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Canon T6 Comparison Review

The Canon EOS Rebel T6 (called Canon 1300D in some regions) is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in March 2016 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 17.9 megapixel.

camera

Is the Canon T6 a good camera? The T6 has a Camera Elo of 1864. This rating puts the T6 among the top 40 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the T6 ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Canon T6
Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/30p Video
ISO 100 - 6 400 (100 - 12 800)
Optical viewfinder
3.0 LCD, 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge
129 x 101 x 78 mm, 485 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Canon T6 vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Canon T6 vs credit card front
T6 versus credit card top view
T6 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon T6 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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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 T6 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 485 g 500 n Mar 2016 449ebay.com
2.
 
Canon T7 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 475 g 500 n Feb 2018 449 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon T100 129 mm 102 mm 77 mm 436 g 500 n Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 77D 131 mm 100 mm 76 mm 540 g 600 n Feb 2017 899ebay.com
5.
 
Canon SL2 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 453 g 650 n Jun 2017 549ebay.com
6.
 
Canon M10 108 mm 67 mm 35 mm 301 g 255 n Oct 2015 499ebay.com
7.
 
Canon T6i 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 555 g 440 n Feb 2015 749ebay.com
8.
 
Canon T6s 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 565 g 440 n Feb 2015 649ebay.com
9.
 
Canon T5 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
10.
 
Canon T4i 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 575 g 440 n Jun 2012 849ebay.com
11.
 
Canon T3 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 495 g 700 n Feb 2011 449ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon T6 was launched in the US market at a price of $449. 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.

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Check T6 offers at
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Canon T6 features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon T6 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Canon T6 sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon T6 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.778166
2.
 
Canon T7 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p23.813.3168481
3.
 
Canon T100 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.469563
4.
 
Canon 77D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.397178
5.
 
Canon SL2 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.4104179
6.
 
Canon M10 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.211.475365
7.
 
Canon T6i APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.712.091971
8.
 
Canon T6s APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.612.091570
9.
 
Canon T5 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
10.
 
Canon T4i APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.272262
11.
 
Canon T3 APS-C 12.2 4272 2848720/30p21.911.075562
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The T6 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the T6 can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the T6 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 95% and a magnification of 0.50x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Canon T6 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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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 T6optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon T7optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon T100optical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 77Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon SL2optical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon M10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 4.6/s Y n
7.
 
Canon T6ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Canon T6soptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon T5optical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon T4ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
11.
 
Canon T3optical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One convenient feature of the T6 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection 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 Rebel T6 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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 T6Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
2.
 
Canon T7Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon T100Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon 77DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
5.
 
Canon SL2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
6.
 
Canon M10-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
7.
 
Canon T6iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
8.
 
Canon T6sYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
9.
 
Canon T5Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon T4iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon T3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
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It is notable that the T6 offers wifi support. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Further information on the features and operation of the T6 can be found in the free online Canon T6 Manual or on the Canon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the T6. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon T64/5o4/573/1004/54/5 Mar 2016 449ebay.com
2.
 
Canon T7..o3.5/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 449 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon T100..o3/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 77D4.5/5..4/582/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2017 899ebay.com
5.
 
Canon SL24/5+ +4/578/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2017 549ebay.com
6.
 
Canon M10..........4/5 Oct 2015 499ebay.com
7.
 
Canon T6i5/5....75/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
8.
 
Canon T6s5/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 649ebay.com
9.
 
Canon T53/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
10.
 
Canon T4i4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2012 849ebay.com
11.
 
Canon T3..80/100..69/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2011 449ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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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Canon T6 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the T6.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Canon T6?

The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Canon T6 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Canon equipped the T6 with the DIGIC 4+ image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Canon T6?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Canon EOS Rebel T6?

Canon mentions a shutter rating of 100 000 actuations for the T6. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the T6 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Canon T6?

Canon embeds the number of shutter actuations in the camera firmware. You can check the number of shots that your T6 has taken up to now by using a third-party app, as described on the Canon T6 shutter count page.

Does the Canon T6 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Canon T6 for flash photography?

The T6's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.

Which battery does the Canon T6 use?

The camera gets its power from the LP-E10 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Canon T6?

Canon does not offer an optional battery grip, but third party suppliers do (see here on ebay).

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Canon T6
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date March 2016
    Launch Price USD 449
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm
    Sensor Area 332 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 17.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5 184 x 3 456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.31 μm
    Pixel Density 5.39 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 6 400 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 12 800 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 4+
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 66
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 781
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.50x
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 920k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support no
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in
    Body Specs
    Battery Type LP-E10 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 129 x 101 x 78 mm
    (5.1 x 4.0 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 485 g (17.1 oz)

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