Canon EOS 1200D review – Build and handling
The outer body of the Canon EOS 1200D is made from a carbon-fibre reinforced polycarbonate. My initial thought when I first picked up the camera was that it has a plasticky feel, although this is fairly common with entry-level cameras. Thankfully, however, the overall construction does appear to be solid, which is only to be expected from Canon.
One major advantage of the body construction is that it weighs just 480g with battery and card included, so the camera is light and portable. This is 100g lighter than the EOS 700D and 15g lighter than the EOS 1100D. Measuring 129.6×99.7×77.9mm, the EOS 1200D is almost the same size as its predecessor, being just 0.3mm smaller along its width.
As the EOS 1200D is aimed at the novice user and is designed to be fairly basic in operation, there are few buttons on the camera’s rear. AF modes, ISO, drive modes and white balance all have their own designated button on the D-pad. Also, menu, quick menu, exposure compensation, playback and display have their own button close to the D-pad. These buttons are large and clearly labelled, which helps to make the picture-taking process more intuitive for the beginner.
The quick menu is used to navigate through the settings on the back of the LCD. This allows users to change most settings without going through complex menus.
The EOS 1200D sits snugly in the hand and its small size doesn’t prevent the user from achieving a firm purchase on the large front grip. The thumb grip on the rear is situated in the perfect position, making this camera very comfortable to hold.
