I was at a box store yesterday and happened to walk through their electronics section. I spent about 10 minutes looking at the new cameras and marveling at the updates. I guess for what it's worth, the store selling one of the cameras for close to $800 isn't so bad, given the fact it's WiFi enabled now (the Canon T6 line).
Yes, I looked at the new Canons and thought about upgrading. The basic stock model (Canon EOS Rebel T6 Digital SLR Camera Kit with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens) is currently listed on Amazon for $449, which is the same price the box store had it for.
It appears Canon finally jumped on the wireless internet bandwagon, as this new line of Rebels comes WiFi enabled. I reckon there's "an app for that" where you can easily (and magically) transfer your photos to your smartphone.
The new thing is the accessibility of immediately posting to social network sites. Outside of the this added feature of instant sharing (which I've seen with a Sony point and shoot camera several years ago), the camera is the same size and heft as the T3 I'm using. The turn dial for various shooting modes is a little different (a tad reminiscent of 35mm camera dial) and the buttons / menu all seem to be the same. The LCD screen is stationary on this camera (like the Rebels before it). The sides of the camera still have plug in options for HDMI, a remote and microphone, but I feel the only "major" upgrade would be the WiFi connectivity. The downside is that WiFi has been around in other cameras and camera cards for roughly 5 years. Another upgrade I noticed, was better options for video mode; it seemed to have some blinking options you could scroll through in order to film in the right light. I don't remember exactly what it said, based on the fact I didn't get to fully play with the camera. It was tethered to the counter and had no memory card in it. I can't really give a more in depth / side by side comparison to what I already own, unfortunately. No, I'm not buying it just to compare; that's a waste. But I will gladly take donations 😉
The same goes with the Canon EOS Rebel T6i Digital SLR with EF-S 18-55mm IS STM Lens - Wi-Fi Enabled. For $749 on Amazon, it's about $50 less than what I saw in the box store. It has similar comparisons like the T6, but the LCD screen can swing out and move around (for selfie mode, I'm thinking). The camera card slot is located on one side of the camera, while the microphone, HDMI, remote and the new "A/V Out" options are on the other side and have their own sections. Like the turn dial on the 6, this one really looks like a 35mm dial. Very basic in concept, for what you're doing, but the added WiFi option makes the camera worth it? According to the spec sheet (online), there is face detection and live tracking, which I can only imagine is for group photos and video mode. However, if there is face detection, because you can easily import the photo to social networking, it makes tagging people easier, if I can make an uneducatedly educated guess. Again, because this camera was tethered to the counter, I couldn't take it around the store and try it out.
I think for both cameras, the price point is fair, as the T6 is still the new kid on the block (research says there is a T7i that has been on the market for roughly 4 months, but several box stores I've been in, don't seem to have it yet. I don't know how trustworthy this Amazon link is, because it's still piping fresh). All things considered, I think I would make the jump to the 6 if I could, but honestly, my T3 is still working great; it doesn't pay to spend the $450 for the newer model when I'm happy in the place I'm in. Should something happen to this camera and I need a new one immediately, I'll have no issues in continuing to claim my stake in the Canon world by getting whatever is current. Until then, I'll continue playing around with what I've got.
Yes, I'm a Canon fangirl.
See you on the flip side...
Cheers;
See Also (aka kits and other things):
