Canon EOS 450D digital SLR

Truth be told, we hoped for more

Sample shots
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The macro mode lets you take some nice close-up shots

The continuous shooting mode operates at 3.5f/s and is great for tracking a fast-moving subject

You can use a variety of lenses with the EOS 450D. If you opt for a body and lens package, you get a zoom with an 18-55mm focal length

We’re not normally impressed with the various program modes on offer, but the sport mode does a good job in keeping a moving object in the frame

The EOS 450D can capture lots of fine detail like the wet moss on these rocks

You can also connect the EOS 450D to a PC (using the supplied software) and monitor the scene on your PC screen. Canon says this function is handy if you’re using the EOS 450D on a tripod or shooting at an awkward angle, so budding paparazzi are likely to appreciate this feature.

In terms of performance, the EOS 450 is good, although anyone expecting a spectacular improvement over the EOS 400D, even with the extra megapixels and enhanced image processor, will be disappointed. That said, colour, resolution, noise and exposure were all impressive under a variety of shooting situations. In fact, we were surprised by how little noise there was, even when shooting at ISO 1600.

Verdict

We were most impressed with the continuous shooting mode and the sport mode - both functions really lock onto the subject and capture fast-moving objects. Close-up shooting was impressive too. We think that if you’re new to digital SLR photography or on a tight(ish) budget, you’ll like this camera.