Today we’re going to have a look at a couple of older DSLR cameras, the Canon 250D, also known as the Canon Rebel SL3, and the Canon 600D, also known as the Canon Rebel T3i.
In this review, I’m going to answer the two questions on your mind: Are they still any good in 2022, and which one should you buy?
The answer will of course depend on what your needs are, so we’ll examine what each camera can do, in order to figure out if it’s a right fit for you.
The most important aspect of a camera is what kind of photos it can take. Because of that, we’ll start off by showing you some photos I took with the Canon 250D, and then I’ll also show you some photos taken with the Canon 600D.
After that, we’ll discuss the differences between the photos, if any.
Image Quality
As you can see, both cameras can produce wonderful images under the right conditions. The truth is that when it comes to photography and filmmaking, the camera is often the least important part of the process.
If you understand basic concepts, such as how light works, how to position your model, how to select the right background, and more, the camera just becomes a tool which can either make your job easier, or harder, depending on whether you’ve made the right choice or not.
When it comes to image stabilisation, neither of these camera bodies have it. This is to be expected, as the 600D is entry level, and the 250D reaches more towards midlevel. In-body stabilisation can usually be found on more expensive cameras, such as the Canon EOS R5, which is what I’ve used to film the B-roll for the video above.
If you do want some image stabilisation with these cameras, you’ll have to get it from the lens, if it happens to have it. In the case of the Canon 18-55mm kit lens, if it has IS in the name, then it has some stabilisation.
By the way, I’ve reviewed the Canon R5, and the 18-55mm lens on my YouTube channel.
Let’s proceed with the review, and see which camera is a better fit for you, and your needs.
Size & Build
When it comes to build quality, the cameras are equivalent. Both are made by Canon, so you can expect high quality workmanship, and exquisite design.
In terms of size, the Canon 250D measures 122.4 x 92.6 x 69.8mm, and weighs around 449 grams. The 600D isn’t particularly large either, weighing in at 570g, and measuring 133 x 100 x 80mm.
As you can see, the two camera bodies are also equivalent in size and weight, with the Canon 600D being the beefier one of the two.
These measurements only apply to the camera bodies themselves by the way, as lenses vary greatly in size and weight.
Video
Next up, let’s talk about video. When it comes to it, the clear winner is the Canon 250D, as it can do 4K video, although it is cropped, and you can’t use Dual Pixel AF when in this mode.
To be fair though, it can do 1080p at 60fps, which the 600D can’t do. The 600D can do 1080p, but only at 30fps, and can only do 60fps at 720p.
Vlogging
So, given what we’ve learnt so far, are these two cameras any good for vlogging? The short answer is yes, though there are a couple of caveats.
Given that neither of these two cameras have in-body image stabilisation, if you’ll be vlogging handheld, it’s recommended that you get a lens with IS. The most affordable one is probably going to be the 18-55mm kit lens mentioned earlier.
The second caveat is the fact that both of these cameras have cropped sensors. The effect that that has is that the images they produce are somewhat zoomed in.
If you’re holding the camera in your hand, this limits the distance between yourself and the camera. If you’re using the 18-55mm lens for example, you’ll have to have it zoomed all the way out to 18mm.
This should produce good results for most people, especially if you invest in a Gorillapod, which will act like an extension for your arm, and will put even more distance between you and the camera.
The Gorillapod also acts like a stand if you ocassionally want to set the camera down when talking to it.
As a quick side note, even though the 250D can do 4K video, you’ll be limited to 1080p when vlogging. This is because when shooting 4K on the 250D, there is a crop applied, which means that it zooms in even more.
As a result, filming yourself handheld in 4K may result in too much of a closeup.
YouTubers
What if you want to use these cameras on a tripod, for YouTube, streaming, or content creation. Yeah, they would work fine, though it’s important to bear in mind your lighting setup, and lens.
If you have loads of light, regardless of it being natural or artificial, the kit lens will be good to start with. If you don’t have much light, or if you want a nice blurry background, have a look at the Canon EF 50mm f1.4 or the Canon EF 50mm f1.8. Both those lenses allow in a lot more light than the kit lens, and they also produce a nice blurry background. I’ve covered both on my YouTube channel.
The 250D also has the advantage of being able to do 60 fps at 1080p, which will allow you to do some slow motion work. The 600D can also do 60fps, but only at 720p.
Applications
So what applications are these cameras good for? If you wish to photograph sports, or wild animals, both of which involve sudden, and often unpredictable movements, the 250D would be better at that.
The reason is because it can do five photos per second in continuous mode. In comparison, the 600D can only do 3.7 frames per second. As a result, the 250D is better at freezing motion.
In terms of video, the 250D is obviously superior, as it can shoot 4K, and 1080p at 60fps. The downside of the 4K being, of course, that it’s cropped, and that the camera lacks the magical Canon Dual-Pixel Autofocus in that mode.
This is particularly an issue if you wish to film fast moving subjects.
For street photography, the 250D again has a technical advantage, as it is slightly smaller than the 600D, and thus less intimidating for the subjects. It also makes you stand out a bit less, which is always a perk.
For basically anything else, they’re roughly equivalent.
Display
Both the 250D, and the 600D are equipped with swivel screens, which allow you to turn the camera around when vlogging, or to flip the other way when the camera is not in use, thus protecting the screen.
Neither are particularly mindblowing, but they do the job, which is allowing you to view the photos that you’ve taken, and to navigate the menus.
The screen on the 250D is touch sensitive by the way, which is not the case with the 600D.
Neither of them have the top LCD displays that can be found on other camera bodies. Those displays aren’t essential, and some Canon users don’t even want them there, but others appreciate them for the aesthetic.
Control
When it comes to control, both cameras have a pretty standard Canon layout. If you’ve used a Canon camera before, you’ll pretty much immediately know how everything works.
Storage
In terms of storage, both cameras only have one SD card slot. This is to be expected, as neither are professional level cameras, but it would have been nice to see on the Canon 250D at the very least.
The purpose of a dual SD card is to provide you with backups. If one of the SD cards gets corrupted, the other will still have the files.
When just taking photos for yourself, this isn’t a big deal, but if you’re doing a professional gig, losing files could truly be a nightmare.
If you have no choice but to use one of these cameras for professional reasons, I’d recommend bringing your laptop with you, and ocasionally backing up your work.
Battery Life
With older, discontinued cameras, battery life is never going to be ideal. You’ll either have to use an original battery, which is going to have some milage on it, or buy new third party batteries, which isn’t always recommended.
Longevity
When it comes to longevity, both of these cameras have a lifespan of around 100,000 actuations. This means that, in theory, the camera is rated for 100,000 photos.
When purchasing the camera, it’s always important to check how many actuations, or shutter clicks, it’s already gone through. If the seller is reluctant to tell you, it’s best to look elsewhere, as that means that the number of actuations is either close to the maximum, or perhaps even over it.
Compatible lenses
Both cameras are compatible with EF and EF-S lenses, which gives you an enormous list to choose from. The list of Canon lenses with this mount is basically inexhaustible. I’ve reviewed some of the most popular ones on my YouTube channel.
Conclusion
So, in conclusion, which camera should you buy?
If you intend on mostly doing photography, with a bit of video here and there, the Canon 600D is a better choice, compared to the 250D. This is not because the 600D produces better photographs, because both cameras are equivalent in that regard, but because with the 250D, you’re mostly paying for the video features.
If indeed you mostly want to do video, especially if you want to slow motion video, the 250D is the better choice, as it can do 4K, and 1080p at 60fps.
If you’d like to purchase any of the items I’ve mentioned in this article, or see how much they cost in your country, I have a link down below where you can view them.
Thank you for reading my comparison review of the Canon 250D (SL3) vs Canon 600D (T3i). I invite you to have a look at some of my other articles. We have something for everyone, whether you’re interested in audio, or cameras and lenses. Alternatively, if you prefer video reviews, feel free to have a look at my YouTube channel.
Product Links
Down below you will find all of the items I talked about in this article.
