Canon T3i Review:
Most Advanced EOS Rebel Yet
canont3i-review

THIS CANON T3i REVIEW zeroes in on Canon’s new top-of-the-line model in its best-selling EOS Digital Rebel series—the T3i—a DSLR that incorporates many features found on its considerably more expensive mid-range to high-end cameras, such as the 60D, 5D and 7D, and its flagship model, the professional 1D.

To understand where the T3i fits in Canon’s overall line-up of DSLRs, it’s helpful to note the five “levels” Canon offers: Entry Level, Mid-Range, Prosumer, High-End, and Flagship. Here’s how the various model series match up with these levels:

  • Entry-Level: The Rebel Series
  • Mid-Range: Again, the Rebel Series (the new T3i is the top-end model here)
  • Prosumer: The 50D and its successor, the 60D
  • High End: The 7D
  • High End: The 5D
  • Flagship: The 1D

Fully HD-video capable, the 18 MP T3i has enough bells and whistles to occupy the most advanced and demanding user, yet it’s easy enough to learn that those just starting out with digital photography need not be intimidated.

In this Canon T3i review, we won’t address the Technical Specs of the T3i, as those are fully detailed under the “T3i Specifications“ menu tab above. What we will do here is to focus on some of the questions you may have as you consider a possible purchase of the Canon EOS Rebel T3i. For example:

Q: Where does the new T3i fit into Canon’s EOS Rebel line-up?

A: The T3i is Canon’s latest and most advanced EOS Rebel DSLR. Notice the table below. The last two models in the table…the Rebel XS and the Rebel T3…are actually Canon’s entry-level Rebel models.

Note too that Canon’s EOS Rebel’s go by different names, depending on the part of the world in which they are marketed. In Japan, note that the T3i is the Kiss X5…and in Europe and the rest of the world, it’s called the 600D.

Q: What are the differences between the T3i and its predecessor, the T2i?

A: The most obvious difference is the T3i‘s addition of a flip-out rear LCD monitor screen. This swiveling live view LCD is exceptionally useful in composing both photos and videos in angles that would be hard to create and match with a normal LCD.

The swivel live-view LCD is extremely useful when compose photographs in many situations you can not do without. You can create some breathtaking landscape images in angles you can not do with normal LCD.

The other significant difference in the two models is that the T3i now offers native, built-in wireless control for an off-camera flash. The T2i requires the accessory Canon ST-E2 module to accomplish this.

In addition, the T3i offers the following other new features:

  • Digital zoom for 1080p video, while recording, effectively providing a 3x – 10x zoom)
  • Cropping mats for shooting in different aspect ratios
  • “Video Snapshots” – Snapshot means that it shoots small video clips, two, four or eight seconds long. Very easy for editing. You can create cool effects.
  • An In-Camera Guide, which provides information on the LCD panel that makes choosing alternative settings a little easier for beginners

Q: What are the main differences between the T3i and the next model up in Canon’s line-up…the 60D?

A: The two cameras are almost identical – both have the same sensor, megapixel resolution, processing, articulated LCD, and most other features. So what do you get if you spend another $170 – $180 or so for the 60D? Here are the main “step-ups” with the 60D:

  • 20 percent larger viewfinder
  • 60D is slightly larger and heavier
  • 40 percent faster continuous shooting (5.3 fps versus 3.7 fps)
  • Twice the battery life (1100 shots versus 500 shots)
  • Twice the maximum shutter speed (1/8000s versus 1/4000s)

Q: When it comes to the “pros” and “cons” of the T3i, what are some of the “cons” that some buyers mention?

A: Under the “Buyer Reviews” menu tab above, you can read excerpts of some reviews from those who have purchased the T3i (as well as links to the full reviews). Each Canon T3i review above is pretty much positive. And overall, Amazon buyers are giving an average 4-1/2-star (of 5) rating to the T3i.

But this wouldn’t be a balanced review if we didn’t at least mention some of the “cons” or drawbacks some customers have mentioned:

  • One buyer said his T3i seemed slower than the older T2i in continuous 3.7 fps mode. Another buyer, however, wondered if this might be a difference in the speed of the memory card being written to. This site has not done an A-B comparison of the two models, so can’t speak with certainty about this possible issue.
  • Another buyer said: “It is not impossible to shoot a movie with the Rebel T3i but it is extremely impractical and I question the sanity of people who would recommend DSLR cameras for movie production.” He prefers a stand-alone camcorder. This, of course, is indeed a personal preference—the video quality at comparable resolutions is on a par.
  • One reviewer posted that he preferred the 60D (see our comparison of the T3i and 60D higher in this post), saying that he thought the manual controls on the 60D were better. Generally speaking, of course, the more expensive a camera, the better some of its features will be.
  • One buyer, who returned his camera, called the T3i “no good” and said that all the pictures he took with it were out of focus.” Of course, any product on Planet Earth can have an occasional defective unit, but other reviewers pointed out that one common problem with the focusing is keeping the “Live View” mode on all the time. AF mode + using the viewfinder results in virtually instant focus.
  • A self-described “busy mom” worried that she might accidentally snap off the rear swiveling screen. With reasonable care, of course, this isn’t likely, as Canon has engineered the articulating screen to be more durable than perhaps it looks.

These, then, are some of the “cons” noted by early purchasers of the T3i. If any of these issues are of concern to you, a little online research can probably turn up additional information to help you in reaching a decision.

Q: Where can I get the Canon User Manual for the T3i?

A: Here’s the link to download the PDF.

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Note that other pages of this Canon T3i review site (see menu tabs above) provide you with a variety of online and video reviews of this magnificent DSLR.