Canon EOS 1300D, we have tested it

We are going to tell you all the details of the Canon EOS 1300D , a full- featured SLR for users who want to get started in photography without having to bleed out their pockets. Presented in March of this same year, the Canon EOS 1300D is Canon's strong bet to enter the amateur market, since despite the fact that its features mirror that of its predecessor, the Canon EOS 1200D, its price drops considerably, from 460 euros of the EOS 1200D to 375 of this (without body). In addition to this change in price, it adds very suggestive features, such as Wi-Fi connection with NFC. Currently we can say that it is the cheapest SLR that we can find on the market and that it can be an alternative for those who want to put aside the mobile phone camera and "professionalize" their social networks a bit, all without many aspirations of course.

We have tested the camera with the basic lens that comes in the promotional packs, an 18-55mm with a built-in stabilizer . It is obvious that if we apply a more powerful lens to the body (an 18-135 mm for example) we can achieve better results, but even so, the camera meets and performs its claims.

The EOS 1300D features the same 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor as the 1200D. The processor is another novelty along with Wi-Fi connectivity, since we find a Digic 4+,  which although it only shoots at  3 fps, improves from 69 JPEG to 1110 (the RAW remains the same at 6 RAW) and it also significantly increases the speed of burst shooting. 

Layout and controls

Despite being a digital SLR, its weight makes it a very compact camera. This is mainly due to the fact that the body is finished almost entirely in plastic. It has a rubber grip that allows the most comfortable and ergonomic grip . Access to the mode, shooting and video recording controls is quite fast and does not require playing tricks with your fingers as in other SLRs, so its use is quite pleasant. Its overall dimensions are  129.0 x 101.3 x 77.6 mm with a weight of 485 grams including battery and card.

The controls are the basic ones that we can find in any Canon SLR with this price range. On the back of the body we find the main dial to change modes. We have the P, Tv, Av, M modes and of course the automatic mode , and the Creative Auto mode, which allows us, within what is an automatic mode, to select background blurs or the use of flash . We also have on the back of the camera the video record button and the exposure control dial. At the top are the shutter speed and ISO adjustment controlsin addition to the flash control, and the shutter button. The shutter button in photo mode can also be used to switch between the optical viewfinder and the view on the screen.

The screen is a 3-inch TFT with a resolution of 920,000 pixels, something in which it pleasantly surpasses its predecessor. It is still a lower than average resolution in this segment of cameras, but the results without pretending to be professional are optimal. ”‹ ”‹ The screen brightness can be adjusted in seven levels , so that you can get good visibility even in the sun. The screen is not touchscreen, so we cannot access the settings menu directly from it as in most higher-end SLR cameras. The viewfinder, pentamirror , with a fixed focus screen, is perhaps not the best on the market, but as we have been saying throughout the article,it has the right benefits for its sale price and the result is correct. Through the viewfinder we can also see the controls and adjust without having to enter the camera menu.

As we said at the beginning of the article, the sensor is the same as in the previous model, a  CMOS APS-C of 18 megapixels, the characteristic of Canon. This sensor, which we can also find mounted on the higher models, ensures image quality although only in favorable light conditions and suffers from  problems when facing a higher ISO value.  If we look at the sensitivity, the settings offered by the new Canon SLR range from 100 to 12,800 ISO being forced.

A positive development built into this camera is the  Digic 4+ processor . The bursts are made faster thanks to this processor, being able to reach 3 photographs (maximum) per minute. There are very few changes considering that two years have passed between the two models, but the price drop makes up for it.

Image quality

The truth is that after working with her, the camera has given quite convincing results, pleasantly surprising us. Despite the fact that the lens used in the tests was a  Zoom Lens EF-S 18-55mm f / 3.5-5.6 IS II (a very basic lens) , the results of these have been very positive despite what it might seem . The camera is able to adapt to shots with intense contrasts resulting in a good level of detail without saturating the highlights.

Its resistance to noise also got the pass . Its noise level is lower than what we are used to in cameras of this range, and it does not give problems in ISO values ​​between 100 and 6400 , having its limit forced at 12,800 ISO . Up to 3200 ISO we do not find a trace of noise and from these values ​​it does begin to appear, although it is not insufferable. It is from 6400 ISO when the noise is fully noticeable . As for the focus, it is a bit slow , but if we are not professionals this will not detract from the camera.

Here are some tests in different lighting conditions to see how the sharing Canon EOS 1300D.

Interior absence of light. 1/60 f / 5.6 ISO 125

Interior natural light. 1/60 f / 5.6 ISO 500

Interior absence of light. 1/40 f / 5.0 ISO 320

Indoor artificial light. 1/30 f / 4.0 ISO 2500

Interior natural light. 1/50 f / 3.5 ISO1000

Low light interior, ISO at 6400, noise is already noticeable.

Indoor with flash, ISO 1600

Daylight exterior. 1/200 f / 8.0 ISO100

Exterior backlight compensated with flash. 1/200 f / 10 ISO 100

Connectivities and autonomy

We already said that one of the novelties that this camera included, unlike its predecessors, is Wi-Fi NFC connectivity. Thanks to this connection we can quickly transfer our photos to a device, including mobile phones. This feature falls within the idea that it is a camera for the amateur public , because it greatly facilitates the exchange of images. The rest of the connectivity are the usual ones,  Hi-Speed ​​USB and HDMI output to connect directly to the monitor. As for the battery, it has a rechargeable lithium-ion LP-E10 that maintains autonomy up to 500 shots, 410 if the flash is used.

Conclusions

Although the camera is modest, and we cannot compare it to the last one we tested, the Sony A7 RII , the results have been passed with flying colors . It is true that the sensor is slow and that a touch screen is missing, but if what you are looking for is to start photography, or simply go a little beyond the results that the mobile offers you, this camera is 100% recommendable . Its price is 375 euros just the body although it is for sale with a lens like the one we have tested ( EF-S 18-55 mm) for 430 euros. 

Canon EOS 1200D

Sensor

Focus

Exposition

Shutter

White balance

screen

Flash

Shooting

Physical specifications

+ info

Price:  375 euros