Canon M6 vs T8i

The Canon EOS M6 and the Canon EOS Rebel T8i (labelled Canon 850D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2017 and February 2020. The M6 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the T8i is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon M6		Canon T8i
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/24p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Viewfinder optional		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		7.5 shutter flaps per second
295 shots per battery charge		800 shots per battery charge
112 x 68 x 45 mm, 390 g		131 x 103 x 76 mm, 515 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M6 and the Canon EOS Rebel T8i? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon M6 and the Canon T8i are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M6 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the T8i is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon T8i is considerably larger (77 percent) than the Canon M6. Moreover, the T8i is markedly heavier (32 percent) than the M6. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M6 nor the T8i are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
2.		Canon T8i	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	amazon.com
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	amazon.com
4.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	849	amazon.com
6.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
7.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
8.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
9.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
10.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
12.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
13.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
15.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The T8i was somewhat cheaper (by 4 percent) than the M6 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the T8i uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the M6 (DIGIC 7), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the M6 and the T8i have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the T8i is much more recent (by 2 years and 11 months) than the M6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon EOS M6 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T8i are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
2.		Canon T8i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
4.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
6.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
7.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
8.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
9.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
10.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
11.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
12.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
13.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
14.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
15.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the T8i provides a better video resolution than the M6. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/24p, while the M6 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the T8i has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M6 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the M6 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-DC2. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M6 and Canon T8i along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon T8i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
10.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Canon M6 and the Canon T8i both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M6 and the T8i write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS M6 and Canon EOS Rebel T8i and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Canon T8i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

The T8i is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the M6 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the M6 was succeeded by the Canon M6 Mark II. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M6 and the Canon T8i? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M6:

• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 7.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x68mm vs 131x103mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 125g or 24 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2017).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel T8i:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 7).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/24p vs 1080/60p).
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (800 versus 295) out of a single battery charge.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the M6 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (6 points each). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M6 and the Canon T8i place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the M6 or the T8i. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
2.		Canon T8i	4.5/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	amazon.com
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	amazon.com
4.		Canon SL3	..	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	849	amazon.com
6.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
7.		Canon T7	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
8.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
9.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
10.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
12.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
13.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
15.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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