Canon EOS 450D vs Canon EOS 500D vs Canon 1000D - Which one should you buy?
With the appearance of the Canon EOS 500D in the beginner DSLR market, some buyers may feel overwhelmed with the wide array of options they are presented with when thinking about buying a new digital camera.
In this post our staff compares three of Canon’s excellent DSLR - the Canon 500D, 450D and 1000D - and helps you decide which one is appropriate for you and your budget.
Comparison chart
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| Camera | Canon 450D | Canon 1000D | Canon 500D |
| Megapixels | 12.2 Megapixel | 10.1 Megapixel | 15.1 Megapixel |
| Weight | 475 grams (body) | 450 grams (body) | 480 grams (body) |
| Shooting speed | 3.5 fps | 3.0 fps | 3.4 fps |
| Processor | DIGIC 3 | DIGIC 3 | DIGIC 4 |
| Viewfinder | 3 inch LCD with Live View mode | 2.5 inch LCD with Live View mode | 3 inch LCD with Live View mode |
| Video mode | No | No | Yes |
| Focus | 9-point wide-area AF | 7-point wide-area AF | 9-point wide-area AF |
| Crop factor | 1.6x | 1.6x | 1.6x |
| Memory Cards Format | SD / SDHC card | SD / SDHC card | SD / SDHC card |
| Dust Removal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Amazon Prices (constantly updated) | Click here to view the Canon EOS 450D price at Amazon | Click here to view the Canon EOS 1000D price at Amazon | Click here to view Canon EOS 500D price at Amazon |
To help you make a decision, answer the following questions:
- How much are you willing to spend on your camera?
- How often would you use video mode?
Bearing the answers to those question in mind, read the following recommendations:
Canon EOS 1000D - For those without much money to spend
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This equipment is perfect for those that wish to possess a valuable system but have a limited budget. The maximum resolution of 10.1 megapixels puts it in the last place when it comes to picture size but because its sensor has the same physical dimensions as the 450D so you may actually experience less image noise when using a high ISO.
At heart, this camera is basically a 450D with some minor limitations in screen size (2.5″ vs 3″), shooting speed (3.0 fps vs 3.5 fps) and focusing points (7 vs 9).
However, not everything is bad news: it is the cheapest option and it’s also the lightest, weighting only 450 grams.
Canon EOS 450D - A good compromise between price and quality
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The 450D is a perfect balance between features and price. It has suffered a price drop with the introduction of the 500D, making it a great option for those who won’t make regular use of the video and prefer to use the difference to buy equipment, like the Canon 50mm f/1.8 prime lens. Being the middle child in terms of price, it also is in resolution - 12.2 Megapixels, albeit having the fastest shooting speed of all three cameras, with a small (should we say unnoticeable?) advantage over the 500D. Its screen is similar to the 500D model, with a dimension of 3″.
Canon EOS 500D - Quite simply, the best camera in this comparison - Recommended!
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After using this camera for a few days, we were simply hooked. It is the most recent camera in this review and also the only one with the fantastic video mode, capable of shooting 1080P Full HD footage. Its clarity is simply stunning in this mode, with a great dynamic range of detail that is very hard to find at this price range.
It has the highest resolution of all three - 15.1 Megapixels which allows some room for crooping - something very hard to do with the 1000D, for example. It features Canon’s latest DIGIC 4 processor, which gives an edge over the remaining cameras, with greater low light performance without noise.
However, it is the heaviest (only slightly more than the 450D) and more expensive of the three. For its features, however it’s a great deal for the money. If you want the best features the Canon 500D is your camera.
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+ Canon Speedlite 270EX flashgun (worth 1549 pounds)
(each worth 260 pound)