If you've been tempted for a while now to dip your toe into the DSLR waters, we can see why you've ended up looking at this Canon camera.

It features an APS-C-sized sensor and some other interesting features, if nothing too revolutionary. These are the cameras with which the consumer starts their journey with a brand – and many of those consumers will stay with that brand for a very long time. Atop the camera sits a mode dial, which means you can switch between different exposure modes quickly. It has the same modest 9-point autofocusing system, with one central cross-type (more sensitive) point. The EOS 1300D also has a DIGIC 4 + image processor, which has a great speed improvement compared to DIGIC 4.Native sensitivity remains at ISO100-6,400, expandable up to 12,800, but given the slightly better processor a modest improvement in low-light performance is promised. This enables you to control the camera from a connected device, such as a smartphone or tablet, and you can send images from the camera to your devices to share quickly online.

Under artificial lighting, images are a little on the warm side – while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for some subjects, for complete accuracy you’ll be better off switching to a specific white balance setting. As befits an entry-level camera, it’s on the relatively small side for a DSLR, but it’s chunky enough to be satisfying for those upgrading from a compact camera.At ISO 3200 and ISO 6400, images are still good – certainly usable at A4 or below, but it’s worth avoiding ISO 12800 unless you’re really desperate. With the right lenses, the Canon 1300D is suitable for shooting landscapes, portraits, macro images, and street photography. At ISO 1600, there isn’t too much present, while there’s a good overall impression of detail when looking at shots at normal printing or web sizes. The Canon EOS 1300D is a good value-for-money, offering not-so-basic features like Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. Despite being succeeded by the Canon 2000D, the 1300D remains a potentially good second-hand choice if you’re looking for your first DSLR – although we’d be inclined to wait for the imminent Nikon D3500, or spend a little more on the Canon 200D.