But for now, let's focus on my newest acquisition: the Canon T6i (750D). This camera was the beginning of the end of the Rebel camera line featuring the last sensor that would be put into the Rebel: Canon's 24mp APS-C sensor that was also used in the 77D and 80D.
Prior to late 2019 I was primarily a Canon shooter and my workhorse camera was a Canon 80D. I really enjoyed that camera but after it got water damaged I switched over to a Nikon D7200 as my primary camera for Event photography. The Canon T6i brings back some of my fond memories of both shooting the 80D and throwback first DSLRs I owned I learned Photography on (the Rebel XTi and T1i). It makes a perfect bookend to my Canon Rebel series collection.
Released in 2015 the Canon Rebel T6i (known as the 750D in Europe) alongside the Canon T6s (an alternate version with a second control wheel and top LCD) would be succeeded by the Rebel T7i and T8i. It had a new 24mp 1.6x CMOS sensor, a refined look and feel, and the articulated LCD inherited from the T5i.
The overall ergonomics of the Rebel T6i makes it feel more of a premium camera over the other Rebel series cameras in my collection. It is slightly larger then the XT-T2i cameras I own and noticeably heavier. However it still remains a lighter weight DSLR then something like a Canon 7D or Nikon D7XXX series body.
The Rebel T6i has a few other differences from the rest of the Rebel Series cameras I've used including the SL1 (which I sold to a friend) and older models from the original Digital Rebel up to the T2i. Gone are the days of the jarring and loud signature "ka-chink" of the older Rebel's shutter and mirror flip up and it now has a satisfying click when the shutter actuates and mirror flips up. It is also a very responsive camera with write delays a thing of the past even when shooting RAW+JPEG except when doing bursts.
Burst speed on the T6i is a respectable 5 FPS; which may not sound like a lot but considering most other Rebel cameras topped off at 3 or 3.5 FPS and most premium APS-C bodies stopped at around 7 FPS this is quite respectable.
Put these all together and this camera (along with the T7i and T8i that followed) are the King of the Rebel series cameras.
The T6i still has a few of the Rebel's "classic" feature restrictions such as only full stops in ISO when set Manually (100, 200, 400, 800 etc), no ability to set a minimum shutter speed in priority mode, and less Autofocus points then the more premium APS-C DSLRs. After a day out shooting with this or any of my Rebel cameras these features more and more feel like "nice to have" vs "have to have".
The end of the day I feel the Canon Rebel DSLRs are unfairly judged by people especially higher-end camera snobs who can "afford the best". Sure they lack a lot of "features" and "aren't full frame" but some of my best and most spetacular shots I have ever taken have come off a Rebel.
For me, the simplicity is what makes these cameras special. I can just go out and shoot without over thinking of how my function buttons are set, what focus mode I should be in, micro tune my Autofocus or ISO etc. I can dial in what I need to quickly and just go out, shoot and enjoy myself. The same can be said of the Nikon D5000 (which will be its own future review) and the Sony a290. Sometimes I just like keeping it simple.
I have not gotten out to use this particular camera much, though I did for a short time own an imported 760D which was a EU version of this camera's sister camera the T6s. I owned that camera as a backup to my 80D before I started collecting cameras as a hobby in 2017 and I sold it a few months after buying it because I felt like I wasn't using it enough. So I am glad to have a version of that camera back.
Enjoy a few SOOC (straight out of camera) photos off the Canon Rebel T6i that I took last night right after I bought it. I had the camera set to JPG and these were still mostly test shots taking advantage of the last of the daylight on an abnormally warm late January evening.
No comments:
Post a Comment