Canon EOS 500D Digital SLR Camera (incl. EF-S 18-55 mm IS Lens Kit)

Product Information

New for the EOS 500D is the Creative Auto (CA) mode, which as the name suggests provides a half-way house between full auto and the more advanced shooting modes. ICC (International Colour Consortium) profiles can be attached to TIFF or JPEG images when converted from RAW. You also get the lovely 920,000 dot VGA monitor that has been slowly working its way down most manufacturer's DSLR line-ups. MP–and faster processing–Digic 4 (one of those acronyms that has never really caught on as such, but does appear to deliver in principle) on its CMOS chip. Full compatibility with Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites, including new Speedlite 270EX, TS-E 17mm f/4L and TS-E 24mm f/3.

Mastering flash photography can take a lifetime but Canon's extensive range of Speedlites, can make it simple to get great results. Shooting modes can be easily selected via the rotary knob that's conveniently located on top of the camera. Driven by the powerful DIGIC 4 processor this highly-featured model delivers many of the technologies developed for our professional models and matches them with intuitive design and controls so they are easy to access and apply. A lower weight is also an advantage for home appliances, as it makes transportation easier, and for many other types of products.Photography enthusiasts can now capture their most significant moments in a manner that matches their creativity. Picture Style pre-sets can be likened to different film types – each one offering a different colour response. Let's better appreciate what we have, consider what gives us joy, and get out there to take some photos. If you want a compact camera that produces great quality photos without the hassle of changing lenses, there are plenty of choices available for every budget. On close inspection the images have exceptional levels of detail, and holding up to scrutiny even at 200%.

The image is displayed on the rear screen and focusing can be achieved manually or by the three AF modes featured in LiveView. So what does the new Canon 500D bring that is unique from the others, and has caused it to gain so much attention? The EOS 500D allows you to change the look of your images by customising Picture Style settings for colour, saturation, sharpness and contrast, either in-camera or later with Canon's comprehensive software suite supplied.We're as guilty as anyone of getting excited about shiny new gear and features, but let's not lose sight of the gear we already have by our side. The only function missing is the ability to plug in an external microphone, but otherwise this appears fairly comprehensive.

It is simple to get a closer look at an image as users can zoom in up to 15 times, and it is also possible to view pictures in a set of nine contact sheet. The Canon EOS 500D is the company's latest addition to the DSLR lineup and has positioned the three-digit EOS range – originally introduced as a budget, entry-level option – as an advanced series, bringing some seriously impressive features with it.The Canon EOS 500D's dust-removal technology, where the sensor is shaken briefly at high frequency to dislodge any dust particles from its surface, has been upgraded with a fluorine coating on the low-pass filter for better dust resistance. Users can use this to perform basic editing tasks, including creating and exporting clips which combine movie files and JPEGs.

I previously owned a Canon EOS 350D and had looked at the 400D and the 450D, but I am glad that I waited for the 500D to come out.

And, if the loss of the letter 'X' from the US name seems a bit disconcerting, you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that the Japanese market will still know it by the odd-to-European-ears 'Kiss X3 Digital. The resulting image will have less quality than when staying within the native ISO range, but it can be useful in certain situations. Picture Style presets applied to a RAW image can be revised with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software. A series of photographs taken from the same position over a long period is joined together to create a short video.