EOS 3000/88 information

from EOS magazine March 1999

Canon extends 3 series two new models
Choosing a new EOS camera has just become more difficult. Two new cameras from Canon update and improve existing models, making the choice of an entry-level camera less clear cut.

For nearly four years, Canon's basic SLR model has been the EOS 5000. This offered good value at under £200, but was an automatic-only camera. You could choose between Full Auto, shutter priority and four image control modes ? but there was no manual shooting mode, and no aperture priority mode. For this reason, we were hesitant to suggest it as an entry-level camera ? anyone who became enthusiastic about photography would probably want to change to a more advanced model within a few months.

Now the EOS 5000 is being replaced by the EOS 3000 ? a camera we will be happy to recommend as a first-class entry-level budget model. The EOS 3000 has a complete range of shooting modes, including manual.

What Canon has done, in fact, is to give the EOS 3000 a specification similar to that of the EOS 500, which was the world's best-selling SLR camera between 1993 and 1996.

The EOS 500 was replaced by the EOS 500N, which introduced a 'retro-style' facelift, and a few new features. However, the EOS 3000 is now snapping at its heels in terms of specification. To overcome this situation, Canon has introduced the EOS 300.

The EOS 300 has been designed as the leading AF SLR in its class, and we expect it to take over from the EOS 500/500N as the world's best-selling SLR camera.

Where does this leave owners of earlier EOS cameras? If you have an EOS 500 or 500N, there are some attractive new features on the EOS 300, but you are probably dreaming of an EOS 50 or 50E ? or even the EOS 3 ? as your next model.

EOS 5000 owners who want an expanded specification should certainly consider the EOS 300 ? they are unlikely to be disappointed.

If you want to replace the EOS 5, it is a small step to the EOS 50E, but you would do well to consider the EOS 3.

If you are ready to change an earlier camera, such as the EOS 1000, 100, 10, 600, 620 or 650, the EOS 300 will give you similar or better features in a smaller, lighter body.

EOS 3000
The design of the EOS 3000 is based on the popular EOS 1000 series, making it light, small and easy to operate. However, the major specifications are similar to those of the EOS 500 ? the main difference is that the built-in flash requires manual pop-up, whereas the EOS 500 flash pops-up automatically in low light.

The EOS 5000, which is replaced by the EOS 3000, is a relatively basic camera, with a single control dial. The dial offers a range of shutter speeds for shutter priority metering, plus four PIC modes. The EOS 3000 uses the more familiar 2-dial layout ? a control dial and an input dial. The control dial now has a full range of creative zone shooting modes, including Program, aperture-priority, A-DEP and manual, in addition to PIC modes.

There is a lot more data provided, too. The EOS 5000 has a small external LCD panel which shows just the frame counter, aperture, self-timer countdown and battery check. The EOS 3000 goes for a larger, more complete readout, adding information about all the other camera settings. The viewfinder readout, which only offers four signals in the EOS 5000, has now become a full readout of data along the bottom of the finder in the EOS 3000.

EOS 3000 in Europe

EOS 3000 in Japan

EOS 88 in Asia

not sold in USA

Key features

Specification