Introduction

Ease of Use

Externally the Canon EOS 2000D is virtually identical to the 1300D that it replaces, which we reviewed exactly two years ago. The control and button placement is as good as identical, and so too is the camera’s physical size and weight. At 129mm wide, 101.3mm high and 77.6mm deep, the 2000D has exactly the same dimensions, and also weighs almost the same at 475g ready to shoot, a whole 10g lighter than the Canon 1300D. That makes it 30g heavier than a Nikon D3400, and the Nikon is also smaller than the 2000D in every dimension, measuring 124 x 98 x 75.5 mm.

However, such marginal size and weight differences have little impact in real world shooting. Here the 2000D’s carbon fibre polycarbonate body feels reasonably solid and well built, though predictably for an entry level Canon DSLR, it isn’t weather sealed. The 2000D works well ergonomically, with a decent-sized rear thumb rest and the exposure compensation and playback zoom buttons positioned conveniently on either side of it. The main hand grip is nice enough, but the finger recess is a little shallow, which can make it difficult to grasp comfortably if you’ve got larger hands. Still, given the 2000D’s light weight, this isn’t a major bugbear.

A primary selling point of the Canon EOS 2000D to first time DSLR buyers is its ease of use. Nothing has changed in this respect from the 1300D, but that’s no bad thing. The 2000D still gets dedicated ISO and white balance buttons on the rear panel – physical controls you won’t find on a Nikon D3400 – while other key shooting settings like file quality and exposure modes can be accessed easily by pressing the Q button which activates the quick-access menu. This will also let you adjust the +/- 5EV of exposure compensation, but it’s quicker and easier to set this by pressing the dedicated exposure compensation button located immediately above the Q button whilst rotating the single, top-panel control wheel.

Front of the Canon EOS 2000D

As well as the clear and functional quick-access menu, the main menu is also well laid out and easy to navigate. A total of ten menu tabs split into shooting, playback, camera settings and a My Menu customisation tab can be scrolled across using the control wheel or rear panel directional buttons. The menu functions are mostly logically positioned, though a few features are less easily accessible. For instance, if you want to reveal the camera’s expanded ISO 12800 sensitivity, this is hidden away on page 2 of the Custom Functions menu entry.

Another aspect of the Canon EOS 2000D which isn’t immediately intuitive is the mode dial. It’s cluttered with various scene mode settings, including Night Portrait, Food, Sports, Macro, Landscape, and Portrait presets. There’s also a Creative Auto mode that operates exactly as regular Auto mode, except you control the extent of background blur you’d like behind your subject by adjusting a virtual slider. All this does is adjust the lens aperture, so once you’ve learnt about aperture, good old aperture priority mode renders Creative Auto pointless. Aside from the usual selection of auto, semi-automatic and manual modes, the 2000D’s mode dial also includes a video mode and a Flash Off mode, whereby the camera shoots automatically but won’t fire the flash; useful in museums or religious buildings.

Returning to the rear panel and, along with the dedicated ISO and white balance buttons, the 2000D also offers a convenient drive mode button. This lets you choose between single shot, continuous, self-timer with a 10-second or 2-second delay, and also a continuous self-timer function where the camera will snap a burst of shots after an initial delay. Standard continuous shooting speed is unchanged from the 1300D and is still a rather sluggish 3fps, mainly due to the 2000D using essentially the same rather dated Digic 4+ image processor.

Rear of the Canon EOS 2000D

Another area where the new Canon trails the Nikon D3400 is video, although the difference is slight. Both cameras will shoot Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, but where the D3400 can do so at 60fps, the 2000D can only manage 30fps. Shooting a video first requires you to rotate the main mode dial to the video position, where you can then press the Live View button located alongside the viewfinder to start and stop recording. The 2000D also includes a Video Snapshot feature, whereby the camera will record video clips lasting two, four or eight seconds and compile them into a Video Snapshot Album (a montage sequence) with the option to add your own background music.

Most of the hardware inside the Canon EOS 2000D has been carried over from the 1300D, including the LCD monitor. The 3-inch size remains the same, as does the 170-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles and a respectable 920,000 dot resolution. Sadly, the screen still doesn’t feature touch sensitivity. This makes sense in terms of cost cutting, but it isn’t such a smart move when you consider a significant portion of 2000D buyers are likely to be young first-time DSLR buyers used to touch-driven photography on their smartphones.

Top of the Canon EOS 2000D

The 2000D continues to offer built-in Wi-Fi with NFC pairing. The system uses Canon’s Camera Connect mobile app to enable wireless image transfer and remote camera control. Connecting your smart device is painless, and once linked, the 2000D can be controlled remotely with very little signal lag. The app also lets you control shooting functions like ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation and the drive mode. When it comes to sharing your shots, the Wi-Fi link transfers a full resolution image almost instantly, although image previews do take a couple of seconds per shot to preview properly when scrolling through your memory card’s images.

When it comes to shooting, the Canon EOS 2000D will switch on and fire a shot in around 0.7 seconds, although it takes a second or so longer for the LCD screen to display anything. Focussing speed is largely dependent on your choice of lens. Our 2000D test sample came paired with the EF-S 18-55mm IS II kit lens, which is a competent enough performer and worth the extra outlay if you don't already have any Canon lenses

The Canon EOS 2000D In-hand

Whichever lens you choose, the Canon EOS 2000D’s 9 AF points are well spread across the image frame, and though only the central point is the more accurate cross-type, autofocussing in our hands was quick and mostly accurate in all but the darkest conditions. Switch to live view and things get much slower though, with contrast-detect focussing requiring a second or so to establish maximum sharpness and correct focus. However, this needn’t be a major issue when using live view to compose and shoot shots like close-ups, where careful consideration and an eye for detail are more important than speed.

Last but not least is battery life, which is unchanged from the 1300D at 500 shots from the LP-E10 rechargeable Li-ion power pack. As with so many of the 2000D specs, it lags way behind the D3400’s incredibly impressive 1200-shot CIPA rating. It’s also worth noting that the 2000D’s battery compartment on the bottom of the camera also contains the memory card slot, which is a little fiddly to access and can also be blocked completely by larger tripod mounting plates. The D3400's and more conventional side-accessed card slots is much more convenient.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 24 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 8Mb.

The Canon EOS 2000D produced images of good quality during the review period. This camera produces noise-free images at ISO 100 up to ISO 800, with some noise appearing at ISO 1600. The faster setting of ISO 3200 is still usable, although we'd suggest avoiding ISO 6400 and especially 12800 if possible.

The built-in pop-up flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and good overall exposure. The night photograph was very good, with the maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds and Bulb mode allowing you to capture enough light in most situations.

Noise

The Canon EOS 2000D has seven sensitivity settings ranging from ISO 100 to 6400. This can be expanded one stop to add a High (ISO 12800) sensitivity by enabling ‘ISO expansion’ via the main menu. The camera’s auto ISO upper limit can also be configured, with a maximum sensitivity of ISO 6400. However, the 2000D’s sensitivity scale only changes in 1EV steps and there’s no option to add 1/3EV increments.

JPEG	RAW
ISO 100 (100% Crop)	ISO 100 (100% Crop)
ISO 200 (100% Crop)	ISO 200 (100% Crop)
ISO 400 (100% Crop)	ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)	ISO 800 (100% Crop)
ISO 1600 (100% Crop)	ISO 1600 (100% Crop)
ISO 3200 (100% Crop)	ISO 3200 (100% Crop)
ISO 6400 (100% Crop)	ISO 6400 (100% Crop)
ISO 12800 (100% Crop)	ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

File Quality

Numerous file quality and size options are available. At full 24MP resolution you can shoot in raw (average 29MB file size), JPEG Fine (7-10MB) and JPEG Normal (3-5MB). There’s also a RAW+JPEG Fine setting.

Fine (7.69Mb) (100% Crop)	Normal (3.60Mb) (100% Crop)
RAW (29.7Mb) (100% Crop)

Flash

The built-in flash has relatively few options. From the Flash Control entry in the main menu, you can configure it to operate in first or second curtain sync modes, dial in +/- 2EV of exposure compensation, and select between evaluative or average TTL metering. Red-eye reduction is also enabled or disabled via the main menu.

The flash did produce some minor vignetting when shooting a white surface at a distance of 1.5m with an 18mm focal length, but falloff was gone by 55mm.

Flash Off - Wide Angle

Flash On - Wide Angle

Flash Off - Telephoto

Flash On - Telephoto

With or without red-eye reduction, the Canon EOS 2000D successfully avoided red-eye during our testing.

Flash On

Red-eye Reduction

Night

The Canon EOS 2000D's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds and there's a Bulb mode for even longer exposures, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 30 seconds, aperture of f/8 at ISO 100.

Night

Picture Styles

Canon's Picture Styles are preset combinations of different sharpness, contrast, saturation and colour tone settings. You can tweak these Picture Controls to your liking, and there are also User Defined styles so that you can create your own look.

Standard	Portrait
Landscape	Neutral
Faithful	Monochrome

Creative Filters

The entry-level nature of the EOS 2000D means Canon has seen fit to equip it with five Creative Filter effects, however they can only be applied to saved photos in playback mode.

Grainy B&W	Soft Focus
Fish-eye Effect	Toy Camera Effect
Miniature Effect

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Canon EOS 2000D camera, which were all taken using the 24 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Canon EOS 2000D enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Canon RAW (CR2) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

Product Images

Conclusion

The Canon EOS 2000D represents one of the most minor upgrades to an existing camera that we've ever reviewed, being almost completely identical in both form and function to the 1300D model that it replaces, with the exception of the new 24 megapixel image sensor. Otherwise, there's absolutely no reason to upgrade from or to rule out the 2-year-old EOS 1300D, which itself was very similar to the EOS 1200D from way back in 2014.

Compared to the Nikon D3400, the "new" EOS 2000D now lags even further behind its main competitor, with the similarly-priced D3400 out-gunning it in most aspects. The 2000D's new sensor bridges the megapixel gap, with both cameras now offering the same resolution, and it still offers a simpler and more logical control layout, but the D3400 has the edge in shooting speed, autofocusing, battery life and video frame rate. Canon really needed to up its game with the new 2000D, but has instead rested on its laurels, with the Nikon D3400 clearly being the better-specced and better-performing of the two cameras.

Ultimately, the Canon EOS 2000D feels like a box-ticking exercise that fails to tick enough of the right boxes, seemingly being released mainly to replace an aging model and give retailers something new to promote. The Nikon D3400 is our entry-level DSLR camera of choice, or failing that a discounted EOS 1300D if you can still find one, as the new Canon EOS 2000D offers virtually no new features or performance to justify its release.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	3.5
Ease-of-use	4.5
Image quality	3.5
Value for money	3.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Canon EOS 2000D.

Specifications

News

The Canon EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D are new entry-level DSLR cameras. Both cameras offer APS-C sensors, DIGIC 4+ image processors, seamless Wi-Fi connectivity, 3fps continuous shooting, straightforward in-camera feature guides, wi-fi connectivity, 500 picture battery life and Full HD movie recording. The EOS 2000D (Rebel T7) additionally features a new 24.1 megapixel APS-C sensor, 7.5 cm LCD screen, Near Field Communication (NFC) and a metal lens mount, while the EOS 4000D (Rebel T100) has an 18 megapixel APS-C sensor, 6.8 cm LCD screen and a plastic lens mount.

Both DSLR cameras will be available to purchase from March 2018:

• EOS 2000D body only - £369.99 / €429.99
• EOS 200D + EF-S 18-55mm lens - £469.99 / €549.99 / $549.99
• EOS 4000D body only - £329.99 / €379.99
• EOS 400D + EF-S 18-55mm IS lens - £369.99 / €429.99

Canon UK Press Release

Step up to effortless DSLR storytelling with Canon’s new EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D cameras

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 26th February 2018 – Canon today unveils the launch of the EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D, Canon’s latest entry-level DSLR cameras. With a wide range of practical and easy to use features, these new cameras cater to the storytelling needs of individuals taking their first steps into interchangeable lens photography and those wanting to create superbly detailed DSLR quality pictures and cinematic Full HD movies with ease.

The newest additions to Canon’s entry-level DSLR range, the EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D have been designed for people who seek out new experiences and want to share their adventures seamlessly to social media. The cameras’ powerful combination of APS-C sensor technology, DIGIC 4+ image processor, seamless Wi-Fi connectivity and straightforward in-camera feature guides enable stories to be captured and shared with highly detailed photos and Full HD movies.

With the EOS 2000D featuring a new 24.1 Megapixel APS-C sensor, and the EOS 4000D using an 18 Megapixel APS-C sensor, each camera allows for compelling storytelling with superb control over depth of field for beautifully blurred image backgrounds. Shooting rich, atmospheric photos during night-time adventures is also made possible with both models capable of low light shooting up to ISO 6400, expandable to ISO 12800.

The DIGIC 4+ image processor, used in both models, powers Canon’s Scene Intelligent Auto mode, enabling simple point and shoot photography with superb image results, as it automatically optimises every shot. The fast and responsive DIGIC 4+ image processor enables the Full HD video capabilities in both models, breathing cinematic life into captured memories.

In addition to a rear mounted LCD screen (7.5 cm on the EOS 2000D and 6.8 cm on the EOS 4000D), both cameras feature a centrally mounted optical viewfinder, providing a distinctly authentic photography experience and allowing stories to be told just as they were experienced with the naked eye. Decisive moments in unfolding stories can be captured with responsive and precise nine-point auto focus and continuous shooting at 3.0 frames per second.

Both cameras are Wi-Fi enabled for seamless smartphone connectivity via the Canon Camera Connect app (iOS and Android), enabling adventurers to rapidly shoot and share their content on social media whilst on the move. New images can be conveniently backed up to Canon’s cloud storage service, irista, via a Wi-Fi connection, ensuring stories and memories shared are never lost.

These processes are made even easier for the EOS 2000D with the inclusion of Near Field Communication (NFC), which can establish a Wi-Fi connection to a smartphone by simply tapping the device on the camera (available on compatible Android devices).  

Both models include simple in-camera feature guides, perfect for those looking to improve their storytelling potential as they upgrade from a smartphone. Both cameras include six image settings outside of basic auto modes and a variety of creative filters, enabling experimentation with manual control and the artistic freedom to tell dynamic and vibrant stories. Those embarking on their first DSLR adventure will also benefit from the Canon Photo Companion app, which provides the necessary tips on getting the best out of the cameras.

The EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D’s excellent battery life delivers approximately 500 pictures, or one hour 30 minutes and one hour 15 minutes of HD video respectively, allowing for peace of mind during extended outdoor adventures and the freedom to explore.

Both DSLR models are compatible with over 80 Canon EF and EF-S lenses and range of accessories, giving beginners the greatest choice of systems as they grow and develop their photography skills. The new cameras will be sold as a body only option or with a selection of lens kit options, including an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens.

Canon’s latest entry-level DSLR cameras offer a fantastic gateway to the joys of interchangeable lens photography. The Canon EOS 2000D and Canon EOS 4000D provide an easy and reliable shooting experience that enable users to capture detailed images and sharp Full HD video. As people step-up from their smartphone and expand their creativity, Canon’s new DSLR cameras will intuitively capture superbly detailed professional-looking images, time after time.

Pricing and availability

The EOS 2000D is available to pre-order from Canon’s Online store from 26^th February 2018.

Both DSLR cameras will be available to purchase from March 2018 with the following RSPs:

• EOS 2000D body only - £369.99/€429.99
• EOS 200D + EF-S 18-55mm lens - £469.99/€549.99
• EOS 4000D body only - £329.99/€379.99
• EOS 400D + EF-S 18-55mm IS lens - £369.99/€429.99

Other lens bundles will also be available from selected retailers and Canon’s Online Store: www.store.canon.co.uk.

Key Features:

Canon EOS 2000D:

• 24.1MP APS-C CMOS image sensor
• DIGIC4+ processor
• ISO range from 100-6400 (expandable to 12800)
• Full HD 1080p video up to 30fps and Video Snapshot mode
• 3fps continuous shooting
• 9-point autofocus
• 3” (7.5 cm) 920k-dot TFT LCD monitor with inbuilt Feature Guide
• Scene Intelligent Auto mode
• Creative filters
• Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity

Canon EOS 4000D:

• 18MP APS-C CMOS image sensor
• DIGIC4+ processor
• ISO range from 100-6,400 (expandable to 12,800)
• Full HD 1080p video up to 30fps and Video Snapshot mode
• 3fps continuous shooting
• 9-point autofocus
• 2.7” (7.5 cm) 920k-dot TFT LCD monitor with inbuilt Feature Guide
• Scene Intelligent Auto mode
• Creative filters
• Wi-Fi

First Impressions

Last week we spent some time shooting with the new Canon EOS 2000D and 4000D DSLRs in London, UK, at an official Canon press event. Check out our first impressions of using the Canon 2000D and 4000D cameras now...

Canon EOS 2000D and 4000D - Ease of Use

The EOS 2000D and 4000D are very similar, very cheap DSLR cameras aimed at new photographers. There are a few key differences that differentiate them - 24 versus 18 megapixels, metal lens mount versus plastic, NFC connectivity versus just Wi-fi, automatic pop-up flash versus manual, and a 7.5cm LCD versus 6.8cm - but otherwise there's very little difference between them. They both use the venerable Digic 4 processor, which first made its debut back in 2014, and the 4000D has a sensor that purportedly dates back to 2009...

The Canon 2000D and 4000D are very much built to a sub-£400 price point. With fixed LCD screens, small optical viewfinders, and plastic bodies, they're hardly at the cutting edge of design. What they might lack in looks, though, they make up for in familiarity, as they inherit key EOS traits such as the logical menu system, a control layout that provides more direct control over the camera's key settings than the more expensive EOS M50 mirrorless camera that was also launched today, a proper flash hotshoe and a built-in pop-up flash, shooting mode dial and control dial on the top, and of course full support for Canon's vast range of EF lenses (although we'd hesitate to use the longer, heavier optics on the plastic-mounted 4000D).

Although we kind of hate the idea of a plastic lens mount, out of the two cameras we'd probably pick the EOS 4000D and save a few pounds/dollars to spend on a nice camera bag or towards a second lens. Its target users will almost exclusively share their photos on social media, so 18 versus 24 megapixels is something of a wash, and the durability of the lens mount is much less of an issue if you're not actually changing lenses that often. The bigger screen is nice on the Canon 2000D, as is NFC, but you have to question if they're worth the extra spend.

It's very interesting that Canon have decided to further extend the bottom of the DSLR market by recycling once cutting-edge sensors and technologies - the EOS 4000D especially essentially replaces the higher-end compacts of the past. Whether or not smartphone users will naturally gravitate towards a camera like the 2000D/4000D is another matter, as they're still bigger than most entry-level mirrorless cameras - then again, the Nikon D3300 does sell very well.

Check out our galleries of  Canon EOS 2000D hands-on photos and Canon EOS 4000D hands-on photos

Canon EOS 2000D and 4000D - Image Quality

For both stills photography and video, the Canon EOS 2000D and 4000D are hardly going to set the world on fire with their older sensors and processors, but they will provide a noticeable step-up in image quality for most people who buy one.

We've already shot a gallery of low-light indoor photos with the EOS 2000D and 4000D, and we'll be bringing even more full-size OoC JPEGs and Raw files when we get our hands on final review samples.

Take a look at some sample JPEG and Raw images and movies taken with a Beta version of the Canon EOS 2000D camera and the Canon EOS 4000D camera.

Canon EOS 2000D and 4000D - Early Verdict

For someone who's been reviewing cameras for the last 15 years, I found it pretty hard to get too excited about cameras that marry such old technologies with quite basic bodies, but on the other hand the 2000D and particularly the 4000D do at least make the bottom end of the DSLR market even more affordable than ever before, especially as the built-in wi-fi/NFC out-performs the Nikon D3300 (which relies on an otpional WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter for connectivity), important for the target audience.

So what do you think of the new Canon EOS 2000D and 4000D? Leave a comment below...

Hands On

Want to see exactly what the new Canon EOS 2000D DLSR camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Canon EOS 2000D camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the EOS 4000D camera.

A gallery of hands-on photos of the new Canon EOS 2000D camera.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

Ahead of our full review, here are some sample JPEG and Raw images and movies taken with the Canon EOS 2000D DSLR camera. The Canon EOS 2000D is a new DSLR camera that features a 24 megapixel sensor and 1080p video recording.

A gallery of sample images taken with the Canon EOS 2000D DSLR camera.

Note that these images / movies were shot by a Beta sample of the Canon EOS 2000D.

Canon EOS 2000D Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Canon EOS 2000D enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Canon RAW (CR2) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

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