Canon 600D Review

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Main Features

18MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400( expands to 12800)

3" Fully Articulated Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

4 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video

570g. 133 x 100 x 80 mm

Also known as EOS Rebel T3i / EOS Kiss X5

Replaced Canon 550D

Replaced by Canon 650D

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Canon 600D Overview

First introduced in March 2011 , Canon EOS 600D is a 18.0MP Entry-Level DSLR camera with a APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor, Fully articulated screen and Canon EF/EF-S lens mount. 600D is also sold as EOS Rebel T3i / EOS Kiss X5 in some of the countries. Canon replaced the older Canon 550D with this model and later 600D was replaced with Canon 650D. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Canon EOS 600D (EOS Rebel T3i / EOS Kiss X5) vs Canon 550D
Compare Canon EOS 600D (EOS Rebel T3i / EOS Kiss X5) vs Canon 650D

Canon 600D Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Lens Mount and Lenses
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Canon 600D is a member of Canon's Rebel series of cameras. Canon's EOS Rebel series (known as EOS Kiss in Japan / EOS XXXD in other regions) are the all time best selling DSLR camera series in the world, providing perfect starting point for many photography lovers. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Canon Rebel Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Canon T8i Compare	2020	24.0MP - APS-C	7.5 fps	131 x 103 x 76mm	515g
Canon SL3 Compare	2019	24.0MP - APS-C	5.0 fps	122 x 93 x 70mm	449g
Canon 4000D Compare	2018	18.0MP - APS-C	3.0 fps	129 x 102 x 77mm	436g
Canon T7 Compare	2018	24.0MP - APS-C	3.0 fps	129 x 101 x 78mm	475g
Canon SL2 Compare	2017	24.0MP - APS-C	5.0 fps	122 x 93 x 70mm	453g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
Canon T8i vs SL3 vs 4000D vs T7 vs SL2

Canon 600D has an Overall Score of 63/100 and ranked #88 out of 206 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #249 out of 1219 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.

Canon 600D Physical Specs

Canon 600D weighs 570 g (1.26 lb / 20.11 oz) and has external dimensions of 133 x 100 x 80 mm (5.24 x 3.94 x 3.15″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 774g, Canon 600D is a remarkably light camera for its class. With a thickness of 80mm, it has an average thickness for its class.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Canon 600D

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Thickness Comparison

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Canon 600D

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Here is the front and top view image of Canon 600D with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Canon 600D Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Canon 600D, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Canon 600D Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Canon 600D with its main competitors:

Canon 600D Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs 600D	Thickness	vs 600D
Canon 700D Compare	580g	10g heavier	79mm	1mm thinner
Canon 60D Compare	755g	185g heavier	79mm	1mm thinner
Canon 550D Compare	530g	40g lighter	62mm	18mm thinner
Canon 1200D Compare	480g	90g lighter	78mm	2mm thinner
Canon 650D Compare	575g	5g heavier	79mm	1mm thinner
Canon 4000D Compare	436g	134g lighter	77mm	3mm thinner
Nikon D5100 Compare	560g	10g lighter	79mm	1mm thinner
Canon 100D Compare	407g	163g lighter	69mm	11mm thinner

Weather Sealing

Canon 600D doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Canon 600D Sensor and Photography Features

Canon 600D has a 18.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 4 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5184 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. 600D has a native ISO range of 100 - 6400 which can be boosted to 12800 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Canon 600D is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Canon M6 MII with its 33.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon 600D vs Canon M6 MII or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

Canon 600D DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Canon 600D sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 65 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Canon 600D here.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon 600D's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Canon 600D Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Canon 600D Lens Mount and Lenses

Canon 600D has a Canon EF/EF-S lens mount and currently there are 326 native lenses available for this mount. EF mount has the widest and most complete native lens offerings in the DSLR world which helps Canon to protect its place as the number 1 choice amongst professional photographers all over the world.

Canon 600D doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 112 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 88 lenses with weather sealing for 600D but bear in mind that 600D body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Canon 600D Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Canon EF/EF-S Mount Lenses for Canon 600D

Model	Focal Length on 600D	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II	80mm	35mm FF	130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM	38.4-168mm	35mm FF	670gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f4.5-5.6 IS STM	16-28.8mm	APS-C / DX	240gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM	80mm	35mm FF	159gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM	112-480mm	35mm FF	630gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 15mm f2.8 Fisheye	24mm	35mm FF	330gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM	80mm	35mm FF	290gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 40mm f2.8 STM	64mm	35mm FF	130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Check our Canon 600D Lenses page for more detailed lens search.

Canon 600D LCD and Viewfinder

Canon 600D has a Fully Articulated 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

For those of you who loves shooting selfies, self or group photos, Canon 600D will make your life easier with its Selfie friendly screen. Another group of users who will take advantage of 600D's LCD screen are Vloggers and any video creators who are working in a single-person setup.

600D has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor. The viewfinder has a coverage of 95% and a magnification ratio of 0.53x. 95% coverage means that what you see in your viewfinder while shooting will slightly be different from the actual image.

Canon 600D Connectivity, Storage and Battery

You can connect 600D to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery

Canon 600D is powered by a proprietary battery which provides a shooting life of 440 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR type cameras is 943 shots, Canon 600D has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend 600D owners to buy some extra batteries.

Battery Life Comparison in Entry-Level DSLR Cameras

Canon 600D

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Pentax K-x with its 1900shots is the model with longest battery life among Entry-Level DSLR cameras. Check the comparison of Canon 600D vs Pentax K-x or take a look at Longest Battery Life DSLR cameras list.

Canon 600D Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Canon 700D Compare	1920 x 1080	440shots	No	No	No
Canon 60D Compare	1920 x 1080	1100shots	No	No	No
Canon 550D Compare	1920 x 1080	470shots	No	No	No
Canon 1200D Compare	1920 x 1080	500shots	No	No	No
Canon 650D Compare	1920 x 1080	440shots	No	No	No
Canon 4000D Compare	1920 x 1080	500shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon D5100 Compare	1920 x 1080	660shots	No	No	No
Canon 100D Compare	1920 x 1080	380shots	No	No	No

Canon 600D Video Features

With Canon 600D, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30,25,24 fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Canon 600D will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

600D has a built-in Mono microphone and a Mono speaker. Canon 600D also has a port for an external microphone so you can record high quality sound with the help of an external microphone.

Canon 600D Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Canon 600D can shoot continuously at max speed of 4 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash

600D has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing

Canon 600D features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 9 focus points and 1 of these sensors are of Cross-type. Cross-type sensors locks focus faster and more accurate compared to single type sensors.

Canon 600D also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

User Manual
You can download Canon 600D's User Manual here

Canon 600D PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Canon 600D review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Articulating Screen

Full HD Video

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Face Detection Focusing

18.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

1.040k dots LCD Resolution

570g Light Body

External Microphone Port

1 Cross Type Focus Points

Flash Sync Port

Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD Screen

Report a correction

Buy Canon 600D from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Touch Screen

0.53x magnification - Small Viewfinder

Only 9 Focus Points

Low Battery Life: 440 shots

No Environmental Sealing

Poor Low Light Performance

Not so wide AE Bracketing Range: ±2 EV

No AF Micro Adjustment

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What type of Photography is Canon 600D Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon 600D in 5 different photography areas.

Canon 600D for Portrait Photography

Canon 600D has a score of 56 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Canon 600D for Portrait Photography

Canon 600D for Street Photography

Canon 600D has a score of 62 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Street Photography list.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
Large Body

Read the details of how we scored Canon 600D for Street Photography

Canon 600D for Sports Photography

Canon 600D has a score of 72 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Canon 600D for Sports Photography

Canon 600D for Daily Photography

Canon 600D has a score of 58 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Large Body

570g
Body Thickness 80mm

Read the details of how we scored Canon 600D for Daily Photography

Canon 600D for Landscape Photography

Canon 600D has a score of 42 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Live-view
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Canon 600D for Landscape Photography

Canon 600D Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon 600D compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Canon 600D alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon 600D

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon 600D amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Canon 600D Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Canon 600D with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Canon 600D's price range.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Canon 600D

Does the Canon 600D have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon 600D have RAW support?
Does the Canon 600D have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon 600D have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon 600D?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon 600D?
is the Canon 600D a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon 600D have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon 600D have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon 600D?
What is the Weight of Canon 600D?
What are the Dimensions of Canon 600D?

Canon EOS 600D Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon EOS 600D
Also known as	EOS Rebel T3i / EOS Kiss X5
Announced	2011-03-31
Body Type	Compact SLR
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Canon EF/EF-S
Number of Lenses	326
Focal Length Multiplier	1.6×
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fully Articulated
Screen Technology	TFT color LCD, liquid-crystal monitor
Screen Size	3"
Screen Resolution	1,040k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.53x
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Continuous Shooting	4.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	13.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/200s
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-eye
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	65
DxO Color Depth	22.1
DxO Dynamic Range	11.5
DxO Low Light ISO	793
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	22.3 x 14.9 mm
Sensor Area	332.27mm²
Sensor Resolution	18 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5184 x 3456
Max Native ISO	6,400
Max Boosted ISO	12800
Min Native ISO	100
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9
Number of Cross Focus Points	1
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps), 640 x 480 (60, 50 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	570g
Physical Dimensions	133 x 100 x 80mm
Battery Life	440 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 sec or 10 sec)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage Slots	1