Canon EOS Rebel T6
Can Canon improve on its existing entry-level DSLR?
$499 (with EF-S 18-55mm lens) Manufacturer Canon, canon.com Features 18 megapixels, Wi-Fi, 1080p video, 3-inch screen, nine-point AF system
The EOS Rebel T6 is Canon’s latest entry-level digital SLR, and it’s available at a great price for those new to high-end photography. The T6 doesn’t represent a major upgrade from its predecessor, the EOS Rebel T5i. The sensor is similar to the T5i’s at 18 million pixels, while the image processor gets a modest upgrade to the Digic 4+ (the T5i had a standard Digic 4). It has the same 9-point autofocusing system, with one central cross-type (more sensitive) point. There’s also a 95% coverage optical viewfinder. Native sensitivity remains at ISO 100-6,400, expandable up to 12,800, but given the slightly better processor, a modest improvement in low-light performance is promised.
One feature that has seen an upgrade is the screen. The T6’s LCD is a 3-inch, 920,000-dot unit, whereas the T5 boasted only 460,000 dots. But the headline new feature for the T6 is the inclusion of built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, which enables you to control the camera from a connected device and app.
The T6 offers Full HD (1920x1080) video recording, and you can take manual control of video, with 30, 25 and 24fps framerates available; not surprisingly for a camera at this price, there’s no 4K shooting. There’s also no touchscreen, which means that all adjustments to settings need to be made via the physical controls – although there are enough direct access buttons for this not to be a chore.
Image quality is very good. JPEG images display a fine level of warmth and saturation direct from the camera, while its Picture Styles feature offers a good way to tweak the tones depending on the subject. Raw images are a little more subdued than JPEGs, with a bit less contrast, giving you plenty of scope to process files according to your own tastes. Canon’s 18-million-pixel sensor has proven to be a capable performer when it comes to detail resolution, and the overall impression of detail in JPEG images is very good from ISO 100 through to ISO 3,200, with quality only falling away a little when you get to ISO 6,400.
the bottom line. The Canon EOS Rebel T6 is a great camera for beginners, offering good image quality in a very reasonably priced, easy-to-use package. If you like to shoot macro images or other subjects with extreme levels of detail you might prefer the Nikon D3300 – but expect to spend more. Amy Davies