The Canon EOS 70D can be had for as little as 200 bucks. A brilliant bargain, or just a dead-end DSLR?
On paper, the Canon EOS 70D may not warrant a second look in 2024. This is, after all, an enthusiast camera that was launched in 2013 – and it's a DSLR, at that, which lacks the modern mirrorless trimmings that we've all become accustomed to.
However, a DSLR from 2013 ages a heck of a lot better than a mirrorless camera from 2013 – and the Canon EOS 70D, despite its age, is still a great little camera for the right person – especially when it can be had for about 200 bucks in the UK and a few dollars more in the US.
So what does the Canon EOS 70D have going for it? Well, as my colleague Rod recently wrote, they literally don't make cameras like this any more, and there are some features that veteran photographers will really love.
Take the giant control wheel on the rear of the body, which is now the preserve of Canon's higher-end cameras. Or the top LCD panel, which can illuminate in dim conditions.
And the bank of five buttons above it, dedicated to core functions like metering pattern and drive mode (unlike the nervous layout of nondescript, customizable buttons we see today).
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The Canon EOS 70D is one of the company's small but perfectly formed DSLRs, with a chunky yet trim physique that fits just right in the hands. It even packs a fully articulating screen, a trick that even some far more expensive modern cameras haven't mastered.
At its heart is a 20.2MP APS-C image sensor that may be conservative compared to some of today's resolution monsters, but 20MP is good enough for the super-popular Nikon Z fc fashion cameras and the flagship OM System OM-1 Mark II.
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The 7fps continuous shooting speed is enough to get you started photographing fast action, and Canon's Dual Pixel CMOS AF system still provides great autofocus even after 11 years.
And there are hundreds of lens options available for its EF-S lens mount, which can accept the full range of Canon DSLR glass – all of which is now cheaper than ever, especially on the second-hand market.
Sure, there's no 4K video and the ISO tops out at 25,600. And it's been superseded by the EOS 80D, EOS 90D and now the EOS R7. But for 200 bucks, this is still a great little camera for anyone starting out or on a budget.
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
