Aug 26 2008

Canon EOS 1000D Review

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Since I’ll be spending the next two weeks doing absolutely nothing other than hoping that I won’t bump into my ex whenever I’m out because I’m planning to look like shit all the time, I might do a little simple review of my new Canon 1000D as requested by some readers.

I have this Olympus FE-320, an 8.0MP compact digital that takes decent pictures. My dad bought it a few months back, for less than RM1000. I used to have a Casio digital camera but then, it spoiled. Same goes for the Kodak I had before the Casio.

Olympus FE320

There’s only one similarities between all of the digital camera that I’ve used. All of them lasted for about one year before they spoiled. Seriously, I have no idea why.

I like photography; looking and snapping great pictures, and even though I have no intention to get serious, I always wanted to get a Digital SLR, because I wanted to take better pictures than a compact digital would do.

A street in Singapore. I like this photo because I got the straight lines straight. :) Taken using Canon 1000D, EF 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 II USM

A compact takes a good picture, really.

not bad. Luckily, the Dolphins made the jumps for a number of times so I managed to get this. (cropped and photoshoped)

…but not all the time. It’s slow, and you can’t play around with the settings that much. You can, depending on your camera, but it’s still limited, and it’s such a hassle to me.

unphotoshopped. Apart from the bad composition due to maximum zooming (hard to control), the dolphin looks unreal and as if it was dropped from the sky. haha.

Of course, when it comes to photography, never ever blame the camera. It’s not the camera, it’s WHO behind the camera. Know your camera well, understand it, and work with it.

In  conclusion, as good as a compact can be, it is not enough and never was for me. Therefore, I lured for a Digital SLR. Apparently, during my family trip to Singapore a few days ago, my dad bit his tongue and bought me a newly released Canon EOS 1000D.

Canon EOS 1000D and 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 II USMCanon EOS 1000D and Canon Zoom Lens EF 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 II USM.

Instead of buying the standard lens which is the Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-15mm f3.5-5.6 with IS (Image Stabilizer), I opted for the affordable (but not too affordable, I guess) Canon Zoom Lens EF 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 II USM because it’s more ‘multi-purpose’. It takes great potrait and it’s also good for landscape photography. Some people love this lens, and some, dont.

My dad bought the body kit, lens, UV lens filter and extra battery (2800mAh, the standard is 1080mAh) bundled with a camera bag, a 4GB SD card, and a Canon book of lenses (it’s actually the taukeh’s personal collection, LOL. Aiman currently has this book with him, He bribed me with Baskin Robins to borrow it for a month.  :hehe: ) all for S$1750. I’m not sure about the prices in Malaysia, though.

First of all, why Canon? Well, when it comes to buying a DSLR camera, there is not much difference between the brands. Most DSLRs come with the same basic features and different brands offer some slight difference, say the crop factor. It’s actually up to the consumer’s preferences.

Initially, I wanted to get a Nikon D60 as it’s compact, small and lightweight for a DSLR. However, since I’m more familiar with the Canon interface, there was a slight doubt. Then, I was intoduced to this Canon EOS 1000D. It’s smaller and lighter than any other Canon DSLR. It can be seen as an upgrade of the 10.0MP 400D or a downgrade of the also quite newly released 12.0 MP 450D.

In a nutshell, this Canon 1000D has 10MP sensor, 2.5 LCD monitor, no spot metering, 7-point AF system (400D and 450D have 9-point AF system), live view (yes, a DSLR with a live view), compatible with all Canon lenses and uses Digic III processor.

Although, frankly, I have no bloody idea what Digic III processor does.

There’s so much to learn. When I first got it, I was like, “What the hell is shutter speed? ISO? Aperture? White Balance? WTF?”

Of course, I tried to read through the manual, but then, I fell asleep.

So, I was sticking to using the autofocus (AF).

Alright, I can see my mistake in composition here.

Now that Jazli and Aiman have explained to me how to fully use the manual settings -aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and exposure and how they affect the picture, I can now experiment using the manual settings. I’m sure that until one point, I will know right away the settings that I should use to get the exact shot I have in mind in variety of situations. As for the manual focus, I need to brush up on it, so that I can zoom and focus faster.

This is Aiman. The colours are a bit too warm for my liking. but I like the composition.

I’m especially attracted to the live view function.It’s handy in some occasions, like when you want to frame your photo and set your DSLR on a timer (or use a remote shutter) on a tripod, or you want to camwhore in front of the mirror like those people on myspace without having to cover your whole face with the camera.

See, I’m not afraid to break the ‘rules’ of photography and have a way unfocused photo. (photoshopped).

Another thing that I like about the live view is that, what you see is what you get. The live view will display exactly (or almost) how your picture will turn out with the settings you have set. So, for a beginner, like me, you’ll definitely enjoy playing around with the shutter, aperture, white balance and exposure and expect how the pictures will turn out.

Another thing that I’ve noticed, I’m more willing to experiment with variety of angles with a DSLR.

Left: taken using Compact Digital. Right: taken using a DSLR.

See what I mean? The right picture has a more dynamic and interesting angle than the boring angle in the left picture. Maybe it’s the big lens, I don’t know. For some reason, perhaps. Whatever it is, it gets me into the mood. Er… to take snap more pics, of course. Also, you look less silly lying on the floor just for snapping some pics when you are holding a DSLR than a small, compact digital camera.

There’s one tiny problem, though.

When will I EVER get to be in the picture?!! I LOVE both taking photos and having my photos taken. Aiman was constantly trying to brainwash me, that once I have a DSLR, I have to find the subjects, not being the subject, which is exactly why I kinda regret not getting a tripod. I surely don’t trust people enough to get their hands on my DSLR.

One thing for sure, I won’t throw away or neglect my compact Olympus, because I might need it in some occasions, but I’ll try to bring my Canon anywhere I go. Only, there’s one problem. A huge problem (which is what I’m afraid of and keep asking myself about it), should I carry my handbag AND my camera bag, or either one? I’d never ever put my DSLR in my handbag, (no, never, it’s too precious) but, if I were to ditch either one, it would be my handbag, then? NOOOOO.

Can you understand my dilemma here?

To read an in-depth review for this Canon, click here. Here are some other shots that I took.

I hope I killed your graphics card. Bye. :happy:

Popularity: 63% [?]

This entry was posted by Aisyah on Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 at 2:44 pm and is filed under Reviews

53 Responses to “Canon EOS 1000D Review”

  1. flisterz August 26th, 2008 at 3:09 pm

    “Another thing that I’ve noticed, I’m more willing to experiment with variety of angles with a DSLR.”

    Right. And another thing is, when u r using a DSLR, it is much like a license for u to take photos of anyone/anything. U got the confidence. I felt it when I used it last time. It was much easier to interact with the ppl even though they are strangers :)

    If u’re taking their candid photos with your cameraphone, they will think that u r a stalker -_-

    cool stuff.

    flisterz’s last blog post..Photos: Mathronicamp

    [Reply]

  2. Aisyah August 26th, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    “If u’re taking their candid photos with your cameraphone, they will think that u r a stalker -_-”

    HAHA. true that :p

    [Reply]

  3. abdusfauzi August 26th, 2008 at 11:09 pm

    yups. its so true. there’s one time, i went for a mini concert at UM, and i borrowed my brother’s canon 40D. haha. guess what, i move around. when i said i move around, that includes in front of the stage, on the stage, in front of the singer, and near the drummer. :cheer: at that time, it was Hujan’s performence. weee. :))
    abdusfauzi’s last blog post..Luna Fantasiku - Series 20th : Finale

    [Reply]

  4. aeropama dot com August 26th, 2008 at 3:19 pm

    walah… aisyah got a DSLR. Jealous doe….

    Dem… definitely this blog will be loaded wit thousands of pics after this. my graphic card gonna be explode

    aeropama dot com’s last blog post..Melatih Otak Menjadi Bijak

    [Reply]

  5. rasso August 26th, 2008 at 4:42 pm

    Wahh…. dah ada dslr…
    leh shoot ai pas ni…. hi hi hi

    rasso’s last blog post..Apakala Dipaksa Makan Mucoprom Syrup & Nurofen Caplet Oleh Ghadis. Aku Pasrah.

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  6. syuxx August 26th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    i love the last picture. omg, i love the focused effect since in dslr we can adjust it compare to compact cam which only have auto-focused.

    btw, you were tagged:

    http://thumlog.com/tagged-game-8-tag

    syuxx’s last blog post..Tagged Game: 8 Tag

    [Reply]

  7. kenchill August 26th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

    Well, actually it’s the aperture that controls that. Compacts have lenses with smaller apertures, so it’s hard to get the background blurred (bokeh) effect. If the compact has adjustable aperture, u can achieve that as well!!

    [Reply]

  8. Aisyah August 26th, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    are you sure? I thought aperture is the size of the lens opening that determines amount of light that falls on the sensor, or the film.

    [Reply]

  9. kenchill August 27th, 2008 at 10:05 am

    Yeah, by opening the aperture larger (f1.7 maybe) whatever is out of focus will be very blur.

    For landscape shots, set the aperture to f16 or so, and everything will be SHARP.

    Play around, u will know (but u need a lens which can go below f4 to get nice bokeh shots).

  10. Aisyah August 26th, 2008 at 10:16 pm

    you love the last photo, or the person in the last photo? ahaha :))

    [Reply]

  11. Syahid A. August 26th, 2008 at 4:46 pm

    For those on a budget, there are people selling their old SLRs at best price in lelong or FTZ. You can even find more in more than one Malaysian based photo sites. Happy shooting girl!

    [Reply]

  12. p.crew August 26th, 2008 at 8:36 pm

    I was into dslr long time ago, and found no time to dive in more in-depth in the ocean of photography or DSLR-graphy or whatever it calls.

    Sometimes it’s not just how well your hands treated DSLR, sometimes it’s about how NOT lazy or conscious you are to bring it together with you say when you are traveling.

    I know when I went to say Disneyland or other theme parks or maybe beaches, I tend NOT to bring it together. Since rides would risk the safety of d camera, while safety lock box to store your camera defeats the whole purpose bringing it together.

    What the hell am I talking here, no intend to discourage, but hopefully you’ll make full-use of it yah Aisyah!

    I should have bring mine last time we..

    p.crew’s last blog post..Malaysia Joomla Day 2008

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  13. Aisyah August 26th, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    well, that’s why you’d still need a compact digital camera as a back up. ;)

    and nooo, it was a good thing you didn’t. I looked like shit. hahah

    [Reply]

  14. p.crew August 26th, 2008 at 10:13 pm

    what do u mean u looked like shit? no u didn’t.

    Oh i see yeah cool never think of backup before. Good call.

    p.crew’s last blog post..Malaysia Joomla Day 2008

    [Reply]

  15. haziqruzaini August 29th, 2008 at 3:22 am

    me too.. my DSC T30 ruined during a splash of water at sunway lagoon.

    i have one too, but still need a compact digital camera to capture videos. :(

    haziqruzaini’s last blog post..Virus-Based Batteries?

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  16. kambing August 26th, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    “There’s only one similarities between all of the digital camera that I’ve used. All of them lasted for about one year before they spoiled. Seriously, I have no idea why.”

    *gasp* standby satu lubang at the backyard.

    btw linked you and my butt is not qualified to join….yet…

    kambing’s last blog post..A short joke

    [Reply]

  17. NoktahHitam August 26th, 2008 at 9:07 pm

    S1750 x 2 ++ = 3.5k kire ok la.

    the thing that turns me off about DSLR is, I DONT HAVE TIME TO CAM WHORE!

    Anyway, good choice of camera. Entry level, easy to learn and adapt. Nanti upgrade plak.

    NoktahHitam’s last blog post..Zulkifli Nordin Quits PKR?

    [Reply]

  18. Aisyah August 26th, 2008 at 10:13 pm

    the thing that turns me off is the size. but I guess it’s worth the magical shot, I guess. :)

    [Reply]

  19. abdusfauzi August 26th, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    i want Canon DSLR too! hmm.. got to ask my brother whether he can loan me some cash. hik hik. :))
    abdusfauzi’s last blog post..Luna Fantasiku - Series 20th : Finale

    [Reply]

  20. MaJa August 26th, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    “Instead of buying the standard lens which is the Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-15mm f5-5.6 with IS (Image Stabilizer), I opted for the affordable (but not too affordable, I guess) Canon Zoom Lens EF 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 II”

    the first lens is shud be EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 IS.. spotted a typo there..

    n btw , no offense tho on ur choice , EF 28-105mm F/3.5-4.5 II is a very old lens model..

    [Reply]

  21. Aisyah August 27th, 2008 at 12:14 am

    oopsie, my bad. ehehe.

    haha, yeah. but i like it for its versatility for everyday use and travel. I like the range, it suits my needs, but I kinda regret that it’s not IS lens. oh well, i can always exchange it with my friends. they have always wanted my lens. LOL.

    [Reply]

  22. MaJa August 27th, 2008 at 12:44 am

    if versatility is what u want.. cheers.. canon just announce EF-S 18-200 F/3.5-5.6 IS today.. read it at dpreview.. =)

    [Reply]

  23. amer August 27th, 2008 at 3:21 am

    Maja belikan aku satu!!

    amer’s last blog post..Monster

  24. Aisyah August 27th, 2008 at 12:28 pm

    just today? damn. it’s pretty expensive.

  25. MaJa August 27th, 2008 at 12:32 pm

    @amer : memang x mungkin berlaku ah aku belikan ntok ko enol.. datang r melawat aku..

    [Reply]

  26. haziqruzaini August 29th, 2008 at 3:26 am

    datang lawat aku jugak.

    haziqruzaini’s last blog post..Virus-Based Batteries?

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  27. Simply Precious August 27th, 2008 at 12:35 am

    Yeah, I want a camera that takes really good pictures too, but they’re all big!! =( But thanks for the review, I may end up getting that one day. Hehe, we’re looking into it, so we’ll see what happens.

    [Reply]

  28. MaJa August 27th, 2008 at 12:45 am

    1000D is kinda cute actually.. try holding it.. u will love it for sure.. afterall , it’s the smallest dslr from canon..

    [Reply]

  29. Nadlique August 29th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

    Nikon D40 isn’t too bad either. Pretty small and light.

    It’s going really cheap nowadays, considering that it’s getting pretty old.

    Quite a few folks say that Nikon D40 does most of the jobs that you want to get done.

    Nadlique’s last blog post..The brand spanking new Nikon D90 with super cool features!

    [Reply]

  30. amer August 27th, 2008 at 3:24 am

    Aisyahrozi knape kau beli kat sngapore? Murah sgt ker?

    amer’s last blog post..Monster

    [Reply]

  31. Aisyah August 27th, 2008 at 12:30 pm

    er… sebab masa tu tengah vacation kat singapore? as souvenir la kot. haha

    [Reply]

  32. Nadlique August 29th, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    Orang kata, electronics dekat Singapore lagi murah kat Malaysia. Betul ke?

    Nadlique’s last blog post..The brand spanking new Nikon D90 with super cool features!

    [Reply]

  33. Shellie August 27th, 2008 at 8:45 am

    Oh yummy camera!!! *chomp* And very lovely site as well ~ want to do a link exchange? :) Let me know If you do!

    [Reply]

  34. MakanMalaya August 27th, 2008 at 1:57 pm

    cool dah ada dslr. lepas ni boleh lepak tengok F1. hehe :)

    MakanMalaya’s last blog post..Chocolate Banana, Chicken Curry Puff & Tomyam Cornish at Secret Recipe Ampang ! Hehe :)

    [Reply]

  35. Zaza August 27th, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Azima kelihatan seperti sedang makan kaki katak :hehe: Good shots for an amateur !

    [Reply]

  36. Aisyah August 27th, 2008 at 11:36 pm

    ahahah, kaki katak goreng. nyum nyum. Favourite azima tu =P

    [Reply]

  37. azima pimboli August 27th, 2008 at 10:11 pm

    damnnnnnnn im FUGLY!!! bukan i cakap jgn letak gmba i ke. hohoho. nak letak letak la gmba kat kerusi merah tgh cari baju tu. HAHAAHHAAH. jk jk

    azima pimboli’s last blog post..?

    [Reply]

  38. Aisyah August 27th, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    mn ada! u lawa, sbb tu i letak kot.

    [Reply]

  39. Hutang Tag Dibayar Tag | SembangKomputer.com August 28th, 2008 at 12:30 am

    [...] tag ini kepada Encik NokhtahHitam, Encik Syuxx, Encik AbdusFauzi, Encik KNizam, Cik Mira, dan Cik Aisyah. Padan [...]

  40. alone August 28th, 2008 at 9:01 am

    very sharp pics. i luv the dolphin one. cool :love:
    alone’s last blog post..Anwar & Permatang Pauh : You Should Know

    [Reply]

  41. razifmustapha August 28th, 2008 at 9:06 am

    fulemak…. da bley main gantung2 kamera kt leher sey….

    [Reply]

  42. Nadlique August 29th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    It seems like, everybody’s got their own DSLRs nowadays. Dah tak exclusive dah. Hahaha.

    By the way, the problem with taking photos here in Australia, semua org sensitive sangat. Australian lah. Snap sikit gambar dia org, kalau tak tanya permission, sure kena sound. Especially kalau guna SLR. Dia org akan ingat kita stalker.

    Ada my friend tu, dia ambil gambar dlm Starbucks. Pastu security guard datang, cakap customer lain complain mamat ni ambik gambar dia org.

    Nadlique’s last blog post..The brand spanking new Nikon D90 with super cool features!

    [Reply]

  43. zool August 29th, 2008 at 2:31 pm

    Setahun je dah jahanam??
    Ganas pakai ni…

    zool’s last blog post..Obses tentang cinta

    [Reply]

  44. Jezzrite August 29th, 2008 at 11:46 pm

    Finally, Aisyah with DSLR:)

    Hey, if you wanna follow me shooting models (males & females), you know where to find me.

    Of course, after Raya la. Ramadhan is photographers’ holiday.

    Peace yo!

    [Reply]

  45. xmindfreakx August 30th, 2008 at 9:01 am

    for the first experience,u boleh guna auto mode..tapi lama2 try la guna manual mode..last 2 pict,nice bokeh..

    xmindfreakx’s last blog post..StickyNote(SN)#1

    [Reply]

  46. asx September 1st, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    owh . 1000D . I check it last time before i open this post . the price is rm1900(Just the cam).

    asx’s last blog post..Maaf . Saya lambat .

    [Reply]

  47. amir September 2nd, 2008 at 3:35 am

    ouh.
    welcome to DSLR world.
    :p.
    1000d ?.
    new model.
    ouch.

    [Reply]

  48. Noy September 2nd, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    wow…u got that 1000d.something that i always wanted these day! so how was it? i am doing my survey on this DSLR…guess u enjoy working with it :) anw, nice blog here :)

    [Reply]

  49. Hanep September 5th, 2008 at 10:29 am

    I mende ble ada DSLR ni yg kte xpuas…

    There will be less photo of ourself,
    everyone keep asking us to take photos of them.

    *unless you snapshot your own pic…huhu :panic:

    [Reply]

  50. Tny September 9th, 2008 at 4:09 pm

    Mesti rasa puas hati.. at last dh dpt dslr :)

    [Reply]

  51. dolphin pictures September 18th, 2008 at 12:18 am

    [...] [...]

  52. darkT September 21st, 2008 at 5:41 am

    I sfrankly can see no reason to choose 1000d /xs over 450D / xsi, price different is too small considering the features. Here is a comparison table for you:

    http://photolectic.com/reviews/dslr/canon-1000d/xs-vs.-450d/xsi-quick-comparison.html

    darkT’s last blog post..Ricoh GR Digital II Creative Set

    [Reply]

  53. Aisyah September 21st, 2008 at 9:03 am

    true, I agree. Oh well. :)

    [Reply]

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