Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i review

 

Canon's EOS 600D/ Rebel T3i is the company's latest upper entry-level DSLR. Released in February 2011, Canon's EOS 600D/ T3i is obviously the successor to the EOS 550D / T2i, although the older model is expected to remain on-sale at a lower price point.

The EOS 600D / T3i is positioned between the EOS 550D / T2i and EOS 60D in Canon's current DSLR lineup, but at first glance it's much closer to the former. Externally the EOS 600D / T3i greatly resembles the 550D / T2i, with similar dimensions, weight, build, styling and controls. Internally it also shares the same 18 Megapixel sensor and core HD movie modes, not to mention the same viewfinder, AF system, continuous shooting, 3in 1040k pixel screen and metering, but as Canon tradition dictates, it inherits a number of key aspects from a higher-end model in the range (in this case the EOS 60D), along with at least one brand new feature.

From the 60D, the EOS 600D / T3i inherits the fully articulated screen, allowing you to compose and shoot or film at unusual angles. It also features the 60D's multiple aspect ratios when shooting in Live View and Creative Filters which are applied during playback, along with manual control over audio recording levels in movies. The 600D / T3i additionally enjoys wireless flash control, albeit with a simpler implementation than the 60D. In terms of brand new features, the EOS 600D / T3i's Movie mode now offers Digital Zoom and Video Snapshot capabilities, while the Auto shooting mode now employs scene detection. There's also a new Mark II version of the EF-S 18-55mm kit lens.

We also provide you with detail information on

1. Design, build quality and controls

2. Flash and wireless control

3. Viewfinder

4. Screen and Live View

5. Shooting information and menus

6. Battery and connectivity

7. Lens mount and kit options

8. Focusing and AF performance

9. Exposures, metering and bracketing

10. Sensor and processing

The two most important updates over the earlier EOS 550D / T2i are undoubtedly the articulated screen and wireless flash control. Despite deploying articulated screens for years on selected PowerShot compacts, the EOS 600D / T3i is actually only the second Canon DSLR to feature one, following the EOS 60D. It's a valuable feature for those shooting movies or at unusual angles in Live View.

Wireless flash control has been seen before on the EOS 60D and EOS 7D, but this is the first time it's filtered-down to an entry-level EOS DSLR. Reflecting the target audience, Canon's also simplified the interface with a new Easy mode for quick multiple flash setups. Great for anyone wanting to enhance their portrait or action lighting with minimal fuss.

While these are the major upgrades over the earlier EOS 550D / T2i, the EOS 600D / T3i additionally enjoys a number of smaller but worthwhile updates. It may not have in-camera RAW processing of the 60D, but it does have the Creative Filters which can be applied during playback, including one new effect. The Auto+ mode now employs scene detection to better identify the subject.

Those intending to use the camera for filming video will welcome manual adjustment over recording levels, along with the brand new Digital Zoom and Video Snapshot features. Both may seem like novelties at first glance, but as we discovered, each delivers compelling results which some may find invaluable.

For more detail reviews, you can see at;

11. Drive modes and remote control

12. Movie mode

13. Digital Zoom and Video Snapshot

14. Results: Real Life JPEG resolution

15. Results: Real Life RAW resolution

16. Results: Real Life JPEG noise

17. Results: Real Life RAW noise

18. Results: Sample images gallery

19. Verdict

                                                               20. Rival comparisons

                                                                         21. Final verdict and rating

                                                                         22. Video samples

So the new EOS 600D / T3i is more than just a 550D / T2i with a flip-out screen and wireless flash control. It's also more than just a budget version of the 60D. In our full review we'll detail the differences between the three models and take a close look at the new and existing features in practice, including in-depth reports on the image and movie quality.

Readmore → Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i review

Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i Battery and connectivity

 

The Canon EOS 6 00D / T3i is powered by the same LP-E8 Lithium Ion battery pack introduced on its predecessor. This has an 1120mAh rating and with essentially the same internal components, it's not surprising to find Canon quoting exactly the same battery life as the 550D / T2i: 440 under CIPA conditions with 50% flash usage, or 550 without. The number of shots understandably falls considerably when composing with the screen. If you exclusively use Live View (admittedly unlikely), each charge should be good for around 180 shots with 50% flash usage, or 200 without. Switch to movie mode and you should be able to film approximately 100 minutes worth of footage per charge. Either way if you regularly compose in Live View or shoot movies, you'll find your battery depleting sooner rather than later, so we'd definitely recommend carrying a spare.

Sadly there's still only four levels on the battery life indicator, compared to the accurate percentage remaining shown by Sony's Info Lithium models. If you require longer lifespan not to mention something more to hold onto, the optional BG-E8 battery grip (same as the 550D / T2i) can take two LP-E8 packs or six AA batteries, while providing portrait controls and grip. Alternatively if you prefer mains power, there's an optional ACK-E8 adapter.

In terms of connectivity, there's now two flaps on the left side of the body, each covering two ports. The outer flap opens to reveal a socket for the optional RS-60E3 remote switch and a 3.5mm jack for external microphones; we tried the EOS 600D / T3i with both the Rode Stereo Video Microphone and VideoMic Pro with no problems.
Behind the inner flap, which is pressed right up against the screen hinge, you'll find the combined USB / TV output and a mini HDMI port which supports CEC for remote control with compatible TV sets.

Standard TV and USB cables are provided, and the latter can be used in conjunction with supplied software to remote trigger the camera, rendering the remote switch redundant - so long as you have a computer in close range of course. If you prefer wireless remote control, the optional RC-6 can trigger the shutter via infra-red.

An HDMI cable isn't supplied, but any standard model with a mini-jack at one end will work. Note while the 600D / T3i will deliver a great-looking high-resolution version of its Live View over HDMI, the output will be temporarily switched to a lower resolution (or disabled) while recording a movie. If you need to monitor the signal while filming though, the standard definition composite TV output remains active.

Like the models preceding it, the 600D / T3i unsurprisingly sticks with the SD memory card format, and as always you'll need to supply your own. There's support for large SDXC cards, and if you want to record HD movies, Canon recommends using a card rated as Class 6 or higher; we used a Lexar Professional 16GB SDHC 133x model in our tests which is rated as Class 10 and worked fine with all the movie modes. SanDisk's Extreme III cards are also rated as Class 10, so should be a great match for the 600D / T3i; note the cheaper Ultra II cards are only Class 4, so while fine for still photography on this camera, will be too slow to support the HD movie modes for longer recording times.

Now let's head-onto the Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i Features section where we'll detail the lenses, anti-shake, focusing, the sensor, image processing, continuous shooting, PC-based remote control, and of course the improved movie mode.

Readmore → Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i Battery and connectivity

Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i design and controls

 

Externally, the Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i  looks virtually identical to its predecessor, with the articulated screen being the only major difference. Accommodating the screen has however resulted in a few minor changes which we'll discuss in a moment. But first lets discuss the size, weight and build quality.

The EOS 600D / T3i measures 133x100x80mm, which makes it between three and five mm bigger in every dimension than its predecessor. This is mostly to accommodate the articulated screen, and you're unlikely to notice the difference in practice. Likewise for the weight, which while heavier at 570g compared to 527g when both are equipped with battery and card, is virtually unnoticeable in your hands. The build quality of both models is also essentially the same, although we preferred the coarser texture of the rubber surfaces on the new model

There's a much bigger difference when comparing the EOS 600D / T3i against the next model up in the range, the EOS 60D. Measuring 145x106x79mm, Canon's higher-end body is noticeably wider and taller, and comfortably heavier too at 755g with battery and card. In your hands, the EOS 60D feels like a much more serious camera, albeit not in the same league as the EOS 7D. The EOS 60D enjoys the ergonomic benefits of a taller grip with a pronounced groove for your index finger and indentation for finger tips, not to mention a rest for your entire thumb's length while the EOS 600D / T3i leaves its tip dangling in mid-air. Of course while the EOS 60D is more comfortable to hold, many will prefer the smaller size and lighter weight of the 600D / T3i - it's better-suited for hikers or even balancing on the end of a telescope.

While the 600D / T3i is towards the smaller side of Canon's DSLR range, there are smaller bodies available from rivals, most notably Sony's Alpha SLT A33 and A55. Costing roughly the same price, the Alpha A55 is a natural rival for the EOS 600D / T3i and measures 124x92x85mm and weighs 500g including battery and card. The greater depth of the A55 is due to its protruding electronic viewfinder housing, but in every other respect the camera looks and feels much smaller - and impressively the SLT A33 and A55 also include built-in stabilisation which works with any lens you attach.

In terms of controls, the EOS 600D / T3i is essentially the same as its predecessor with only a handful of tweaks, mostly to accommodate its articulated screen. The upper left side is again left bare, with the bulk of the controls located on the right side of the body. Starting on the upper right surface, there's the main Command Dial, rotary power switch, finger dial, shutter release button, and dedicated buttons for ISO and DISP; the latter is new to the 600D / T3i and is used to switch the screen on and off in the absence of proximity sensors which used to be between the viewfinder and screen on the old model. Like most entry-level models, there's no thumb dial or wheel.

The mode dial is also virtually unchanged, featuring the same P, A, S and M modes, Canon's Green Auto, Creative Auto and A-DEP modes, along with the Movie Mode and direct access to the same five scene presets or flash-off option.

The Green Auto option is now nudged-up against P on the dial and relabelled A+ for Auto Plus. This mode now employs scene detection to determine things like whether the subject is in motion, but don't expect the same degree of sophistication of a camera employing scene detection with live view as this really does allow the camera to better analyse the subject.

Creative Auto, or CA for short on the dial, remains a beginner-friendly version of Aperture Priority, albeit with a redesigned interface over the 550D / T2i. So instead of dialling-in an f-number, the CA mode presents an on-screen slider labelled Background Blur to adjust the depth of field. Interestingly the exposure compensation slider of the 550D / T2i's CA mode is now absent, with the 600D / T3i only allowing you to adjust the 'ambience', self-timer and flash options. As before though, it remains a friendly approach to controlling depth-of-field which will appeal to beginners wanting a little more control than full Auto.

The AE / AF lock and AF point selection buttons remain in the top right corner of the rear and as before double-up as zoom controls during playback - along with manual focus assist controls in Live View and Digital Zoom controls in the Movie mode. Like other recent Canon DSLRs, there's no need to press the AE / AF lock button to autofocus in Live View. This was never an intuitive option, so we're pleased to find the 600D / T3i using a half-press of the shutter release to autofocus in Live View.

The rear of the camera remains dominated by the 3in screen, although the thicker surround required for the articulated mounting has resulted in a few minor changes. Most obviously there's no longer room for the proximity sensors which used to sit between the viewfinder and screen on the 550D / T2i. As mentioned above, you'll now need to use the new DISP button to manually switch the screen on and off on the 600D / T3i. The dedicated Live View button remains to the right of the viewfinder.

The controls to the right of the screen remain identical in number, position and function to the 550D / T2i, but the wider screen mounting has seen them reshaped and squashed a little closer together. Starting at the top you'll find the AV exposure compensation button, followed by the Q button to enter the Quick Access menu, which again doubles-up as the Direct Print control.

Below these are the traditional four cross-keys which share the same functions as the earlier 550D / T2i. Push up for White Balance, right for AF mode, down for Picture Style and left for the drive modes. Below these are buttons for Play and delete / trash. A final point worth noting is Canon has kept the depth-of-field preview button which can be found just below the 600D / T3i's lens release button; this works when composing with either the optical viewfinder or in Live View.

Readmore → Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i design and controls

Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i flash

 

The EOS 600D / Rebel T3i is equipped with the same internal flash as its predecessor, which pops-up 55mm above the top of the lens mount (clearing the optional EF-S 18-135mm kit lens) and has a guide number of 13. As before, there's also a hotshoe for mounting external Speedlite flashguns and the fastest sync speed remains 1/200. As you'd expect for a consumer model, there's no PC Sync port, but then the EOS 60D didn't have one either. So far so similar to the earlier models, but Canon has enhanced the flash functionality of the 600D / T3i with support for wireless control and the latest video light equipped Speedlites. 

Starting with the former, the EOS 600D / T3i follows the EOS 60D and EOS 7D to become the third Canon DSLR to support wireless flash control. The built-in flash can be used as a Master to wirelessly trigger compatible Speedlites, although the implementation is a little simpler and more consumer-friendly than the EOS 60D and EOS 7D.

If you enter the Built-in Flash Func menu, you can now choose from NormalFiring, EasyWireless and CustWireless. EasyWireless greys-out all the advanced options, simply leaving the control channel and exposure compensation settings. This means all you need to do is match the channel of the slave unit and you're ready to go, which allows beginners to enjoy the benefits of wireless flash control without the complications. You can trigger multiple units sharing the same channel, although without separate control over their output.

More advanced photographers will however be pleased to find greater control under the CustWireless option, which unlocks the options to set the Wireless Function and the ratio between built-in and external units. Slave units can also be divided into two groups and the ratio between them set.

The EOS 60D and EOS 7D may offer more advanced wireless options with up to three groups and compensation applied in a broader range of +/-3EV, but the facilities offered by the EOS 600D / T3i remain more than sufficient for all but the most sophisticated setups, and the new EasyWireless option allows lighting beginners to make the first step into wireless control with the least hassle. Overall they're a valuable addition to the xxxD / Rebel line.

Like its predecessors, there's also control for compatible Speedlites mounted directly to the hotshoe, allowing you to adjust the compensation, bracketing, sync, zoom and wireless options without touching the flash.

New to the EOS 600D / T3i is support for the latest Speedlites which include LED lamps for illuminating video. Under dim conditions with the Movie exposure mode set to Auto, the camera can automatically turn the light on when required.

Readmore → Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i flash

Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i shooting information and menus

 

Like its recent predecessors, the EOS 600D / T3i uses its main colour screen to display all shooting information and the high resolution allows the fonts to look very smooth. At first glance the details displayed look the same as the earlier 550D / T2i, but there's a couple of minor changes.

On the top row you'll now find the Shooting mode, followed by the shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity and a D+ icon indicating whether Highlight Tone Priority is enabled or not. On the second row there's the exposure compensation scale in a +/-3EV range, and flash compensation value. Next down on the third row are the Picture Style, White Balance mode, icons for White Balance compensation, White Balance bracketing, Auto Lighting Optimiser and the built-in flash function setting. On the fourth row you'll find the AF, drive and metering modes, followed by the image quality, leaving a four-segment battery indicator and the shots remaining at the bottom. This lower strip also indicates the transmission status of an Eye-Fi card if present.

Also at the bottom, in the lower left corner is a box labelled Q, indicating that pressing the new Q button will activate the camera's Quick Control mode. Inherited from the EOS 550D / T2i, this allows you to move a highlighter over many of the options listed above, before then turning the finger dial to directly adjust it, or pressing SET to present a dedicated menu for that item.

It's similar in practice to other on-screen adjustment systems like those pioneered on Olympus DSLRs, and like its predecessor you can also choose from four different colour schemes. Sadly unlike the Nikon D5000 and the entire Sony Alpha range though, the new Canon still won't rotate its information to remain upright when you turn the camera. Note: in the absence of proximity detectors below the viewfinder (squeezed-out by the articulated screen), you'll need to press the new DISP button on the camera's top surface to turn the screen on and off.

  The menus are essentially identical to the earlier 550D / T2i, exploiting the high resolution monitor and processing for smooth fonts, colourful icons and fading transitions between pages; it's a good-looking system. As before you can exclusively use the cross-keys for navigation, or use the finger dial to switch pages.

The number of pages and their content varies depending on the shooting mode, but in the 'Creative Zone' PASM modes there are four for Shooting, two for Playback, three for Setup and one for My menu; within Setup you'll find the Custom settings menu with the same 12 Functions as the 550D / T2i before it. Note to find the Movie Mode options, such as the recording quality, you'll first need to turn the Mode Dial to Movie; this switches round the menus, adding new pages dedicated to the video and audio capabilities; we'll detail these in the Movie mode section under the Features tab.

In playback mode, pressing the Disp button cycles between a clean image, one overlaid with basic information, followed by a thumbnail with extended shooting information and a brightness histogram, and finally a thumbnail with less shooting information, but both brightness and RGB histograms. You can also use the magnify buttons to zoom-in on an image or zoom out to display either four or nine thumbnail views. Images played on the sharp and bright screen look great.

If you're directly connected to a PictBridge-compatible printer, the 600D / T3i also allows you to perform a number of manipulations including trimming and fine rotation, along with manual Levels adjustments.

Readmore → Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i shooting information and menus

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.

Readmore → Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i viewfinder