels)	• RAW (comp. lossless) • JPEG (2 levels)	• RAW (comp. lossless) • JPEG (3 levels)
RAW+JPEG	RAW + JPEG Fine	RAW + JPEG Basic	RAW + JPEG Fine	RAW + JPEG (any quality)
Auto focus	• 7 area TTL • Cross-type at center (F5.6) • Range: -0.5 to +18 EV • Contrast detect AF (approx 950 selectable areas)	• 3 area TTL • Range: -1 to +19 EV	• 9 area TTL • Cross-type at center (F5.6) • Range: 0 to +18 EV	• 3 area TTL • Range: 0 to +19 EV • Contrast detect AF (11 point selectable)
AF illuminator	Flash strobe, must be raised	Built-in lamp	Flash strobe, must be raised	Flash strobe, must be raised
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB	• sRGB (2 modes) • Adobe RGB	• sRGB • Adobe RGB	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Metering sensor	• 35 zone sensor • 1 - 20 EV working range	• 420 pixel RGB sensor • 0 - 20 EV working range	• 40 zone sensor • 1 - 20 EV working range	• 49 zone sensor • 1 - 20 EV working range
Metering	• Evaluative • Partial • Center-weighted average	• 3D Color Matrix Metering II • Center-weighted average • Spot	• Multi segment • Center-weighted average • Spot	• Digital ESP • Center-weighted average • Spot • Highlight based spot • Shadow based spot
Exp. comp.	+/- 2.0 EV	+/- 5.0 EV	+/- 2.0 EV	+/- 5.0 EV
EV steps	1/3 or 1/2 EV	1/3 EV	1/3 EV	1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV
Sensitivity	• ISO 100 - 1600	• ISO 100 - 1600 • ISO 3200 with boost	• ISO 100 - 3200	• ISO 100 - 1600
Auto ISO	Auto (100 - 800)	User definable maximum ISO and minimum shutter speed	Auto (100 - 400) P,A,S Mode Varies in other modes	Auto (100 - 1600)
Custom ISO NR	Yes (on or off)	No	Yes (on or off)	Yes (4 levels)
Shutter speed	• 30 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb • 1/200 sec Flash sync	• 30 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb • 1/200 sec Flash sync	• 30 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb • 1/160 sec Flash sync	• 60 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb • 1/180 sec Flash sync
Continuous shooting	• 3 fps • Unlimited JPEG/Fine frames • 1.5 fps, 5 RAW frames	• 3 fps • Unlimited JPEG/Fine frames • 7 RAW frames	• 3 fps • Unlimited JPEG/Fine frames • 7 RAW frames	• 3 fps • Unlimited JPEG/HQ frames • 7 RAW frames
White balance	• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temperature • Fine tunable	• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset • Fine tunable	• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temperature • Fine tunable	• Auto • Seven presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temperature • Fine tunable
Image params	• Six preset picture styles • Three user sets • Sharpening: 8 levels • Contrast: 9 levels • Saturation: 9 levels • Color tone: 9 levels • B&W filter/tone: 5 of each	• Six preset looks • Sharpening: Auto, 6 levels • Tone: Auto, 5 levels, cust. • Color: 3 modes • Saturation: Auto, 3 levels • Hue: -9° to +9°	• Eight preset creative styles • Sharpening: 7 levels • Color: 7 levels • Saturation: 7 levels • B&W cntrst/shrp: 7 of each	• Four preset looks • Sharpening: 5 levels • Contrast: 5 levels • Saturation: 5 levels • Monochrome: 5/4 levels • Gradation: 3 levels
Embed comment	Owner name set via software	Comment set in-camera	No	No
Flash	Electronic release pop-up	Electronic release pop-up	Electronic release pop-up	Electronic release pop-up
Viewfinder	• Pentamirror • Eyepoint 19 mm • Frame coverage 95% • Magnification approx 0.81x • Precision matte screen	• Pentamirror • Eyepoint 18 mm • Frame coverage 95% • Magnification approx 0.8x • B-type Bright View Clear Matte Mark V	• Pentamirror • Eyepoint 18 mm • Frame coverage 95% • Magnification approx 0.83x • Spherical acute matte	• Pentamirror • Eyepoint 16 mm • Frame coverage 95% • Magnification approx 0.92x • Lumi-Micron Matte screen
LCD monitor	• 2.5 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels	• 2.5 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels	• 2.7 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels	• 2.7 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels
Mirror-lockup	Custom function	No	No	Yes, custom 1 - 30 sec
Other features	• Multi-shot self-timer • Image verification data • Auto Lighting Optimizer • Remote Live view shooting (via USB) • Eye sensor • DOF preview	• Wireless flash control • In-camera retouching • Active D-Lighting • RAW Development • Eye sensor • Stop motion movies	• Wireless flash control • Dynamic Range Optimizer • Eye sensor	• JPEG edit (inc. shadow adj.) • Wireless flash control • RAW development
Storage	SD/SDHC card	SD/SDHC card	Compact Flash	• Compact Flash card • xD Picture card
Battery	LP-E5 (7.4 V, 1050 mAh)	EN-EL9 (7.4 V, 1000 mAh)	NP-FM500H (7.2V 1650 mAh)	PS-BLS1 (7.2 V, 1150 mAh)
Battery status	Battery life (3 stage)	Battery life (4 stage)	Battery life (percentage)	Battery life (3 stage)
USB	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
Vertical grip	BG-E5 (option)	No	VG-B30AM (option)	No
Software	• Canon DPP • Canon PhotoStitich • Canon ZoomBrowser EX • EOS Utility (Remote Capt.)	• Nikon Transfer • ViewNX • Nikon Capture NX (trial)	• Picture motion browser • Image Data Converter SR • Image Data Lightbox SR	• Olympus Master 2.0 • Olympus Studio 2.0 (trial)
Dimensions	129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)	126 x 94 x 64 mm (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 in)	132 x 99 x 75 mm (5.2 x 3.9 x 2.8 in)	129.5 x 91 x 53 mm (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in)
Weight (no batt)	475 g (1.0 lb)	471 g (1.0 lb)	614 g (1.4 lb)	380 g (0.8 lb)