Gibberish yaks ... yakking no more ~: Canon 450D

Canon EOS 450D (Digital Rebel XSi / Kiss X2 Digital) Review
May 2008, Simon Joinson and Phil Askey

Review based on a production Canon EOS 450D

Four and a half years have passed since the first affordable digital SLR from Canon; the EOS 300D (Digital Rebel). In that time we have witnessed two further iterations (the EOS 350D and EOS 400D) leading up to today's fourth generation EOS 450D, with twice the megapixel count of the original (twelve versus six) in a smaller body with a far wider range of functionality and features and a $200 lower list price. Since those heady days in 2004 when the EOS 300D was the only kid on the block we've seen Nikon, Pentax and Olympus all attempt to hit the same sweet spot of size, features and price at the 'lower end' of the DSLR market, with varying degrees of success. Without a doubt the EOS 450D will have to do more today to prove itself in an increasingly crowded market.

A detailed breakdown of all of the changes and updates compared to the EOS 400D but the headlines are; a larger 3.0" LCD monitor, Live View with both passive and contrast detect AF, Spot metering, improved auto-focus, 3.5 fps continuous shooting a larger viewfinder and a switch SD/SDHC for storage (all previous cameras in this range were Compact Flash). Other features appear to be inherited from the EOS 40D; 14-bit image pipeline, Highlight Tone priority, optional High ISO noise reduction, 'My Menu' and display of the ISO sensitivity on the viewfinder status line. There's also the new stabilized kit lens (for review and samples click here).

Note that throughout this review we will refer to the EOS 450D by its European name; if you live in other parts of the world you'll know the camera by (in order of silliness) Rebel XSi or Kiss X2 Digital, but they're all the same.

A brief history; Canon entry level digital SLR series

20/08/03: Canon EOS 300D / Digital Rebel (6 mp)
17/02/05: Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT (8 mp)
24/08/06: Canon EOS 400D / Digital Rebel XTi (10 mp)
24/01/08: Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi (12 mp)

What's new / changed (key points)

12 megapixel CMOS sensor The 450D features a new, 12.4 megapixel sensor. It has 12.2 million effective pixels. Further down the line, the A/D converter is capable of relaying 14 bit information to the camera's image processor or as a 14-bit RAW file. This should, in theory at least, offer smoother gradation steps in the final images.	SD / SDHC Card This is also the first entry-level Canon DSLR to use the Secure Digital format. It's a popular format with the compact digital camera owners Canon will be hoping to lure into DSLR ownership. SDHC is now available in similar sizes and speeds to the CF format used by the 300D, 350D and 400D.



Larger viewfinder A big step forwards for Canon's entry-level DSLR is the larger viewfinder. It's unlikely to be as bright as the ones found in Canon's XXD models because it uses mirrors, rather than a glass prism but in terms of magnification (size), it's almost on a par with the 30D which was a considerably more expensive camera. It's unusual to see viewfinder specs mentioned when comparing DSLRs but they can make a really big difference to usability.	Live view The 450D becomes the latest DSLR to include a live view mode. It includes a slow but potentially very accurate contrast detection AF method, which can be made the default for Live view. It also offers an optional live histogram to help with exposure and an' Exposure Simulation' indicator to confirm when the view on the screen represents the brightness of the final image.


Spot metering A regular criticism of Canon's Rebel range has always been the lack of a spot metering mode. Spot metering is a tool that many photographers find invaluable, particularly when setting manual exposures in difficult-to-capture high contrast scenes. Previously only available on XXD-level cameras, we're delighted to see spot metering appear on the 450D (central 4% of the frame).	Multi-shot self-timer mode The 450D gains the ability to take multiple shots each time the self-timer is used. If you're trying to appear in a group shot and don't want to have to keep running back to the camera, it could prove a really useful feature.


3.0" LCD One of the most obvious external differences between the 450D and its predecessor is the inclusion of a huge 3 inch LCD screen. It's got the same number of pixels as the one on the 400D (which means it's actually lower resolution), but, considering it doubles as the camera's settings screen, the extra size should be useful.	Verification data The 450D adds the "original decision data" option that cropped up on the 40D. This appends a piece of data in the image file, based on certain aspects of the original image. This data would no longer correspond if the image were changed, allowing users to prove the veracity of an image. (Which requires the OSK-E3 security kit)


Auto Lighting Optimizer A feature aimed at reducing the number of failed shots is the new 'Auto Lighting Optimizer.' This processes photos after they've been taken to try to correct exposure and contrast problems, though in our tests it had very little effect.	Highlight Tone Priority Another feature that has made its way down from the 40D is 'Highlight Tone Priority' which alters the way that the camera meters a scene. This means it captures and retains more information in the bright areas of the image at the risk of more noise in the shadows.


High ISO noise reduction Another feature trickling down from the 40D is the option to add an extra level of noise reduction when shooting at the camera's highest sensitivity settings. Comes at the expense of continuous shooting speed so has been made optional.	14-bit A/D converter The 450D's DIGIC III processor handles the sensor's data in 14-bit. Whether this makes any difference away from the spec-sheet is something we'll see when we get the chance to conduct more extensive testing.


Improved 9-point AF system Canon is claiming the AF system has been revised in the XSi / 450D. Certainly the AF chip appears to be different to the one we showed in the 400D review.	Larger, higher capacity, battery The 450D departs from its predecessors by using a new battery. The new, larger, LP-E5 battery has a capacity of 1080mAh, rather than 720mAh. This will be particularly useful given the greater power demands that live view brings.


My Menu Another feature inherited from its older brother, the 40D, is My Menu. This lets users group their most-used menu items into a personal list, for easy access. It's a feature we found surprisingly useful.	Revised user interface The status display has been freshened-up and is slightly easier to read. There are now four color schemes available. The 450D also gains the ability to show Speedlight settings on the screen for people working with external Canon flashguns.


ISO in viewfinder As well as making the viewfinder larger, Canon has found room to fit additional information into the viewfinder information bar. This, along with the sensibly-placed ISO button, gives you fewer reasons to have to take the camera away from your eye when shooting, which we applaud.	New battery grip Along with the restyled body comes a new battery grip. The BG-E5 gives the option of taking two LP-E5 batteries or 6 AA batteries, using a different slot-in insert. The grip fills the re-shaped battery bay which means these are instead of, not in addition to the normal battery and older grips are incompatible.