We definitely got our money’s worth out of our last DSLR, a Canon Rebel XS purchased in 2011 as a “starter” camera that I could use to take better photos for the blog, and one to help me understand the basics of manual photography. I learned a lot, I liked that camera.
It took quite a beating while capturing 60-70K photos between project shoots for blog posts, family photos, and accompanying our travels, but it was always pretty reliable. The body of the camera was really starting to look grimy after years of use in various states of construction and lots of time spent sitting open on the tripod in our home–I can’t really say I took the best care of it–so when the 18-55mm lens on the XS started to show signs of break-down (trouble with focusing both manually and auto), I took it as a sign that I deserved an upgrade. Here’s the new Canon Rebel T6i (a.k.a. 750D in markets outside of the USA).
I’m not a pro photographer, nor am I here to consider perks of one brand over another but if you’ve ever looked into buying a DSLR you’ll know the range in cost is tremendous. I’ve owned several Canon point-and-shoots, and the G12 that Pete bought at the same time as the XS is still working hard for us. I’m comfortable and quick with the settings on my old camera, and I had already purchased a few additional lenses that would fit the new model, so all of that influenced my decision to stay with the Canon line of products. I can’t honestly say that I’m the type to justify spending even $2,000+ on a more superior camera, so I consider this a modest upgrade at ~$900 on Amazon. I’m seeing now that you can get the same product with a smattering of awesome free accessories like a tripod, bag, and SD card, and I’m going to pretend that that wasn’t there last month when I made this purchase without noticing it, omg.
The XS had been an extension of my hand for years, and for that I know it’s strengths and weaknesses well, but a few specific features really make the next-step-up T6i a worthwhile splurge:
- Great auto focusing (XS wasn’t ad good, and I got really used to exclusively manual focusing using it, but T6i is so good that I’m really enjoying shooting manual with auto-focus)
- Awesome ISO range for when you need it (up to 12800, vs. the XS which capped me at 1600). The images might still be grainy, but to have the flexibility to use a higher ISO is nice.
- Rotating touchscreen LED with live viewfinder display
- 24.2 MP
- Rad HD movie (haven’t actually tested it yet, will be nice to use someday)
- Best IG hashtag performance, with 333+ likes on this image, fist bumps. Very random.
- Wi-fi/bluetooth so I can use my phone to initiate the shutter! I tested it, got distracted, and proceeded to take 180 photos of my home at knee level:
A better camera does look my house look more wondrous. And I’m not sure how I went so long without a remote for my old camera.
I did eventually get in the shot to experiment with auto-focus and related depth of field. Love it.
Any other upgraders have new tech to tout?
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