Which Canon Rebel Is The Best?

The Canon Rebel series is known for producing entry-level cameras that still carry their weight quality-wise. But which one of them is the best? If we just look at specs, that’s the Rebel T8i. The true answer, however, isn’t as clear-cut.

I’m Caleb, and I have over four years of experience as a sports photographer. I know a lot about the Canon Rebel series, as the Rebel T7i has served as my go-to camera.

In this article, I’ll look at the top Canon Rebel models and what kind of photographers they’re fit for.

If you’re thinking of buying a Rebel series camera, keep reading to make sure you have all the info.

Why It’s Hard to Say Which Canon Rebel Is The Best

It’s hard to define which camera in a particular series is the best. The needs of every photographer are different, and many factors go into making a judgment on which is the best.

For example, a beginner might find an easy-to-use camera better, while someone with more experience may only care about how the camera performs.

If we only consider performance, the Rebel T8i is the best camera in the series. It’s one of the newest in the line, along with the Rebel SL3. The T8i was released ten months after the SL3 and has the better specs of the two.

The Rebel T8i has a 24-megapixel sensor, an expandable ISO range of up to 51,200, and 7.5fps continuous shooting. It also features 4K video resolution.

The continuous shooting speed and the video resolution are two areas where the T8i surpasses its predecessor, the T7i. 

There are also some more minor advantages. The T8i can take about 200 more shots before running out of battery and is slightly lighter.

While it’s not a full-frame professional camera, the T8i is capable of taking professional-looking photos thanks to its 24-megapixel resolution and the high-quality Canon lenses available to use with its EF/EF-S mount.

The improvements over the T7i aren’t a huge deal for every kind of photographer. If you aren’t shooting fast-moving scenes, the improvement in continuous shooting speed probably won’t matter much.

Obviously, the upgrade in video resolution also isn’t helpful if you only plan on using the camera for still photography. 

With that being said, if you want the Canon Rebel that has the best specs in the series, this is the one to buy.

However, if you don’t care about the faster shooting or the ability to record in 4K, you may want to look into the T8i’s predecessor. The Rebel T7i is a very similar camera in terms of specs, with the main difference being the lack of the improvements mentioned above.

Which Canon Rebel Is The Best for Beginners?

If you’re just starting photography, you don’t always need the best equipment. After all, few new photographers can fully take advantage of good specs while still learning the ins and outs of photography.

Cameras are also an expensive investment. If you’re first starting photography, it can be more attractive to begin with a cheap camera and work up to more expensive gear. 

For these reasons, you might consider one of the older Canon Rebels if you’re just starting out.

Arguably, the Rebel T6i is the best option for someone starting out. It has the same resolution as the newer T7i and T8i but lacks some of their newer improvements.

The T6i has half the ISO range of the T8i, which hurts its performance in low-light settings. It also only has 19 autofocus points compared to 45, making it harder to accurately lock onto the subject. 

The video resolution is limited to 1080p, and unlike the T8i, the T6i lacks video stabilization. That effectively means that your footage will come out shaky unless you’re using an external tripod or gimbal setup.

These disadvantages might make the T6i sound like a worse choice, but a beginning photographer probably won’t notice most of these things. 

The T6i’s biggest disadvantages are in the video area, but the Rebel series largely isn’t targeting a video-focused audience. There are better options for starting with video recording, and most potential buyers aren’t considering the T6i for its video capability.

If we just look at the T6i’s still photography specs, it’s pretty similar to the newer T7i and T8i — albeit with worse low-light photography performance and poorer autofocus.

Despite those drawbacks, it provides a good foundation for someone learning photography.

Thanks to the excellent resolution, you won’t have to worry most of the time about composing a great shot only to have the final result come out poorly because of a low-resolution camera.

FAQs

If you’re still curious, here are other frequently asked questions about the Canon Rebel series.

Which Canon Rebel Is The Best For Professional Photography?

Because of its advantage in specs over the rest of the series, the Rebel T8i is the most professional Canon Rebel. However, the series as a whole, including the T8i, is aimed at an entry-level audience rather than a professional one.

Is The Rebel T8i Full-Frame?

Like the rest of the Rebel series, the Rebel T8i is an APS-C crop sensor camera rather than a full-frame one.

Conclusion

The newest member of the Canon Rebel series, the T8i, has the best specs and is a major upgrade in the video department over its predecessor.

However, depending on your personal needs, the Rebel T7i and T6i may be viable options as they have the same resolution and share many other features with the newer T8i.

Have you ever used a camera from the Rebel series? Which one would you recommend? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *