5 things you need to know about Canon's beginner-friendly 2000D and 4000D DSLRs

Canon’s most exciting 2018 annnouncement so far might be the EOS M50, but it did also show off a tag team of budget DSLRs for those with tighter purse strings.

Okay, the 2000D (which replaces its 1300D) and the even cheaper 4000D might not be sleek, innovative objects of desire.

But they are shaping up to be solid workhorses for beginners who want to learn the art of interchangeable lenses and manual DSLR controls.

Here’s your five-minute guide to the most entry-level members of Canon’s EOS team…

1) They’re Canon’s simplest and cheapest DSLRs

Canon wants the 2000D and 4000D to be your gateway drug into its world of EOS lenses and DSLRs. This means they pack some slightly underwhelming if still beginner-friendly tech. The 4000D sits at the bottom of Canon’s 15-strong team of EOS cameras and combines an 18MP sensor with a Digic 4+ processor – a combination that could be found back in 2009 in the EOS 7D. Still, 18MP is more than enough for most newbies. The 2000D, meanwhile, replaces Canon’s previous entry-level DSLR from 2016, the 1300D. It at least upgrades the sensor, with a 24MP APS-C number keeping better pace with the budget competition from the likes of the Nikon’s D3400.

2) They have tempting price tags

Canon’s 1300D limboed below the £300 mark when it launched, but neither its successor nor the 4000D (somewhat surprisingly) quite manage to do that.

You’ll be able to pick up a 2000D for £370 (body only) or £470 with an EF-S 18-55mm IS lens, which saves you about £110 compared to buying the two separately.

Meanwhile, the 4000D, which sits below the 2000D as Canon’s cheapest DSLR, comes in at £330 (body only) or £370 with the same EF-S 18-55mm lens that came with the 1300D.

Granted, that isn’t a lot for a DSLR and kit lens, but it’s worth bearing in mind that some older but more capable models including Canon’s own 750D and Nikon’s D5500 can be found for only about £100 more.

3) You might struggle to tell them apart

As you can tell from their price tags, the 2000D and 4000D are pretty similar. In fact, the 4000D is effectively a slightly more budget version of its already-quite-budget brother. Apart from those different processors (24MP for the 2000D versus 18MP for the 4000D), the main differences are cosmetic. The 4000D has kept its price down by printing button labels on the camera body itself rather than the buttons, keeping a fixed dioptre correction on the viewfinder (which means glasses-wearers can’t tweak the focus), and using a plastic lens mount. The two have almost identical dimensions and handling too, with the 4000D feeling slightly cheaper in the hand (it weighs about 40g less). They also have the same video-shooting capabilities, with both topping out at Full HD (30fps) too.

4) They’re connected, but don’t have touchscreens

Looking to upgrade from your smartphone to something that’ll teach you manual photography tricks? Canon is targeting you with these two models, which means it’s added Wi-Fi to both for transferring your snaps to your phone. Unlike the 4000D, the 2000D also has NFC, which means that tapping your phone on it should see you taken straight into Canon’s Camera Connect app. The affinity with smartphones ends there though, as neither DSLR has a touchscreen or a flip-screen. This makes them seem a tad dated in 2018, though we guess something had to go in the name of cost-cutting…

5) You should probably wait for our verdict

Though both of Canon’s new DSLRs fall into ‘impulse buy’ territory, you’re not exactly short of options in the £300-£500 bracket – so we’d suggest waiting for our reviews before snapping one up.

We found the 2000D’s predecessor, the 1300D, had too many compromises compared to rivals like the Nikon D3300 (now D3400). You might also be better off with an affordable mirrorless model like the Panasonic GX800.

Still, as a nursery slope for full-size DSLRs, Canon’s two fresh-faced models could still be fine options for beginners. We’ll bring you our verdicts before they hit shelves in March 2018.

About

Mark's first review for Stuff was the Nokia N-Gage in 2004. Luckily, his career lasted a little longer than the taco phone, and he's been trying to figure out how gadgets fit back into their boxes ever since. While his 'Extreme Mark Wilson' persona was retired following a Microsoft skydiving incident, this means he can often be spotted in the wilds of South West London testing action cams, drones and smartwatches, and occasionally cursing at them.