Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i viewfinder

 

The EOS 600D / T3i is equipped with a similar penta-mirror optical viewfinder to its predecessors with 95% coverage, although Canon now quotes the magnification as being 0.85x compared to 0.87x on the older models, although in use you wouldn't notice any difference between them. The coverage is the same as most DSLRs in the same class, including the Sony Alpha A580 and Nikon D5000, although all employ different magnifications (and varying sensor sizes), making their viewfinder experiences a little different.

Nikon's D5000 has a relatively small viewfinder magnification of 0.78x, which in practice makes its viewfinder image appear the smallest in the group, although not by as much as the figures imply. The Sony Alpha A580 comes-in fractionally larger than the D5000 at 0.8x, but again the difference between them is minor.

So with 0.85x magnification, the 600D / T3i would appear to deliver the biggest viewfinder image, but once you take its fractionally smaller sensor size into account, the difference between it and, say, the Sony A580, becomes virtually imperceptible in side-by-side comparisons.

For a better optical viewfinder experience, you'll need to go for a model with a larger pentaprism system, such as the EOS 60D, which delivers 0.95x magnification and 96% coverage. Pentaprism viewfinders may add weight to the body, but also deliver a brighter image. So if you're really into composing and manually focusing with the viewfinder, you'll definitely find the EOS 60D preferable in this regard.

An interesting alternative are the electronic viewfinders on models like Sony's SLT cameras which deliver a much larger image with 100% coverage and the benefit of super-imposed colour graphics. The downsides are a (current) inability to present a live view between frames when shooting very quick continuous bursts and the finite detail and tonal range of an electronic image. Traditionalists (and action shooters) may remain unconvinced, but the electronic viewfinder experience of models like the SLT-A33 and SLT-A55 is very good indeed and presents a unique alternative to conventional optical solutions.

In terms of markings, the 600D / T3i's viewfinder is unchanged from its predecessor. You'll see the same nine focusing points with the centre-point circled to indicate the spot-metering area. As you'd expect for a camera at this price point, you can't swap the focusing screen, and unlike Nikon's D5000 and D90, not to mention Canon's higher-end EOS 7D, there are no on-demand LCD grid lines.

There is however detailed information running along the bottom of the image, and in large, clear characters. The details and layout are the same as the 550D / T2i, including the ISO value displayed at all times, and icons indicating whether B&W or Highlight Tone Priority modes are enabled.