Now, I would like to share with you my experience with Canon's entry-level DSLR.

First of all, I bought it for PHP18,999.00 (approx. $380) three weeks ago. Now, it's much cheaper at PHP15999 (approx. $320)!

Image Credit

First Impressions

It was well-packaged. The battery came with about a quarter charge. The lens makes it heavy, but that's alright since it adds stability. I like the grip, though the LCD display could be larger.

Android App

Although it doesn't have a flip-LCD, I tried using the Canon Remote-Control App on my mobile phone to control the camera and view what it's seeing. There's a fair amount of control with the app but focusing using the app is a bit tricky.

The app also allows you to view and download images from the camera through its wi-fi connection. You can go through your home network (which allows you to stay connected to the internet through your home wi-fi), or connect the camera directly to your phone via an exclusive wi-fi connection (disconnects your phone from your wi-fi internet).

It was shipped complete and everything's working fine.

The battery lasts the whole day and charges fully in about 2 hours.

Image Quality

18MP is more than enough for large prints. As with many other entry-level DSLRs, you will have to use relatively higher ISO settings and slower shutter (risking noisy and blurry pictures) in low-light conditions. Although this is my first DSLR, I did some research and I did not expect too much from the cheapest model.

Canon EOS 1300D
f/4.5, 1/50, 28mm, ISO3200

As expected, the zoom lens does its job but it immediately encourages one to buy a better lens, since the lowest f-stop number (biggest aperture) is just 3.5. It's just enough to produce the craved bokeh effect when close to your subject. Zooming in a little (at 24mm) already reduces your aperture opening to 4.0-4.5.

Canon EOS 1300D
f/3.5, 1/10, 18mm, ISO800

Nonetheless, I like some of the first photos I've taken while experimenting! I hardly ever use auto mode because the controls are easy to learn. You can get lost on the menu but just paying attention to what the LCD is saying will save you from a lot of headaches.

First Troubles

The flash can be turned off by pushing it down. When I try to turn it on, it sometimes fails to open and I see a prompt on the LCD telling me to restart the camera. It works fine after that. The autofocus can fail to focus properly. I can hear the lens motor winding back and forth but not stopping when the image is in focus. The solution was to use the full auto-focus (do not set it to focus on a single point). Also, if there's not enough contrast and the subject is far away, it's natural for cameras to have a hard time focusing without infrared assistance.

UPDATE: The autofocus works instantaneously when using the viewfinder. It takes a longer time to focus when shooting in live view mode (using the LCD).

Conclusion

Overall, I can see why it's entry-level. It's good enough for someone who wants to upgrade their photos from mobile phone quality to professional quality. When it comes to ease-of-learning, it's great! When it comes to AutoFocus speed and aperture flexibility, I need an upgrade. As far as I'm concerned, It's a good buy especially today that the price is lower by PHP3,000!

UPDATE: The autofocus works instantaneously when using the viewfinder. It takes a longer time to focus when shooting in live view mode (using the LCD).

Thanks for reading/viewing!

[Credits to the Author of Life]