Much like smartphones, professional cameras are getting cheaper and more accessible by the day, allowing more people to explore the vast world of digital photography. Canon’s new budget-friendly DSLR, the EOS 3000D (Rs. 24,490), is one such camera that quite efficiently balances the price to performance ratio, delivering decent capabilities at a rather affordable price. While the company has definitely cut some corners in the development of the EOS 3000D, it really helps it achieve a price point that no other camera manufacturer is currently offering.

Before we go any further with the review, lets check out the specification of the new EOS 3000D and what exactly does it offer at its crazy affordable price point:

What’s In the Box

  • Canon EOS 3000D body
  • Rechargeable Li-ion battery
  • 18-55mm kit lens
  • Charger and charging cord
  • Shoulder strap
  • Paperwork

Design and Build Quality

From the moment I picked up the Canon EOS 3000D, it felt quite a lot unlike any other DSLR that I’ve used before. That’s because at around 475 grams, the EOS 3000D is quite light, probably because it’s predominantly made out of plastic and lacks any form of weather sealing that you’d expect from a DSLR. While that in itself might be a deal breaker for a number of people, you’ll have to keep in mind that the EOS 3000D is also significantly cheaper than competing cameras.

Along with the Canon EOS 3000D, you’ll get an EF S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II kit lens that comes with in-build image stabilization. Much like the camera, the lens is also quite light weight and has a standard manual and auto focus switch. It also has a dedicated switch to turn the stabilizer on and off.

For its price, the Canon EOS 3000D is a feature packed DSLR that offers almost all the features that Canon’s EOS series is known for. The camera has an 18MP APS-C size CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4+ image processor. The sensor is capable of capturing an ample amount of light and detail, resulting in high-quality images with accurate colors, good contrast and minimal noise, even in low-light situations.

As I mentioned earlier, the camera was fairly easy to use and the accompanied manual is definitely worth a read if it is your first experience with a DSLR. I, being a beginner myself, went through it to get up to speed with all of the camera’s features. After that, it was just a matter of practice, and within a couple of hours I was able to capture some fairly decent shots in good lighting conditions.

Getting to the performance, the EOS 3000D is definitely worth every penny you’d spend if you’re an absolute beginner. The camera is easy to operate and with just a little bit of practice you’ll be clicking great images. In my use, I was able to capture decent images in good lighting conditions that had a great amount of detail with great color accuracy and good contrasts. Being a beginner, I took a little bit of time to get the hang of the manual mode, but I was able to capture decent shots within a couple of days of use.

Since I didn’t have any prior experience with clicking low-light images with a DSLR, I was pleasantly surprised by the camera’s capabilities. Images captured in low-light conditions also turn out quite good more often than not. In my use, I concentrated on using both the automatic and manual modes, briefly brushing past all the other settings. At first, quite obviously I wasn’t able to get good results in low-light conditions, but with a couple of days worth of practice, I was able to click pretty decent images in low lighting conditions using the manual mode. The Canon EOS 3000D’s low-light performance was quite satisfactory, resulting in images that have some good definition, great contrast ratios and, depending on what you’ve set your ISO at, little to no noise.

Here are a few images clicked in low lighting conditions:

As you can probably tell from the sample images attached above, the Canon EOS 3000D is a pretty good performer even when in the hands of a beginner. The camera’s 3fps burst also came in handy while I was trying to capture moving subjects. The EOS 3000D is also capable of shooting 1080p video at 30fps and 720p video at 60 fps. However, I wasn’t quite satisfied with the video quality and I would strongly advice you to use a tripod if you plan on shooting video with the camera.

Well, if you plan on graduating from a smartphone to a DSLR for your photography needs and you’re an absolute novice like me, then the Canon EOS 3000D (Rs. 24,490 for the body and kit lens package) is priced at such a competitive figure that purchasing one shouldn’t require a second thought. For the price, the EOS 3000D just offers enough to make it a must-buy for anyone looking to start exploring photography more seriously.

  • Lightweight
  • Easy to use
  • Value for money
  • Great performance
  • WiFi connectivity
  • Satisfactory battery life

Cons:

  • Poor display
  • No weatherproofing
  • Plastic lens mount
  • No dioptre setting

SEE ALSO: Canon EOS 1500D Review: The Perfect Beginner’s DSLR?

As I’ve mentioned earlier, the Canon EOS 3000D is a great first buy if you’ve just picked up photography as a hobby and wish to get a hang of DSLRs before investing in something more expensive. Even the kit lens included in the package is a versatile choice which will allow beginners to use the camera in a variety of scenarios without feeling the need to invest in a new lens at first.

However, the camera might not be the right choice for you if you’re looking for something that’s durable and built to last, if you’ll primarily depend on the LCD display to capture images and video, and if you’re someone who wears spectacles.