PRICE-CONSCIOUS STARTER: Canon EOS 2000D

The Canon EOS 2000D, or Rebel T7 as it is called across the Atlantic, is a digital SLR camera in the entry segment. New to the 2000D is that the camera has been given a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor. The higher resolution allows pictures to be taken with even more detail. Filming is also possible with the 2000D, in Full HD. Furthermore, the camera offers the well-known optical viewfinder of the pentaprism type, a fixed screen of 7.5 centimeters and a nine-point autofocus system. The screen is not only for menu selection and reviewing the images, but also for giving advice on the right settings. This way, you can easily get the best out of the camera. The 2000D also has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for easy sharing of images via a smartphone or tablet. You can also use the Canon Photo Companion app, which can provide additional tips. And of course you can use the 2000D with the extensive range of EF and EF-S lenses. The Canon EOS 2000D is not the cheapest entry camera from Canon. That honor goes to the Canon 4000D, almost entirely made of plastic. But for a bit more you’ll get the same 24-megapixel sensor in the 2000D that is in Canon’s high-end APS-C cameras, a metal mount and extra buttons to make the camera easier to operate. If you’re looking for a good SLR and you have a tight budget, the 2000D certainly belongs to your list.

Canon EOS 2000D VERSUS Canon D1300 AND Canon M50

The Canon 2000D differs in an important respect from the EOS 1300D, and that is the sensor. That of the 2000D has 24 megapixels instead of 18. This not only gives you more sharpness, but also a better dynamic range and less noise. However, if you are looking for a camera that can give you more of a smartphone experience, take a look at the M50. That may be slightly more expensive, but it’s also more compact and has a touch-sensitive screen and a good liveview. You can enjoy that not only when shooting, but also during filming.

Canon 2000D BODY

The Canon EOS 2000D has a plastic body that feels pretty robust. The mount is made of metal, so you can change lenses frequently with confidence, if you wish. The body has a single control dial, a rotary knob for selecting the desired program and a separate on/off switch so that you can always leave the camera in your favorite mode. On the back are the buttons that you find on almost every consumer camera from Canon, with symbols in white and blue. The white symbols indicate the function while shooting; the blue ones, during the review of the images. On top of the camera is the built-in flash, which can be folded up at the touch of a button on the top cover.

SCREEN AND VIEWFINDER

The 2000D viewfinder is not as big and clear as the more expensive models, but it does have a diopter setting. This allows eyeglass wearers to get the image perfectly sharp. It shows about 95% of the frame. So you always get a bit more in the picture than you see in the viewfinder. The screen is 3″, or 7.6 cm, and has 920,000 pixels. That’s fine for working with. It’s only not touch sensitive, and you cannot turn it or tilt it. That’s not a problem for photography, but for filming or selfies it is less useful.

MENU AND OPERATION

Canon’s menus are logical and clear. As a starting photographer, you will quickly become familiar with the capabilities of the 2000D. The control buttons on the back of the camera also speak for themselves. As a real entry camera, the 2000D is equipped with a single command dial, so that manual operation requires that you press an extra button to switch between aperture and shutter speed. Most likely, the camera will be used more often in one of the (semi-) automatic modes, and that is why this is not a real problem for the target group. Very nice is that the screen gives you lots of tips. If you use the Guided Menu System, for example, the screen will display two images in the TV (Time Value or Time Priority) mode that show the effect of a short and long shutter speed. You can then easily choose which effect you want and which way you should turn the knob. For beginners, this is a very intuitive way to learn how to photograph.

IMAGE QUALITY

Thanks to the 24-megapixel sensor, you can use the 2000D to create images that are sharp and well detailed. It is in fact the same sensor that you find in cameras such as the EOS 80D and 7D Mark II. And those are used without problems for professional work. The 2000D is the cheapest camera with which you can achieve the same quality, and, with that, it may even be a budget-friendly backup camera for advanced photographers.

DYNAMIC RANGE

Canon has taken significant steps in the field of dynamic range in recent years. You can see those efforts in the 24-megapixel sensor of the 2000D. There are competitors who are doing a little better, but in practice the 2000D is generally fine. The dynamic range is clearly better than that of cameras with the older 18-megapixel sensor like the 1300D and 4000D. That means that you can clear up shadows better without being bothered by excessive noise or banding. And the image quality is also good if you apply a substantial exposure correction to an accidentally underexposed image.

COLOR REPRODUCTION

The color reproduction has been one of Canon’s strengths for years and the reason why many photographers remain loyal to the brand. Sassy colors and strong contrasts, but at the same time few annoying overtones in skin tones or shadows ensure beautiful reproduction.

NOISE

The 24-megapixel sensor of the 2000D is a whole generation newer than the 18-megapixel sensor of its predecessor, the 1300D. And that is reflected in the noise. At high ISO values, this is less than on the 1300D. And that remains good when you consider that the 2000D has 6 megapixels more on the same surface. ISO 3200 is very usable and ISO 6400 is as well, but preferably shoot in RAW and edit the images yourself. The standard noise reduction in the 2000D works effectively, but also causes more loss of detail than necessary or perhaps desirable. ISO 12,800 doesn’t look that good, and you should only use it in extreme need, or if you are sure that you will only show the pictures small.

VIDEO

The Canon EOS 2000D can, like the 1300D, film in full HD (1920×1080 pixels) in 30 or 24 frames per second. Slow motion is also possible in HD format (1280×720 pixels) up to 60 images per second. The bitrate is 46 Mbps, and that is reasonable. Canon uses H.264 as compression, and that makes handy files that are easy to play back. 4K is not an option. For recording, you have to rely on the screen on the back of the camera, and you cannot turn that or fold it out. The 2000D is therefore not suitable for selfies. That screen also has a 3:4 ratio. As a result, you don’t use all of it when you take a picture of something, but with video, you have even more problems with it. The camera also has no microphone or headphone input, just like other entry models from Canon. Of course you would almost want to say, given the price. It does mean that you are dependent on the built-in microphone that only records in mono for the recording of sound. For stereo, you will therefore have to use an external recorder and synchronize the sound afterwards. But then the beginner’s stage is long gone.

IMAGE STABILIZATION

The Canon EOS 2000D has, like all other SLRs from Canon, no built-in image stabilization. But you can of course combine the camera with lenses that do. And if you are interested in the 2000D, choose the 18-55mm with IS or, even better: the 18-135mm with image stabilization. Then you can still photograph reasonably well by hand when the light isn’t that great.

AUTOFOCUS

The AF system of the 2000D is the old 9-point system that has been around for about a decade. It works and is also pretty fast, but of course it does not offer the extensive coverage or advanced tracking options that modern systems offer in (much) more expensive cameras. Of course, the 2000D, with its three images per second, is not a camera that you will want to use for fast-action sports. For normal use, you can work well with that 9-point AF. What you might miss if you want to use the screen a lot is the Dual Pixel AF, which provides quick and accurate focus in liveview in more expensive models. If you use the screen, you have to work with the slow contrast detection AF. That is accurate, but not fast.

EXTRA CAPABILITIES

The Canon EOS 2000D has Wi-Fi and NFC for fast linking to your smartphone. The NFC allows you to connect the camera quickly to a smartphone, and, thanks to the Wi-Fi connection, you can easily send shots to your phone or tablet. This allows you to share images fairly easily. The 2000D does lack the Low Energy Bluetooth connection that some more expensive models from Canon have and through which the connection is continuously maintained.

CONCLUSION: REVIEW CANON EOS 2000D