Canon EOS Rebel T6s Digital SLR with EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Lens - Wi-Fi Enabled w/ Fast Start Course

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I am an amateur photography hobbyist so keep this in mind if you are reading my review. This was an upgrade from my old Canon XSi. I love the T6s! I had only the night before going on a whale watching trip to familiarize myself with the upgrades. It was easy to do - many of the changes are intuitively learned. I love the 24.2 megapixels, the 5 fps, and the 19 point auto-focus sensor, touch screen. Shooting in bursts is critical to capture the movement of the whales - I am very pleased with the quality of the picture from frame to frame - even as the light is changing and the whale is moving. I was even able to effectively photograph the all too camera elusive harbor porpoises. The camera feels light and comfortable in my hands - This is important for me because shooting whales from a moving boat with a 400 mm lens with no monopod - weight and ease of handling is important. I did not shoot any video. But from an amateurs point of view, I am thrilled with this new camera body! The photos that I am attaching have not been edited in any way. I am very pleased. Regarding the battery life: I shot over 1000 pictures on AF using continuous shooting for this 5 hour trip where my camera was on most of the time. I expected to have to change the battery, but did not have to do so. I also deleted a large number of photos on the camera. There is still ample battery power in the camera at this time.

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I love this camera! I upgraded from my t3i to the t6s. I loved my T3i and I was skeptical that another camera would compare, but my first shoot was brilliant. Honestly, it made me a better photographer (well, certainly compensated for my amateur status). Took it to my sons football game and the 18-135 lens allowed me to capture his game-winning 2-point conversion catch—from the other end of the field. Crystal clear images and easy to use, its a great pro-sumer level camera. My only complaint (and Im not knocking any stars off) is that Canon changed the form factor for the batteries and grip, which means that I needed to by a new grip and extra LP-E17 pack instead of re-purposing the grips and batteries from my T3i. Their prerogative, I guess, so just be aware that if youre upgrading from an older EOS Rebel line, your accessories probably wont be compatible (but the lenses are).

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The Rebel T6s, aimed at serious hobbyists and light packers, squeezes a full set of features into a compact DSLR. I snagged one and have been enjoying it for street and travel photography. Heres my take on this able little camera. IMAGE QUALITY: With a Canon EF-S 15-85 3.5-5.6 IS USM , image quality is excellent and comparable to a 70D, i.e., vivid, well-exposed and accurately focused. It boasts a newly designed 24MP APS-C sensor with finely rendered detail and low noise from ISO 100-1600. Shadow and high ISO noise are similar to the 70D, despite the extra 4MP, so whatever Canon did with the DIGIC 6 and 24MP sensor they got it right! Above ISO 3200 is too noisy for me but its good to know ISO 6400 to 25600 are available for emergencies. BUILD: The T6s is small for a DSLR and an ideal travel companion. With a modest zoom or prime, the diminutive statue doesnt draw attention, making it easy to snap candids. Although lightweight, it feels solid in the hand due to the rigid polycarbonate shell, aluminum undercarriage and textured rubber grip. It hits the sweet spot with just enough girth for a comfortable grip for my medium hands. Like other late model EOS, the T6s sports an articulating 3.0" 1,040,000 dot LCD. Its vivid and sharp but dont expect to use it in bright sunlight. VIEWFINDER clarity is excellent: bright, smooth and vivid. The 95% coverage and .82x magnification are smallish but good enough to compose with. The AF display isnt as easy to see as the larger rectangles of the 70D, but I got used to it quickly. INTERFACE: The T6s departs from other Rebels by adopting the control layout of the 70D: rear Quick Control Dial (QCD), locking mode dial on top left and monochrome LCD on top right. The QCD is used to directly set exposure compensation in Creative Zone modes save for manual. Buttons are full-sized and may be used by feel while looking through the viewfinder. A knurled dial on top sets Exposure modes: Creative Zone" with manual and semi-auto modes--Program (P), Aperture Priority (Av), Shutter Priority (Tv) and Manual (M)--and "Basic Zone" with assorted Full Auto modes. The tabbed menu and Quick Control Screen are similar to Rebel and XXD series, but can be operated by touch screen or physical controls. The touch screen is well implemented, quasi fingerprint resistant and more responsive than an iPhone 5s. AUTO FOCUS: The T6s inherited the 70Ds fast and sure-footed 19-point cross-type AF array. AF mode--zone, manual selection and 19-point auto--may be switched with a couple button presses or taps on the Quick Control Screen. I mainly use zone and manual AF selection for street and landscapes but tried AI servo and 19-point auto on runners in the park and was impressed with how well it locked on. Hybrid AF in Live View and video is extremely accurate and comparable to 70D Dual Pixel AF but slightly more prone to hunting in low light. Face recognition mode latches onto mugs like glue. The LCD touch-to-focus feature is ideal for landscapes and macro but too slow for action. Movie Servo--a camcorder-like follow focus for video mode--works well for slow moving subjects. For static subjects its better to lock AF with the touchscreen and disable Movie Servo (refocusing is distracting). FLASH was well-exposed in both fill-in and main light modes. The popup deploys at the touch of a button or, in Intelligent Auto Mode, auto erects. I use a ST-E2 to trigger a pair of 430EX II and it works great for both bounce and direct flash. Like the 70D, the popup can be used to trigger E-TTL Speedlites, but requires some menu surfing to set up. Finally, flash exposure compensation (FEC) is input via the Quick Control Screen. Thats too slow in the heat of a shoot. Fortunately, FEC can be assigned to the SET button for faster access and used while looking through the VF. BATTERY: I squeezed out 500 RAW images using single-shot mode and the viewfinder. My 70D easily hits 1000+. The Canon LP-E17 battery is tiny for a DSLR. Carry spare batteries if traveling or on an important shoot. WI-FI: The EOS Remote app lets you diddle settings, fire the shutter, upload images and use LiveView on your iPhone, iPad, Droid or computer. Ive been using the iOS and Mac OS versions of EOS Remote and theyre smooth and stable. Wi-Fi eats batteries fast, so carry spare batteries in the field or use a wired remote (RS60-E3 ) or IR remote (RC-1, RC-5 or RC-6) to save power. In the studio I tether to a host composer with USB since its faster than Wi-Fi and works with video. EXIT BLURB: The T6s is a small DSLR with surefooted AF, nimble handling and excellent image quality. Its fun to use, easy on the shoulder and I cant think of a better camera for travel, hiking and kicking around town.

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Ill skip the automations that require a 2 month seminar and weeks of practical exercises. --- In normal functions (Manual or P or AE), image quality is excellent for the cost and the sensor size. After non-extensive tests (2 Canons, 1 Nikon, 11 lenses), this camera seems to slightly prefer Canon lenses for uniform and consistent quality "throughout the frame". It makes even the very cheap Canon "stock" lenses to perform much better than one would expect for their price, and when you move to "semi-pro" level (more expensive. just below non-L series), image quality from edge to edge is astonishing! --- The camera prefers RAW more than older models did (T2i). In a test with two tripods side by side of this camera and the Nikon D500 and the same third-party lens, the raw pic was practically the same on a 27" computer monitor. The Nikon was more forgiving to some third-party lenses in low light conditions (slightly more faithful colors indoors with low light conditions), but the difference was not noticeable in 27" screen with Canon lens on the Canon and Nikon lens on the Nikon in daylight and flash. Some would actually prefer the very slightly more warm tones of the Canon when indoors. Im sure extensive tests would reveal that the almost double priced Nikon is better under this and that condition, but would the amateur or enthusiast ever use the superior buffer of the Nikon? If a user wants a lot more pics per second with perfect focus, hed most likely skip both cameras, and move to the "many thousands of dollars" category. -- I highly recommend this camera for its image quality at this price range. -- I highly recommend spending some time (2-3 hours in total) to learn & practice how to deactivate some auto-settings (the menu is different in movie mode, check it out!). Some automations are good, those that allow you control and fix your errors. When you learn most menus, this camera will be very friendly and very forgiving. -- I highly recommend learning to use the back button with the star (*) for both locking focus/light measuring, AND for the little known "back button focus" operation, which is great for sports events! -- I highly recommend searching on the net to find the memory cards with the highest Transfer Rate for this SPECIFIC camera! Youd be surprised with how differently they behave, even from the same manufacturer at the same price range in this camera! -- If you want the most options in lenses (if you carry an extra suitcase for lenses), and you display your vacation pics at your local movie theater, then move to a full frame very high-res camera. I found no flaws in this camera for the average to demanding enthusiast. [Minus one star (and that goes for all such DSLRs, including Nikons) for the annoying & immature auto-tracking etc bells and whistles, which cause focusing issues when the camera is on a tripod by itself. I deactivated it and Im sooo happy!. Also, for the somewhat slow buffer which could have been higher, although it never caused any issues in everyday use].

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Got this camera last Thursday and LOVE IT! It is much less noisy at the higher ISOs. I still wont shoot on 6400 but getting great performance at 3200. Also love the electronic level. As someone who has always "shot to the left" this is a godsend. Bought a 128GB card to go with it and shot over 700 pics the first week. The "pictures left" number never moved off of 999. I calculated it out and I can get over 5000 RAW shots on that card. Probably wont but its nice to have. Continuous shooting is quick. Like the touch screen. Overall, I am VERY pleased with this purchase. Upgraded to this camera from a T3i, so lots of new stuff to love.

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After using this camera for more than a year from time to time. I come to the conclusion of this is a good entry-level camera. Pros: Its easier to take good photos relative to a high-end DSLR if you are an amateur. Because it has a bunch of settings to assist you to handle general photography needs, such as adapting common lighting environments. My friend who has a high-end DSLR admit when travel outside, the pictures from this camera looks nicer than his. Because one doesnt need to worry about all the detail settings as those are for professional photographers to handle. I bought the bundle with 18-135MM lens and Im surprised how well it works. I was under an impression of its just a kit lens and itll just be ordinary. It turns out its performing much better than I expected in low light environment. A good lens is very important in photography because it gather the lights and the camera body just records what the lens see. This lens comes in the bundle helps takes a lot of efforts away from non-professional photographers. I like its Vari-angle Touch Screen. You can adjust the angle of the screen and hold the camera in many different ways to take photos, so you dont need to move your head and eye along with it. This is especially useful when you try to take pictures behind obstacles as tall as you are, such as a big group of people. You just hold up the camera and turn the screen downward to you. And the touch screen can help you to go directly to the settings you need without pushing buttons many times. The WIFI feature is definitely a good one. Itll help you to connect to the camera from your phone and download the photos and control the shooting. Which turn your phone into a powerful remote control. Cons: Its crop frame. That means its less powerful to handle low light environments. You may end up increase the ISO which will produce a pretty noisy photo. As well itll decrease the performance of full frame lens when you put them on it. But consider this is a relatively low price entry-level camera, its a part of the deal not to compete with a high-end product. In summary, if you are an amateur photographer or you just want to take casual but good-looking vacation photos, and you want more control on your photos, something more than what your phone can do. But you are not thinking to go too far or too professional in photography, then this is a good deal for you.

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This is a fantastic entry-level mid range DSLR, especially for the keen learner. Heres why, 1. The live view articulation of the image changes based on the exposure settings and digital effects to give you immediate feedback (unlike the Nikon D5500) 2. The live view video shooting has silent autofocus and good tracking compared to the nikon 3. The rotating dial behind the camera is super fantastic and lets you change settings without removing your eye from the viewfinder 4. The price for the T6s and T6i was the same wwhen i purchased and the t6s is an upgrade Cons 1. The wireless app is terrible and the connection is inconsistent, but I am assuming that can be fixed by canon without having you change the camera

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This camera is just amazing. Love the T6S for the additional screen by the shutter button - displays F-Stop and Speed settings just like you would expect on a $3,000 camera. Oh - stock battery life - about 800 pictures over 3 hours (amazing as well)

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Ive had this camera for over a year now. It was my first entry/mid level camera. I did a lot of research before I bought. Ive taken it to Spain, France, and Italy, so you know I had plenty of photo ops. Alls I can say is that this is a great camera for the money. I always shoot in Manual and RAW format, and this does a great job at capturing all of those 24 Megapixles. The articulating screen is very handy for overhead shots. The kit lens feels a bit cheap, but takes great pictures. Ive been wanting to get an L lens, but dont really think its worth the money for what I do. Battery life is pretty awesome, Ive never needed a backup. Sample below edited in Luminar.

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Loving this camera. FAST shutter reaction. Great light adjustment. Took it on vacation to Glacier National Park and got some fantastic shots of the natural beauty. Love that I can connect via WI-FI and download photos to my iPhone for texting/posting. Charged the battery once and have used it for several weeks (not heavy usage except for the vacation) and battery is still showing almost a full charge. Mainly have used in auto so far, but have used several of the custom features with great results. Plan on getting an additional lens when budget allows.

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