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Canon EOS 1200D – Basic Just Got Better

Editor Allan Lee at work with the Canon EOS 1200D.
Behind-the-scene photo by Vince Tan.

02nd July 2014, Singapore – It seems like only yesterday when we last reviewed a “4-digit-model” EOS. I remembered the attention Canon received when they first announced the EOS 1000D back in June 2008 and subsequently replaced with the mightier EOS 1100D on February 2011. You may wish to check out my review here when I put the EOS 1000D & EOS 1100D side by side to trip elsewhere. So Canon took 2.5 years to replace the 1000D and 3.5 years to replace the 1100D. As anticipated by Canon fans, the 1200D finally came.

I managed to loan out the Canon EOS 1200D with the assigned kit lens (EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM II) for a weekend and I decided to bring it out to Pulau Ubin (an “old town village island in Singapore”). Before I proceed, once again I would like to stress that this is not a technical site so if you are looking 101% tech specifications of the EOS 1200D please visit elsewhere. We are really more keen on how the camera  performed and the photos it produces.
* All photos featured on this article are non-edited except straightening, cropping and slight effects added for presentation.

Photo: Shot with the Canon EOS 1200D from the bump boat as we approached the island jetty. Added the fake miniature look for the fun of it.

The Canon EOS 1200D sits right below the super cute & tiny EOS 100D in the Canon EOS product line so we guessed that the 1200D is targeting upgraders from prosumers that uses high-end digital compacts or even mirrorless cameras. It is also great for beginners, students or the no-fuss travelers who wish to shoot quality photos without all the “complications” in a regular mainstream DSLR. The 1200D promises fun too as it comes default with an array of creative filters for the added fun and expands the creativity of the user.

Photo: Shot with the Canon EOS 1200D near the shore beside the island jetty.
The 18 megapixel APS-C (1.6x crop) EOS 1200D uses the older Digic 4 image processor but it is not a problem at all. Digic 4 IP were once legends and performed in models like the flagship 1D MarkIV, 5D MarkII, 7D, 50D and were also used in many Rebels (xxxD) models. Although we are not into video, but it is good to know that the 1200D supports full HD Video shooting and it has a manual override which is seldom seen in entry-level DSLRs.

Photo: Shot with the Canon EOS 1200D, a monitor in the shade.

The handling of the Canon EOS 1200D is pretty decent. The right-hand grip is pretty deep and that ensures big-handed users (like me) are able to hold the camera comfortably. Buttons are easy to find & operate and the menus are typically-Canon so it is really easy to use. The 1200D’s compact size feels like a slightly bigger prosumer digital compact but certainly much more purposeful, when used with the supplied kit lens, we find that the weight balance is slightly more skewed towards the camera back rather than center. In this case, it is acceptable since the 1200D body is light to start with (435gm).

Photo: Shot with the Canon EOS 1200D, colorful mud crabs.

Photo: Shot with the Canon EOS 1200D, mangrove at low tide.

Photo: Shot with the Canon EOS 1200D, a lone large bird hunting at low tide.

Photo: Shot with the Canon EOS 1200D, doing a little close-up since most kits lens has good magnification ratios .

As the owner & a professional user of several Canon bodies across the product range, I will describe the Canon EOS 1200D as a sensible upgrade from the EOS 1100D. I must highlight that one of the biggest improvement of the 1200D is the exterior fit and finishing. It has a closer finishing to the higher end models like EOS 700D/70D where the surface is “texturized” and it has a proper rubberized grip as well. One of the biggest & common complaints about the 1100D/1000D was the “cheap and plasticky” feel. The 1200D is a lot better for this, and it feels more much premium now (although the full HD Video was awesome but I don’t do video) I was really looking for more surprises when I received the 1200D but I was probably looking at the wrong place – don’t get me wrong – the 1200D does its job well and effortlessly and it will be the perfect camera for those upgrading from prosumers digital compact cameras. I can’t really find any fault with the Canon EOS 1200D although I tried to.

As evil as I can be when scrutinizing entry-level DSLRs, the Canon EOS 1200D passed my little personal test.
Ed.

Special Thanks to Canon Singapore & Canon EOS World for the Canon 1200D.

Behind-the-scene photo by Vince Tan. See how small the EOS 1200D is?

For More information or specifications of the Canon EOS 1200D click here.

Buy Your Canon EOS 1200D here.

About Canon Singapore Pte Ltd
Canon is a global leader in photographic and digital imaging solutions. Canon Singapore Pte Ltd is the headquarters for South & Southeast Asia driving sales, marketing and service strategies. Besides handling the domestic market, the company leads 18 other countries including subsidiaries in India, Malaysia, Thailandand a representative office in Vietnam. The parent company Canon Inc has a global network of close to 300 companies and employs close to 200,000 people worldwide. It is dedicated to the advancement in technology and innovation and commits about 10% of its total revenue each year to R&D. Canon is consistently one of the top few companies to earn the most number of patents over the last 19 years. As a Fortune Global 500 company, Canon is guided by its kyosei philosophy that focuses on living and working together for the common good.

More information is available at. www.canon.com.sg

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