Canon 600D: model features, specifications and reviews

The Canon 600D is a reflex camera, which specialists are inclined to consider as amateur, but at the same time supporting an impressive set of functions, high-performance, stylish and modern design. What are its main characteristics? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this device?

Modifications

It will be useful first of all to consider what modifications the device has on the Russian market.

The simplest version of the device is 600D Body. It comes without a lens. The corresponding element must be purchased separately. Lenses for the Canon 600D come in a variety of types, markedly different in terms of technology. Therefore, the photographer will have the opportunity to choose the best, based on the tasks to be solved.

The following modification of the device - Canon 600D 18-55 Kit. It assumes the presence in the delivery set of the device of an objective lens of an initial level - without an optical stabilizer having the usual light sensitivity.

The Canon 600D Kit 18-55 IS II includes a more advanced lens. It is equipped, in turn, with an optical stabilizer and allows you to shoot at an insufficiently high level of illumination.

The most technologically advanced lens is installed in the Canon 600D Kit 18-135 IS. It has a large range of focuses, remarkable characteristics in terms of optics. Of course, it also has a stabilizer, adaptation to a low level of illumination of the camera is the most optimal.

Design and appearance of the camera

The Canon 600D mirror camera is similar in appearance to the predecessor of the EOS line - a device with an index of 450D. The most significant difference is the presence of a rotary display in the camera model in question. In addition, the dimensions of the body of the new device are somewhat larger, in its structure there are additional elastic elements, facilitating the girth of the camera hands.

It can be noted that the Canon 600D has a new button - one that allows you to switch the shooting of movies into Live View mode. It is located near the viewfinder.

In order to customize these or other shooting options, as well as quickly adjust them, the photographer can use the quick access function, which is called by pressing the Q button.

What does the Canon 600D look like? The photo of the device is below.

We see that this is sufficiently modern in terms of design and convenience (if you look at the location of the controls) apparatus. It can be noted that there are several color modifications of the device Canon EOS 600D: Black, Red. Thus, he can successfully combine with a variety of styles of clothing and the image of the photographer.

How to choose a lens for the device?

How to choose the lens for this or that device modification?

In principle, it is enough to know that the main types of corresponding optical elements with which the Canon EOS 600D Kit is compatible are EF-S and EF. Next, we need to look at the characteristics and technological capabilities of specific lenses, comparing them with the price, with the intended environment of operation.

Parameters, which are useful for paying attention when purchasing the corresponding hardware component:

• a type;
• focal length;
• Presence of a stabilizer, as well as the presence of effects corresponding to several stages of exposure;
• Adaptation to low illumination;
• Function to adjust the image blur.

In principle, it is not difficult to find lenses for Canon 600D, which meet the specified criteria. A photographer of any level - a beginner or a professional with a lot of experience - will be able to choose for himself a device that is optimal in terms of price and functionality.

Camera Specifications

Let's study the key features of the Canon 600D device, which are relevant for all the above modifications of the camera. To such it is possible to carry:

• The total number of pixels, which is 18.7 million units (of which effective - 18 million units);
• Crop factor in the value 1.6;
• The maximum resolution is 5184 x 3456 points;
• A kind of matrix - that is classified as belonging to the CMOS type;
• Speed automatic shooting - this figure is 3.6 frames per second;
• The exposure index - that is 30-1 / 4000 s;
• The presence of options such as autofocus illumination, manual focus, and face-focused focus;
• The main supported formats are JPEG and RAW;
• Communication interfaces - the device has connectors such as USB, HDMI, as well as a slot designed to connect the console;
• Maximum video resolution - the corresponding figure is 1920 x 1080 pixels;
• The maximum speed of video recording - at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, it is 30 frames per second, while working with a picture of 1280 x 720 pixels - 60 fps.

Let us now consider the specifics of some of the marked characteristics, as well as the basic functionality of the camera, in more detail.

Functionality of the device: what's new in the model?

First of all - the new in the functions of the device. According to many photography enthusiasts, as well as market experts, one of the most significant innovations implemented in the Canon 600D is the presence of a wireless external flash control system. This option allows you to take high-quality pictures without releasing the camera from your hands. The corresponding external flash control system allows also to illuminate the object simultaneously with an internal element of a similar purpose.

Another useful innovation of the Canon 600D is the presence of a display that can be rotated. This hardware component displays the picture in a fairly high resolution - about 1 Mp - and greatly improves the convenience of shooting.

Features of device management

Consider now some features of the practical use of the basic functions of the Canon EOS 600D. First of all, you can pay attention to the presence of an additional option, which is located on the circular switch of shooting modes, - "Video". Another nuance that characterizes the device control is the possibility of shooting in RAW format, even if the camera functions in the standard mode.

Using the program interfaces of the camera, you can use various filters to frames. At the same time, they work equally effectively when shooting both in RAW format and in JPEG standard. In addition, you can convert the image from the first format to the second format using branded applications.

Among the most useful options for the Canon EOS 600D camera are the ability to record sound not only with the built-in microphone, but also with the use of an external device of the appropriate type.

Video recording features

Let us now consider the specifics of video shooting using a device from Canon. As experts note, the video recording interfaces realized in the camera are not too different from those installed in the previous model of the EOS line - the device with the index 550D. In particular, the above mentioned indicators of the maximum resolution of video files, as well as the frame rates of both devices are the same.

In order to start video shooting with the camera, you must select the appropriate mode using the hardware switch, then click on the Live View button. It is noteworthy that in the process of video recording you can shoot ordinary, single frames. The maximum size of the video file, which can be stored on a flash drive of the camera, is 4 GB, no longer allows you to hold the FAT32 file system, in which flash drives are most often formatted. The maximum video duration in the highest resolution, thus, is about 30 minutes. The format of the recorded video file is MOV.

During the recording of the corresponding multimedia content, you can manually adjust the exposure. The sound in the video, as we noted above, can be recorded using both the built-in and external microphone.

Speed of work

The speed of the device is estimated as extremely high. In particular, this is expressed in the fact that autofocus works very quickly. In some cases, for example, if shooting is performed in conditions of insufficiently high illumination, there may be minor errors in the device's performance of the corresponding function. But, as experts point out, the instruction supplied with the Canon 600D warns about this in advance.

The camera is also very good in terms of the speed of the software interfaces. True, some complications can arise when viewing pictures on a large scale - those that are represented in the RAW format. According to experts, this is due to the relatively low performance of the processor, which is installed in the device. Although in practice, viewing images in full resolution with the help of a camera is not the most common task. Typically, with the appropriate type of content is more convenient to work on a PC.

In terms of the speed of automatic shooting, the device completely corresponds to the declared characteristics, photographing at a rate of 3.7 frames per second. But under one condition - if the files are written in JPG format. If you shoot in RAW, the speed of automatic shooting is reduced to less than 2 frames per second. In this case, a high-speed flash memory module should be inserted into the camera - best of all, if it is a carrier in the SDHC standard.

However, as experts note, the Canon 600D Kit is one way or another amateur, and therefore in practice to use the automatic shooting mode, the user will most likely not be often. But even if he has to do it, it is likely that RAW images will not be needed, and he will be happy with the files in JPG format, which, of course, are obtained when working with the considered device of the highest quality.

Soft menu and software

Let's consider now specificity of work of the program menu of the camera, and also other ON, which is delivered in the complete set with a device. As we noted above, the device is equipped with a display that can be rotated and has a sufficiently high resolution. These advantages are successfully combined with the convenience of using the camera's interfaces: using horizontal and vertical navigation buttons, the photographer can quickly switch between various options of the device.

Many experts characterize the main menu of the device as extremely convenient in terms of location of the most popular options. In addition, the software interfaces of the device have the ability to adjust shooting parameters both with the help of hardware switches, and programmatically. Also for this purpose, you can use the Q button and the scroll wheel.

The instructions supplied with the Canon 600D are detailed enough. But in case the photographer has doubts about the appointment of certain functions on the screen, the program interface of the camera provides guidance on them.

Among other notable menu options - the possibility of applying effects, as well as ordering photos by rating. The software supplied with the camera allows you to solve tasks related to device setup, mode management and shooting options, sending files to a PC, viewing and editing photo and video files. In addition, you can work with multimedia content from your computer using a USB cable. In principle, this option is typical for many other solutions of the Canon EOS line.

Let's consider the features of using some types of software available for the user of the device, in more detail. Among the programs that are available to the owner of the camera is the Picture Style Editor. With its help, you can, for example, create personalized styles when processing photos.

Another powerful program that a photographer can use is Digital Photo Professional (or DPP). Its main function is to convert RAW files to other multimedia standards. DPP allows batch processing of files, manage color, change optics parameters.

Another remarkable solution from Canon, supplied with the camera, is ZoomBrowser EX. This program is intended for use in Windows OS and represents software, adapted for viewing mainly JPEG-images, as well as video clips. This software allows, in particular, to edit the video for the purpose of editing the film, imposition of various special effects on the frames.

Advantages and disadvantages of the solution

Consider what experts highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the Canon 600D. Among the undoubted merits of the device:

• The presence of a rotatable monitor with high resolution;
• The ability to adjust the white balance, adapted for almost any shooting conditions;
• High speed of the camera - in the aspect of working with autofocus, software interfaces;
• The ability to customize styles for pictures;
• The possibility of adjusting options during shooting, which involves a variety of automatic modes;
• Presence in the device of such functions as automatic adaptation to the level of illumination, correction of brightness;
• The ability to record data about the author of photos in EXIF format;
• The presence in the programming interface of options that allow you to configure quick access to the most requested settings and functions;
• Presence of a manual on the use of functions in the interfaces of machine control;
• The ability to control an external flash in wireless mode;
• High resolution video in Full HD, good frame rate in the corresponding mode;
• The ability to take photos at the same time as recording a video;
• Digital zoom support for video shooting - in the range of 3 to 10;
• The ability to record audio with an external microphone;
• Support for recording stereo sound with custom level settings, as well as filtering wind noise.

These are the strengths of the apparatus.

In turn, the drawbacks of the device Canon EOS 600D specialists include:

• Insufficiently high speed of automatic shooting in the mode of recording images in RAW format;
• Lack of built-in image stabilizer;
• Unstable autofocus in some modes.

In general, it is obvious that the apparatus has much more advantages than disadvantages. But do users of the device think so? We will study their reviews, which are presented on various thematic online portals.

Reviews about the camera

Opinions about the device can be classified into several main varieties:

• Those that reflect the user's attitude to the design, ease of operation of the camera, the stability of its operation;
• Those that are associated with the assessment of the quality of photo and video files created with the help of the device;
• Those that characterize the functionality of the device.

Let's study them in more detail.

Concerning the comfort of using the device, the convenience of the arrangement of the controls - users evaluate it positively. Also positive are the reviews of photographers about the design of the camera, the quality of its assembly. In terms of stability, the device is also rated positively by the owners.

The quality of the photo and video content created with the camera (regardless of the specific modification of the Canon EOS 600D - 18-55 Kit or 18-135) is also characterized as the highest. And this despite the fact that the device is classified as amateur. Even if the content is recorded in a JPEG file, there will not be a lot of criticism for its quality even for an experienced photographer. The ability to shoot movies in high definition, corresponding to the standard Full HD, is considered by users as one of the main advantages of the device.

The functional of the device is evaluated by photographers as fully in accordance with the one that characterizes competing devices. Those features that are implemented in the camera, as a whole, can successfully use it not only in amateur modes, but also in many scenarios of professional work.

Users are extremely positive about the availability of various types of software in the delivery package, as well as a wide range of capabilities of the device's software interface. Also noted is the ease of operation of the device, the ability to take advantage of simple and logical prompts of the program menu, as well as detailed provisions of the manual attached to the camera.