Canon’s EOS 600D follows in the footsteps of the 500D and 550D and combines a stainless steel chassis with a polycarbonate finish.
At the heart of the Canon EOS 600Dis an 18Mp CMOS sensor, which matches the impressive 5184x3456 resolution offered by the more expensive EOS 7D and its predecessor, the 550D. The ISO range is also the same, running from 100-6400 and there’s the option of expanding this to an equivalent of 12,800 via the Custom Function menu, turning ISO Expansion On and selecting the H setting.
With its APS-C sized chip there’s a 1.6x crop factor to consider when coupling lenses and the multi-purpose 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens that’s available in kit form with the 600D offers a 35mm focal length equivalent of 28.8-216mm.
AF arrangement is unchanged from the 550D and is made up of 9 AF points in diamond formation, with one cross-type sensor in the centre, and to support focusing is a 63-zone dual-layer iFCL metering system that analyses focus, colour and luminance to provide accurate and consistent exposures. Chunkier than Canon’s previous mid-level D-SLRs, the 600D’s renewed body is paired with a 3in, 1040k-dot vari-angle screen that’s identical to the one found on the EOS 60D. Supporting Live View with its diminutive button beside the viewfinder, the screen is easily pulled out from the body by 180º and flips by 270º to assist when shooting from unusual angles.
Built-in wireless flash control is a welcome feature for those who enjoy using off-camera flash, and for anyone who likes to make movies, the EOS 600D has the ability to record full HD video at 1920x1080 at a range of frame rates (30,25 and 24). The 3.5mm stereo port gives you the option of attaching an external mic and the video-snapshot editing mode can be used to merge 2, 4 or 8sec video clips together instantly.
The 600D doesn’t support an active AF system for video capture and we found AF in Live View (which works on a Contrast-Detect principle) slightly slow.
The EOS 600D’s DIGIC 4 processor permits a 3.7fps burst rate, which is no faster than the 550D, but it’s only capable of shooting six consecutive RAW files before the buffer interrupts shooting. Capturing JPEGs, this rises to 60 before the buffer stutters, but it still can’t beat the Nikon D5100 for frame count.
AF performance is sound with only minimal signs of hunting and the lens operated smoothly throughout the range, but the MF ring did feel a shade loose. With subjects close to the edge of the frame you’ll also need to focus and recompose as the AF points are quite centralised.
The 600D’s grip feels large and comfortable to hold and the overall finish is first class. With just one command dial the AV button has to be depressed to change aperture in Manual mode, but all of the 600D’s buttons are both clear and quick to navigate – something that can also be said for the excellent menu system.
Digital Photo Gold Award
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