Canon EOS 350D review

What you need to know

Reviewed by: Michael Shapiro

Reviewed on: 5 May 2005

Tags: Canon, Canon EOS 350D, autofocus, plastic, shutter speed

We like:

Image quality leads its class; competitive price; ultrafast start-up time; very responsive

We don't like:

Lightweight plastic body isn't ergonomically satisfying; no spot meter; limited continuous-shooting mode, unimpressive kit lens; 1.6x lens-conversion factor

You might also need:

A CompactFlash Type I or II card or a Microdrive with a capacity of at least 256MB

CNET UK judgement:

The EOS 350D is an exceptionally small and lightweight camera designed for amateur dSLR owners. Despite this, it has the responsiveness and image quality you'd expect from a semi-professional model

Full review:

The Canon EOS 350D is a speedy performer. It offers a lot of creative control and boasts an 8-megapixel CMOS sensor and Canon's Digic II processing engine. It has a smaller, lighter body than its predecessor, the EOS 300D; it's nearly as small as you can get in a digital SLR. While this might appeal to the small handed and nimble, the EOS 350D's compressed, lightweight, and slightly chintzy frame will be a hindrance to others who prefer a solid grip and a balanced camera body -- particularly if they're using a lens any heavier than the mediocre 18mm-to-55mm f/3.5-to-f/5.6 unit included in the kit. Continue Reading...