Canon EOS 600D (2024)

In summary

An affordable DSLR for aspiring photographers who want ease-of-use in a high-resolution camera that includes Full HD video recording plus creative functions.The EOS 600D sits at the top of Canon’s entry-level range but includes several features from the ‘pro-sumer’ models. Positioned between the popular EOS 550D and EOS 60D, the keenly-priced 600D has the same 18 megapixel CMOS sensor as these cameras and the same DIGIC 4 image processor. It also supports a sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400, which can be expanded up to ISO 12800. . . [more]

Full review

The EOS 600D sits at the top of Canon’s entry-level range but includes several features from the ‘pro-sumer’ models. Positioned between the popular EOS 550D and EOS 60D, the keenly-priced 600D has the same 18 megapixel CMOS sensor as these cameras and the same DIGIC 4 image processor. It also supports a sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400, which can be expanded up to ISO 12800.

Slightly larger and heavier than the EOS 550D, the new model offers many of the same features but provides an adjustable monitor and the same (slightly simpler) user interface as the EOS 1100D’s. As you can see in the table below, the main features of Canon’s consumer-level DSLRs are very similar, with higher prices asked for models with higher resolution, mode solidly-built bodies and higher-level features.

Build and Ergonomics
Aside from the vari-angle monitor and modest redesign of the monitor interface, nothing much has changed since the EOS 550D. The body of the EOS 600D is made from polycarbonate resin and glass fibre cladding over a stainless steel chassis, yielding a camera that is relatively light but quite robust. The grip is generous – but not over-large and should suit users with both small and medium-sized hands, without presenting problems for those with large hands or limited dexterity.

Front view of the EOS 600D. (Source: Canon.)

The button controls on the rear panel are mostly the same as on the 550D. The Display button beside the Menu button above the top left corner of the monitor has been replaced by a new Info button that toggles between the shooting settings and camera settings screens. The latter displays the status of major camera functions.

The 3-inch, 1,040,000-dot monitor swings out to lie almost in line with the rear panel and rotates through almost 180 degrees. It can also be reversed onto the rear of the camera and used like a fixed monitor.

Rear view of the EOS 600D with the vari-angle monitor reversed. (Source: Canon.)

The viewfinder, which fits in snugly above the monitor, is adjustable across -3 to +1 dioptres and covers 95% of the sensor’s field of view. Like the 550D, the focusing screen is non-interchangeable but there’s no eye-start sensor to switch off the LCD screen when your eye is near the viewfinder. (That happens when you half-press the shutter button.)

Top view of the EOS 600D with no lens fitted. (Source: Canon.)

The mode dial on the top panel is the same as on the 550D, although the Auto mode has been re-vamped and can now automatically analyse the scene looking for features like faces, colours, brightness, movement and contrast. Exposure settings are based on combined readings of these parameters to enable novice users to record a high percentage of correctly-exposed shots. (In our tests we found this mode delivered good results most of the time.)

The Display button has been moved to just in front of the mode dial. There’s no joystick-style multi-controller so users must rely on the arrow pad and single rotating dial just behind the shutter button for adjusting functions like white balance, AF and drive modes and Picture Style settings.

As on the 550D, a single button switches on the Live View mode and starts and ends movie recording. The Quick Control button accesses the same user interface as on the 550D, although the positions of some functions have been shuffled around and the text is white on black instead of the reverse. Battery status is added to the display.

The memory card compartment, which is located on the rear corner behind the grip, accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. The compartment for the LP-E8 battery is in the base panel. It’s the same battery as in the 550D and is CIPA rated for approximately 440 shots/charge with viewfinder shooting or 180 shots/charge with Live View.

The EOS 600D will be offered in the following kits: body only ($1099), Single IS Kit with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II ($1249), Twin IS kit with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II and EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS ($1599), Super Kit with EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS ($1699) and Premium Kit with EF-S18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS ($1899). The review camera came to us with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens, which is offered in the Super kit. We’ve reviewed this lens when it was supplied with the EOS 7D. Click here to read the lens review.

Sensor and Image Processing
The sensor in the EOS 600D appears to be the same CMOS chip as in the EOS 550D, 60D and 7D. However, unlike the EOS 7D, the 600D has only one DIGIC 4 processor, which is adequate for normal shooting but reduces high-speed bursts to a maximum capture rate of 3.7 frames/second.
The 600D’s sensor supports the same sensitivity range as the EOS 550D and 60D. Its standard range runs from ISO 100-6400 with one expansion step, H1 (equivalent to ISO 12,800), when expansion is enabled via C.Fn1-2. Separate noise-reduction processing is available for high sensitivities and long exposures.

Like other EOS DSLRs, the 600D supports both JPEG and CR2.RAW file capture, with three JPEG sizes and two compression levels available. Unlike the higher-featured models, there is only one raw file option (recording at 5184 x 3456 pixels) and Large/Fine is the only JPEG size available for RAW+JPEG capture. The table below provides a guide to typical file sizes.

Live View and Video Shooting
The Live View mode on the EOS 600D is much the same as the EOS 550D and covered in our review of that camera. Sensitivity, lens aperture and shutter speed are controlled automatically be the camera, although AE Lock and exposure compensation provide some facilities for overriding the camera’s settings.

Manual adjustment of exposure parameters is available via the Movie exposure setting in the menu system. Autofocusing is supported for Live View shooting with a choice of three AF modes: Quick, Live and Face Detection. As in most DSLRs, Live View AF is relatively slow, although you can move the focusing area around with the arrow pad buttons and focus by half-pressing the shutter button.

Video capture options are similar to the EOS 7D, with the ability to select from three different frame rates, depending on the TV format where they live. Australian users can choose between 30 and 25 frames/second for Full HD recording and 50 fps with the other resolutions. The table below shows all the options available, along with typical recording times with a 4GB memory card.

Movie recording will stop automatically if the file size reaches 4GB or after 29 minutes and 59 seconds of recording time. A new movie file will start when the Movie button is pressed again.

You can attach an external microphone to the camera to improve the quality of soundtrack recordings. The movie menu also provides the ability to adjust recording levels and apply a wind-cut filter.

Canon has dropped the Movie Crop function in favour of a new Movie Digital Zoom setting that provides between 3x and 10x magnification while shooting a video clip. It has also introduced a new Video Snapshot function, which was previously restricted to Canon’s video camcorders. This setting enables users to record brief clips lasting 2, 4 or 8 seconds and store them in an Album, where they can be combined into a short film. Clips are combined in sequential order and can be played back with background music.

The camera isn’t set up for playing background music by default. Clips must first be uploaded from the software disk to the memory card. Users can ‘register’ any WAV-format music files to the camera’s memory card and use them as background music for both Video Snapshot Album and slideshow playback.

Playback and Software
Playback options are essentially the same as other recently-released EOS DSLRs. However, there have been a few interesting additions to the playback settings already outlined in our review of the EOS 550D.

The EOS 600D is the first entry-level model to make the full range of Creative Filters available in playback mode. Users can select from five effects: Grainy Black and White, Soft Focus, Fish Eye effect, Toy Camera and Miniature effect. Adjusted images are saved separately as JPEGs and two or more of the Creative Filters can be combined to provide additional images with multiple effects.

The original image (top) and the same image with the Grainy Black and White filter applied. (Other filter effects are shown in the Sample Images section at the end of this review.)

The Resize function in the playback menu not only enables users to create smaller files from high-resolution shots; it also lets them change the aspect ratio of images. The following options are available: 4:3 aspect ratio: 4608 x 3456, 3072 x 2304, 2304 x 1728, 1696 x 1280, 640 x 480; 16:9 aspect ratio: 5184 x 2912, 3456 x 1944, 2592 x 1456 1920 x 1080, 720 x 400; 1:1 aspect ratio: 3456 x 3456, 2304 x 2304, 1728 x 1728, 1280 x 1280, 480 x 480.

As with the Creative Filters settings, adjusted files are saved separately as JPEGs. The camera can be connected to any standard TV with monitor-type inputs using the A/V cable supplied with the camera. For HD playback on an HDTV set you will require an additional mini-HDMI to HDMI cable.

The editing interface in Digital Photo Professional 3.10.

The EOS 600D is supplied with the standard Canon EOS Digital Solution Disk (Version 24.0), which contains the following applications: Digital Photo Professional 3.10 (Windows and Mac), EOS Utility 2.10 (Windows and Mac), Picture Style Editor 1.9 (Windows and Mac), Zoom Browser EX 6.7 (Windows), Image Browser 6.7 (Mac) and PhotoStitch 3.1 (Windows), 3.2 (Mac). A software instruction manual is provided on a separate disk. We’ve covered most of these applications in previous Canon DSLR reviews.

The Kit Lens
This is the third time we’ve reviewed the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens on a new EOS body and we continue to be unimpressed by its overall performance. A full review of this lens was published in November 2009.

Covering a 7.5x zoom range it represents a potentially attractive step-up from the standard kit lens for photographers seeking a single camera+lens solution but our tests have consistently shown it fails to match the performance of the 18-megapixel CMOS sensor. Maximum apertures are significantly reduced as you zoom in, as shown in the table below.

Imatest showed resolution to be slightly below expectations for the sensor’s resolution with JPEG files, while the CR2.RAW files from the camera only just met expectations at the 35mm focal length setting. Edge softening was slightly less than we found in previous reviews of this lens but remains significant at wider apertures where resolution is generally highest. The graph below shows the results of our tests.

Lateral chromatic aberration remained mainly in the ‘low’ band (0.04 to 0.08% of distance to corner), creeping into the ‘moderate’ range with the 18mm, 24mm and 135mm focal lengths, particularly at the widest and smallest aperture settings. The graph below shows the results of our tests.

Barrel distortion could be seen in shots taken with the 18mm focal length but became relatively insignificant at 24mm. Slight pincushioning became visible at 50mm and was fairly noticeable at 135mm. Vignetting (edge and corner darkening) was apparent in open-aperture shots at most focal length settings.

We were able to hand-hold the camera and lens and use shutter speeds as slow as 1/15 second with the 135mm focal length to get roughly 50% of images acceptably sharp. This suggests the stabilisation system in the lens can match Canon’s claim of four f-stops of shutter speed advantage under optimum conditions.

Contre-jour shots showed the lens remained quite flare-prone, producing flare spots when pointed towards the sun and veiling in many contre-jour situations. This isn’t surprising as it’s supplied without a lens hood. We’d recommend investing in the EW-73B hood if you opt to buy the camera with this lens.

Performance
Not surprisingly, the performance of the review camera was similar to that of the EOS 550D, although our Imatest evaluations showed the EOS 660D delivered slightly higher resolution overall with both JPEG and CR2.RAW files. High ISO resolution was somewhat better that we found in our tests of the EOS 550D, particularly with JPEG files. The graph below shows the results of our tests.

Autofocusing was reasonably fast and accurate, although we experienced some ‘misses’, particularly in contrasty conditions and when shooting moving subjects in low light levels with the camera hand-held. Fortunately, low-light autofocusing became much more accurate when the subject was stationary and the camera was on a tripod.

Image noise at long exposures and with flash shots was similar to the results we obtained with the EOS 7D and EOS 550D. Test shots were almost noise-free up to ISO 6400, after which noise became visible in long exposures. Flash exposures were almost noise-free throughout the camera’s sensitivity range, although some softening could be seen at ISO 12,800. Applying noise-reduction processing softened images slightly at ISO 1600 and above but this effect was less noticeable at lower ISO settings.

Auto white balance performance was similar to other Canon DSLRs we’ve reviewed with shots taken under incandescent lighting remaining partly corrected, while shots taken with fluorescent lighting being almost cast-free. For both lighting types, the pre-sets slightly over-corrected but manual measurement delivered a neutral colour balance. Plenty of in-camera adjustments are provided for tweaking images as you shoot and white balance bracketing of +/- three levels in one-step increments is available.

Video quality was similar to the clips we shot with the EOS550D, particularly with HD 1080p resolution with the 24 fps frame rate. Differences between the 1080p and 720p video clips were largely related to the frame resolution.

Clips shot at VGA resolution were very good for their frame sizes. However, the review camera found it difficult to find and hold focus with the Movie Digital Zoom setting and most clips recorded ranged between slightly and grossly unsharp. Examples are shown at the end of the Sample Images section below.

Not unexpectedly, autofocusing in video mode was sluggish compared with still frame capture and the system often had difficulties in keeping pace with relatively slow zooms and pans. Audio quality from the built-in microphone was above average, although we found the built-in wind cut filter unable to cope with moderately windy conditions.

Our timing tests were conducted with a 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-1card, the fastest card the camera could use. The review camera powered up ready for shooting in just over one second and we measured an average capture lag of 0.2 seconds, which was eliminated when shots were pre-focused. Shot-to-shot times averaged 0.5 seconds.

High-resolution JPEGs took an average of one second to process, while CR2.RAW files were processed in 2.1 seconds and RAW+JPEG pairs in 2.2 seconds.

In the continuous shooting mode the review camera recorded 10 Large/Fine JPEGs in 2.5 seconds, which is close to four frames/second and slightly faster than specifications. Image processing appeared to be on-the-fly as it took 1.8 seconds to process this burst.

With CR2.RAW files, bursts are restricted to six frames. The review camera recorded six raw frames in 1.5 seconds and took 5.2 seconds to process them. For RAW+JPEG pairs, capture rates slowed after five frames, which were recorded in 1.4 seconds. It took 6.6 seconds to process this burst.

Buy this camera if:
– You want a high-resolution DSLR camera that can record both still pictures and Full HD video clips.
– You want a camera with a straightforward user interface plus easy-to-use automated shooting modes and user-adjustable controls.
– You want a DSLR with a built-in auto flash plus a useful flash modes and exposure adjustments.
– You could make use of the extended sensitivity range for still photography and video capture.
– You could take advantage of the vari-angle monitor.
Don’t buy this camera if:
– You require more than one raw file option and the ability to set different JPEG image sizes and qualities for RAW+JPEG capture.
– You require a wider AE bracketing range than +/- 2 stops.
– You require a weatherproof camera.

IMATEST GRAPHS
JPEG images

Raw images converted with Digital Photo Professional 3.10.

SAMPLE IMAGES

Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.

Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.

30-second exposure at ISO 400; f/7.1, 35mm focal length,.

15-second exposure at ISO 6400; f/20, 35mm focal length,.

5-second exposure at ISO 12800; f/16, 35mm focal length,.

Flash exposure; 106mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/60 second at f/5.6.

Flash exposure; 106mm focal length, ISO 1600, 1/60 second at f/5.6.

Flash exposure; 106mm focal length, ISO 12800, 1/60 second at f/5.6.

18mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/250 second at f/8.

135mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/320 second at f/8.

Close-up; 135mm focal length, ISO 200; 1/100 second at f/5.6.

Stabilisation test; 135mm focal length, ISO 200; 1/15 second at f/8.

Flash fill using the auto exposure mode; 135mm focal length, ISO 400; 1/200 second at f/11.

53mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/40 second at f/9.

Dynamic range; 126mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/250 second at f/5.6.

Sports mode: 135mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/400 second at f/8.

135mm focal length, ISO 640; 1/60 second at f/9.

18mm focal length, ISO 200; 1/60 second at f/8.

18mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/320 second at f/10.

Contre-jour lighting with a low sun; 100mm focal length, ISO 200; 1/3200 second at f/8.

Veiling flare due to slight backlighting; 135mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/100 second at f/9.

Flare spots due to strong backlighting; 20mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/25 second at f/9.

The Fisheye effect in the Creative Filters: the original image is on the left. 18mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/250 second at f/10.

The Toy Camera effect: the original image is at the top. 72mm focal length, ISO 400; 1/60 second at f/5.6.

The Miniature effect with the area of sharpness near the centre of the frame; the original image is on the left. 29mm focal length, ISO 500; 1/40 second at f/11.

Tonal modifications provided in the monochrome mode: top – no adjustment; centre – sepia; bottom – blue. (Red and green tones are also available.) 60mm focal length, ISO 100; 1/125 second at f/7.1.

White balance adjustments; top – auto WB; bottom – Cloudy WB.

Still frame from video clip shot with 1920 x 1080 pixel HD resolution.

Still frame from the same clip shown the softening that occurs with the Movie Digital Zoom setting.

Still frame from video clip shot with 1280x 720 pixel HD resolution.

Still frame from video clip shot with VGA resolution.

Still frame from the same clip shown the softening that occurs with the Movie Digital Zoom setting.

Specifications

Image sensor: 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor with 18.7 million photosites (18 megapixels effective)
Image processor: DiG!C 4
A/D processing: 14-bit
Lens mount: Canon EF-S/EF
Focal length crop factor: 1.6x
Image formats: Stills – CR2.RAW, JPEG (Exif 2.3), RAW+JPEG; Movies – MOV (Video: H.264, Sound: Linear PCM)
Image Sizes: Stills – 5184 x 3456, 3456 x 2304, 2592 x 1728, 1920 x 1280, 720 x 480; Movies: 1920 x 1080 at 30/25/24 fps (330 MB/min); 1280 x 720 at 60/50 fps (330 MB/min), 640 x 480 at 30/25 fps (82.5 MB/min)
Image Stabilisation: Lens based
Dust removal: EOS integrated cleaning system
Shutter speed range: 30 seconds to 1/4000 second plus Bulb; flash synch at 1/200 second
Exposure Compensation: +/- 5EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV increments
Exposure bracketing: 3 frames across +/- 2EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay
Focus system: TTL-CT-SIR phase-detection system with a CMOS sensor; 9 AF points (f/5.6 cross type at centre); auto/manual AF point selection
Focus modes: AI Focus, One Shot, AI Servo; manual focusing supported
Exposure metering: 63-zone TTL full aperture metering with Evaluative, Partial, Spot and Centre-weighted average modes
Shooting modes: Scene Intelligent Auto, No Flash, Creative Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Movie, Program AE , Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual
Picture Style/Control settings: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined (x3)
Colour space options: sRGB, Adobe RGB
Custom functions: 11 functions with 34 settings
ISO range: Auto, ISO 100-6400 (expandable to ISO 12800)
White balance: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorescent light, Flash, Custom. White balance compensation: Blue/Amber +/-9; Magenta/Green +/-9; +/- 3 levels of WB bracketing
Flash: Built-in E-TTL II Autoflash, GN 13 (metres at ISO 100)
Flash exposure adjustment: +/- 2EV in 1/3 EV increments
Sequence shooting: Up to 3.7 fps; max. 34 Large/Fine JPEGs, 6 raw frames
Storage Media: Single slot that accepts SD/SDHC/SDXC cards
Viewfinder: Pentamirror with fixed focusing screen, 95% FOV coverage, 0.85x magnification, approx 19mm eye relief, dioptre adjustment from -3.0 to +1.0 dpt
LCD monitor: 3.0-inch vari-angle TFT LCD with 170-degree viewing angle and approx. 1,040,000 dots
Live View modes: Live View Shooting, Remote Live View Shooting, Face Detection, AF Mode, Manual, Magnified View, Multi Aspect Ratio, Exposure Simulation display
Data LCD: No
Playback functions: Single-frame, Index (4 or 9 frames), Jump display, Enlarge (1.5x to 10x), Slideshow, Picture rotation (auto mode available), Histogram (independent luminance/RGB available), Shooting information with/without highlight alert
Interface terminals: USO 2.0 Hi-Speed, HDMI (HDMI-CEC compatible), Video output (PAL/NTSC), External Mic. terminal (3.5mm Stereo mini jack), remote control (RS-60E3)
Power supply: LP-E8 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 440 shots/charge
Dimensions (wxhxd): 133.1 x 99.5 x 79.7 mm
Weight: Approx. 570 grams (CIPA testing standard, including battery and memory card)

Retailers

CamBuy

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Australian owned and run company based in Brisbane.

Camerasdirect

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Retailer of digital camera equipment and more.
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Camerastore.com.au

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Ph: 1800 155 067

Camera-Warehouse

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Comprehensive range of digital cameras and accessories online (www.camera-warehouse.com.au) and an online print service (www.royalexpress.com.au).

Digital Camera Warehouse

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174 Canterbury Road 367 High Street
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Ph: 1300 365 220

Electronics Warehouse

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Australian retailer of Vapex rechargeable batteries offering factory direct prices and fast, free shipping Australia wide.

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Photographic Equipment & Supplies – Retail & Repairs. Click here for list of stores.

Ted’s Cameras

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1800 186 895
Big range of cameras and photographic products with stores in most states and online.

Rating

RRP: $1099 (body only); $1699 (as reviewed with 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens)

Rating (out of 10):

• Build: 8.5
• Ease of use: 8.5
• Autofocusing: 8.5
• Still image quality: 8.5
• Video quality: 8.5
• OVERALL: 8.5

Buy