Canon's new budget entry dSLR: EOS 1000D

Canon has just announced its newest dSLR and, sadly for the pros who were hoping to see the successor to the popular EOS 5D, this isn't it. Instead, the latest to join the lineup is a budget entry-level shooter--the EOS 1000D.

Loyal fans of the Japanese company will know its naming convention--the bigger the number, the more affordable and basic it is. The most expensive would therefore be the EOS 1D series, followed by the EOS 40D and subsequently, the EOS 450D. For those with shallow pockets but looking to upgrade from a point-and-shoot to a dSLR, the EOS 1000D may be a good catch.

While the pricing has yet to be confirmed, Nelson Tan, manager of the Consumer Imaging and Information division, told us that "the EOS 1000D will be significantly cheaper than the EOS 450D" and "the most affordable ever dSLR". While rumors are running amok online that this snapper will be sub-US$500, Canon told us the price will be determined when it launches the shooter "sometime in August".

To sweeten the deal, the imaging giant is bundling an EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens with built-in image stabilizer (IS). This is the same optics that is bundled with the EOS 450D, while the IS feature used to be found only in the professional "L" series of lenses.

Specifications at a glance: