Canon EOS 600D review (Rebel T3i review)

I don't know how to feel after reading this review. Is it a 'yes I should buy this instead of spending a few extra quid on the 60D' or 'it's a definite upgrade from the 550D' or 'if I don't already own Canon glass I might consider the Sony or Panasonic instead'?

totally stupid, to give 500D, 550D and 1100D a better result than the 600D - that's not professional - the 600D is better than the a. m.

Define what's unprofessional about it? The 600D hardly adds anything new over the 550D and yet it costs more. While other manufacturers are pushing out all kinds of new technologies and we're seeing a significant upward curve, the 600D resides in a 'safe' place. It's good - 88% good - but there's a lot more to consider out there.

Having bought a 550D only eight months ago, I feel a bit cheated; that said, I am not sure that the advances offered by the 600D justify the extra cost, or are a sufficiently great step forward. Is it just built-in obsolescence from canon?

With the Canon 500D still on sale alongside the 550D and the 60D the launch of the 600D is totally unnecessary and obviously done just to keep the Canon name in the news. WDC duly obliged of course (as they always do for Canon)with a review before the camera is even launched whilst cameras from other manufacturers that have been out for 6 months or more are still awaiting reviews. Perhaps WDC should rename itself The Canon & Nikon Supporters Club.

Very good professional review WDC, happy that 600D does not add much to create feeling anxiety over 600D for 550D owners. Totally agree with Victor Hunt on 600D being totally unnecessary as 550D is only a year old

Another small development from canon, but please why can't they ( canon ) offer this camera, and some others too, without the video facility as i do not want to take video and maybe the product would be cheaper aswell ?

seems a bit silly introducing the 600D as the only difference with the 550D is the pull out screen

I have just recently purchased a Canon 600D, and it is a superb camera, if you add a couple of top grade lens to your kit that is all that you will every need. unless you need the weight and strength of a camera built like a tank like a Canon1D or Nikon D3 (carrying them around all day you will need a season ticket for the physiotherapist for the relief to back and neck pain). My only complaint is why the Photographic Press are not campaigning on behalf of all their British readers to get the same price from Canon & Nikon that they charge other countries instead of Ripping off Britain.

Don't get rid of the camcorder yet . I bought the 600d hoping that I could use it as an all-in-one camera on work and holiday trips, capturing video and stills of usable quality. I've been using CAnons for 20 years and the digital SLRs since they came out. I've also got the £120 Canon powershot and had hoped that the 600d would be, in functional terms, an enhanced version of this capability. There's no doubt that the 600d will perfom, and the stills are far and away the best quality I have ever managed to get; portraits, landscape and action shots are stunningly good. Getting high quality video is certainly possible, but easily getting usable video is more problematic. You can't simply use it as a point-and-shoot video camera as you would with compact cameras with video or a conventional HD camcorder. First, focusing is difficult. Using the shutter button to focus usually throws completely whatever focus you may have, stops down the aperture briefly, so everything goes darker, and it makes the kind of noise that non-mortgage scale lenses usually do. The only way of avoiding this is to focus manually. But you can't use the optical viewfinder and have to rely on the live-view screen. If, like me, you have to wear glasses for close up work but don't need them for looking at your subject, this can be awkward, especially if you're not in control of the action in front of you or if you're on the move. Second, light sensitivity. The grain you get in lower light, especially indoors, can be quite a surprise compared to the sheer and undoubted quality you get outside in bright sunlight. If you want to use this for serious video, you'll need to invest in serious glass and think through in advance what you're going to film. You'll also need to learn much more about f-stops, shutter speeds, ISO settings and focus pulling than you might have expected. That said, if you want to do serious video you ought to do that anyway. But when you get it right, the quality is absolutely stunning. And the zoom facility in HD video takes the breath away. I shot the ‘super moon’ in March , using a F8 500 mirror lens and zooming in x3 and x10 meant the moon more than filled the screen. Adjusting the shutter speed produced video with real detail and quality, spoiled only by the light haze in the air. I'm now looking at other lens options for everyday use and I suspect that Canon will now be frantically developing quiet, fast continuous autofocus lens systems with wide and controllable apertures specifically for video users. But a word of warning; these need to be cheap; the 50mm F1.8 is` good start; but a 28-70 f1.8 for under £300 is the real need. In summary; for stills, fantastic. For video, it's outstanding for tripod work, set piece filming and for anything you'd want to use a specialist lens for. But it’s not a point-and-shoot HD camcorder and if this is what you want, there are hybrids in the Canon range which might suit better. As for the 600d, you’ll have to work at it to master its video capabilities, and until you have, you’ll have to live with its limitations.

I'm thinking of buying a DSLR,sO THOUGHT I would look at your review, I did not understand a bloody word of it,how about explaining it to old people like me in simpl english,cheers

I'm a rookie of DSLR user..hope to have a good start with cannon 600D..though good captures rely mostly to a good photographer..even the unprof one!..

execellent review. cant wait to have it

THE 60D IS BETTER SO GET THAT ONE YOU WILL SOON UNDERSTAND IT IF YOU KEEP PRACTISING

Thank you Mr.Jemmings for your comments - succinct and to the point. At least I know now what I'm up against when I buy the 600!! Ed W

I've noticed that in your magazine reviews of the Canon 600D you label an AF-assist lamp on the pictures of the body. Surely this is the Red-eye reduction / Self-timer lamp as I believe the AF-assist is a burst from the built-in flash?? Could you please clarify this as it is something that may be a killer shortcoming for me.

Movie Exposure can be totaly manuel if you go into the menu and set manuel not auto. Read the manual,

Should I buy the 550d over the 600d?

I have hand held tested 3 Canon cameras recently and I was disappointed with the range of cameras that has a dial on the left hand side with a push button on top of it. It ugly and fiddle to change. I have a 400D which I had for 4 years and find using the dials on the right hand side is much quicker to change the settings than on the left. If I were you, try hand held cameras first before you buy. Now I am considering the 600D because it the next one down from a 60D as I have 5 lense to fit.

Why does my 600D flash before I take a picture? It results in animals blinking, and spoils the photograph as their eyes are closed.

i think if the is fix permanently attached to body, it be help we those using it for commercial business.

@Tony thats the autofocus beam. It helps the camera work out what to focus on in low light. Best thing to do for that situation is just to manual focus!

does the swivel screen on the Canon Eos 600D make the camera more prone to damage? i.e. through wear and tear etc???